Ch. 3. Renewed threat against Nineveh

(1) The bloody city, full of ravin and prey, shall be stormed and sacked. Brilliant picture of the assailing cavalry and chariots (Nahum 3:1-3). (2) This retribution shall fall on her because of her fornications and sorceries with which she drugged the nations. She shall be exposed like a harlot before the eyes of the peoples (Nahum 3:4-7). (3) Can she look for a better fate than that of No Amon, which also had the waters for a rampart? (Nahum 3:8-11). (4) Her defences are broken through, her outworks have fallen, let her prepare for the siege (Nahum 3:12-14). (5) She is fallen; the merchants that crowded her marts and her people have flown away like a swarm of locusts when the sun is hot. In hatred and disdain men clap their hands over her ruin, for her evil has gone out unto all the world (Nahum 3:15-19).

1. bloody city] Ezekiel 24:9. In ancient states the capital was virtually the kingdom, and to Nineveh are here ascribed all the characteristics of the Assyrian monarchy. The cruelties perpetrated by the Assyrians were shocking. Captive princes who had offered resistance in defence of their country were shut up in cages and exposed to the gaze of the populace; the heads of those already executed were hung round the necks of those still living; and others were flayed alive. The Assyrians appear to have been the most ruthless people of antiquity. See cut representing impaled captives, Layard, Nineveh, II. 369, and Tiele’s chap. on the revolt of Shamas-sum-ukin; comp. also Sayce, Assyria; its princes &c. p. 127 ff. On the other hand they were not incapable of acts of magnanimity, an example of which was Assurbanipal’s pardon of the rebellious Egyptian princes whom his father Esarhaddon had raised to the throne. See his own words, Winckler, Altorient. Untersuch., I. pp. 104, 105.

full of lies and robbery] Robbery means “rending” or tearing in pieces (Psalm 7:2), the figure of the lion (ch. Nahum 2:11) being perhaps still retained, while “lies” rather deserts the figure, and refers to the false and overreaching state-craft of Nineveh (ch. Nahum 3:4), though possibly the subtlety of the wild beast might be alluded to.

The prey departeth not] “Prey” may be less the thing caught than the act or habit of catching—this prey taking is unceasing; cf. Jeremiah 17:8 last clause.

2, 3. Graphic description of the attack on Nineveh. Nahum 3:2 describes rather what is heard when the onset commences: cracking whips and prancing horsemen and rattling wheels; and Nahum 3:3 what is seen: charging horsemen, and flashing swords and glittering spears. On the whip, Layard, II. 356.

jumping chariots] i.e. bounding either from their excessive speed, or from the obstacles which they meet in the uneven ground before the city.

3. The horseman lifteth up] Rather, in a series of exclamations: charging horsemen, and flashing swords, and glittering spears! and a multitude of slain! In Jeremiah 46:9 the simple verb is used of the horse (come up); and the causative is here used of the horseman, as in Jeremiah 51:27.

stumble upon their corpses] The multitude of slain and the endless corpses are those of the Ninevites, over which the victorious assailants stumble. The first half of the verse describes the charge, the second half the field when the mêlée is over. Jeremiah 46:12.

4. multitude of the whoredoms] The phrase “whoredom” when used of Israel meant, first, infidelity to Jehovah, God of Israel, by serving other gods; then it was applied to alliances and political intercourse with other nations, partly because such trust in other nations betrayed distrust of Jehovah and falsehood to Him, and partly because the political influence of powerful states like Assyria and Babylon was naturally followed by an invasion of their customs and religious ideas, as was seen in the decline of the kingdom of Judah; and finally, mere political or commercial intercourse of one nation with another was called “whoredom,” even when the religious idea was not involved. In this weaker sense the term seems employed here, viz. of political intercourse; in Isaiah 23:17 it is used of commercial intercourse. Comp. Ezekiel 16:26-29; Ezekiel 23:40 seq.

the wellfavoured harlot] “Wellfavoured” means beautiful, though the phrase has perhaps ceased to be usual in common language; in the northern dialect “weel fa’art” is still common for good-looking. Beauty or charm is a point in the harlot; the reference perhaps is less to the splendour and riches of the imperial city than to the dazzling prestige of the empire, which fascinated weaker states and rulers, as for example in the case of Ahaz.

mistress of witchcrafts] i.e. that practiseth sorceries. Reference is to the arts of statecraft, the influences used upon the nations, which act on them like the charms and incantations and drugs of the sorceress.

That selleth nations] The expression to sell, viz. into bondage, appears used in a general sense, to deliver over, i.e. to destruction, as Esther 7:4; cf. Isaiah 50:1; Isaiah 52:3. The common Arab. verb to which Hitzig appeals, to use guile, craft, to beguile, is not a trans. verb but requires a prep. after it, and in any case its use is improbable.

And families] i.e. peoples, as Amos 3:1-2, “the whole family which I brought up from the land of Egypt.” Cf. Jeremiah 1:15.

4–7. Moral reason of Nineveh’s downfall

Nahum 3:4-7 give the explanation of this overwhelming disaster. There is a pause, however, between Nahum 3:3-4; the close connexion of R.V. is rather unnatural. Nahum 3:4 seq. proceeds with more calmness.

5. discover thy skirts] or, uncover. The term means here to remove that which forms a covering, viz. the skirts; the effect is stated in the next clause. Jeremiah 13:22; Jeremiah 13:26; Ezekiel 16:37; Ezekiel 16:39; Micah 1:11; Habakkuk 2:15. Reference is probably to the practice of exposing the harlot or adulteress. Ezekiel 16:37-41 (cf. Cambridge Bible).

6. make thee vile] Jeremiah 14:21 disgrace not the throne of thy glory! Deuteronomy 32:15; Micah 7:6. The idea that the word originally meant to cast corpses upon, seems baseless.

a gazing-stock] Ezekiel 28:17-18; Matthew 1:19; 1 Corinthians 4:9.

7. flee from thee] In terror at her judgment.

Whence shall I seek comforters] The words imply that none will be found to pity her, as Jeremiah 15:5; Isaiah 51:19.

8–11. Should Nineveh expect a happier fate than No Amon?

8. Art thou better] Most naturally: shall it be (go) better with thee? shalt thou have a better fate? The sense proposed by others, art thou better placed? is also suitable to the connexion, but the form of the verb is against it.

populous No] No Amon, i.e. No of Amon (the god); in Egyptian Nu Amen. No is Thebes the capital of Upper Egypt, sacred to the god Amun. Jeremiah 46:25 threatens No of Amon and her gods. Cf. Ezekiel 30:14 seq.

among the rivers] on the Nile streams. The city lay on both sides of the Nile, but was girt about with arms or canals of the river.

rampart was the sea] i.e. the Nile. A large river or any mass of water is called “sea”; Isaiah 19:5; Job 14:11. So baḥr in Arab.

her wall was from the sea] A slight change in pointing gives, and waters were her wall (Sept.).

9. Ethiopia and Egypt] Heb. Cush and Egypt. At this time Egypt and Cush, the country south of Upper Egypt, were virtually one, as the 25th or Ethiopian dynasty were on the throne (from 728–662), with No or Thebes as their capital. Jeremiah 46:9.

and it was infinite] A favourite phrase of the prophet, Nahum 2:9, Nahum 3:3; Nahum 3:9; cf. Isaiah 2:7.

Put and Lubim] Genesis 10:6 Phut is one of the four sons of Ham. Ezekiel 30:5, Phut appears in the armies of Egypt (Jeremiah 46:9), Ezekiel 38:5 among the followers of Gog, and Ezekiel 27:10 among the mercenaries of Tyre. Sept. sometimes renders Lybians, here Phut and Lybians seem distinguished. The place of Phut is usually sought on the N. coast of Africa, west of Egypt, though the views of scholars are divergent. In Isaiah 66:19 Phut is perhaps to be read for Phul.

thy helpers] The versions render her helpers.

10. children were dashed in pieces] A barbarous practice in ancient warfare; the children were taken hold of and their heads dashed against the wall or stones. The term used appears technical, 2 Kings 8:12; Isaiah 13:16; Hosea 13:16 (14:1 Heb.); cf. however the two passages, Isaiah 13:18; Hosea 10:14. The object of this savage act was to exterminate the whole population with which war was waged; a similar practice was to rip up the women with child, Amos 1:13; Hosea 13:16.

cast lots for her honourable men] Lots were cast for the nobles who were taken as captives. Joel 3:3, Obadiah 1:11.

No Amon was celebrated in antiquity as Thebes of the hundred gates (2:9. 381). It possessed a famous library, and was filled with temples and other buildings of extraordinary magnificence. Its riches were fabulous; compare the statements of Assurbanipal regarding the wealth his armies carried away when they captured it (Schrader, ii. 149 ff.). The splendid ruins of Karnac and Luxor attest the former magnificence of the city.

11. shalt be drunken] Drunkenness is a figure for the stupefaction caused by calamity. Isaiah 51:17-23, “Awake Jerusalem, which hast drunk at the hand of the Lord the cup of his fury, thou hast drunken of the bowl of the cup of staggering … Hear now this, thou afflicted, and drunken, but not with wine.” Similarly Habakkuk 2:15-16; Jeremiah 25:15 seq. Comp. Jeremiah 25:17-18; Jeremiah 25:27; Ezekiel 23:33; Obadiah 1:16.

thou shalt be hid] thou shalt faint, or, swoon, lit. be shrouded (in darkness), a usual oriental figure—“a covering came over him,” i.e. he swooned. Comp. the more usual word, Isaiah 51:20; Amos 8:13; Lamentations 2:19.

shalt seek strength] seek a place of refuge because of, or, from the enemy.

The destruction of Thebes here alluded to was effected by Assurbanipal about 664–662. The Egyptian king of the day was Urdamanî, who had succeeded Tirhaka. Details are given in the Inscriptions; see Schrader, ii. pp. 149–152; Winckler, Altorient. Untersuch. I. p. 105 (Essay on “The Sargonides and Egypt”). For the bearing of the reference on date of the prophecy, see Introd.

12–15. Her outer defences fallen, Nineveh must prepare for the siege

12. thy strong holds shall be] are. The strongholds here are the fortresses in the country, meant to guard the frontier or block the enemy’s progress towards the capital. They are like ripe figs, if the tree be shaken they fall into the mouth. Habakkuk 1:10; 2 Kings 3:25; Micah 5:5. On Nineveh’s preliminary defences, cf. Billerb.-Jer., pp. 127 seq.

13. Dismay and paralysis seize the Assyrians before the enemy. The comparison to “women” is common, Isaiah 19:16; Jeremiah 49:22; Jeremiah 50:37; Jeremiah 51:30; also in the Assyr. inscriptions.

in the midst of thee] i.e. throughout the land, not merely in the city of Nineveh.

gates of thy land shall be set open] are set open. The gates of the land are the passes or defiles or the ways guarded by defences through which entrance is obtained into the country or advance made towards the capital.

shall devour] hath devoured. The term “bars” may be used metaphorically to describe the forts themselves; or literally, the bars of the gates of such defences. When the gates are burnt the forts fall.

14. All the defences of the country up to the capital are fallen before the enemy. Nineveh must prepare for the siege.

fortify thy strong holds] i.e. make strong thy defence works. The “strongholds” here are the fortified places, whether outworks or wall towers, of the city itself.

make strong the brick-kiln] Rather: take hold of the brick mould. The words explain the previous phrases “go into the clay” &c. The exhortation is to prepare bricks to strengthen the walls, make new works, or repair the breaches. The great double outer rampart on the east of the city appears to have been partly of brick and partly of earth; the walls of the city itself were formed partly at least of blocks of limestone (mussel chalk). Comp. Layard, Nineveh, II. p. 275.

15. There] amidst her brick moulds, shall the fire devour her, the sword cut her off. The “fire” is said of the city, the sword of the inhabitants. The remains of Nineveh shew that the city was destroyed by fire.

like the cankerworm] Perhaps: young locust, before it attains ability to fly (Nahum 3:16), as distinguished from “locust” in the end of the verse. In any case the word is a name for locust, whatever “cankerworm” may mean, Joel 1:4; Psalm 105:34. The phrase: the sword shall consume thee as the young locust, can only mean, in numbers as great as young locusts (Jeremiah 51:14)—many as the young locust though thou art. The comparison is peculiar, though the idea is amplified in the next clause. The text is possibly in disorder.

Make thyself many] The imperatives can only be concessive—many as the young locusts shouldst thou make thyself. The first “make thyself many” is masc. and the second fem., which is scarcely possible in grammar. Sept. read the last part of the verse in a shorter form, though the last clause of Nahum 3:16 seems to require it in some shape. The words are connected with Nahum 3:16.

16. spoileth] lit. strips off, i.e. probably its skin or shard, which confines its wings. If this be the sense Tennyson’s lines finely express it—

To-day I saw the dragon-fly

Come from the wells where he did lie.

An inner impulse rent the vail

Of his old husk; from head to tail

Came out clear plates of sapphire mail.

He dried his wings: like gauze they grew;

Through crofts and pastures wet with dew,

A living flash of light he flew.

17. The idea at the end of Nahum 3:16 is amplified.

Thy crowned] The word is unknown. It is probably an Assyrian term, and is conjectured to mean nobles, or something similar.

and thy captains] The word employed is taphsar (tiphsar, Jeremiah 51:27), which appears to be the Assyr. dupsar, i.e. tablet writer, scribe, a term most likely used in a wider sense to denote high officials. Cf. Isaiah 47:13. See Schrader, i. 141, ii. 118, Del., Paradies, p. 142. The identification of the word with the Assyr. title is due to Lenormant.

the great grasshoppers]. The term means locusts, Amos 7:1. So in Arab. e.g. Carmina Hudhail. 139. 7. The word appears to be here written twice (possibly by mistake), which A.V. has sought to express by “great” and R.V. by “swarms.”

when the sun ariseth they flee away] Locusts become torpid with the cold; under the warmth of the sun they revive and take flight.

18. Thy shepherds slumber] i.e. the leaders and rulers. It is most suitable to the connexion to take slumber (which is the ordinary word for sleep) to mean, are sunk in death—Psalm 13:3, “Lest I sleep the sleep of death.” Psalm 76:5; Jeremiah 51:39; Jeremiah 51:57.

shall dwell in the dust] dwell, R.V. are at rest. The text reads dwell, but change of one letter gives lie down, i.e. sleep; 1 Kings 1:21; Isaiah 14:18. So Sept., followed by Wellhausen. The leaders are fallen, and the people scattered upon the mountains. This is more natural than to suppose that “slumber” and “sleep” refer to slothful inactivity on the part of the Assyrian leaders. Nineveh was defended for two years against the Medes.

19. no healing of thy bruise] Lit. thy breach, a favourite word of Jeremiah, e.g. Jeremiah 6:14, Jeremiah 8:11; Jeremiah 8:21, “the hurt of the daughter of my people.” The hurt of Nineveh is incurable (Jeremiah 30:12), her ruin shall be eternal.

the bruit of thee] i.e. the report of thy downfall.

clap the hands] A gesture of illwill and malevolent gladness.

upon whom hath not thy wickedness passed] Assyria has been the foe and the scourge of the human race.