1.
Woe to the bloody city! it is all full of lies and robbery; the prey departeth not;
bloody city = city of great bloodshed (Ezekiel 22:2 , Ezekiel 22:3 ; Ezekiel 24:6 , Ezekiel 24:9 . Habakkuk 2:12 ).
departeth not = will not be lacking. Captive princes were exposed to public contumely in cages, &c.
2.
The noise of a whip, and the noise of the rattling of the wheels, and of the pransing horses, and of the jumping chariots.
The noise, &c . Between verses: Nahum 3:1-2 supply the logical Ellipsis ( App-6 ), thus: "is not released. [Hark! the enemy is within thy gates! ] The noise of a whip . . . chariot".
jumping = bumping, or sounding.
3.
The horseman lifteth up both the bright sword and the glittering spear: and there is a multitude of slain, and a great number of carcases; and there is none end of their corpses; they stumble upon their corpses:
bright = gleaming.
glittering = flashing.
they: i.e. the slayers. Hebrew text margin, with some codices, and four early printed editions, reads "so that they stumble", &c.
upon = over.
4.
Because of the multitude of the whoredoms of the wellfavoured harlot, the mistress of witchcrafts, that selleth nations through her whoredoms, and families through her witchcrafts.
Because, &c . Note the Structure, which shows that here, in the member "4-7", we have the cause, corresponding with "Nahum 2:13 ".
whoredoms = idolatries.
the mistress of witchcrafts . Reference to Pentateuch (Exodus 22:18 . Deuteronomy 18:10 ).
witchcrafts = sorceries. Compare Isaiah 47:9 .
5.
Behold, I am against thee, saith the LORD of hosts; and I will discover thy skirts upon thy face, and I will shew the nations thy nakedness, and the kingdoms thy shame.
saith the LORD of Hosts = [is] the oracle of Jehovah Sabaioth. See note on Nahum 2:13 .
I will discover . Carrying out the symbol of whoredom for idolatry. Compare Nahum 2:13 ; Nahum 3:5 .
I will shew, &c . (Isaiah 47:2 , Isaiah 47:3 .Jeremiah 13:22 , Jeremiah 13:26 . Ezekiel 16:37 ).
6.
And I will cast abominable filth upon thee, and make thee vile, and will set thee as a gazingstock.
make thee vile = disgrace thee.
7.
And it shall come to pass, that all they that look upon thee shall flee from thee, and say, Nineveh is laid waste: who will bemoan her? whence shall I seek comforters for thee?
her . Some codices, with two early printed editions, Aramaean, Syriac, and Vulgate, read "thee"; but the Codex "Mugah", quoted in the Massorah ( App-30 ), reads "her".
8.
Art thou better than populous No, that was situate among the rivers, that had the waters round about it, whose rampart was the sea, and her wall was from the sea?
better = situated better.
populous No = N'o-'Amon. 'Amon is not a Hebrew word meaning "multitude", but an Egyptian word meaning the Egyptian god "Amon". No = the Egyptian net , meaning the city; now known as "Thebes". (Compare Jeremiah 46:25 .Ezekiel 30:14 , Ezekiel 30:15 , Ezekiel 30:16 ).
the rivers = the Nile streams, Hebrew. yeorm , the regular word for the Nile and its canals, &c. First occurrence Genesis 41:1 ; rendered "flood" (Jeremiah 46:7 , Jeremiah 46:8 . Amos 8:8 ; Amos 9:5 ); "brooks" (Isaiah 19:6 , Isaiah 19:7 , Isaiah 19:8 ); "streams" (Isaiah 33:21 ).
the sea. The Nile so called in Job 41:31 .Isaiah 18:2 ; Isaiah 19:5 .
from = of: i.e. consisted of.
9.
Ethiopia and Egypt were her strength, and it was infinite; Put and Lubim were thy helpers.
and. Some codices, cited in the Massorah ( App-30 ), omit this word "and"; in which case we should render the clause: "Ethiopia strengthened her; Egypt [defended her with countless hosts (or hosts without end)]".
infinite . Hebrew = and there is no end. See the above note; and Compare Nahum 2:9 ; Nahum 3:3 .Isaiah 2:7 .
Put . Genesis 10:6 , the third son of Ham, next to Cush (Ethiopia) and Mizraim (Egypt). Put was among the mercenaries of Tyre (Ezekiel 27:10 ). Compare Jeremiah 46:9 .
Lubim = Lybians. Compare 2 Chronicles 12:3 .Daniel 11:43 .
10.
Yet was she carried away, she went into captivity: her young children also were dashed in pieces at the top of all the streets: and they cast lots for her honourable men, and all her great men were bound in chains.
Yet was she, &c . The cuneiform monuments tell us that Thebes, the old capital of Egypt, was destroyed by Assyria about 663 B.C. Assurbanipal has recorded his conquest. Nahum, writing about 603 B. C, refers to this as a well-known event, and likely to be remembered. Nineveh fell later, just as Nahum had foretold. See note on Nahum 1:1 . Yet Nahum refers to the Pentateuch! See App-92 .
she: i.e. Thebes.
11.
Thou also shalt be drunken: thou shalt be hid, thou also shalt seek strength because of the enemy.
Thou: i.e. Nineveh.
be drunken: i.e. drink of the cup [of judgment]; or, be stupefied by thy calamity.
be hid = hide thyself.
strength = strength [for defence]; hence = "thou shalt seek a stronghold, or refuge [in vain]".
12.
All thy strong holds shall be like fig trees with the firstripe figs: if they be shaken, they shall even fall into the mouth of the eater.
13.
Behold, thy people in the midst of thee are women: the gates of thy land shall be set wide open unto thine enemies: the fire shall devour thy bars.
14.
Draw thee waters for the siege, fortify thy strong holds: go into clay, and tread the morter, make strong the brickkiln.
Draw thee = Draw for thyself.
go . . . tread, &c. : i.e. make plenty of bricks [for the strongholds].
the brickkiln = the brick-work [ = fortifications, or walls] built with bricks. Hebrew. malben. See notes on 2 Samuel 12:31 .Jeremiah 43:9 ; and App-87 .
15.
There shall the fire devour thee; the sword shall cut thee off, it shall eat thee up like the cankerworm: make thyself many as the cankerworm, make thyself many as the locusts.
16.
Thou hast multiplied thy merchants above the stars of heaven: the cankerworm spoileth, and flieth away.
Thou = [Though] thou, &c.
spoileth = stript itself, or cast off the skin.
17.
Thy crowned are as the locusts, and thy captains as the great grasshoppers, which camp in the hedges in the cold day, but when the sun ariseth they flee away, and their place is not known where they are.
crowned = mercenary crowds. Hebrew. minzarim. Occurs only here. See Fuerst, Lex., p. 832.
captains = muster-masters, or marshals. Hebrew. tiphsar. Occurs only here, and Jeremiah 51:27 . Like the Assyrian dupsarru = a tablet-writer.
hedges = loose stone walls.
flee away = are in flight.
18.
Thy shepherds slumber, O king of Assyria: thy nobles shall dwell in the dust: thy people is scattered upon the mountains, and no man gathereth them.
shepherds = leaders, or rulers. Here = generals.
dwell = lie down: i.e. in death.
no man gathereth them . Reference to Pentateuch (Deuteronomy 30:4 ). App-92 .
19.
There is no healing of thy bruise; thy wound is grievous: all that hear the bruit of thee shall clap the hands over thee: for upon whom hath not thy wickedness passed continually?
healing = alleviation.
bruise = breaking, or breach: i.e. ruin.
bruits = report, tidings. Hebrew. shema'. The English "bruit" = rumour; from the French bruire, to make a noise.
upon = over. Figure of speech Erotesis. App-6 .
wickedness = cruelty. Hebrew. ra'a'. App-44 .