He that dasheth in pieces is come up before thy face: keep the munition, watch the way, make [thy] loins strong, fortify [thy] power mightily. Ver. 1. _He that dasheth in pieces is come up before thy face_] Nebuchadnessar the elder, that maul _a_ of the whole earth, Jeremiah 50:23, that brake, and... [ Continue Reading ]
For the LORD hath turned away the excellency of Jacob, as the excellency of Israel: for the emptiers have emptied them out, and marred their vine branches. Ver. 2. _For the Lord hath turned away the excellency of Jacob, as the excellency of Israel_] Both the ten tribes carried captive already and t... [ Continue Reading ]
The shield of his mighty men is made red, the valiant men [are] in scarlet: the chariots [shall be] with flaming torches in the day of his preparation, and the fir trees shall be terribly shaken. Ver. 3. _The shield of his mighty men is made red_] _Panoplia terrorem auget._ All was red (a colour mu... [ Continue Reading ]
The chariots shall rage in the streets, they shall justle one against another in the broad ways: they shall seem like torches, they shall run like the lightnings. Ver. 4. _The chariots shall rage in the streets_] Shall run so fast, as if they were mad that drove them. _ They shall jostle one again... [ Continue Reading ]
He shall recount his worthies: they shall stumble in their walk; they shall make haste to the wall thereof, and the defence shall be prepared. Ver. 5. _He shall recount his worthies_] Or gallants, magnificoes. These Esarhaddon, the King of Nineveh, seeing himself straitened, shall muster up, and mi... [ Continue Reading ]
The gates of the rivers shall be opened, and the palace shall be dissolved. Ver. 6. _The gates of the rivers shall be opened_] Notwithstanding all afore mentioned endeavours to save the city, the water gates of those that stood near the river Tigris flew open either, by means of that inundation abo... [ Continue Reading ]
And Huzzab shall be led away captive, she shall be brought up, and her maids shall lead [her] as with the voice of doves, tabering upon their breasts. Ver. 7. _And Huzzab shall be led away captive_] The queen; so called because she stood firm, and was best underlaid of any other, as was thought. So... [ Continue Reading ]
But Nineveh [is] of old like a pool of water: yet they shall flee away. Stand, stand, [shall they cry]; but none shall look back. Ver. 8. _But Nineveh is of old like a pool of water_] Like a fish pool of water, and therefore happy. The word (ברכה) here used for a pool, or pond, signifieth also a bl... [ Continue Reading ]
Take ye the spoil of silver, take the spoil of gold: for [there is] none end of the store [and] glory out of all the pleasant furniture. Ver. 9. _Take ye the spoil of silver, take the spoil of gold_] This is the voice of God to the Chaldeans; encouraging them to fall on, since they are sure of good... [ Continue Reading ]
She is empty, and void, and waste: and the heart melteth, and the knees smite together, and much pain [is] in all loins, and the faces of them all gather blackness. Ver. 10. _She is empty, and void, and waste_] An elegant alliteration in the original, beyond translating, בוקה וסבוקה ופבלקה. whereby... [ Continue Reading ]
Where [is] the dwelling of the lions, and the feedingplace of the young lions, where the lion, [even] the old lion, walked, [and] the lion's whelp, and none made [them] afraid? Ver. 11. _Where is the dwelling of the lions, &c._] Where is Nineveh, once so terrible, now so despicable? _Leoni mortuo v... [ Continue Reading ]
_The lion did tear in pieces enough for his whelps, and strangled for his lionesses, and filled his holes with prey, and his dens with ravin._ Ver. 12. _The lion did tear in pieces enough for his whelps_] _i.e._ That which might have been enough and spare, but that they were unsatiable. So covetous... [ Continue Reading ]
Behold, I [am] against thee, saith the LORD of hosts, and I will burn her chariots in the smoke, and the sword shall devour thy young lions: and I will cut off thy prey from the earth, and the voice of thy messengers shall no more be heard. Ver. 13. _Behold, I am against thee_] _Ecce me conira te ... [ Continue Reading ]