In this chapter is contained the prophecy of the destruction of Nineveh, and with it the whole Assyrian empire; the causes of which, besides those before mentioned, were the murders, lies, and robberies it was full of, Nah. 3:1 for which it should be swiftly and cruelly destroyed, Nah. 3:2, Nah.

Woe to the bloody city Nineveh, in which many murders were daily committed; innocent blood shed; the lives of men taken away, under the colour of justice, by false witnesses, and other unlawful methods; and which was continually making war with neighbouring nations, and shedding their blood, which…

The noise of a whip Of a horseman or chariot driver whipping his horses to make speed to Nineveh, and enter into it, so near as to be heard by the inhabitants of it; and is thus represented in order to strike terror into them: and the noise of the rattling of the wheels; that is, of the chariots…

The horseman lifteth up both the bright sword and the glittering spear Or, “the flame of the sword and the glittering spear” [[21]]; he rides with a drawn sword, which, being brandished to and fro, looks like a flame of fire; or with a spear made of polished iron, or steel, which, when vibrated and…

Because of the multitudes of the whoredoms of the wellfavoured harlot Meaning Nineveh; which, as it was an ancient city, was a well built one; full of stately and beautiful buildings, the seat of the kings of Assyria, and the metropolis of the nation, and abounded with wealth and riches; perhaps…

Behold, I am against thee, saith the Lord of hosts Because her doings were against him; (See Gill on Nah. 2:13): and I will discover thy skirts upon thy face; turn up the skirts of her garments over her head, and thereby discover what should be concealed, than which nothing is more disagreeable and…

And I will cast abominable filth upon thee As dirt and dung, or any or everything that is abominable and filthy; and which is thrown at harlots publicly disgraced, and as used to be at persons when carted.

And it shall come to pass, that all they that look upon thee shall flee from thee As something loathsome and abominable, not fit to be come near unto, or touched; and as astonished and amazed at an object so forlorn and miserable, and lest they should partake of the same punishment: and say,…

Art thou better than populous No Or No Amon, a city in Egypt so called, not because the kings of Egypt were nursed and brought up there, as Jarchi and Abarbinel; see but from Ham the son of Noah, whose land Egypt was; or from Jupiter Ammon, worshipped there.

Ethiopia and Egypt were her strength That is, the strength, support, protection, and defence of No, whether Alexandria, or Thebes, or Memphis: Egypt was, for these cities were in it, and subject to it; or, if this was a free city, as some think, yet in alliance with Egypt, and under its protection;…

Yet was she carried away, she went into captivity Not by Nebuchadnezzar; though this city was afterwards taken, and its inhabitants carried captive, by that monarch, as was foretold, but the prophet here does not predict an event to be accomplished, and instance in that, and argue from it, which…

Thou also shalt be drunken This is said to Nineveh, whose turn would be next to drink of the cup of the wrath of God, and be inebriated with it, so that they should not know where they were, or what they did; and be as unable to guide and help themselves as a drunken man.

All thy strong holds shall be like fig trees with the first ripe figs Upon them, or like them: “and the first ripe figs”; which are easily shook and gathered; and so easily should the fortresses and towers of Nineveh, in which they trusted for safety, be taken by the enemy, not only one, but all of…

Behold, thy people in the midst of thee are women Or like women, weak and feeble, fearful and timorous; frightened at the first approach of the enemy; run away, and run up and down in the utmost consternation and distress, having neither skill nor courage to oppose them; some regard may be had to…

Draw thee waters for the siege Before the siege is begun, fetch water from the river, wells, or fountains without the city, and fill cisterns, and such like receptacles of water, with them; that there may be sufficiency of it to hold out, which is often wanting in long sieges; the want of which…

There shall the fire devour thee In the strong holds, made ever so firm and secure; either the fire of divine wrath; or the fire of the enemy they should put into them; or the enemy himself, as Kimchi; and so the Targum, “thither shall come upon thee people who are as strong as fire:” the sword…

Thou hast multiplied thy merchants above the stars of heaven A hyperbolical expression, setting forth the great number of merchants that were in Nineveh, and in the land of Assyria; who either were the natives of the place, or came thither for the sake of merchandise, which serve to enrich a…

Thy crowned men are as the locusts Tributary kings, and hired officers, as some think, who might be distinguished by what they wore on their heads; or their own princes and nobles, who wore coronets or diadems; unless their religious persons are meant, their Nazarites and devotees, their priests;…

Thy shepherds slumber, O king of Assyria Who this king of Assyria was is not easy to say; some think Esarhaddon, who is the last of the kings of Assyria the Scriptures speak of; according to Diodorus Siculus [[12]], Sardanapalus was the last of these kings, and in him the Assyrian monarchy ended;…

There is no healing of thy bruise Made by the fatal blow given to the empire by the taking of Nineveh; the ruin of it was irreparable and irrecoverable; the city of Nineveh was no more, and the Assyrian empire sunk, and never rose again: or, “there is no contraction of thy bruise” [[16]]; as when a…