NAHUM THE ARGUMENT THE prophet Nahum is one of those prophets whose family and country are concealed, and it would be more labour than profit to spend time on the inquiry after the one or other.

The burden: when the prophets were sent to denounce future judgments against a nation or city, the word was usually called the burden of that nation or city; as, the burden of Moab, Isa. 15:1; of Egypt, Isa. 19:1; of Babylon, Isa. 13:1; of Damascus, Isa. 17:1.

God; the mighty God, so the French version, and the Hebrew אל implieth it. Is jealous; his love is fervent for his people, his displeasure hot against his and their enemies, whose idolatries he will not long bear against himself, nor their cruelties and rage against his people; but, as jealous for…

The Lord is slow to anger; not slack, as some count slackness, 2 Pet. 3:9, either in performing promise, or executing threats; but very wisely patient and long-suffering, which is ever tempered with great mercy, and both are joined together in his providence and in his word: see Ex. 34:6, Num.

He rebuketh: he once did rebuke, as Ex. 14:21; he still can, as a lord rebuketh his servant, or a general rebukes his soldier, by word or look, Isaiah 1:0; Isaiah 2:0.

The mountains; the more known mountains of that country were mentioned Nah. 1:4, now the prophet doth extend his speech to all mountains, how great soever, and how fast soever their foundations are laid.

Who can stand before his indignation? since God can do all this, who among the Assyrians, who among the Ninevites, what kingdom or monarchy, is mighty enough to resist or defeat the counsel and power of this God, who will ere long rebuke, and pour out his indignation upon them.

The Lord is good; though so terrible to his enemies, to obstinate sinners, yet he is as gentle, kind, and good to his people, to Israel; so the Chaldee paraphrast. Is good; in his just severity he continueth to be good.

But, or And, or Therefore, since God is so good to Israel oppressed by Assyria, and so terrible, just, and mighty to punish oppressors. With an overrunning flood; his judgments, like a mighty flood that overfloweth all banks, and scorns all that might check it, shall swallow up Assyria and Nineveh.

Having declared the dreadfulness of God’s power and anger against the wicked, his goodness towards his people, and denounced future destruction against the Ninevites and Assyrians, he doth now expostulate with them, would know what it is they think of God, what it is they design against him, and on…

This gives us account how this desolation shall be effected. While they be folded together as thorns; they should be like thorns easily burnt, and like thorns folden together, which burn together, and help to destroy each other, or are all together cast into the fire.

There is one: this is a very usual dialect to express an uncertain number; several are contained in such one; though if you will determine it to one single person, it is very like it may be Sennacherib or Rabshakeh.

Thus saith the Lord: this addeth weight to his prediction, it comes under the great seal of Heaven. Though they be quiet, and likewise many; or, If they would have been quiet and peaceable towards my people, Israel, they, i.e. the Assyrians, should have been many, &c.

The Lord confirms the prediction, by declaring how it should be done. Now; ere long; and in few years after this was done, though we cannot precisely determine how soon it was.

The Lord, God of Israel, against whom thou imaginest evil, hath given a commandment; determined with himself, and given charge to the Medes, which in due season they will observe, and, with assistance of the Chaldeans, will fitly execute.

Behold: as this speaks some unexpected thing, so it calls for our heeding and minding of it. Upon the mountains; over which he must needs come that either came from the Assyrian camp, where the miraculous slaughter was made, or from Nineveh, where the fugitive defeated tyrant was slain; many…