13<\/strong>. her chariots in the smoke<\/em> ] in smoke<\/strong>, i.e. so that they go up in smoke. For “her chariots” Sept., Syr. read thy multitude<\/em> or abundance ( rubka<\/em> for rikba<\/em>). One might even suggest “thy lair” ( ribka<\/em>). The pronoun “thy” is more natural than “her,” though changes in person are very common.<\/p>\n voice of thy messengers<\/em> ] i.e. emissaries, exacting tribute or compelling submission, 2Ki 18:17<\/span>; 2Ki 18:19 ; 2Ki 19:9<\/span>; 2Ki 19:23<\/span>. The form of the word is anomalous; the anomaly would disappear if the pronouns were read in the masc<\/em>.<\/p>\n Behold I, Myself, am against thee – <\/B>(Literally, toward thee). God, in His long-suffering, had, as it were, looked away from him; now He looked toward (as in Psa 37:20<\/span>) him, and in His sight what wicked one should stand? Saith the Lord of hosts, whose power is infinite and He changes not, and all the armies of heaven, the truly angels and evil spirits and men are in His Hand, whereto He directs or overrules them. And I will burn her chariots in the smoke. The Assyrian sculptures attest how greatly their pride and strength lay in their chariots. They exhibit the minute embellishment of the chariots and horses . Almost inconceivably light for speed, they are pictured as whirled onward by the two or, more often, three powerful steeds with eye of fire , the bodies of the slain (or, in peace, the lion ) under their feet, the mailed warriors, with bows stretched to the utmost, shooting at the more distant foe.<\/P> Sennacherib gives a terrific picture of the fierceness of their onslaught. The armor, the arms, taken in my attacks, swam in the blood of my enemies as in a river; the war-chariots, which destroy man and beast, had, in their course, crushed the bloody bodies and limbs . All this their warlike pride should be but fuel for fire, and vanish in smoke, an emblem of pride, swelling, mounting like a column toward heaven, disappearing. Not a brand shall then be saved out of the burning; nothing half-consumed; but the fire shall burn, until there be nothing left to consume, as, in Sodom and Gomorrah, the smoke of the country went up as the smoke of a furnace. And the sword of the vengeance of God shall devour the young lions Gen 19:28<\/span>, his hope for the time to come, the flower of his youth; and I will cut off thy prey, what thou hast robbed, and so that thou shouldest rob no more, but that thy spoil should utterly cease from the earth, and the voice of thy messengers shall be no more heard, such as Rabshakeh, whereby they insulted and terrified the nations and blasphemed God.<\/P> In the spiritual sense, Nineveh being an image of the world, the prophecy speaks of the inroad made upon it through the Gospel, its resistance, capture, desolation, destruction. First, He that ruleth with a rod of iron, came and denounced woe to it because of offenses; then His mighty ones in His Name. Their shield is red, the shield of faith, kindled and glowing with love. Their raiment too is red, because they wash it in the Blood of the Lamb, and conquer through the Blood of the Lamb, and many shed their own blood for a witness to them. The day of His preparation is the whole period, until the end of the world, in which the Gospel is preached, of which the prophets and apostles speak, as the day of salvation Isa 49:8<\/U><\/span>; 2Co 6:2<\/span>; to the believing world a day of salvation; to the unbelieving, of preparation for judgment. All which is done, judgments, mercy, preaching, miracles, patience of the saints, martyrdom, all which is spoken, done, suffered, is part of the one preparation for the final judgment. The chariots, flashing with light as they pass, are the chariots of salvation Hab 3:8<\/span>, bearing the brightness of the doctrine of Christ and the glory of His truth throughout the world, enlightening while they wound; the spears are the word of God, slaying to make alive.<\/P> On the other hand, in resisting, the world clashes with itself. It would oppose the Gospel, yet knows not how; is maddened with rage, and gnashes its teeth, that it can prevail nothing . On the broad ways which lead to death, where Wisdom uttereth her voice and is not heard, it is hemmed in, and cannot find a straight path; its chariots dash one against another, and yet they breathe their ancient fury, and run to and fro like lightning, as the Lord saith, I beheld Satan, as lightning, fall from heaven Luk 10:18<\/span>. Then shall they remember their mighty ones, all the might of this world which they ascribed to their gods, their manifold triumphs, whereby in pagan times their empire was established; they shall gather strength against strength, but it shall be powerless and real weakness. While they prepare for a long siege, without hand their gates give way; the kingdom falls, the world is taken captive by a blessed captivity, suddenly, unawares, as one says in the second century ; Men cry out that the state is beset, that the Christians are in their fields, in their forts, in their islands! These mourn over their past sins, and beat their breasts, in token of their sorrow; yet sweeter shall be the plaint of their sorrow, than any past joy.<\/P> Sit they shall mourn as doves, and their mourning is as melody and the voice of praise in the ear of the Most High. One part of the inhabitants of the world being thus blessedly taken, the rest are fled. So in all nearness of Gods judgments, those who are net brought nearer, flee further. They flee, and look not back, and none heareth the Lord speaking, Return, ye backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings Jer 3:22<\/span>. So then, hearing not His Voice, stand, stand, they flee away from His presence in mercy, into darkness for ever. Such is the lot of the inhabitants of the world; and what is the world itself? The prophet answers what it has been. A pool of water, into which all things, the riches and glory, and wisdom, and pleasures of this world, have flowed in on all sides, and which gave back nothing. All ended in itself. The water came from above, and became stagnant in the lowest part of the earth. For all the wisdom of this world, apart from the sealed fountain of the Church, and of which it cannot be said, the streams thereof make glad the city of God nor are of those waters which, above the heavens, praise the Name of the Lord, however large they may seem, yet are little, and are enclosed in a narrow bound Luk 10:18<\/span>.<\/P> These either are hallowed to God, like the spoils of Egypt, as when the eloquence of Cyprian was won through the fishermen , or the gold and silver are offered to Him, or they are left to be wasted and burned up. All which is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, all under the sun, remain here. : If they are thine, take them with thee. When be dieth, he shall carry nothing away, his glory shall not descend after him Psa 49:17<\/span>. True riches are, not wealth, but virtues, which the conscience carries with it, that it may be rich forever. The seven-fold terrors Nah 2:10<\/span>, singly, may have a good sense , that the stony heart shall be melted, and the stiff knees, which before were not bent to God, be bowed in the Name of Jesus. Yet more fully are they the deepening horrors of the wicked in the Day of Judgment, when mens hearts shall fail them for fear and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth Luk 21:26<\/span>, closing with the everlasting confusion of face, the shame and everlasting contempt, to which the wicked shall rise.<\/P> As the vessel over the fire is not cleansed, but blackened, so through the judgments of God, whereby the righteous are cleansed, the wicked gather but fresh defilement and hate. Lastly, the prophet asks, Where is the dwelling of those who had made the world a den of ravin, where the lion, even the devil who is a roaring lion, and all antichrists 1Jo 2:18<\/span>, destroyed at will; where Satan made his dwelling in the hearts of the worldly, and tore in pieces for his whelps, i. e., killed souls of men and gave them over to inferior evil spirits to be tormented, and filled his holes with prey, the pit of hell with the souls which he deceived? . The question implies that they shall not be. They which have seen him shall say, Where is he? Job 20:7<\/span>. God Himself answers, that He Himself will come against it to judgment, and destroy all might arrayed against God; and Christ shall smite the Wicked one with the rod of His Mouth Isa 11:4<\/span>, and the sharp two-edged sword out of His mouth shall smite all nations Rev 1:16<\/span>; Rev 19:15<\/span>, Rev 19:21<\/span>, and the smoke of their torment ascendeth up forever and ever Rev 14:11<\/span>; and it should no more oppress, nor any messenger of Satan go forth to harass the saints of God.<\/P> <\/p>\n Nah 2:13<\/span><\/p>\n Behold, I am against thee, saith the Lord of hosts <\/em><\/p>\n Man incurring the Divine displeasure<\/strong><\/p>\n This attitude of God towards man–<\/p>\n Implies wrong-doing on mans part. God is not thus adverse to man for naught. His delights are with the sons of men (Pro 8:31<\/span>). Sin alienates man from God, and causes God to be righteously displeased with man.<\/p>\n And the voice of thy messengers shall no more be heard<\/strong> (with chap. 1:15).<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p>\n The messengers of Nineveh and the messengers of Zion a comparison<\/strong><\/p>\n And <\/em>the voice of thy messengers shall no more be heard (ver. 13); Behold upon the mountains the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace! (chap 1:15) The messengers of Nineveh and the messengers of Zion are alluded to in these passages. A comparison of these respective messengers may prove suggestive and useful in its application to certain developments in these modern times. From the Second Book of Kings and the Sccond Book of Chronicles we learn that the heralds or messengers of Nineveh cherished the spirit of blasphemy with reference to the God of heaven. The faith of the pious Hebrews consisted in the recognition of the one living and true God, and of His providential care over all His creatures; and it was against this bulwark that the emissaries of Assyria constantly directed their assaults in words foul and filthy (see Rabshakehs appeal to the Jews, 2Ki 18:33-35<\/span>; and his letter, 2Ch 32:17<\/span>). The great and dis tinguishing characteristic of the messengers of Zion was loyalty to the God of heaven. Their feet stood upon the mountains, and their voice proclaimed to the people, Behold your God! (Isa 40:9<\/span>); Thy God reigneth! (Isa 52:7<\/span>). In the present age there are messengers who boldly declare their none acceptance of the teaching that recognises the Divine Being and His working, and who seek to disseminate their views, and in doing so are not particular if they blaspheme the God of heaven. And whilst there are such messengers in the world doing their injurious work, there are also those who are thoroughly loyal to the King of kings, who delight to show forth His praise, to tell the story of His love in the gift and work of Christ, and to seek to draw men in loving obedience to His authority and will. Note certain contrasts, then, suggested; thus–<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Verse 13<\/span>. Behold, I<\/B><\/I> am <\/B>against thee<\/B><\/I>] Assyria, and Nineveh its capital. I will deal with you as you have dealt with others.<\/P> <\/P> The voice of thy messengers<\/B><\/I>] Announcing thy splendid victories, and the vast spoils taken – shall no more be heard<\/I> – thou and thy riches, and ill-got spoils, shall perish together.<\/P> <\/p>\n Behold: this calls for our attention. <\/P> I, the God of Israel, whom thou hast despised and blasphemed, am against thee, Assyrian kingdom, and Nineveh, <\/P> saith the Lord of hosts, whose command all must obey. <\/P> I will burn her, Ninevehs, <\/P> chariots in the smoke; in wrath, or suddenly; or what if, when the city, first plundered, then burnt, these chariots were burnt in that smoke. <\/P> The sword, of the conquering enemy, <\/P> shall devour thy young lions; young princes, that either are found in arms, or else are cut off in the places of their retirements for safety. <\/P> I will cut off thy prey; cause thee to cease from making a prey any more, or destroy all thou hast gotten by thy prey. <\/P> Thy messengers; either ambassadors sent forth, or tribute-gatherers, or muster-masters to enlist soldiers, or heralds to proclaim edicts. <\/P> Shall no more be heard; none shall concern themselves with one or other of them. None obey or fear thee. <\/P> <\/p>\n 13. burn . . . in the smoke<\/B>or(so as to pass) “into<\/I> smoke,” that is, “entirely”[MAURER], (Psa 37:20<\/span>;Psa 46:9<\/span>). CALVIN,like English Version,<\/I> explains, As soon as the flame catches,and the fire smokes, by the mere smoke I will burn her chariots. <\/P> cut off thy prey from theearth<\/B>Thou shalt no more carry off prey from the nations of theearth. <\/P> the voice of thy messengers .. . no more . . . heard<\/B>No more shall thy emissaries be heardthroughout thy provinces conveying thy king’s commands, and exactingtribute of subject nations.<\/P><\/p>\n Behold, I [am] against thee, saith the Lord of hosts<\/strong>,…. Against Nineveh, and the whole Assyrian empire, for such rapine, violence, and oppression, their kings had been guilty of; and if he, who is the Lord of hosts, of all the armies of heaven and earth, was against them, nothing but ruin must inevitably ensue: or, “I come unto thee” s; or will shortly come unto thee, and reckon with thee for all this; will visit thee in a way of wrath and vengeance. The Targum is,<\/p>\n “behold, I will send my fury upon thee:”<\/p>\n and I will burn her chariots in the smoke<\/strong>; either those in which the inhabitants of Nineveh rode in great splendour about the city; or those which were used in war with their enemies; and this he would do “in the smoke”; or, “unto smoke”, as the Vulgate Latin version; or, “into smoke”, as the Syriac t; easily, quickly, at once, suddenly, so that they should evaporate into smoke, and be no more; or, with fire, as the Targum; that is, as Kimchi interprets it, with a great fire, whose smoke is seen afar off; and may be figuratively understood of the smoke of divine wrath, as Aben Ezra explains it:<\/p>\n and the sword shall devour thy young lions<\/strong>; the swords of the Medes and Chaldeans shall destroy the princes, the sons of their king. The Targum interprets this of towns or villages destroyed thereby:<\/p>\n and I will cut thy prey from the earth<\/strong>; cut them off that they should no more prey upon their neighbours; and what they had got should be taken away from them, and be of no use to them:<\/p>\n and the voice of thy messengers shall no more be heard<\/strong>; in foreign courts, demanding homage and subjection; exacting and collecting tribute; blaspheming the God of heaven, and menacing his people, as Rabshakeh, a messenger of one of these kings, did; and which is mentioned by most of the Jewish commentators as being then a recent thing. Some render it, “the voice”, or “noise of thy jaw teeth” u; alluding to the lion’s breaking the bones of its prey, which is done with a great noise; signifying that such cruelty and oppression the Assyrians had been guilty of should be used no more; or rather, as R. Judah ben Balaam observes, as it signifies the noise of the teeth devouring the prey, it is as if it was said, I will cut off thy prey from the earth; and Ben Melech says that, in the Persian language, grinding stones are expressed by this word, and teeth are called grinders; see Ec 12:3<\/span>.<\/p>\n s “ad te venturus sum”, Vatablus; “ego ad te venio”, Drusius. t “in fumum”, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator. u “vox dentium molarium”, Calvin.<\/p>\n To give more effect to what he says, the Prophet introduces God here as the speaker. Behold, he says, I am against thee He has been hitherto, as it were, the herald of God, and in this character gave an authoritative command to the Chaldeans to plunder Nineveh: but when God himself comes forward, and uses not the mouth of man, but declares himself his own decrees, it is much more impressive. This then is the reason why God now openly speaks: Behold, I am, he says, against thee. We understand the emphatical import of the demonstrative particle, Behold; for God, as if awakened from sleep, shows that it will be at length his work, to undertake the cause of his people, and also to punish the world for its wickedness, Behold, I am against thee, he says. We have elsewhere seen a similar mode of speaking; there is therefore no need of dwelling on it here. <\/p>\n I will burn, he says, with smoke her chariots Here by smoke some understand a smoky fire; but the Prophet, I think, meant another thing, — that at the first onset God would consume all the chariots of Nineveh; as though he had said, that as soon as the flame burst forth, it would be all over with all the forces of Nineveh; for by chariots he no doubt means all their warlike preparations; and we know that they fought then from chariots: as at this day there are employed in wars horsemen in armor, so there were then chariots. But the Prophet, by taking a part for the whole, includes all warlike forces: I will burn then the chariots (237) — How? By smoke alone, that is as soon as the first flame begins to emerge; for the smoke rises before the fire appears or gathers strength: in short, the Prophet shows that Nineveh would be, as it were, in a moment, reduced to nothing, as soon as it pleased God to avenge its wickedness. <\/p>\n He then adds in the third person, And thy young lions shall the sword devour He indeed changes the person here; but the discourse is more striking, when God manifests his wrath in abrupt sentences. He had said, Behold, I am against thee; then, I will burn her chariots, he now hardly deigns to direct his speech to Nineveh; but afterwards he returns to her, and thy young lions shall the sword devour Then God, by speaking thus in broken sentences, more fully expresses the dreadful vengeance which he had determined to execute on the Ninevites. He then says, And I will exterminate from the earth thy prey; that is, it will not now be allowed thee to go on as usual; for I will put a stop to thy inhuman cruelty. Thus prey may be taken for the act itself; or it may be fitly explained of the spoils taken from the nations, for the Ninevites, by their tyrannical ravening, had everywhere plundered; and thus it may be applied to the pillaging of the city. I will then exterminate from the land, that is from thy country, those riches which have been hitherto heaped together as though a lion had been everywhere gathering a prey. <\/p>\n And heard no more shall be the voice of thy messengers They who understand מלאכים, melakim, to be messengers, apply the word to the heralds, by whom the Assyrians were wont to proclaim wars on neighboring nations. As then they sent here and there their heralds to announce war, and as their terrible voice sounded everywhere, the words of the Prophet have this meaning given them, — that God would at length produce silence, so that they should not hereafter disturb all their neighboring countries with the clamor of war. But as this explanation is strained, I am inclined to adopt what others think, — that the grinding teeth are here intended. The word is not written, if it be taken for messengers, according to grammar; it is מלאככה, melakke; there ought not to have been the ה, he at the end, and י, jod, ought to have been inserted before the last letter but one: and if it be deemed as meaning the king, it ought then to have been written מלכך, melkak. All then confess, that the word is not written according to the rule of grammar; and as the Persians call the grinders מלאככה, melakke, we may give this version, which well suits the context, ‘No more shall be heard the sound of grinders.’ For since lions seize the prey with their teeth, (238) and also break the bones, and thus make a great noise when they tear an animal or a man with their teeth, this rendering seems to be the most suitable, Heard no more shall be the sound of teeth, that is, heard shall not be the noise made by thy teeth; for when thou now tearest thy prey, thy teeth make a noise. No more heard then shall the noise from that breaking, or the clashing or the crashing of the teeth. But as to the chief point, this is no matter of importance. <\/p>\n The Prophet simply teaches us here that it could not be, but that God would at length restrain tyrants; for though he hides himself for a time, he yet never forgets the groans of those whom he sees to be unjustly afflicted: and particularly when tyrants molest the Church, it is proved here by the Prophet that God will at length be a defender; and hence we ought to consider well these words, Behold, I am against thee For though God addresses these words only to the Assyrians, yet as he points out the reasons why he rises up with so much displeasure against them, they ought to be extended to all tyrants, and to all who exercise cruelty towards distressed and innocent men. But this is more clearly expressed in the following verse. <\/p>\n (237) Jerome renders the clause, “ Succendam usque ad fumum — I will burn to smoke” the chariots: and the version of Henderson is the same. But the most natural supposition is, that smoke here is mentioned instead of fire. And so Dathius renders it — “ igni — with fire.” — Ed. <\/p>\n (238) The context undoubtedly favors this rendering. The Septuagint has “ τα εργα σοι — thy works,” which cannot consist with the word, “voice,” which precedes, though Newcome, following the Septuagint, renders it, “the fame of thy deeds.” There is but one different reading, except as to points, and that is, מלאככם, “their messenger,” in two copies, and this comes nearest to the received text of any that has been conjectured: and to render “messenger” in the singular number comports better with the usual style of the Prophets, than in the plural. Perhaps the ה may be deemed redundant at the end of the sentence; and then it would be literally, “thy messenger,” taken in a collective sense. — Ed. <\/p>\n Nah 2:13<\/span><\/em><\/strong>. <\/strong>I will burn her chariots<\/em><\/strong><\/strong> I will burn thy habitation, <\/em>&c. The simile taken from lions <\/em>is continued; and therefore chariots <\/em>is extremely improper. The word refers to the den or habitation of the lions, whom he threatens to suffocate with fire and smoke in their subterraneous caverns; thus keeping up the metaphor. <\/p>\n REFLECTIONS.<\/strong>1st, Nineveh is doomed to fall, and lo! her enemies approach. He that dasheth in pieces is come up before thy face, <\/em>that is to say, Nabopolassar the Babylonian. The Ninevites are ironically called to keep the munition, <\/em>to guard the walls, to watch the way <\/em>to the avenues of the city, to make <\/em>their loins strong, <\/em>and fortify <\/em>their power mightily, <\/em>to do their utmost to ward off the blow; but all their efforts will be vain, since their ruin is determined. <\/p>\n 1. The cause of it, among other provocations, is their ill usage of Israel. The Lord hath turned away the excellency of Jacob as the excellency of Israel; <\/em>hath humbled and brought them low, and hath employed the Assyrians as his instruments; but they gratified their pride, covetousness, and ambition herein; for the emptiers have emptied them out, and marred their vine-branches, <\/em>plundering and destroying the country, and leading many of the people into captivity. <\/p>\n 2. The terrible destruction coming upon Nineveh, for this and all her other sins, is described. The shields of the enemy are prepared, glittering with burnished brass, or red with the blood of the slain; the valiant men in scarlet, <\/em>magnificently arrayed; their chariots, <\/em>when preparing for the siege, shall shine with flaming torches, <\/em>to direct their way by night, or set fire to the city. The fir-trees, <\/em>the mighty men of Nineveh, shall be terribly shaken; <\/em>quaking for fear, while the chariots <\/em>of the enemy rage in the streets <\/em>approaching the gates, or entered into the city; so eager to advance, that they shall jostle one against another, <\/em>devouring as torches <\/em>of fire, and swift as lightning. He shall recount his worthies, <\/em>choosing out the mighty men to storm the place; and, in haste to obey, they shall stumble, though instantly recovering themselves, and mounting the breach, under the cover of the defence <\/em>which is prepared; <\/em>or this may be understood of the king of Nineveh mustering his forces, manning the walls, and preparing to sustain the siege, though his warriors shall stumble in their walk, <\/em>and fall; at last the besiegers shall enter at the gates of the rivers, <\/em>either forced or betrayed into their hands, and then the palace shall be dissolved; <\/em>both the temples of the idols, and the houses of their princes, shall be laid in ruins, and Huzzab shall be led away captive, <\/em>which some interpret of the queen, others of the king, compared to a woman for his effeminacy; or perhaps it may signify Nineveh itself, which before sat as a queen, <\/em>but is now hurled from her dignity, and lamented by her maids of honour, her inhabitants; who, while they are represented supporting her fainting under her calamities, utter their doleful moans, and beat their breasts for grief and anguish. Thus, though of old this mighty city was like a pool of water, <\/em>full of wealth and inhabitants, and tranquil and at ease; yet they shall flee away, <\/em>like waters when the dam is broken down, and as weak before their enemies; in vain some gallant chief should cry, Stand, stand; <\/em>panic fear has seized them, and none dare even look behind him. The besiegers now are called to seize the spoil of silver, gold, <\/em>and rich furniture, immense, invaluable; and thoroughly is the city ransacked, and left empty, void, and waste; <\/em>without inhabitant, a heap of ruins; none of that populous place dare resist; their hearts are melted, their knees knock against each other, they are like women in travail, and their countenances darkened like the livid faces of the dead. <\/p>\n 2nd, They who insulted over the calamities of others, justly deserve retaliation in the day of their distress. 2. God is her enemy, therefore she must fall. Behold, I am against thee; <\/em>and his wrath is more terrible than innumerable foes; he will burn her chariots in the smoke <\/em>of the city in flames around them; and the sword shall devour the young lions, <\/em>the inhabitants thereof and their children, enriched by rapine and spoil; I will cut off thy prey from the earth, <\/em>destroying all their substance which they had collected; and the voice of thy messengers shall no more be heard, <\/em>demanding tribute, menacing the poor subjected nations: or like Rabshakeh, uttering their blasphemies against God. Note; <\/em>God will shortly silence the tongue of the blasphemer. <\/p>\n REFLECTIONS<\/p>\n<\/p>\n I HAVE often thought that if the ungodly and carnal world could but consider, that all the opposition which they are making against the Church is overruled to the Lord’s glory and his people’s furtherance; they would, even from motives of ill will, desist sometimes from the exercise of their unprovoked malice. And I have as often thought, if the people of God could but keep in view that the malice of their opposers is not only permitted, but even appointed of the Lord; and like the clouds, pregnant with refreshing showers, must at length break over their head in blessing; how would they bless God for raising up to them enemies, to thwart and call forth their graces into exercise. In the history of Egypt, the Lord himself so explains the persecutions Israel sustained. He turned their heart (it is said) to hate his people. Psa 105:25<\/span> . So that though Pharaoh stormed, and the Egyptians oppressed them, yet they were but the instruments, the hand was the Lord’s. Reader! whatever tends to lead the heart to the Lord, must be of the Lord. And whether Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, or Nineveh; whether corruption within, or persecution without; whether our own deceitful hearts, or the world, or the powers of darkness, assault and harass, and afflict the people of God; wait but the issue, and listen to the voice of the Lord. To every adversary of his Church, the Lord speaks in those decisive words, behold, I am against thee, saith the Lord! Blessed Lord Jesus, I would say for myself and Reader, if – thou be for us, what need we care who or what is against us!<\/p>\n Nah 2:13 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.<\/p>\n Ver. 13. Behold, I am against thee<\/strong> ] Ecce me conira te (Hoc ecce non excitat mode sed perterrefacit<\/em> ). Behold, I, who am of myself a whole army of men, van and rear both, Isa 52:12<\/span> . I am against thee, saith the Lord of hosts ( Deus serierum<\/em> ) God of order, who have all creatures at command, if need were, as auxiliaries; and can arm your forces against you, sheath your own swords in your own bowels. Woe be to those that have God against them! The Tigurine rendereth it, En me tibi hostem, &c.<\/em> <\/p>\n <\/p>\n And I will burn her chariots in the smoke<\/strong> ] That is, saith Danaeus, I will burn all their munition and furniture for war, with a most bitter and soft fire, that they may be the more grieved and the more tormented thereby. Others by smoke understand the suddenness of the judgment, q.d.<\/em> No sooner shall my wrath begin to kindle, but I will consume them; primo impetu,<\/em> on the first assult, so soon as ever the flame beginneth to break forth, or rather before. By chariots may be also meant those that were carried in them. The Hebrew gloss here is, By smoke, that is, by a fire whose smoke is seen afar off, see Jdg 20:40<\/span> . Such shall be the fire of the last day, as A Lapide here noteth out of Jerome; when all the lions and lions’ whelps, that is, all tyrants and oppressors, shall be burnt, together with all their chariots, pomps, and messengers, ac imprimis eorum dux et princeps Antichristus,<\/em> and especially antichrist, their captain and chieftain. He and his Jesuits shall doubtless then be cast “alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone,” Rev 19:20<\/span> . Let A Lapide note that. <\/p>\n <\/p>\n And the sword shall devour thy young lions<\/strong> ] Thou shalt bring forth children to the murderer, and those that have taken the sword (though never so young) shall perish by the sword, Mat 26:52<\/span> . As a nettle stings quickly, an urchin is rough while young, and a crab soon goes backward; so sanguinary dispositions will soon discover themselves. <\/p>\n <\/p>\n And I will cut off thy prey from the earth<\/strong> ] Thou shalt be no further terrible and troublesome to the nations, whom thou hast vexed and spoiled. Of Baldwin, that apostate, one saith, that when he died, desiit simul maledicere et vivere,<\/em> he ceased at once to live and to rail. And of our Henry II the chronicler writeth, that in a great distemperature against his rebellious sons he departed the world, which so often himself had distempered. Nineveh, the great huntress, was now under that woe, Isa 33:1<\/span> . <\/p>\n <\/p>\n And the voice of thy messengers<\/strong> ] Thy heralds, by whom thou hast proclaimed war, or made unreasonable demands, or laid hard laws upon other nations, or exacted grievous tributes, or published thy new victories, to keep people in awe; or lastly, blasphemed my great name, as Rabshakeh, one of thy messengers, will do, 2Ki 18:19<\/span> . These shall all be silenced, an end shall be put to them and thee.<\/p>\n saith the LORD of Hosts = [is] the oracle of Jehovah Sabaioth. <\/p>\n the LORD. Hebrew. Jehovah. as in Nah 2:2. The full expression, “Jehovah of hosts”, occurs only here in Nahum (“Nah 2:13”) and in the corresponding member (“Nah 3:5”). See note on 1Sa 1:3. <\/p>\n in the smoke = into smoke. <\/p>\n messengers = ambassadors. Compare 2Ki 18:17, 2Ki 18:19; 2Ki 19:9, 2Ki 19:23. <\/p>\n I am: Nah 3:5, Jer 21:13, Jer 50:31, Jer 51:25, Eze 5:8, Eze 26:3, Eze 28:22, Eze 29:3, Eze 29:10, Eze 35:3, Eze 38:3, Eze 39:1 <\/p>\n I will burn: Jos 11:9, 2Ki 19:23, Psa 46:9 <\/p>\n and the sword: Isa 31:8, Isa 31:9, Isa 37:36-38 <\/p>\n I will cut: Nah 3:1, Nah 3:12, Isa 33:1-4, Isa 49:24, Isa 49:25 <\/p>\n the voice: 2Ki 18:17, 2Ki 18:19, 2Ki 18:27-35, 2Ki 19:9, 2Ki 19:23, 2Ch 32:9-16, 2Ch 32:19 <\/p>\n Reciprocal: Psa 76:6 – both Isa 15:7 – the abundance Jer 46:14 – the sword Jer 50:37 – their horses Jer 51:21 – General Eze 13:8 – behold Eze 21:3 – Behold Eze 34:10 – I am Nah 2:9 – for there is none end of the store Nah 3:15 – shall the<\/p>\n 2:13 Behold, I [am] against thee, saith the LORD of hosts, and I will burn her chariots in the {m} smoke, and the sword shall devour thy young lions: and I will cut off thy prey from the earth, and the voice of thy {n} messengers shall no more be heard.<\/p>\n (m) That is, as soon as my wrath begins to burn.<\/p>\n (n) Signifying the heralds, who were accustomed to proclaim war. Some read, “of you gum teeth”, with which Nineveh was accustomed to bruise the bones of the poor.<\/p>\n Nahum closed this message with a word from Yahweh in which the Lord verbalized His antagonism toward Nineveh. What a terrible fate it is to have almighty Yahweh say, "I am against you!" (cf. Nah 3:5; Jer 21:13; Jer 50:31; Jer 51:25; Eze 5:8; Eze 13:8; Eze 26:3; Eze 28:22; Eze 39:1; Rom 8:31). He promised to destroy Nineveh’s instruments of warfare. Invading armies would slay her young men. She would no longer devour other peoples like a lion does its prey. And messengers would no longer leave Nineveh with threats and to demand submission and taxes (cf. 2Ki 18:17-25; 2Ki 19:22; Isa 37:4; Isa 37:6).<\/p>\n 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. 13. her chariots in the smoke ] … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Nahum 2:13”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-22723","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-commentary"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22723","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=22723"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22723\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=22723"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=22723"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=22723"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
I.<\/strong><\/p>\n
II. <\/strong>Involves man in present distress. Man cannot be at ease whilst under the ban of Jehovah. In His favour is life (Psa 30:5<\/span>). Separation from Him through sin means disquietude and unrest. The worst troubler in the world is a wilful heart. Conscience makes cowards of us all! The heart melteth, the knees smite together (ver. 10).<\/p>\n
III. <\/strong>Resulting in ultimate ruin to such as wilfully persist in sin. God is the Lord of hosts. All power is His. Who shall stand when He is angry? (Psa 76:7<\/span>). All have sinned, and hence have incurred the displeasure of Him who is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity, but in Christ, whose day the seers saw afar off, God is reconciled to man; so that the distress and ruin indicated can alone result from man refusing to be reconciled unto God. (De Wettes Introduction.<\/em>)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
I. <\/strong>Captivity in contrast with freedom. The messengers of Nineveh approached Jerusalem, to which Sennacherib was laying siege, but they bore no tidings of liberty. They claimed full submission, and declared that even this must be followed by captivity in a strange land (2Ki 18:31-32<\/span>). The assurance of ultimate deliverance came from the messengers of the Lord (chap. 1:12, 13). Sin is bondage. Transgressors are slaves. And scepticism has nothing to offer such by way of helping them to escape. Lo! the messengers of Zion come. They tell him of the great Fathers unwearying love, the Saviours obedience unto the death of the Cross, the energising and sanctifying Spirit ready to gird him with all-sufficient strength.<\/p>\n
II. <\/strong>Strife in contrast to peace. The messengers of Nineveh to Judah had nothing conciliatory to convey; they told only of contention and strife. The assurance that peace should ultimately be enjoyed came to the anxious King of Judah from Gods messengers, who published peace. The messengers of scepticism have no proclamation of peace to make. It is the privilege, however, of the messengers of Zion to proclaim those spiritual and eternal verities in which the heart may securely and tranquilly repose, and to point to him who can quell every storm and give rest unto the soul<\/p>\n
III. <\/strong>Gloom in contrast to gladness. Hezekiah and his people were in extremity; it was to them a time of trouble; but not a ray of hope came to them <\/strong>through the messengers of Nineveh. Their worst fears were confirmed; the foe was unrelenting. Their hope was in God, and in the words spoken by His holy prophets. So in the extremities of life–in sickness and sorrow, and especially at lifes close, hope springs not from unbelief, but from the words God has addressed to us through His servants. The Gospel has no rival in such seasons. Scepticism has no voice then, or, if it speaks, it but deepens the prevailing gloom; but the good tidings God has revealed dispels our sadness and fills the soul with immortal hopes. Happy messengers who are thus enabled to comfort all that mourn, etc. (Isa 61:2<\/span>).<\/p>\n
IV. <\/strong>Shame in contrast to honour. The voice of all messengers who blaspheme the holy name of God shall be no more heard, for God will put them to silence; but voices publishing His love and grace shall go sounding on through the ages,–the bright succession of proclaimers shall not cease. Growing numbers shall be raised up who shall find their way to all nations and kindreds and tribes, until the glad tidings shall reach every shore, and the knowledge of the Lord shall fill the <\/strong>earth (Isa 11:9<\/span>). (De Wettes Introduction.<\/em>)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
<\/strong><\/p>\nFuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible <\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
1. Nineveh is triumphed over by her enemies. Like a lion in time past had the king of this strong city ravened uncontrolled, and filled his young lions with food, and his den with prey; and strangled for his lionesses, <\/em>his wives and concubines, who shared the spoils of the conquered nations, while none dared withstand or oppose him: but where is his dwelling now? it is desolate and ruined. Note; <\/em>Wealth gotten by violence is a precarious tenure, a short-lived possession. <\/p>\nFuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"