Nea O Ut
mehts over her head, ‘and theteby difcover what fhould be concealed, than which nothing is more difagreeable and abominable to modeft perfons; it is here threatened fhe fhould.be ufed in character as an harlot, or as women oftentimes are by rude foldiers, when a city is taken by them: and I will foeew the nations thy nakednefs, and the kingdoms thy foame; all her charms fhall be taken away, and fhe become odious as an harlot to her former lovers; all her impoftures, arts and tricks, and fhameful actions will be difcovered; and her aims and views at univerfal monarchy will be feen, and her weaknefs to effect it made to appear; and, upon the whole, will become the object of the fcorn and derifion of kingdoms and nations;
¥. 6. And I will caft abominable filth upon thee, &c.] As dirt and dung, or any, or every thing; that is abominable and filthy; and which is thrown at harlots publickly difgraced, and as ufed to be at perfons when carted. The meaning is, that this city and its inhabitants fhould be {tripped of every thing that was great and glorious in them, and fhould be reduced to the utmoft fhame. and ignominy: and make thee vile, mean, abject, contemptible, the offscouring of all things; rejected and difefteemed of all; had in no manner of repute or account, but in the utmoft abhorrence: and I will Set thee as a gazing flock, to be looked and laughed at: or, for an example *, to others, that they may fhun the evils and abominations Nineveh had been guilty of, or expect the faine difgrace and punithment. Kimchi interprets it, as dung‘; to be no more reckoned of than that, or to be made a dunghil of; and fo many others interpret it: or, for 4 looking-glafs ®; that others may look into, and take warning, and avoid the fins that have brought on fuch calamities..
y. 7. And it fhall come to pafs, that all they that look upon thee, foall flee from thee, &c.] As fomething loathfome and abominable, not fit to be come near unto, or touched; and as aftonifhed and amazed at an object fo forlorn and miferable, and Jeft they fhould partake of the fame punifhment: and fay, Nineveh is laid wajfte, utterly deftroyed; its walls broke down, its houfes demolifhed, its fubftance plundered, and its inhabitants killed, or carried captive; who could have thought it, when it was once fo ftately, rich and powerful; but fo it is indeed! who fhall bemoan her? there are: none left in her to do it; and as for others, her neighbours, whom fhe has.opprefled and cruelly ufed, thefe will laugh and rejoice, inftead of lamenting her cafe: whence fhall I feek comforters for thee? none from among her inhabitants, being all deftroyed, or carried into a foreign land; and none from among the nations round about, who -will rather deride and infultg than pity and comfort; fo wretched and miferable would her cafe be!
¥. 8. Art thou better than populous No, &c.] Or No-Amon, a city in Egypt fo called, not becaufe the kings of Egypt were nurfed and brought up there, as Farchi and Abarbine!, fee Prov. viii. 30. but from Ham the fon of Noah, whole land Egypt was; or from ‘Yupiter-Ammon, worthipped there. No-Amon fignifies the manfion or palace of Ham, or Hamon: the Egyptians, as Herodotus {ays *, call
*tupiter by the name of Ammon, The Targum ‘interprets it, of Alexandria the Great, a city fo called long after this, when it was rebuilt by Alexander the Great; fo farchi, Kimchi and Ben Melech anderftand it: others take Diofpolis or Thebes to be meant, famous in Homer ‘ for its hundred gates; tho’ fome think this was not the number of the gates of the city, but of the temples in it; and others are of opinion, that thefe were fo many palaces of princes *, The city was built by Ofris; or according to others, by Bufris, and feems more likely to be the place here meant; fince here was a temple dedicated to Fupiter, called by the Egyptians Ammon, as Diodorus Siculus' relates, and was a very large and populous city. Indeed, according to the above hiftorian, it was in compafs but an hundred and forty furlongs ®; which is to be underftood of the city when firlt built, and before it was enlarged; for it muft have been a great deal larger in after-times, if we may judge of it by its ruins. Strabo ", who was an eye-witnefs of them quickly after its laft deftruction by Cornelius Gallus, fays, the footfteps of its largenefs were feen fourfcore furlongs in length, or ten miles; and even this was but fmall, in comparifon of what it was before it was deftroyed by Camby/es, when it is faid to reach four hundred and twenty furlongs, or fifty-two miles and a half °. It was the metropolis of all Egypt; and formerly the whole country was called after its name, as Herodotus ® obferves. The accounts given of its inhabitants are incredible, and particularly of the foldiers it fent out; according to the epitaph of Rhampfes, feven hundred thoufand foldiers dwelt in it; which number Diodcrus Siculus * gives to all the people in Egypt; but tho’ it may feem too large for Thebes, muft be too little for all Egypt 5 efpecially if what Agrippa in Fofepbus * fays is right, that Egypt from Ethiopia and the borders of India to Alexandria, had no léfs than 7,500,000 inhabitants: however, if Pomponius Mela * may be credited; when it was neceflary, the hundred palaces in Thebes could each of them fend out ten thoufand armed men, or, as fome fay, twenty thoufand; and if what Diodorus Siculus * affirms is true, that twenty thoufand chariots ufed to go out from thence to war; this fhews it to have been a very populous city indeed, and might well be called populous No; but now it is utterly deftroyed, firft by the Afprians and Babylonians, then by the Perfians, and laft of all by the Romans; the firft deftruétion muft be here referred to, if this city is defigned. Strabo“ fays, in his time it was only inhabited in villages; and Fuvenal ™ {peaks of it as wholly lying in ruins; and Paufanias * making mention of it with other cities which abounded with riches, fays, they were reduced to the fortune of a middling private man, yea were brought to nothing. It is now, or what is built on the {pot, or near it, called ZLuxxor, or Lukorcen ’. Some * think the city Memphis is meant, fo Vitringa on If. xix. 5. fee the notes on Ezek, xxx,
* De fitu orbis, 1. 1. c. 9. Bs, Vetus Theba centum jacet obruta portis. ii ee
14, 15. this was for many ages the metropolis of all Egypt. Sérabo* calls it a large and populous city, and full of men, and fecond to Alexandria in his time. ‘The compafs of it when firft built, was an 150 furlongs °; but now there is no more remaining of it, than if there had never been fuch - a city; nay it is not eafy to fay where it once ftood: now Nineveh is afked, or its inhabitants, if it could be thought that their city was in a better and fafer condition than this city; it might indeed according to the account of it by hiltorians, and as in the prophecy of Youah, be larger, and its inhabitants more numerous, but not better fortified, which feems to be the thing chiefly refpected, as follows: that was fituate among the rivers the canals of the river Nile: that had the. waters round about it; moated on every fide, either naturally or artificially: who/e rampart was the fea, and her wail was from the fea; which agrees with Alexandria, according to the defcription of it by Strabo ‘, Solinus *, and Fofepbus*, which had two feas on each fide it; the Egyptian-/ea on the north, and the lake Mareotis on the fouth, as well as had the canals of the Nile running into it from various parts; and is reprefented as very difficult of accefs, thro’ the fea, rivers, and marfhy places about it; and befides, might have a wall towards the fea, as by this account it fhould feem,.as well as the fea itfelf was a wall and rampart to it: and this defcription may alfo agree with Dio/polis or Thebes, which, tho” more inland, yet, as Bochart * obferves, it had, as-all Egypt had, the two feas, the Red-fea, and the Mediterranean-fea, and the canals of the Nile, which might be faid to be as — a rampart to it. So Socrates ® fays of all Egypt, that it is fortified with an immortal wall, the Vile, which not only affords a defence, but fufficient food, and is infuperable and inexpugnable, nor is it unufual, as to call rivers and lakes feas, fo particularly the Wile, and its canals; fee J xi. 15, and xviii. 1.° Ezek. xxxii. 2. and in the lcoran, the Nile is often called a fea*. There is another Diofpolis in Egypt, near Mendes, which, as Strabo * fays, had lakes about it; but this being a more obfcure place, is not_likely to be intended here; tho’ father Calmet * is of opinion, that it is here meant; it being fituated in the Delta, on one of the arms of the Nile, between Bu/iris to the fouth, and Mendes to the north. ‘The defcription feems to agree better with Memphis, whofe builder Uchoreus, as Diodorus Siculus' {ays, chofe a very convenient place for it, where the Nile divided itfelf into many parts, and made the Delta, fo called from its figure; and which he made wonderfully — {trong, after this manner: whereas the Nile fowed round the city, being built within the ancient bed of it, and at its increafe would overflow it; he caft up a very great mound or rampart to the fouth, which was a defence again{t the {well of the river, and was of the ufe of a fortrefs againft enemies by land; and on the other parts all about he dug a large and deep lake, which received a very a. | dea deal of the river, and filled every place about the city, but where the mound (or rampart) was built, and fo made it amazingly ftrong; whence the kings after him left Thebes, and had their palace and court here; and fo Heredotus, who makes Menes to be the builder of it, fays ", that without the city he caufed lakes to be dug from the river to the north, and to the weft, for to the eaft the Nile itielf bounded it; and Fofepbus", who alfo makes Mineus or Menes, the firft Pharaoh, to be the builder of it, fpeaks of that and the,fea together, as if not far off each other: now, if a city fo populous, and {0 well fortified by art and nature, as each of thefe were, was taken, and its inhabitants carried captive; Niweveb could not depend on her numbers or fituation for fafety, which were not more or better than. this. _
¥. 9. Ethiopia and Egypt were ber ftrength, &c.] That is, the ftrength, fupport, protection and defence of No, whether Alexandria, or Thebes, or Memphis: Egypt was, for thefe cities were in it, and fubject to it; or if this was a free city, as fome think, yet in alliance with Egypt, and under its protection; and in like connexion it was with Ethiopia, that is, Arabia, a country that lay near to it; and yet, tho’ it was {trengthened by fuch powerful neighbours and allies, it was not fecure from the devaftation of the enemy: @ud it was infinite; or there was wo end °; of its ftrength, or of the number of its allies, or the forces they were able to bring in its defence. The Ethiopians were very numerous, as may be learnt from 2 Chron. xiv. g. and fo were. the Egyptians, to whom fome interpreters ftri€tly connect this fentence. In the times of Ama/fis, as Mela? relates, there were twenty thoufand cities inhabited in it; and 7o/epbus * fays, there were in it feven hundred and fifty myriads of men; as Sethon king of Egypt, and Tirbakab king of Ethiopia were about this time the allies of the ews, in whom they trufted, no doubt they were confederate together, and fo both the ftrength of this city; fee J/ xxxvi. 6. and xxxvil. 9: Put and Lubim were thy belpers; Put or the Putim were the people of the Moors, that dwelt in Mauritania, and Lubim were the Lylians that bordered on Egypr, and whofe country is fometimes reckoned a part of it. The Fews ‘ fay, Lybia is Egypt, fee Ais ii. 10. thefe feveral people were the confederates of No; and helped them, not only by their commerce with them, but in time of war affifted them againft their enemies; and yet, tho’ fo ftrengthened by alliances were not fafe and fecure; and therefore Nineveh could not depend upon fuch helps and helpers.
¥. 10. Yet was fhe carried away, foe went into captivity, &c.] Not by Nebuchadnezzar tho’ this city was afterwards taken, and its inhabitants Carried captive by that monarch, as was foretold, Fer. xlvi. 25. but the prophet here does not predi&t an event to be accomplifhed, and inftance in that, and argue from it, which could have no effect on Nineveh and its inhabitants, or be an example or terror to them; but refers to what had been done, a recent fact, and which they were well acquainted with. ben Ezra fays, this city No was a city of the land of Egypt, which the king of the Chaldeans took as hé wert to Ninetich; but when, and by whom it was taken, is no where faid. According to Bifhop Ujber * and Dean Pri. deaux', the deftru@ion of the city of Thebes was by Sennacherib, in his expedition againft Egypr, which he harafled for three years together, from one end to the other; at which time Sevechus the fon of Sabacon or So the Ethiopian was king of Egypt; and Egypt and Ezbiopia were as one country, and helped each other; but could not fecure this city from falling into the hands of Seunacherib, about three years before he befieged Feru/alem; and fo, according to Mr. Whiffon*, it was de- {troyed three years before the army of Sennacherid was deftroyed at Ferufalem: ber young children alfo were dajoed in pieces at the top of all the ftreets; againft the walls of the houfes, or upon the ftones and pavements of the ftreets; which cruelties were often ufed by conquerors upon innocent babes at the facking of cities, P/. cxxxvii. 9. Jf. xiii. 16: and they caft lots for ber honourable men; the foldiers did, who fhould have them, and fell them for flaves; which was done without any regard to their birth and breeding, Yoel iii. 3: and all ber Sreat men were bound in chains; as nobles may be meant by honourable men, by great men may be defigned the gentry, merchants, and otheis; thefe were taken, and bound in iron-chains, hand-cuffed and pinioned, and fo led captive into a foreign land; and Nineveh might expect the fame treatment.
¥. 11. Thou alfo foalt be drunken, &c.| This is faid to Nineveh, whofe turn would be next to drink of the cup of the wrath of God, and be inebriated with it, fo that they fhould not know where they were, or what they did; and be as unable to guide and help themfelves, as a drunken man, So the Zargum, ‘* thou alfo fhalt be like ** toa drunken man;” this was literally true of Nineveh when taken; fee ch. i. 10: thou halt be hid; or, thou foalt be, as if thou waft not; as Nineve is at this day, bid from the fight of men, not to be feen any more. So the Zargum, ‘* thou “* fhalt be {wallowed up or deftroyed.” The Sep« tuagint, Vulgate Latin and Arabic verfions render it, def/pifed; or the meaning is, fhe fhould bide herfelf”; or be lurking about thro’ fhame, as drunken, or thro’ fear of her enemies: thou alfo Joalt feck firength, becaufe of the enemy; feek to others to help them againft the enemy, not being able with their own itrength to face them: or, feek ftrength of the enemy*; beg their lives of him, and their bread; pray for quarter, and defire to be taken under his protection; to fo low and mean a ftate and condition fhould Nixeveb and its inhabitants be reduced, who had given laws to all about them, and had been a terror to y. 12. All thy ftrong holds fhall be like jig-trees with the firft ripe figs, &c.] Upon them, or like them: and the jirft ripe figs; which are eafily fhook and gathered; and {0 eafily fhould the fortrefies and towers of Vizeveh, in which they trufted for fafety, be taken by the enemy, not only one, but all of ° them: if they be fhaken, they fhall even fall into the mouth of the eater, as fuch ripe fruit is very defirable, and the mouth of a man is open and ready ready for them; fo if he gives the tree but the leaft fhake, they’ll fall into his mouth, or about him in great plenty: in like manner, as the fortrefles of Nineveh, being of importance, were defirable by the Chaldeans and Medes, and for which they were gaping; fo upon the leaft affaule they would fall into their hands; fee Rev. vi. 13.
¥. 13. Behold, thy people in the midft of thee are women, &c.] Or like women, weak and feeble, fearful and timorous; frighted at the firft approach of the enemy; run away, and run up and down in the utmoft confternation and diftrefs, having neither fkill nor courage to oppofe them; fome regard: may be had to the effeminacy of their king; fee ch. ii. 7. The fenfe is, they fhould be at once difpirited, and lofe all ftrength of mind and body, and have neither heads nor hearts to form fchemes, and execute them in their own defence; and thus fhould they be, even in the midft of the city, upon their own ground, where, if any where, it might be thought they would exert themfelves, and play the man, fince their all lay at ftake: this was another thing they trufted in, the multitude of their people, even of their foldiers; but thefe would be of no avail, fince they would lofe all their military fkill and bravery: the gates of thy land fhall be fet wide open to thine enemies; inftead of guarding the pafles and avenues, they would abandon them to the enemy; and inftead of fecuring the gates and paflages, they would run away from them; and the enemy would find as eafy accefs as if they were thrown open on purpofe for them; perhaps this may refpect the gates of the rivers being opened by the inundation, which threw down the wall, and made a way into the city; fee ch. ii. 6: the fire foall devour thy bars; with which their gates had been fhut, but now opened, and in the enemies hands; who would fet fire to them, that the way to go in and out might be open and free.
¥. 14. Draw thee waters for the fiege, &c.| Before the fiege is begun, fetch water from the river, wells or fountains without the city, and fill cifterns, and fuch like receptacles of water with them; that there may be fufficiency of it to hold out, which is often wanting in long fieges; the want of which gives great diftrefs to the befieged: this is put for all neceffary provifions, which fhould be made when a city is in danger of being blocked up: this and what follows are faid ironically; fignifying, let them do what they would or could for their fupport and fecurity, it would be all in vain: forti y thy ftrong holds; repair the old fortifications, and add new ones to them; fill them with foldiers, arms and ammunition: go into clay, and tread the morter: make firong the brick-kiln, repair the brickkilns, keep them in good order; employ men in digging clay, and treading it, and making it into bricks, and burning them in the kiln, that there be no want of bricks to repair the fortifications, or fuch breaches as might be made by the enemy. Bricks were much ufed inftead of ftone in thofe countries; but when they had done their utmotft, ihey would not be able to fecure themfelves, and keep out the enemy.
¥.15. There fhall the fire devour thee, &c.) In the ftrong-holds, made ever fo firm and fecure; either the fire of divine wrath; or the fire of the enemy they fhould put into them; or the enemy