Explanatory Notes upon the Old and New Testaments

The inscription of the book, ver. 1. A magnificent display of the glory of God, ver. 2-8. A particular application of this, to the destruction of Sennacherib's army, ver. 9-15.

1. The burden - When the prophets were sent to denounce judgments against a nation or city, the word was usually called the burden of that nation or city. The vision - As prophets were of old called seers, 1 Sam. ix, 9, so their prophesies were called visions. Nahum - His name speaks a comforter, but it is God's people to whom he gives notice of the destruction of their oppressors.

2. Jealous - For his own glory. Revengeth - As supreme governor, who by office is bound to right the oppressed, and to punish the oppressor.

3. Hath his way - The methods of his providence. The whirlwind - Which beareth before it all things that stand in its way. The dust of his feet - Though he be surrounded with darkness, yet as an army afar off is discovered by the dust that their feet raise, so wilt God appear with great power marching against his enemies.

4. The flower - Whatever flourished thereon; the blossoms, and flowers which were wont to be the glory of it.

7. Knoweth - He approves, owns, and preserves them.

8. An over-running flood - His judgments like a mighty flood that overflows all banks, shall swallow up Assyria. Thereof - Of Nineveh, that is Nineveh itself. Darkness - Troubles, and desolating afflictions.

9. Against the Lord - What you imagine or design against his people, ye design against him? Make an utter end - He will bring you to utter desolation.

10. As thorns - They shall be like thorns easily burnt, and like thorns folded together which burn together, and help to destroy each other. As drunkards - As men drunken, and unable to help themselves, so the Assyrians drunk with pleasure and pride, shall be surprised, and easily overthrown.

11. Come - Sennacherib, or Rabshekah. Thee - From Nineveh. Against the Lord - Against the people of the Lord, 2 Chron. xxxii, 1.

12. They - The Assyrians. Quiet - Be secure, and fear no dangers. Yet thus - Irresistible, suddenly, and universally. He - The angel of the Lord. Thee - O Israel, I will no more use that rod.

14. Thee - Thee, Sennacherib, and the whole kingdom of Assyria. Be sown - None shall bear thy name, and title; but thy kingdom shall be swallowed up.

15. Keep - Be careful to serve God. Thy vows - Made in thy distress. The wicked - That wicked oppressor, Sennacherib.

The approach of the enemy and taking the city, ver. 1-6. The consequences thereof, ver. 7-10. Sin the cause of all, ver. 11-13.

1. He - The Medes or Chaldeans, that dash Nineveh in pieces. The munition - The forts. Make thy loins strong - Strengthen thyself.

2. For - Israel and Jacob were more to God, yet he punished them; much more will he punish Nineveh. Turned - Laid low. The excellency - The wealth, the valiant men, all that Jacob gloried in. Jacob - The two tribes. Israel - The ten tribes. Emptied them - Quite exhausted them. Their vine-branches - Destroyed all the fruit of the land.

3. The shield - One part for the whole of the armour, and furniture. Mighty men - Medes or Chaldeans. Red - With the blood of the slain. Torches - Torches were always carried in them. In the day - When he shall muster his armies. Shaken - By axes cutting them down for the war.

4. In the streets - Of Nineveh, when taken. Justle - By reason of their multitude and fury. In the broad ways - Where is most room, and yet scarce enough for them to move. Like torches - What with sparkling fire caused by their horses and chariots, what with the glittering of the polished irons about them, and what with the light of flaming torches carried in them. Like the lightnings - Both for speed, irrestibleness and terror.

5. He - The king of Babylon. His worthies - Approved officers and commanders. Stumble - Shew such forwardness, that they shall not stand to pick their way. They - The Assyrians to defend, the Chaldeans to assault the walls of Nineveh.

6. The gates - Of the city toward the river. The rivers - Of the Tigris, upon which Nineveh stood. Dissolved - While the Chaldeans besieged Nineveh, a mighty deluge overthrew the walls of Nineveh, by the space of twenty furlongs, through which breach the besiegers made their entrance. Dissolved - As if melted, it shall drop to pieces.

7. Huzzab - The queen. The voice of doves - Sighing out their complaints. Upon their breasts - Instead of musical instruments, on which they were used to play, now they only strike their breasts.

8. Like a pool - Very populous, like a pool which hath been long breeding fish, and is full of them. Yet - Yet these multitudes shall flee discomfited and terrified. They - The chieftains, and most valiant among the Ninevites.

9. Take - Thus the Chaldeans encourage one another in the plundering of the city.

11. Of the lions - Tyrants and bloody warriors.

12. Did tear - Formerly fell upon his neighbour nations. His lionesses - Queens, concubines, or ladies in the Assyrian court.

13. I will burn her - Nineveh. In the smoke - The city being first plundered, then burnt; these chariots were burnt in that smoke. Thy prey - Cause thee to cease from making a prey any more. Thy messengers - Embassadors or muster-masters. Probably this refers to Rabshaketh who had blasphemed the living God. Those are not worthy to be heard again, that have once spoken reproachfully against God.

The sins of Nineveh, and judgments pursuing them, ver. 1-7. Instances of like judgments for like sins, ver. 18-11. The overthrow of all wherein they trusted, ver. 12-19.

1. The prey - Extortion and rapine.

3. The horsemen - The Chaldeans and their confederates.

4. The whoredom - The idolatries, which were multiplied by the many people that served the Assyrian idols. And whoredoms literally understood, did undoubtedly abound, where wealth, luxury, ease, and long continuance of these were to be found. Well-favoured - Glorious in their state and government, and in the splendour of their idols, temples, and sacrifices. Of witchcrafts - Bewitching policies; or it may be taken for witchcrafts or necromances, which abounded among the Assyrians. That selleth - That dispose of them as imperiously, and absolutely as men do slaves. And families - This may intimate the seducing of some particular and eminent families to an hereditary service of the Assyrian idols, or to witchcrafts, in which the devil imitated God's institution, in taking a family to his service.

5. Discover - l will strip thee naked, and deal with thee as inhuman soldiers deal with captive women.

7. Shall flee - With loathing and abhorrence. Will bemoan - Whose bowels will be moved for her that had no bowels for any one.

8. Thou - O Nineveh. No - It is supposed this was what we now called Alexandria. Art thou greater, stronger, and wiser? Yet all her power was broken, her riches spoiled, and her glory buried in ruins. Rampart - The defense of its walls on one side. Her wall - A mighty, strong wall, built from the sea landward.

9. Her strength - Furnishing soldiers and warlike assistance. It was infinite - There was no end to their confidence and warlike provisions. Put - Or the Moors, who lie westward of Alexandria. Lubim - The people that inhabited that which is now called Cyrene.

11. Thou also - Thou shalt drink deep of the bitter cup of God's displeasure. Hid - Thou shalt hide thyself. O Nineveh, as well as Alexandria. Shalt seek - Shalt sue for, and intreat assistance.

12. Ripe figs - Whose weight and ripeness will bring them quickly to the ground. Shaken - If but lightly touched.

13. Are women - Were very cowards. The gates - The strong frontiers. Wide open - Either through fear or treachery. Thy bars - With which the gates were shut and strengthened.

14. Draw thee waters - Fill all thy cisterns, and draw the waters into the ditches. Tread the mortar - Set thy brick-makers on work to prepare store of materials for thy fortifications.

15. There - In the very fortresses. Eat thee - As easily as the canker-worm eats the green herb. Many - They are innumerable; be thou so if thou canst; all will be to no purpose.

16. The canker-worm spoileth - So these are like the canker- worms, which spoil wherever they come, and when no more is to be gotten, flee away.

17. Thy crowned - Thy confederate kings and princes. Captains - Commanders and officers are for number, like locusts and grasshoppers; but 'tis all for shew, not for help. In the cool day - While the season suits them. The sun - When trouble, war, and danger, like the parching sun, scald them. Is not known - Thou shalt never know where to find them.

18. Thy shepherds - Thy rulers and counsellors. Slumber - Are remiss, heartless, or dead. No man gathereth - No one will concern himself to preserve thy dispersed ones.

19. Shall clap the hands - Insulting and rejoicing. Thy wickedness - Thy tyranny, pride, oppression and cruelty; treading down and trampling upon them.

The prophet complains of the violence practiced by the Jews, ver. 1-4. God foretells the punishment of it, ver. 5-11. The prophet complains of the mischief done by the Chaldeans, ver. 12-17.

1. The burden - The prophet seems to speak of these grievous things, as a burden which he himself groaned under.

4. Therefore - Because the wicked go on with impunity. The law - The whole law, moral, ceremonial, and judicial. Is slacked - Is slighted, and not observed. Go forth - From magistrates, Judges, and public officers. Doth compass about - As it were besieges, with design to oppress and ruin.

5. Behold ye - Here God begins to answer the prophet. Among the heathen - See what judgments have been executed upon the heathen for like sins.

6. Bitter - Cruel, and without mercy. Hasty - Speedy in executing their merciless purposes.

7. Their judgment - The law they observe, is their own will. Their dignity - Their authority is all from themselves, without respect to any other law or rule whatever. 8. The evening wolves - Which with fasting in the day, came out in the evening, fierce and ravenous. Shall spread - All over the land.

9. For violence - To enrich themselves by making a prey of all. Their faces - Their very countenances shall be as blasting as the east-wind.

10. At the kings - Which opposed their designs. And take it - By mighty mounts cast up.

12. Shall not die - Be utterly destroyed. Ordained - Set up, and designed. Them - The Chaldean kingdom. For judgment - To execute this judgment, which is tempered with mercy. For correction - To chastise, not to destroy.

14. And makest - Not infusing cruel appetites, but permitting them to act according to such appetite which was already in them. As the fishes - Of which the greater greedily devour the smaller. Creeping things - Which in the waters are food for the lesser fry; so the world, like the sea, is wholly oppression. No ruler - None to defend the weak, or restrain the mighty.

15. They - The Chaldeans draw out all alike, good or bad. In their net - Destroying many together. And gather - As if they could never have enough, they drive men into their nets.

16. They sacrifice - Ascribe the praise of their victories. Their net - To their own contrivances, diligence, and power.

17. Empty their net - As fisher-men empty the full net to fill it again.

God answers, that the Chaldeans themselves shall at length be a prey, ver. 1-8. A woe denounced against the covetous, the oppressive, the drunkards, and idolaters, ver. 9-12.

1. Upon my watch - I will stand as a watchman on my watch- tower. He - The Lord. Reproved - Called to give an account of the mysteriousness of providence; either to satisfy doubters, or to silence quarrellers.

2. Upon tables - What was of publick concern, and therefore to be published, was anciently written or engraven upon tables, smooth stones, or wood, and then hung up in a publick place to be read. May run - That none may need to stop, but every one may plainly and clearly discern what is written.

3. At the end - When the period appointed of God shall come. Shall speak - Be accomplished, and not disappoint your expectation.

4. Which is lifted up - That proudly contests with the justice and wisdom of the Divine Providence, and provides for his own safety by his own wit. The just - The humble and upright one, who adores the depth of divine providence, and is persuaded of the truth of divine promises. Shall live - Supports himself, by a firm expectation of the deliverance of Zion.

5. He - The king of Babylon. Wine - Hereby Belshazzar, his city and kingdom of Babylon fell a prey to Darius and Cyrus. At home - Is ever abroad warring upon some or other. Unto him - To his kingdom. All nations - That are round about him.

8. Of the land - Of the whole land of Chaldea. The city - Babylon.

9. To his house - His family which he would enrich, and raise high. Delivered - Kept secure and out of danger from all below him.

10. Thou - Nebuchadnezzar.

11. Shall cry out - As if it had a voice, it cries to God for vengeance. Answer it - Confirm the charge against thee.

13. Is it not of the Lord - Is it not a judgment from God? Shall labour - That men go thro' the most painful labour. For very vanity - For nothing; without any reward of their labour.

16. Thou - O king of Babylon. Shall be turned - They turned the cup of pleasure about, God will carry the cup of indignation about also, and make them drink deep of it. Shameful spewing - Thou shalt be as much loathed as a shameful drunkard is in his vomit.

17. The violence - The violence thou hast done to Judea shall overwhelm thee. The spoil of brass - Such spoil as by hunters is made among wild beasts, when they endeavour to destroy the whole kind.

20. The Lord - He is Jehovah, the fountain of being, life, power, and salvation to his people. Keep silence - Fear, submit, and depend on him; let his enemies be silent, reverence, hope, pray and wait for him, who will arise and have mercy on them, who will make it to be well with the righteous, and ill with the wicked, who will fully and satisfactorily solve the doubts, and unfold the riddles of his providence.

Habakkuk begs of God to succor his people, ver. 1, 2. He calls to mind God's former appearances for his people, ver. 3-15. He encourages himself to trust in God, ver, 16-19.

1. Upon Sigionoth - A musical instrument.

2. Thy speech - In answer to the inquiry made chap. i, 13, 14. Was afraid - Trembled at what thou speakest. In the midst of the years - Even before the seventy years are expired. Make known - Thy truth, wisdom, power, and compassion.

3. God - The God of our fathers, discovered himself from Teman, a mountain not far from Mount Sinai, where the law was given. Paran - Near Sinai. His glory - This the prophet mentions as a support of his faith, that God so gloriously appeared among their fathers. Full of his praise - Of works which were worthy of all praise.

4. As the light - Pure, clear as the sun, but much more dazzling. His hand - The face of Moses shined; the face, yea, hands of our God, shine with glorious light. There - In that light wherewith he appeared. The hiding - Which discovered much of it, but hid much more; it was light inaccessible.

5. Before him - When God was leading the Israelites out of Egypt, he made the pestilence go before him, so preparing room for his people.

6. He stood - Gave his presence with Joshua, as one that stood by while the work was done. The land - The promised land. He beheld - Looked with a frowning countenance. Drove asunder - Cast them out, his eye did this, for he looked on them, and did this. His ways - The wisdom, goodness, justice, holiness, and power of God, which he shews in governing his people.

7. The tents - The people that dwelt in them. Arabia - Near whose borders Israel marched. In affliction - In fear and pain, lest that mighty people should fall on them. The curtains - Those that dwelt within them; these people dwelt in tents, which were made up on the sides with curtains.

8. The sea - The Red Sea. Ride - As a general in the head of his army. Upon thine horses - Alluding to the manner of men. Salvation - No; but he came to save his people.

9. Thy bow - One part of armour is put for the whole. The Lord is represented as armed, in readiness to smite through all his enemies. According to the oaths - In pursuance of his oath made to our fathers, and their posterity. Cleave the earth - When they were to march through a dry and thirsty land.

10. Overflowing - The inundation which at that season was wont to be very great in and round Jordan, passed away at the word of God; the waters below flowed, and ran from those above, which stood on a heap to make a path for Israel. The deep - Either the deep channel in which Jordan flowed, or the Red Sea with dreadful roaring parted its waters. Lift up his hands - Its waves which stood on an heap.

11. Stood still - At the prayer of Joshua. In the light - Which was most miraculously continued.

13. With thine anointed - Under the conduct of thine anointed, Joshua, the type of the Messiah. Thou woundest - Gavest a deadly wound to the kings of Canaan. The house of the wicked - The courts of these kings were houses of the vilest wickedness. By discovering - Destroying all from head to foot.

14. Villages - All the cities and all the unwalled towns. They - The inhabitants of Canaan. As a whirlwind - With violence invading me on every side. To scatter - To disperse and drive away the Israelites. Their rejoicing - They rejoiced in full confidence of swallowing up Israel unawares.

15. Didst walk - Thou heldest on thy way, from thy entering in on the east of the land, to the west thereof.

16. When I heard - What dreadful desolations God threatened against Israel. My heart trembled - Another effect of surprising fears and astonishment. Rottenness - A decay of all my strength. That I might rest - These fears made me betake myself to God, that I might rest in him. He - The king of Babylon. The people - The Jews.

17. The labour - The labour bestowed upon the olive. Yield no meat - Corn. Flock - Of sheep.

19. Like hinds feet - That I may escape to God my refuge. He will make me - To conquer and triumph.