Here he begins to describe the captivity of Nineveh and to depict it, as it were, before their eyes. And what the prophet had seen through the spirit in the heart as future, he presents here before their eyes as it were a present thing, because of the certainty.
V. 2. the scattered will come up against you.
[Instead of: Ascendit, qui dispergat coram te) it should rather read: For the disperser is coming up against you, that is, the king of the Chaldeans, Nebuchadnezzar. For your troops, which you will send out of the city, he will scatter and drive them apart.
And besiege the fortresses.
That is, he will lock you in by siege and deny you exit.
But yes, berenne the roads probably.
Now he mocks them, as if to say, "Prepare now the shield watch and be (bit) careful." For you know that this is the custom in war, that scouts are appointed to watch the crossroads and the roads, so that the enemy does not bypass them with deceit.
Equip yourself in the best way and strengthen yourself in the most powerful way.
That is, exert your forces, show your strength, now act manly, "now be strong and bold". In this way he shakes up the Assyrians who are in misfortune.
V. 3: For the Lord will reward the stewardship of Jacob as he rewarded the stewardship of Israel.
According to the Hebrew, rather: for he has quieted or subdued the hope of Jacob. The prophet, mindful of the reproach of the adversaries, brings it back upon their necks. For they reproached them, saying, The Lord hath quieted the hope, that is, the glory and the splendor of Jacob.
kobs, he did not make the glory of Israel cease or be silent. But the kingdom of Israel had already been devastated by the Assyrians and the ten tribes had been led away to Assyria. But that "hope" here means the splendor and glory of the kingdom is clear from Exodus 15:1 (according to the Hebrew): "He acted hopefully" 1) etc. It is therefore here the repetition of the boasting and the blasphemy of the Assyrians, just as if they said: The glory and all splendor of Israel we have turned into disgrace by disturbing the kingdom, in the same way we want to do it also with the kingdom of Judah. This impious and blasphemous speech he now puts upon them.
For the rejecters will pick them off and spoil their fiber.
So it should read: Since the disturbers had disturbed themc ) and had corrupted their fathers (propagines). But the "fathers" he calls the descendants and the generation, which is reproduced after the manner of the seedlings (propaginum). So also the people of Israel is compared to a vine, Ps. 80, 9. 12.: "Thou hast brought forth a vine out of Egypt, and hast forsaken the heathen, and planted it" etc. "Thou hast spread out his plant unto the sea, and his branches (propagines) unto the waters." He wants to say here therefore: The Assyrian has left no remains in the country Israel.
V. 4. The shields of his mighty men are red,d ) his army looks like purple, his chariots shine like fire when he wants to strike.
Here he now begins to describe the armor of the king of the Chaldeans, Nebucadnezzar, and presents this army with terrifying words as if it were present.
1) The Erlanger has here (incorrectly) Lxoä. 18, 11. in the margin.
c) namely the Israelites.
d) (Instead of isultus] rather: "are red". - (In eoevielmehr: "like purple".
Since he says that all weapons and all war equipment are of red color, he threatens bloodshed and indicates blood by the color. And the chariots are like torches in their impetuosity, "it all wants to be fire". For the shields and the chariots give and show a kind of image of flying torches, "they therefore flutter as fiery torches".
Lift your skewers.
[Instead of et agitatores consopiti sunt, it should read: And the spears are brandished, or: the lance bearers brandish their spears, that is, they shake the spears, so that they instill terror in all and despair of salvation by their warlike behavior, since the spears are moved and tremble in the hands of the men of war.
V. 5. The chariots roll along the alleys.
[Instead of in itineribus conturbati sunt] it should read thus: on the roads or on their course they are in confusion, "they do not go along after the line, as the peasants go to market," but go along as it were furiously without order, and keep no line. "With heaps they fall along."
And rattle on the streets.
[Instead of quadrigae collisae sunt in plateis] it should read: They rattle in the streets, namely before their crowd and violent impetuosity they make noise and rage against you.
They look like torches and drive under each other like lightning.
[Instead of Aspectus eorum quasi lampades, quasi fulgura discurrentia] it should read: They look like torches and like lightnings striking each other. The prophet wanted to depict with very significant, full and emphatic words the fierceness and violence of the rushing army, that they crowd one against the other before great multitude and fierceness, with which they advance against their enemies, so that there is no hope of escape or salvation. e)
e) All this is said by the prophet for the comfort of Judah.
Hitherto he has described to us the readiness of the king of the Chaldeans to make war on Nineveh. Now will come a description of the fear and flight of the Assyrians, and of their exhaustion in their ways; how the king will appeal to his heroes for help: but in vain will he undertake all.
V. 6 But he will remember his mighty ones.
As the Chaldeans approach, the king will begin to call his mighty men and say: Where are now my heroes and great men, who have hitherto done such glorious deeds in war? "Then it will come to him at home 1)." But the Hebrew word XXX does not actually mean a strong one, but a glorious and glorious one, "excellent." Ps. 16:3: "For the saints that are upon the earth, and for the glorious."
But the same will fall where they want to go out.
They will fall in their ways or in their footsteps or in their walking, that is, wherever the Assyrians want to go, they will fall.
And will rush to thef ) wall and to the screen, since they are safe.
Or: They will build an entrenchment. The spirit in the prophet mocks the pusillanimity of the Assyrians. "Ei, how they give heel money and beat with the heels behind them!" They are so fearful that they do not dare to fight with the enemy, but run to the defenses and seek hiding places where they may hide. They stay inside the walls, they do not dare to go out.
V. 7 But the gates of the waters are opened.
[Instead of apertae sunt] it should read: they will be opened. What he means by "the gates by the waters" I cannot say for sure, unless he means that he is an-
1) The Weimarsche notes, "Or is [instead of 'hauß'] halß to be read ?"
f) ejus is not there [in Hebrew].
to show that Nineveh was [artificially] surrounded with water (fuisse irriguam). For great cities are built along rivers that flow by or through them, as if to say: the gates of the waters, which are usually inaccessible to the enemy, are now opened and are open to the enemy, so that he has access without any obstacle.
And the palace will go down.
[Instead of Et reginae captivae ascenderunt, et ancillae ejus minatae ibant in voce columbae, tympanisantes super corda sua it should read: The royal castle 1) is disturbed. "The temple he has crumbled." The temple or rather the castle, that is, the most principal building of Sanherib falls down without the hand of the Assyrians, or will be razed to the ground, that is, all protection falls away from it.
V. 8. the queen will be led away captive, and her virgins will groan like doves and beat their breasts. 2)
It is said thus: Et reginae captivae ascenderunt, et ancillae ejus minatae ibant in voce columbae, tympanisantes super corda sua. "How mocking is the prophet!" The prophet mocks captive Nineveh with bitter derision, saying, "The queen who was once exalted in glory and splendor is now exalted in shame and disgrace. As if he wanted to say: "Women's shreds, 3) come up, let yourselves be seen." But they are called queens because they are wont to stand with their kings, Ps. 45:10: "The queen standeth at thy right hand" etc. And the maidservants or servants shall beat upon their breasts, "they shall fell 4) upon the breast." Whereas before they performed round dances with timpani and zithers in great joy and delight, they will now be led away into harsh captivity, and will go by beating their chests, not unlike the way one beats timpani. This is a bitter mockery of the spirit, because this is the
1) In the Weimarschen: rscho instead of r[Ma. This is not a misprint, because the Erlanger reads like this, too.
2) Vulgate: tÄ naiiss eaxtivus akäustus sst, st ansillus sfus iniriaüuntur Mmsntss ut Columbus, ruuriuui-antss in eorckikus suis.
3) In our template: "frawe fetze".
4) In the original: "yhn", which is them - themselves.
Meaning of the Hebrew word that it indicates "cramming," as can be seen from Ps. 68:26: "Among the maidservants who cram."
V. 9. For Nineveh is like a pool of water. g)
He compares the captured and devastated city to a pond whose water, when opened, runs away and flows away. Thus the people flee, since the city is destroyed, "as when one cuts off a pond, the water rushes away" etc.
But the same will have to pass away. Stand, stand (they will shout); but no one will turn back. h)
That is, all will seek their salvation, not in arms, but in flight, but even if they are called or recalled from fleeing, they will not obey that they should return.
V. 10: So steal silver, steal gold.
The Assyrians had snatched goods from almost all peoples and kingdoms. Now they themselves are open to the enemies for booty. For the empires are nothing else than mountains of robbers [Ps. 76, 5] or mighty plunderers ([montes] praedationum), and the princes of the thieves are companions [Is. 1, 23]. Augustine says: Great empires are nothing else than great bands of robbers.
For here is no end of treasures, and the quantityi ) of all delicious gems.
It is said: "There is no end of goods, that is, of portable things; it alone is full of precious jewels. The prophet continues with his mockery, saying: "So great is the wealth that is gathered in this city that the city is hardly able to contain such great wealth. "Dear, make a little room in the city, it is too full." As the robbers of the merchants mock and say, "The bag is too heavy for you, I will make it lighter for you," so here is the mockery of the prophet against the Ninivites.
g) And Nineveh, its waters are like the waters of a pool.
h) and they will flee.
V. 11. But now it must be purely read and plundered.
[Instead of Dissipata est et scissa et dilacerata est] it should read: it is desolate, emptied, destroyed. Desolate, namely, because the citizens are expelled; emptied, by the taking away of possessions; destroyed, by the tearing down of the buildings.
That her heart must despair.
Instead of cor tabescens, it should read: et cor liquescens, that is, it perishes with fear.
The knees are shaking.
It should be called: and is said to be a shuddering, that is, a trembling in the knees or a dislocation.
All loins tremble.
That is, there should be no strength but weakness in the loins or backs of all.
And see all faces pale, like a pot.
^Instead of Et facies omnium sicut nigredo ollae] should be translated thus: Et facies omnium congregentur in ollam or sicut olla. We have this figure of speech also in Joel Cap. 2, 6. I see that it was proverbial; but what it actually means I do not yet know sufficiently. Some say, "All faces will be blackened," that is, they will mourn and be saddened, so that they will also become black as a pot because of fear. But I suppose the prophet meant to indicate this: just as meat is cut up, thrown into a pot and boiled, so they will be weighed down, afflicted and boiled by constant tribulations and distresses.
V. 12. Where then is the dwelling place of the lions and the pasture of the young lions?
Here he sings a song of jubilation and victory of the exceedingly powerful king and his princes. But he compares the king of the Assyrians to a lion, and the princes and great ones of the same to the young lions, who have so far robbed all the goods of others and have directed their attacks on the property of others, not to
As a lion, he robs and makes a prey of whatever comes in his way, and is not afraid of anyone's confrontation: so those exceedingly powerful princes have fattened themselves with the wealth of all peoples, which they had stolen with weapons of war.
As the lion and the lioness walked with the young lions, and no one was allowed to shoo them.
Instead of: Ad quam ivit leo, ut ingrederetur illuc catulus leonis, et non est, qui exterreat, it should read thus: In quod ivit leo, ut introduceret illuc catulos leonis, et non est, qui exterreret. The king had his walk in great security and confidence, relying on his very powerful and at the same time very valiant kingdom, not unlike a lion relies on his den. For ire in the holy scripture is "to walk" and to have one's dwelling place in a people; likewise, to administer a public office. Deut. 23:1: "There shall no man be cut off from the congregation of the Lord.
V. 13. But the lion robbed enoughj ) for his young, and choked it to his lionesses.
He persists in the parable: Just as a lion robs in order to distribute it to its young and to the lioness, so also this kingdom had robbed the possessions and goods of other kingdoms in order to distribute them to its children and grandchildren. "To the lionesses," that is, to the queens and most distinguished women, he gave the booty he had made after the enemy was defeated. This is it that he says: "His dens he filled with robbery, and his dwelling with that which he had torn."
V. 14. Behold, I will be upon thee, saith the Lord of hosts, and will burn thy chariots in the smoke, and the sword shall devour thy young lions. 1)
That is, you who until now lived in the light and in a great glorious name and dignity, will now perish with your power "in smoke", that is, with disgrace. And
j) 66pit kutkaienter or raxmit sutis. - Immediately following: nseavit or intbrkeoit.
1) The beginning of the interpretation gives exactly this translation of our Bible instead of that of the Vulgate, therefore we have omitted the same.
Your young, that is your princes, will be eaten by the sword, that is, they will be killed to you.
And I will put an end to your robbery on earth, and the voice of your messengers shall be heard no more.
And the voice of thy messenger shall be heard no more, that is, I will not hear thy
The kingdom will come to an end. For thy princes shall be slain, the spoils shall be divided, thy power shall perish, even thy renown shall be diminished, and thy messenger, that is, the command of thy authority, shall not be heard, "thy commandment shall no more be heard."
So much for the second chapter.