The burden concerning Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum the Elkohshite.
All Commentaries on Nahum 1:1 Go To Nahum 1
George Leo Haydock
AD 1849
(Haydock)
Ninive was taken by the waters of the Tigris overflowing, at the first siege. (Diod. ii.; Athen. xii.)
The like might happen at the second, though profane authors be silent. (Calmet)
Many think that the flood means great armies, Isaias viii. 7. (Forer.; Vatable)
Septuagint, "He will utterly destroy: those who rise up and his enemies, darkness "(Haydock)
Chaldean, The. adopt the same sense, but Symmachus, agree with us. (Calmet)Ver. 9. Affliction. Septuagint add, "for the same thing, or together. "(Haydock)
Many hence infer, that those who have been slain by God, like the Sodomites, will not be condemned to hell. (Origen, i. Ezec.; St. Jerome.; St. Thomas Aquinas, 3. p. q. 59. a. 5.)
But this principle cannot be always correct. (Calmet)
Their temporal suffering might usher in eternal ones. (St. Gregory, Mor. xviii. 12.)
Ninive shall perish; so that a second blow will not be requisite, 1 Kings xxvi. 8. (Drusius) (Calmet)Ver. 10. Dry. The Assyrians, feasting in the hopes that they would speedily become masters of Jerusalem, were cut off in one night. (Worthington)
God's enemies cannot escape; as when a thorn bush has taken fire, all must perish, Psalm lvii. 10., and Isaias ix. 18. (Calmet)Ver. 11. Forth. Some understand this of Sennacherib. But as his attempt against the people seems to have been prior to the prophecy of Nahum, we may better understand it of Holofernes. (Challoner)
One. Septuagint, "a most wicked thought against the Lord, devising opposition. "(Haydock)
We may render, "hath come", alluding to Sennacherib and Rabsaces, Isaias xxxvi. 18. and xxxvii. 23. (Calmet)Ver. 12. Perfect. That is, however strong or numerous their forces may be, they shall be cut off, and their prince or leader shall pass away and disappear. (Challoner)
If there were many just at Ninive, or among the Jews, (Calmet) a moderate chastisement would suffice. (Haydock)
The latter have been afflicted; now their enemies shall suffer. Septuagint have read otherwise: (Calmet) "the Lord, reigning over the great waters; thus shall they be divided, and thou shalt be heard of no more. "(Haydock)Ver. 13. Asunder. Ezechias was tributary to Assyria, 4 Kings xviii. 14. After the fall of Ninive, its yoke was removed. (Calmet)Ver. 14. Commandment. That is, a decree concerning thee, O king of Ninive, thy seed shall fail (Challoner)
His son Asarhaddon succeeded; but soon the line was extinct. (Worthington)
No alarm shall be spread by thee.
Grave. Sennacherib was slain in the temple: (Isaias xxxvii. 38.; Calmet) or the idols were deemed unclean by the victors. (Eurip. Troad.) (Haydock)Ver. 15. Peace. Sentinels were established on the hills.
Festivals. St. Jerome quotes the Book of Paralipomenon as saying (Calmet) that the Jews could not observe the Passover in the first month. But they did it in the second, after they knew that Sennacherib was slain, 2 Paralipomenon xxxii. (Haydock)
This passage does not, however, appear at present in Scripture, and it could not speak of the second month (Calmet) following Nisan, (Haydock) as the king was slain forty-five days (Tobias i. 22.; Greek, 55.) after his return to Ninive; and some time must have elapsed before he could get thither, and the news arrive in Judea. (Calmet)
Belial; the wicked one, viz. the Assyrian. (Challoner)
