Bible Commentary (1871–1879 Edition) (continued)
MICAH VII.
for their Injustice and Idmatry,
C/otTa Controversy tvilh His People, self pure : but irilh the froward God shows Ilinuielf fronard (Psalm 18. '26). Men often are changeable in llieir judgments. But God, in the case of the impure who . use " wicked balances," cannot be pure, i. e., cannot deal with them as He would with the pure. Vatabi>us and Henderson make the " I " to be " any one ;" " Can I (i.e., one) be innocent with wicked bala\ices ?" But as " I," in v. 13, refers to Jehovah, it must refer to Him also here, the bag —in which weights used to be carried, as well as money (Deuteronomy 25. 13; Proverbs Iti. 11). 13. For—rather, " Inasmuch as,"&c.; the conclusion " thei'efore," Ac, following in V. 13. thereof—of Jerusalem. 13. make thee sick in smiting—(Leviticus 26. 16, to which perhaps tiie allusion here is, as in v. 14; Psahu 107. 17, 18; Jeremiah 13.
to Gilgnl. for he was slain in Midian (Nunibeis 31. 8). But the clause, "from Sbittim," alone applies to Balaam. "Remember" God's kindnesses "from Sbittim," tlie scene of Balaam s wicked counsel taking etl'ect in Israel's Bin, whereby Israel merited utter destruction but for
Gcxl's sparing mercy, "to Gilgal," the place of Israel's
/Irst encampment In the promised land between Jericho and .Jordan, wliere God renewed the covenant with Israel by circumcision (Joshua 5. 2-11). know the righteousness—recognize that, so far from God having treated thee harshly {v. 3), His dealings have been kindness itself (so "righteous acts" for jfj-actoiAS, Judges 5.11; Psalm 21.5; 112.
9). 6. Wherewitli shall 1 come before the Lord I—The people, convicted by the previous appeal of Jehovah to them, ask as if they knew not (of. v. S) what Jehovah requires of them to appease Him, adding that they are ready to offer an immense heap of sacrifices, and those the most costly, even to the fruit of their own body, burnt offerings—(Leviticus 1.) calves of a year old wliich used to be offered for a priest (Leviticus 9. 2, 3). 7. rivers of oil—used in sacrifices (Leviticus 2. 1, 15). Will God be appeased by my offering so much oil that it shall flow in myriads of torrents? my lirst-born—(2 Kings 3.
13.) 14. eat . . . not be satisfied— fultiiling the threat, Leviticus 26.26. thy casting down gliall be In the midst of thee—thou shalt be cast down, not merely on my borders, but in the midst of thee, thy metropolis and temple being overthrown. [Tikinus.] Even though Ihere should be w> enemy, yet thou shalt be consumed with intestine evils. [Calvin.] Matjrek translates, sx'S, from an Arabia root, "there shall be emptiness in thy bellj'." Similarly Gkotius, "there shall lie a sinking of thy belly (once
27.) As the king of Moab did. fruit of my body— eft filled with food), through liunger." This suits the parallelism to the first clause. Bui Jinglish Version maintains the parallelism sutficiently. The casting down in the mUlst of the land, including the failure of l(M)d, through the invasion; thus answering to, "Thou shalt eat. and not be satisfied." titou shalt take hold, but . . . not deliver—thou shalt take hold (with thine arms), in order to save [Calvin] thy wives, chihlren and goods. Mauukk, from a different root, translates," thou shalt remove them,' in order to save them froirt the foe. But thou shalt fail in the attempt to deliver" them (Jeremiah 60. 37). tliat witicit tliou dellverest— if haply thou dost rescue augUt, di-en, as an atonement (Psalra 132. 11). Tlie Jews offered human sacrifices in the valley of Hinnom (Jeremiah 19.
5 ; 32. 35 ; Ezekiel 23. 27). 8. He—Jehovah, hath showed thee—long ago, so that thou needest not ask the question as if thou hadst never heard (v. 6; cf. Deuteronomy 10. 12; 30.11-14). what Is good—" the good things to come'' under Messiah, of which "the law had the shadow." The Mosaic sacrifices were but suggestive foreshadowings of His belter sacrifice (Hebrews 9.23; 10.1). To have this "good" first "showed," or revealed by the Spirit, is the only basis for the superstructure of the moral requirements which follow. Thus the way was prepared for the Gospel. The banishment of the Jews from Palestine is designed to preclude the possibility of their looking to the Mosaic rites for redemption, and shuts tliem up to Messiah, justly _ . . mercy—preferred by God to sacrifices. For llie latter being positive ordinances, are only means designed with a view to the former, which being moral duties are the ends, and of everlasting obligation (1 Samuel 15. 22 ; Hosea 6. 6 ; 12. 6 ; Amds 5. 22, 2-1). Two duties towards man are specified—jitsi'ce, or strict equity; and it will be for a time ; I will give it up to the foe's sword 15. sow . . . not reap—fulfilling the threat (Leviticus 26.
16; Deuteronomy 28.38-10; Amos 5.11). 10. statutes of Omrl — the founder of Samaria and of Ahal)'s wicked house; and a supporter of Jeroboam's superstitions
(1 Kings 16. 16-28). This verse is a recai>itu Iation of what was more fully stated before, Judah'^s sin and consequent punisliment. Judah, though at variance witli Israel on all things else, imitated lier impiety, works of . . . Ahab (1 Kings 21.25,20.) ye walk in their tounsrls though these superstitions were the fruit of their king's "counsels" as a master-stroke of state policy, yet these pretexts were no excuse for setting at naught the counmerely, or a kindly abatement of what we might Justly demand, and a hearty desire to do good to others, to walk humbly witli thy God—passive and active obedience towards God. The three moral duties here are summed up by our Lord (M.atthew 2J. 23), "judgment, mercy and faith" (in Luke 11. 42, " tlie love of God"). Cf. James 1. '27. To walk with God implies constant prayer and watchfulness, familiar yet "humble" converse with God (Genesis sels and will of God. tliat 1 should make tlvec a desolation—thy conduct is framed so, as if it Wiis thj' S(>l ])urpose " that I should make thee a desolation." inlinliitants f liereof—I'iz., of Jerusalem, hissing—(Lamentations
2.15.) the reproach of my people-the very thing ye boast of, viz., that ye are " my jieople," will only increase the severity of your punishment. Tlie greater was my grace to you, the greater shall be your punishment for having despised It. Your being God's people In nanie, whilst walking in His love, was an honour; but now the name, without the reality, is only a " reproach" to you.
5.21; 17.1). 9. unto tlie city—Jerusalem. t!ie man of windom—as in Proverbs 13.0, Hebrew, "sin " Is used for "a man of sin," and in Psalm 109.4, "prayer" for "a man of •rayer;" so iiere "wisdom" for "the man o/ wisdom." hall gee thy name—sliall regard thee. In thy revelations of thyself. Cf. the end of ch. 2., v. 7. God's " name" e.xore.sses the sum total of His revealed attributes. Conrast with this Isaiah 26. 10, " will not behold the mitjesty
CHAPTER VII.
>f the Lord." Another reading is adopted t)y LXX., Ny-
Ver. 1-20. TiiK Univeiosality of the CoKitur'rioN
and VaUjale, " there is deliverance for those who/cor thy name." Knylish Vtr.tion Is better suited to the connection; and the rarity of the //e6?-ew expression, as coinpared with the fr(tquoncy of that in the other reading, makes it less likely to bo an Interpolation, hear . . . tl»e rod, itc—hear what punishment (cf. v. 13, &e.. ; Isaiah 9.3;
The Chosen Remnant, Dkivkn khom kveky Human Confidence, TUUNS To Gon; Tkiumphs by Kaitii over ii Eit Enemies; Is Comeoutud nv Goo's Promises in answer to Prayeu, and nv tkic ("oneusion oe her Enemies, .\ND so UltEAICS EOKTH INTO PkAISES OE G01)'3
Cll.'V.UACTER. 1. I am as wlien, Ac— It Is the same with me as with one sec-king Iruils alter the harvest, grapea
10.5,21) awaits you, and from whom. I am but a man, and so ye nia,y disregard me; but remember my message alter the vintage. "Then; is not a cluster " to he found : no " first-ripe fruit" (or earlj/ juj, note, Isaiah 28. 4) wuich " niy soul deslreth." [Mauker.I So I look in vain for any good men left (u. 2). a. (Psalm 12,1.) good man-the Hebrew expresses "one merciful and (jond In relation to man," rather than to God. 3. Tliat they may do evil with l>oth hands earnestly— ///., " Their haiuls are for evil that they may do It well" {i.e., cleverly and successfully). (U«
1m not mine, but God's. Hear the rod when It is come, and you feel its smuit. Hear what counsels, what cautions it speaks, appointed It,—(Jeremiali 47.7.) 10. Are there yet— notwitlislanding all my warnings. Is there to l)e no ond of acquiring treasures by wickedness? Jehovah is tipeaking (ti. 9). scant measure . , , abomlnnl>le— (Proverbs II. 1; Amos 8.5.) 11. Shall I count them pure—///., 'Shall I be pure with," &c. WUh the pure <Jod shown lliin-
The Church's C'jnfidenct in God, MICAH VII. He Comfortelh hey by Pionmeb.
lon shall be put away frf)m thee, "the statutes that were not good" (Ezekiel 2(J. 'i55). [Cai,vin.| Psalm lll2. 1:^-18; Isaiah 9.4. 'Vlw Hebrew is against Havkkk'h trannlation, " the boundary of the city shall be far extended," so as to contain the people flocking into it from all nations (u. 12; Isaiah 49. 20; 54.2). I'i, In that day also— rather, an answer to the supposed question of Zion, When sliall my walls he built? "The day (of thy walls being built) i.s the day when there shall come to thee he (i. e., many) from A.ssyria," Ac. [LUDOVICUS DE DiEU.] The Assyrians (including the Babylonians) who spoil€!d thee shall come, and from the fortl Aed cities—ratlu-r, to suit the parallelism, " from Assyria even to Egyi>t." (Muizor ma,y be so translated.) So Assyria and Kgypt are contrasted in Isaiah 19.23. [Mauuer.] Calvin agrees with /iiu/lUh Version, "from all fortified cities." from the lortreiis even to the river-"from Et/ypt even to tlie river" Euphrates (answering In parallelism to " Assyria"). [MactKEK.J Cf. Isaiah 11.15,16; 19. 2:J-i5; 27.13; Hoseall. 11; Zechariah 10. 10. 13. However glorious the prospect of restoration, the Jews are not to forget the visitation on their " land" which is to intervene for the " fruit of (evil caused by) their doings" (cf. Proverbs 1. 31 ; Isaiah 3. 10, 11 ; Jeremiah 21. 14). 14r. Feed thy people—Prayer of the prophet, in the name of his people to God, which, as God fulfils believing prayer, is prophetical of what God would do. When God is about to deliver His people. He stirs up their friends to pray for them, feed—including the idea of both pastoral rule and care over His people (Margin, ch.
fft-eat man. hf—emphatic repetition. As /or the great man, iw no scKUier lias expressed lus bad desire {III., the mischie/oiluxi iif hut soul), thnu the veuul judges are ready to
the dfcisioii of the case according to his wish, so l.lk«y wrap It up—the Hebrew Is used of ir Uerlwining cords together. The "threefold cord is not qnickly brolieu" (EeiMeshistes 4. 12); liere the "prince," the "judge," and tlie * great Irian" are tlie three in guilty complicitj'. "They wrap it up," viz., tliey conspire to carry out the great man's desire at tlie sacrifice of justice. *• as a brier—or thorn; pricking with Injury all who come in coutiict with them
(2 Samuel 23. C, 7; Isaiah 55. 13; Ezekiel 2. 6). tUc clay of »hy watclimcn—the day foretold ijy thy (true) prophets, as the tinieof " thy visitation" in wrath. [Gkotius.] Or, " the day of i\\y faUe prophets being punished ;" they are xpecially tlireatened as being not only blind tliemselves, l>ut leading others blindfold. [Calvim.] now—at tlie lime foretold, "at that time;" the prophet transporting himself into it. perplexity—(Isaiah 22. 5.) They shall not know whither to turn to. 5. Trust ye not 4u afrieml —Faith is kept nowhere: all to a man are treacherous (lereniiah 9. 2-C). When justice is perverted by the great,
'riith nowhere is safe. So, in gospel times of persecution, " a man's foes are they of his owu hou.sehold" (Matthew 10.
Sfi; Luke 12. ^i). gnldc—a counsellor [Calvin] able to help and advise (cf. Psalm 118.8,9; 146.3). The head of I/our familij, to whom all the members of the family would naturally repair in emergencies. Similarly the Hebrew is trmt Maled in Joshua 22. 11, and "chief friends" in Proverbs 16. 28. [Gbotius.] her that lletU In thy liosom—thy wife (Deuteronomy 13. 6). 6. son dishonoiir-
5. 4), regarded as a flock (Psalm 80. 1; 100. 3). Our calamity must be fatal to the nation, unless thou of thy unmerited grace, remembering thy covenant with " thine heritage' (Deuteronomy 4. 20; 7.6; 32. 9), shalt restore us. thy rod —llie shepherd's rod, wherewith he directs tlie flock (Psalm •2-3. 4). No longer the rod of punishment (ch. 6.9). which dwell solitarily in the wood, in . . . Carmel let tliy people who have been dwelling as it were in a solitude of woods (in tlie world, but not of it), scattered among various nations, dwell in Carmel, i. e., where there are fruit-beaiing lands and vineyards. [Calvin.] Poather, " which are about to dwell (i. e., that they may dwell) separate in the wood, in . . . Carmel" [Maurer], which are to be no longer mingled with the heathen, but are to dwell as a distinct people in their own land. Micah has here Bala;iia's prophecy in view (cf. ch.6. 5, where also Balaam rtli the father—the state of unnatural lawlessness in all relations of life is liere described which is to characterize the last times, before Messiah comes to punish the ungodly and save Israel (cf. Luke 21. 16; 2 Timothy 3. 1-3). 7. Therefore I will look unto the Lord—as if no one else w «>re before mine eyes. We must not only " look urilo the
but also "wait for Him." Having no liope from man {v. 5, fi), Micah speaks In the name of Israel, who herein, taught by chastisement (u. 4) to feel her sin (v. 9), casts herself on the Lord as her only hope, in patient waiting (Lamentations 3. 26). She did so under the BabyIonian captivity siie shall do so again hereafter when the spii it of grace shall be poured on her (Zechariah 12.
10-13). 8. Rejoice not—at my fall, when I sit In darkness, the li Ord shall be a light—Israel reasons as her Divine representative, Messiah, reasoned by faith in His hour of darkness and desertion (Isaiah 50. 7, 8, 10). Israel addresses Babylon, her triumphant foe (or Edom), as a female : tlie type of her last and worst foes (Psalm 137.7,8). "Mine enemy," in Hebrew, is feminine, when I fall, I shnll arise—(Psalm 37. 2-1; Proverbs 21. 18.) 9. bear—patiently, the indignation of the liord—His punishment indicted on me (Vjiimentations 3. ."iO). The true penitent " accepts the punishment of his iniquity" (Leviticus 26. 41, 43); they who murmur against God, do not yet know their guilt (.Job 40.4,5). execute Jiidgment for me—against ray foe. God's people plead guilty before God; but, in respect to their hiin>an foes, they are innocent and undeserving of their foes' injuries, bring me forth to tlie light—to the temporal and spiritual redemption. 1 siiall behold his rigliteousuess—His gracious faithfulness to His promises (Psalm 103. 17). 10, shame shall cover lier —in seeing how utterly mistaken slie w.os in supposing that I was utterly ruined. Where Ib . . . thy God— (Psalm 42. 3, 10). If He be "thy God," as thou sajest, let Him come now and deliver thee. So as to Israel's representative, Messiah (Matthew 27. 43). mine eyes shall behold her—a just retribution in kind upon the foe who had said, " Let our eye look upon Zion." Zion shall behold her foe prostrate, not with the carnal Joy of revenge, but witli spiritual joy in God's vindicating Hie own righteousness (Isaiah 6<i. 24; Ilevelatiou 16.5-7). shall she be trodden »eown—herself, who had trodden down me. 11. thy walls is referred to). " Lo, the people shall dwell alone" (Numbers 2:^.9; cf. Deuteronomy 33. 28). To "feed in the wood in Carmel," is to feed in the rich pastures among Its woods. To "sleep in the woods," is the image of most perfect security (Ezekiel 34 . 25). So that tlie Jews' security, a.t well as their distinct nationality, is here foretold. Also Jeremiali 49. 31. Bashan—famed for its cattle (Psalm 22. 12Amos 4.1). Parallel to this passage is Jeremiah 50. 19. Basliaii and Gilead, east of Jordan, were chosen by Reuben, Gad, and half Maiiasseli, as abounding in pastures suited for their many cattle (Numbers 32. ; Deuteronomy
3. 12-17). 15. tliy . . . him—both referring to Israel. So in 11. 19 the person is changed from the first to the third, "us . . . our . . . their." Jehovah here answers Micah's praj'er in v. 14, assuring him, that as He delivered His people from Egypt by miraculous power, so He would again "show" it in tlieir behalf (Jeremiah 16. 14, 15). 16. shall see—the "marvellous things" (v. 15; Isaiah 26. 11). confounded at all tlieir might—having so suddenly proved unavailing: that might wherewith they had thought that there Is nothing which they could not ef Tect against God's people, lay . . . hand upon . . . mouth —the gesture of silence (Job 21. 5; 40. 4; Psalm 107. 42; Isaiah 52. 15). They shall be struck dumb at Israel's marvellous deliverance, and no longer boast that God's people is destroyed, ears . . . deaf—they shall stand astounded so as not to hear what shall he said. [Gkotius.] Once tliey had eagerly drunk in all rumours as so many messages of victories; but then they sliali be afraid of hearing them, because they continually fear new disas-. . be built-under Cyrus, after the seventy years' captivity; and again, hereafter, when the Jews shall be re9tored (Amos 9. 11; Zechariah 12. 6). shall the decree be ters, when they see the God of Israel to be so po'A'erful. [Calvin.] They shall close their ears .so as not to be compelled to hear of Israel's successes. 17. lick tb-j dust—lu roi' removed—riz., thy tyrannical decree or rule of Baby-
Jntrodudion. NAHUM. Introduction averse from wrath. 19. turn again-to us, from having been turned away from us. subdue our iiilqnltlrs.—{tf., tread under foot, as being hostile and deadly to us. Without subjugation of our bad propensities, even pardon could not give us peace. When God takes away the guilt of sin that it may not condemn us, He takes away also the power of sin that it may not rule us. cast . . . Into . . . depths of the sea—never to rise again to view, buried out of sight in eternal oblivion : not merely at the shore side, where they may rise again, our . . . their— change of person. Micah in the first case identifying himself and his sins with his people and their sins; in the second, speaking of them and their sins. HO. perform the truth —the faithful promise, to Jacob . . . Abraham— thou Shalt make good to their posterity the promise made to the patriarchs. God's promises are called " mercy," because they flow slowly from grace; "truth," because they will be surely performed (Luke 1.72, 73; 1 Thessalonians 5. 24). sworn unto our fathers—(Psalm 105. 9. 10.) The promise to Abraham is in Genesis 12. 2; to Isaac, in Genesis 26.24 abject prostration as suppliants (Psalm 72. 9: cf. Isaiah 49.
23; 65. 25). move out of tlieir holes—as reptiles from ttieir holes, they shall come forth from their hiding-places, or fortresses (Psalm 18. 45), to give themselves up to the conquerors. More lit., " they shall tremble from," i. e., tremblingly come forth from their coverts, like worms reptiles or o-awlers (Deuteronomy 32. 24). tliey shall be afraid of the L.ord—or, they shall in fear turn with haste to the Bord. Thus the antithesis is brought out. They shall tremble forth frorn their holes: they shall in trepidation turn to the Lord for salvation (cf. iVote, Hosea 3. 5, and Jeremiah 33. 9). fear because of thee—shall fear thee, Jenovah [and so fear Israel as under thy guardianship]. There is a change here from speaking of God to speaking to God. [Maurer.] Or rather, " shall fear thee, Israel." [Henderson.] 18. Grateful at such unlooked-for grace being promised to Israel, Mieah breaks forth into praises of Jehovah, passeth by the transgression—not conniving at it, but forgiving it; leaving it unpunished, as a traveller passes by what he chooses not to look into (Proverbs 19.11). Contrast Amos 7.8, and "mark iniquities," Psalm 130. 3. the remnant—who shall be permitted to survive the previous judgment: the elect remnant of grace (ch. 4. 7 ; 5. 3, 7, 8). retaineth not . . . anger—(Psalm to Jacob, in Genesis 28. 13. This unchangeable promise implied an engagement that the seed of the patriarchs should never perish, and should be restored to their Inheritance as often as they turned wholly to God (Deuteronomy 30. 1, 2).
103. 9.) dellghteth in mercy—God's forgiving is founded on His nature, which delights in loving-kindness, and is
NAHUM. INTKODUCTION.
Nahum means consolation and vengeance; symbolizing the "consolation" in the book for God's people, aod the "vengeance" coming on their enemies. In the first chapter the two themes alternate; but as the prophet advances, vengeance on the capital of the Assyrian foe is the predominant topic. He is called the ElkoshUe (cli. 1. 1), from Elkosh, or Elkesi, a village of Galilee, pointed out to Jerome (Pi-eface in Nahum) as a place of note among the Jews, having traces of ancient buildings. The name Capernaum, i. e., "village of Nalium," seems to take its name from Nahum having resided in it, though born in Elkosli in the neighbourhood. There is another Elkosh oast of the Tigris, and north of Mosul, believed by Jewish pilgrims to be the birtli-place and burial-place of the prophet. l?ut tlie book of Nahum in its allusions shows a particularity of acquaintance with Palestine (ch. 1. 4), and only a more general knowledge as to Nineveh (ch. 2. 4-6; 3. 2, 3). His graphic description of Sennacherib and his army (ch. 1.9-12) makes It not unlikely, that he was In or near Jerusalem at the time : hence the number of phrases corresponding to those of Isaiah (cf. ch. 1. 8, 9, with Isaiah 8. 8; 10. 23; ch. 2. 10, with Isaiah 24. 1, and 21. 3; ch. 1. 15, with Isaiah 52. 7). The prophecy in ch. 1. 14 probably refers to the murder of Sennacherib twenty years after his return from Palestine (Isaiah ;?7. 38). Tlie date of his prophecies, thus, seems to be about the former years of Hezeklah. So Jerome tliinks. He plainly writes whilst the Assyrian power was yet unbroken (ch. 1. 12 ; 2. 11-13; 15-17). The correspondence between the sentiments of Nahum and those of Isaiah and Hezekiah, as recorded in 2 Kings and Isaiah, proves the likelihood of Nahum's prophecies belonging to tiie time when Sennacherib was demanding the surrender of Jerusalem, and had not yet raised tlie siege (cf. ch. 1. 3, Ac, with
2 Kings 19. 14, 15; ch. 1. 7, with 2 Kings 18. 22; 19. 19, 31 ; 2 Clironicles 32. 7, 8; ch. 1. 9, 11, with 2 Kings 19. 22, 27. 28; ch. 1.
14, Willi 2 Kings 19. 6, 7; ch. 1. 15, and 2. 1, 2, wilti 2 Kings 19. 32, ;«; ch. 2. 13, with 2 Kings 19. 22, 23). The historical data
In the book itself are the humiliation of Israel and Judali by Assyria (ch. 2. 2); tlie invasion of Judah (ch. 1. 9, 11); and the conquest of No-ammon, or Thebes, in Upper Egypt (cli. 3. 8-10). Tiglatli-piieser and Slialmaneser had carried away Israel. The Jews were harassed by the Syrians, and impoverished by Ahaz' payments to TIglath-plleser (2
Chronicles 28. ; Isaiah 7. 9). Sargon, Slialmane.ser'8 successor, after the reduction of Pluenieia by the latter, fearing lest Egypt should Join Palestine against him, undertook an expedition to Africa (Isaiah '20.), and took Thebes; the latter fact we know only from Nahum, but the success of the expedition in general Is corroborated In Isaiah 20.
Sennacherib, Sargon's successor, made tlie last Assyrian attempt against Juilea, ending in thi> destruction of his army, in tiie fourteenth year of Hezeklah (7I.i-710 it. c). As Nahum refers to tills In part proplietlcnlly, in part as matter of history (cii. 1. 9-13; 2. 13), he must have lived about b. o. 720-714, that Is, almost 1(X) yeai-s before the event foretold, viz., the overthrow of Nineveh by the Joint forces of Cyaxares and Nabopolassar In the reign of Chynll-
Bdanus, B. c. 625, or else 603.
The propliecy Is remarkable for Its unity of aim. Nahum's object was to Inspire his countrymen, the Jews, with tlie assurance that, liowever alarming their position migiit seem, exposed to the attacks of the mighty Assyrian, who had already carried away the ten tribes, yet tliat not only sliould the Assyrian (Sennacherib) full in his attack on
Jernsalem, but Nineveh Ills own capital bo taken and ills emi>ire overthrown; and this, not by an arbitrary oxerclso of Jehovah's power, )nit for the Inlqultlesof the city and ils people.
His position In the canon Is seventh of the minor prophets In both the Hebrew and Greek aniiement, He is ievciilli in point of date.
His st yle is char, elegant, and forcible. Its most striking cliaracterlstlc Is the power of representing several phase*
Of an Idea In the briefest Bentences, as la the majestic Uescrlpllou of 0<hI In the comuieucement, the oouquuKi ui