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英文原文
We now come closer to Nineveh, that great city; she took, not warning by the destruction of her armies and the fall of her king, and therefore may expect, since she persists in her enmity to God, that he will proceed in his controversy with her. Here is foretold, I. The approach of the enemy that should destroy Nineveh, and the terror of his military preparations, Na 2:1-5. II. The taking of the city, Na 2:6. III. The captivity of the queen, the flight of the inhabitants, the seizing of all its wealth, and the great consternation it should be in, Na 2:7-10. IV. All this is traced up to its true causes—their sinning against God and God's appearing against them, Na 2:11-13. All this was fulfilled when Nebuchadnezzar, in the first year of his reign, in conjunction with Cyaxares, or Ahasuerus, king of the Medes, conquered Nineveh, and made himself master of the Assyrian monarchy.
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The Judgment of Nineveh (710 BC)
尼尼微的審判（主前710年）
¹ 那打碎邦國的已經上來攻擊你；要守住保障，謹守道路，束緊腰身，竭力鞏固你的力量。 ² 因為耶和華使雅各的榮光轉離，如同以色列的榮光一般；因為使地空虛的已將他們掏空，毀壞了他們的葡萄枝。 ³ 他勇士的盾牌是紅的，精兵都穿朱紅衣服；在他預備爭戰的日子，戰車如火把，柏樹大大搖撼。 ⁴ 戰車在街上狂奔，在寬闊的路上彼此碰撞；它們形如火把，飛跑如閃電。 ⁵ 他招聚他的勇士；他們行路時絆跌；他們速速奔向城牆，防禦已經備妥。 ⁶ 河閘開放，宮殿消化。 ⁷ 胡撒（Huzzab）被擄去，她被帶走；她的宮女如鴿子哀鳴，搥胸帶領她。 ⁸ 尼尼微自古以來如同聚水的池子；現在他們卻都逃跑。站住！站住！有人呼喊；卻無人回顧。 ⁹ 你們搶奪銀子吧！搶奪金子吧！因為所積蓄的財寶無所窮盡，一切的華美器具甚多。 ¹⁰ 她空虛、荒涼、廢棄；人心消化，雙膝相撞，兩腰疼痛，他們的臉都變了色。
此處有：一、向尼尼微發出的戰爭警報，Na 2:1。先知談論它如同迫在眉睫，因為這事既不可疑，也不遙遠：轉眼觀看，那打碎邦國的已經來到你面前。尼布甲尼撒以打碎列國而聞名，此後將更為聞名，如今他從你開始，要將你擊散驅逐；有人如此譯這詞。巴比倫被稱為全地的鐵錘，Jer 50:23。尼布甲尼撒對尼尼微的攻勢是公開、大膽而悍然的：他已來到你面前，公開宣告要毀滅你；所以，尼尼微啊，拿起武器，守住保障，守住你的塔樓與軍械庫；謹守道路，在通往城邑的一切隘口設防；束緊腰身，鼓舞你的士兵，激勵你自己與他們；竭力鞏固你的力量，如城邑在仇敵推進之時所行的那樣（這話是帶著諷刺說的）；盡你所能的吧，你仍無法避開這審判的打擊，因為耶和華面前無謀略與力量可言。
二、一份宣告戰爭緣由的宣言（Na 2:2）：耶和華使雅各的榮光轉離，如同以色列的榮光一般，意即：1. 亞述人苦待了雅各——兩個支派（使他們降卑蒙羞），也苦待了以色列——十個支派，將他們掏空，毀壞了他們的葡萄枝。為此神必與他們算賬；雖是久遠之事，如今也要追算到那國、並尼尼微這首城的帳上。神與他們爭訟，是因向雅各所行的強暴。或者，(2) 神如今要藉尼布甲尼撒使雅各的驕傲轉離——藉著兩個支派的被擄，正如他藉以色列的被擄行了同樣的事；他已定意要如此行，要降下掏空者攻擊他們，而那受命行事之仇敵必先攻取尼尼微，先制伏她的驕傲。神正在觀看驕傲的城邑，即使那離他最近的，也要將之貶抑。撒馬利亞已經被貶抑，耶路撒冷也將被貶抑，他們的驕傲必被降為卑；難道尼尼微那驕傲的城，不也要被拉下來嗎？掏空者已將城邑掏空，並毀壞了雅各和以色列鄉間的葡萄枝；尼尼微那作為她驕傲的榮光，不也要被轉離嗎？
三、對入侵之敵必以何等威勢攻擊尼尼微的詳盡記述；萬事都要使他令人可畏。1. 他勇士的盾牌是紅的，大概連他們其他的軍械軍裝也都是紅的，彷彿已染上他們所流之血，或藉此表明他們要盡行殺戮；他們懸掛紅旗，以示決不留情。2. 精兵都穿朱紅衣服；不僅穿紅衣，以示他們要作的血腥之事，更穿華服，以示軍隊的富庶，而財富正是戰爭的筋腱。3. 在他預備爭戰的日子，戰車如火把；當他們逼近之時，必快如閃電；車輪在石頭上擊出火星，那些趕車的必滿懷烈怒如烈火般飛馳，如耶戶所趕的那樣。或者他們在敞篷的戰車上帶著火把，在夜間逼近之時，如基甸的士兵在瓶中帶燈一般，既為自己引路，又為威嚇敵人，並要隨處縱火。4. 柏樹大大搖撼；尼尼微的大人物們——他們如挺拔的柏樹凌駕於灌木之上——或者連那些立著的樹木也要因那大軍所造成的劇烈地震而搖撼。5. 戰車必甚為可畏（Na 2:4）：它們在街上狂奔，就是趕車的人狂奔；你會以為戰車本身在發狂；它們數量繁多、衝勢兇猛，甚至在寬闊的路上——那裡本該綽綽有餘——也彼此碰撞；這些鐵車擦得如此明亮，在陽光下它們形如黑夜中的火把；它們飛跑如閃電，如此迅捷，如此猛烈。尼布甲尼撒的統帥在此被稱為他的勇士、他的貴胄（旁註如此譯）、他的英雄；他招聚他們，命他們立即、毫無失誤地各就各位，因為他已進入戰備，決意立即出征，並以圍攻尼尼微作為開戰之始。他的勇士必記念（有人如此譯）；他們必記念自己職位的本分、所受的命令，並因此專心致志於自己的任務，以致他們行路時絆跌——欲速則不達；他們絆跌，卻不仆倒；因為他們速速奔向城牆，開掘壕溝；防禦的掩蔽道已備妥（用以掩護他們免受被圍困者所投的箭），他們必如此緊密地、如此有力地推進圍攻，以至最終河閘開放（Na 2:6）；尼尼微那朝向底格里斯河（尼尼微建於其上）的城門，必首先被攻破或被出賣給敵人，敵人便由那些城門進入。於是宮殿消化——或是王宮，或是他的神尼斯洛的廟；同一個詞既指宮殿，也指廟宇。當天上的神出來與一群百姓爭競之時，無論是宮殿還是他們的君王，無論是廟宇還是他們的神，都不能保護遮蔽他們，反必隨他們一同無可避免地傾覆。
四、對此事後果的預言；而這些後果將如何淒慘，是不難想見的。1. 王后必落入敵手（Na 2:7）：胡撒（Huzzab）被擄去；那被堅立的（有人如此譯）——她因被隱藏、被幽禁於密室而自以為安全——必被顯露（旁註如此譯），並要被擄去，比尋常囚犯更受屈辱；她必被帶上，裝作君王的樣子，她的宮女也要帶領她，因她虛弱昏沉，不能承受這般驚嚇與苦楚——對於那些不慣受此的人而言，這些加倍艱難可怖；她們伴隨她，不是為對她說歡慰的話、鼓勵她，而是自己咕噥哀嘆，如同鴿子的聲音，如同谷中的鴿子（Eze 7:16），以哀鳴著稱，Isa 38:14, 59:11。她們要搥胸，在悲傷與愁煩中捶打自己的胸膛，如同在她們身上擊鼓一般，因為這詞正是此意。2. 居民雖然眾多，卻無一人能抵擋入侵者或站穩陣腳（Na 2:8）：尼尼微自古以來如同聚水的池子，其中充滿了人，如同池中滿了水（而水表群眾，啟17:15），又如水中滿了魚；它早已是人口稠密之城；在約拿的時候，其中已有十二萬小孩（Jon 4:11），而通常城邑與邦國的人口逐年增加；然而他們雖有這麼多手可用於公眾的防務，卻不能彼此激勵勇氣，反要如懦夫一般逃跑。他們的將領必盡力鼓舞他們；他們呼喊：站住！站住！壯起膽來，我們必安然無恙；卻無人肯回顧；他們不留一絲勇氣，各人皆以為最明智之舉乃是把握時機盡速逃命；他們甚至不回頭看看是誰在呼喚。注意，神能在患難之日使最剛強最膽大的人灰心喪膽，以致他們不再符合人的期望，卻如同一池水，其中的水既已乾涸便消失了。3. 城中的財富必成為掠物，所有華美的器具必落入得勝仇敵之手（Na 2:9）；他們要彼此慫恿搶掠：搶奪銀子吧！搶奪金子吧！；軍官如此激勵士兵把握時機；這裡有足夠的金銀供他們享用，因為所積蓄的金銀器皿無所窮盡。尼尼微自古以來如同一池水，積聚了大量的泥；也從一切華美器具——一切人所喜悅的器皿——之中得了豐盛的榮耀，這些原是他們所誇的，如今卻要成為征服者的掠物與驕傲。注意，那些以泥為衣、以塵為銀而堆積的人，不知誰要穿上那衣、分掉那銀，伯27:16-17。於是這座富庶的城便空虛、荒涼、廢棄，Na 2:10。看世上財富的虛空；它非但不能保護其主人，反而將他們暴露，使仇敵能加给他们更多的損害。4. 兵丁與百姓必無心為保衛城邑而戰。他們的勇氣必如火前的蠟一般消化；他們的雙膝相撞（如伯沙撒在痛苦中所行，但5:6），以致不能站穩陣腳，甚至不能逃命；兩腰疼痛，如極度驚嚇之時的情形，使他們不能挺直腰背。而他們的臉都變了色，如同天天在火上燒的鍋那樣；這詞正是此意。注意，良心裡的罪咎在遭難之日必使人充滿恐懼；而那些以今世財富為樂、心繫於此的人，當他們的銀子、金子和華美器具被奪去之時，便以為自己一無所有了。
英文原文
The Judgment of Nineveh (710 BC)
¹ He that dasheth in pieces is come up before thy face: keep the munition, watch the way, make thy loins strong, fortify thy power mightily.
² For the LORD hath turned away the excellency of Jacob, as the excellency of Israel: for the emptiers have emptied them out, and marred their vine branches.
³ The shield of his mighty men is made red, the valiant men are in scarlet: the chariots shall be with flaming torches in the day of his preparation, and the fir trees shall be terribly shaken.
⁴ The chariots shall rage in the streets, they shall justle one against another in the broad ways: they shall seem like torches, they shall run like the lightnings.
⁵ He shall recount his worthies: they shall stumble in their walk; they shall make haste to the wall thereof, and the defence shall be prepared.
⁶ The gates of the rivers shall be opened, and the palace shall be dissolved.
⁷ And Huzzab shall be led away captive, she shall be brought up, and her maids shall lead her as with the voice of doves, tabering upon their breasts.
⁸ But Nineveh is of old like a pool of water: yet they shall flee away. Stand, stand, shall they cry; but none shall look back.
⁹ Take ye the spoil of silver, take the spoil of gold: for there is none end of the store and glory out of all the pleasant furniture.
¹⁰ She is empty, and void, and waste: and the heart melteth, and the knees smite together, and much pain is in all loins, and the faces of them all gather blackness.
Here is, I. An alarm of war sent to Nineveh, Na 2:1. The prophet speaks of it as just at hand, for it is neither doubtful nor far distant: "Look about thee, and see, he that dashes in pieces has come up before thy face. Nebuchadnezzar, who is noted, and will be yet more so, for dashing nations in pieces, begins with thee, and will dissipate and disperse thee;" so some render the word. Babylon is called the hammer of the whole earth, Jer 50:23. The attempt of Nebuchadnezzar upon Nineveh is public, bold, and daring: "He has come up before thy face, avowing his design to ruin thee; and therefore stand to thy arms, O Nineveh! keep the munition; secure thy towers and magazines: watch the way; set guards upon all the avenues to the city; make thy loins strong; encourage thy soldiers; animate thyself and them; fortify thy power mightily, as cities do when an enemy is advancing against them" (this is spoken ironically); "do the utmost thou canst, yet thou shalt not be able to put by the stroke of this judgment, for there is no counsel or strength against the Lord."
II. A manifesto published, showing the causes of the war (Na 2:2): The Lord has turned away the excellency of Jacob, as the excellency of Israel, that is, 1. The Assyrians have been abusive to Jacob, the two tribes (have humbled and mortified them), as well as to Israel, the ten tribes, have emptied them, and marred their vine-branches. For this God will reckon with them; though done long since, it shall come into the account now against that kingdom, and Nineveh the head-city of it. God's quarrel with them is for the violence done to Jacob. Or, (2.) God is now by Nebuchadnezzar about to turn away the pride of Jacob by the captivity of the two tribes, as he did the pride of Israel by their captivity; He has determined to do it, to bring emptiers upon them, and the enemy that is to do it must begin with Nineveh, and reduce that first, and humble the pride of that. God is looking upon proud cities, and abasing them, even those that are nearest to him. Samaria is humbled, and Jerusalem is to be humbled, and their pride brought low; and shall not Nineveh, that proud city, be brought down too? Emptiers have emptied the cities, and marred the vine-branches in the country of Jacob and Israel; and must not the excellency of Nineveh, that is so much her pride, be turned away too?
III. A particular account given in of the terrors wherein the invading enemy shall appear against Nineveh; every thing shall contribute to make him formidable. 1. The shields of his mighty men are made red, and probably their other arms and array, as if they were already tinctured with the blood they had shed, or intended hereby to signify they would put all to the sword; they hung out a red flag, in token that they would give no quarter. 2. The valiant men are in scarlet; not only red clothes, to intimate what bloody work they designed to make, but rich clothes, to intimate the wealth of the army, and that is the sinews of war. 3. The chariots shall be with flaming torches in the day of his preparation; when they are making their approaches, they shall fly as swiftly as lightning; the wheels shall strike fire upon the stones, and those that drive them shall drive furiously with a flaming indignation, as Jehu drove. Or they carried flaming torches with them in the open chariots, when they made their approach in the night, as Gideon's soldiers carried lamps in their pitchers, to be both a guide to themselves and a terror to their enemies, and with them to set all on fire wherever they went. 4. The fir-trees shall be terribly shaken; the great men of Nineveh, that overtop their neighbours, as the stately firs do the shrubs; or the very standing trees shall be made to shake by the violent concussions of the earth, which that great army shall cause. 5. The chariots of war shall be very terrible (Na 2:4): They shall rage in the streets, that is, those that drive them shall rage; you would think the chariots themselves raged; they shall be so numerous, and drive with so much fury, that even in the broad ways, where, one would think, there should be room enough, they shall jostle one another; and these iron chariots shall be made so bright that in the beams of the sun they shall seem like torches in the night; they shall run like the lightnings, so swiftly, so furiously. Nebuchadnezzar's commanders are here called his worthies, his gallants (so the margin reads it), his heroes; those he shall recount, and order them immediately and without fail to render themselves at their respective posts, for he is entering upon action, is resolved to take the field immediately, and to open the campaign with the siege of Nineveh. His worthies shall remember (so some read it); they shall be mindful of the duty of their place, and the charge they have received, and shall thereby be made so intent upon their business that they shall stumble in their walks, shall make more haste than good speed; they stumble, but shall not fall; for they shall make haste to the wall thereof, shall open the trenches; and the defence, or the covered way, shall be prepared (something to shelter them from the darts of the besieged), and they shall so closely carry on the siege, and with so much vigour, that at length the gates of the rivers shall be opened (Na 2:6); those gates of Nineveh which open upon the river Tigris (on which Nineveh was built) shall be first forced by, or betrayed to, the enemy, and by those gates they shall enter. And then the palace shall be dissolved, either the king's house or the house of Nisroch his god; the same word signifies both a palace and a temple. When the God of heaven goes forth to contend with a people, neither the palaces nor their kings, neither the temples nor their gods, can protect and shelter them, but must all inevitably fall with them.
IV. A prediction of the consequences of this; and it is easy to guess how dismal those will be. 1. The queen shall fall into the hands of the enemy (Na 2:7): Huzzab shall be led away captive; she that was established (so some read it), thought herself safe because she was concealed and shut up in secret, shall be discovered (so the margin reads it) and shall be led away captive, in greater disgrace than that of common prisoners; she shall be brought up in a mock state, and her maids of honour shall lead her, because she is weak and faint, not able to bear such frights and hardships, which are doubly hard and frightful to those that have not been used to them; they shall attend her, not to speak cheerfully to her and to encourage her, but murmuring and moaning themselves, as with the voice of doves, the doves of the valleys (Eze 7:16), noted for their mourning, Isa 38:14,59:11. They shall be tabering upon their breasts, beating their own breasts in grief and vexation, as if they were drumming upon them, for so the word signifies. 2. The inhabitants, though numerous, shall none of them be able to make head against the invaders, or stand their ground (Na 2:8): Nineveh is of old like a pool of water, replenished with people as a pool with water (and waters signify multitudes, Re 17:15), or as those waters with fish; it was long ago a populous city; in Jonah's time there were 120,000 little children in it (Jon 4:11), and, ordinarily, cities and countries are increasing in their number every year; but, though they have so many hands to be employed in the public service, yet they shall not be able to inspire one another with courage, but they shall flee away like cowards. Their commanders shall do what they can to animate them; they shall cry, "Stand, stand, have a good heart on it, and we shall do well enough;" but none shall so much as look back; they shall not have the least spark of courage remaining, but every one shall think it is his wisest course to make his best of the opportunity to escape; they shall not so much as look back to see who calls for them. Note, God can dispirit the strongest and boldest, in the day of distress, so that they shall not be what one would expect from them, but like a pool of water, the water whereof is dried up and gone. 3. The wealth of the city shall become a prey, and all its rich furniture shall fall into the hands of the victorious enemy (Na 2:9); they shall thus animate and excite one another to plunder: Take the spoil of silver; take the spoil of gold; thus the officers shall stir up the soldiers to improve their opportunity; here are silver and gold enough for them, for there is no end of the store of money and plate. Nineveh, having been of old like a pool of water, has gathered a vast deal of mud; and abundance of glory it has out of all the pleasant furniture, all the vessels of desire, which they have gloried in and which shall now be a prey and a pride to the conquerors. Note, Those who prepare raiment as the clay, and heap up silver as the dust, know not who may put on the raiment and divide the silver, Job 27:16,17. Thus this rich city is empty, and void, and waste, Na 2:10. See the vanity of worldly wealth; instead of defending its owners, it does but expose them, and enable their enemies to do them so much the more mischief. 4. The soldiers and people shall have no heart to appear for the defence of the city. Their spirits shall melt away like wax before the fire; their knees shall smite together (as Belshazzar's did, in his agony, Da 5:6), so that they shall not be able to stand their ground, no, nor to make their escape; much pain shall be in all loins, as is the case in extreme frights, so that they shall not be able to hold up their backs. And the faces of them all shall gather blackness, like that of a pot that is every day over the fire; so the word signifies. Note, Guilt in the conscience will fill men with terror in an evil day, and those who place their happiness in the wealth of this world and set their hearts upon it think themselves undone when their silver, and their gold, and their pleasant furniture are taken from them.
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The Judgment of Nineveh (710 BC)
尼尼微的審判（主前710年）
¹¹ 獅子的洞和少壯獅子的餵養之處在哪裡？就是公獅、老獅子遊行、小獅子同行、無人驚嚇之地？ ¹² 公獅為小獅撕扯了足夠的肉，為母獅掐死活物，用獵物填滿了他的洞，用撕裂的肉塞滿了他的穴。 ¹³ 萬軍之耶和華說：看哪，我與你為敵；我必在煙中焚燒你的戰車，刀劍必吞滅你的少壯獅子；我必從地上剪除你所搶奪的，你使者的聲音必不再被聽見。
在此我們看見尼尼微的傾覆：1. 被她的鄰舍所誇勝——他們如今記起她在繁盛權勢之時所犯的一切壓迫與濫權（Na 2:11-12）：獅子的洞在哪裡？ 它不見了；毫無遺跡，毫無蹤影。少壯獅子的餵養之處在哪裡——它們在那裡因獵物而飽食？尼尼微的君王如同獅子，如同猛獸；殘酷的暴君也不過如此，不，在這一方面更為惡劣——因為他們既是人，人便期望他們有人性；不，他們若是真的獅子，也不會捕食同類。Savis inter se convenit ursæ——兇猛的熊也彼此相安。 但他們在人的形像之下卻有獅子的殘忍：他們在尼尼微行走如同獅子在林中，無人使他們驚嚇；人人都敬畏他們，他們對來自任何方面的危險都毫無顧慮；雖無人愛他們，人人卻懼怕他們，而這便是他們所要的全部。Oderint, dum metuant——任他們恨，只要他們怕。 王自己和每一個首領，都以一切強暴勒索之術為己任，使自己富足、使家族興旺；他為他的幼獅撕扯了足夠的肉（而它們所需要的絕非少量），又為他的母獅掐死——殺掉一切近前的人，並為他的兒女、為他的妻妾奪取他們所有的，又用獵物填滿了他的洞，用撕裂的肉塞滿了他的穴，如同獅子所慣行的一樣。注意，許多人以有妻兒要養活作為自己搶奪不義之舉的藉口；然而這樣得來的，對他們毫無益處；那些敬畏耶和華、誠實得財的人，對自己和家人必不缺乏所需；他們必得飽足，而少壯獅子——雖有獵物與撕裂的肉塞滿洞穴——卻要缺乏飢餓，詩34:10。2. 這事為天地之公義審判者所承認；這乃是他所作的，願全世界都留意此事（Na 2:13）：萬軍之耶和華說，看哪，我與你為敵。 當萬軍之主為毀滅她而與她為敵之時，那些軍兵能為她的防禦作甚麼呢？尼尼微的壓迫者以為自己不過是招惹了鄰舍的敵對——那些不是他們對手、他們輕易就能制伏的人；但結果卻是，他們招惹了神的敵對；而神現在是、將來也必是權利的維護者和冤屈的報復者。神與尼尼微的君王為敵，於是：(1) 這些軍事準備對他們毫無用處：我必在煙中焚燒他們的戰車；他沒有說在火中，而是帶著輕蔑說，神烈怒的煙就足以焚燒他們的戰車；他們要在他烈怒的火才一燃起、尚在冒煙而未騰焰之時就被燒盡。或者，趕車的人要被煙嗆死悶死；那麼他們所誇的戰車必成為他們家族的羞辱，賽22:18。(2) 他們的兒女——家族的希望——必被剪除：刀劍必吞滅少壯獅子——他們如此費心地以壓迫勒索為其供應。注意，神奪去那些以罪惡之途致富之人的兒女，或（這是一樣的）奪去他們在兒女身上的安慰，這是公義的；正如有人論到某些人所言：為使自己的兒子成為紳士，不惜使自己的靈魂下地獄。(3) 他們以詭詐強暴所積聚的財富，他們既不能享受，也不能為己所用：我必從地上剪除你所搶奪的；不僅你不能因此得益，別人也不能。有人將此理解為使他們日後無力再掠奪鄰舍。(4) 他們駐外的使者必不再從鄰舍那裡得著尊重，也不再對他們有影響力：你使者的聲音必不再被聽見——不再被人理會；有人以為這是指拉伯沙基——尼尼微的使者之一——他曾褻瀆永生神；這罪過事隔多年仍被記念、歸在尼尼微頭上。那些曾一次出言褻瀆神的人，不配再被聽見。
英文原文
The Judgment of Nineveh (710 BC)
¹¹ Where is the dwelling of the lions, and the feeding-place of the young lions, where the lion, even the old lion, walked, and the lion's whelp, and none made them afraid?
¹² The lion did tear in pieces enough for his whelps, and strangled for his lionesses, and filled his holes with prey, and his dens with ravin.
¹³ Behold, I am against thee, saith the LORD of hosts, and I will burn her chariots in the smoke, and the sword shall devour thy young lions: and I will cut off thy prey from the earth, and the voice of thy messengers shall no more be heard.
Here we have Nineveh's ruin, 1. Triumphed in by its neighbours, who now remember against it all the oppressions and abuse of power it had been guilty of in its pomp and prosperity (Na 2:11,12): Where is the dwelling of the lions? It is gone; there appear no remnants, no footsteps, of it. Where is the feeding place of the young lions, where they glutted themselves with prey? The princes of Nineveh had been as lions, as beasts of prey; cruel tyrants are no better, nay, in this respect much worse—that, being men, humanity is expected from them; nay, if they were indeed lions, they would not prey upon those of their own kind. Savis inter se convenit ursæ—Fierce bears agree together. But in the shape of men they had the cruelty of lions: they walked in Nineveh as a lion in the woods, and none made them afraid; every one stood in awe of them, and they were under no apprehensions of danger from any; though nobody loved them, every body feared them, and that was all they desired. Oderint, dum metuant—Let them hate, so that they do but fear. The king himself, as well as every prince, made it his business, by all the arts of violence and extortion, to enrich himself and raise his family; he did tear in pieces enough for his whelps (and no little would be enough for them) and he strangled for his lioness, killed all that came near him, and seized what they had for his children, for his wives and concubines, and filled his holes with prey and his dens with ravin, as lions are wont to do. Note, Many make it an excuse for their rapine and injustice that they have wives and children to provide for, whereas what is so got will never do them any good; those that fear the Lord, and get what they have honestly, shall not want a competency for themselves and theirs; verily they shall be fed, when the young lions, though dens and holes were filled with prey and ravin for them, shall lack, and suffer hunger, Ps 34:10. 2. It is avowed by the righteous Judge of heaven and earth; it is his doing, and let all the world take notice that it is so (Na 2:13): Behold, I am against thee, saith the Lord of hosts. And what good can hosts do for her in her defence, when the Lord of hosts is against her for her destruction? The oppressors in Nineveh thought they only set their neighbours against them, who were not a match for them, and whom they could easily overpower; but it proved they set God against them, who is, and will be, the asserter of right and the avenger of wrong. God is against the princes of Nineveh, and then, (1.) These military preparations will stand them in no stead: I will burn their chariots in the smoke; he does not say in the fire, but, in contempt of them, the very smoke of God's indignation shall serve to burn their chariots; they shall be consumed as soon as the fire of his indignation is kindled, while as yet it does but smoke, and not flame out. Or, The drivers of the chariots shall be smothered and stifled with the smoke; then the chariots of their glory shall be the shame of their families, Isa 22:18. (2.) Their children, the hopes of their families, shall be cut off: The sword shall devour the young lions, whom they were so solicitous to provide for by oppression and extortion. Note, It is just with God to deprive those of their children, or (which is all one) of comfort in them, that take sinful courses to enrich them, and (as has been said of some) damn their souls to make their sons gentlemen. (3.) The wealth they have heaped up by fraud and violence shall neither be enjoyed by them nor employed for them: I will cut off thy prey from the earth; not only thou shalt not be the better for it, but no one else shall. Some understand it of the disabling of them for the future to prey upon their neighbours. (4.) Their agents abroad shall not have that respect from their neighbours and that influence upon them which sometimes they had had: The voice of thy messengers shall no more be heard, no more be heeded, which some think refers to Rabshakeh, one of Nineveh's messengers, that had blasphemed the living God, an iniquity which was remembered against Nineveh long after. Those are not worthy to be heard again that have once spoken reproachfully of God.
我們如今更靠近尼尼微那大城。她並沒有因軍隊的覆滅和君王的傾倒而受警戒，因此，既然她堅持與神為敵，便可預期神必在他與她的爭訟中繼續推進。此處預言了：一、那將要毀滅尼尼微的仇敵之逼近，以及他軍事準備所帶來的威嚇，Na 2:1-5。二、該城被攻取，Na 2:6。三、王后被擄、居民逃亡、一切財富被奪，以及全城所陷入的極大驚惶，Na 2:7-10。四、這一切皆追溯至其真正原因——他們得罪神，以及神起來攻擊他們，Na 2:11-13。當尼布甲尼撒在他登基的第一年，聯合瑪代王基亞克薩（Cyaxares，即亞哈隨魯）征服尼尼微，並使自己成為亞述帝國的主人之時，這一切便都應驗了。