The miserable destruction of Ninive.
3:1. Woe to thee, O city of blood, all full of lies and violence:
rapine shall not depart from thee.
3:2. The noise of the whip, and the noise of the rattling of the
wheels, and of the neighing horse; and of the running chariot, and of
the horsemen coming up,
3:3. And of the shining sword, and of the glittering spear, and of a
multitude slain, and of a grievous destruction: and there is no end of
carcasses, and they shall fall down on their dead bodies.
3:4. Because of the multitude of the fornications of the harlot that
was beautiful and agreeable, and that made use of witchcraft, that sold
nations through her fornications, and families through her witchcrafts.
3:5. Behold I come against thee, saith the Lord of hosts: and I will
discover thy shame to thy face, and will shew thy nakedness to the
nations, and thy shame to kingdoms.
3:6. And I will cast abominations upon thee, and will disgrace thee,
and will make an example of thee.
3:7. And it shall come to pass that every one that shall see thee,
shall flee from thee, and shall say: Ninive is laid waste: who shall
bemoan thee? whence shall I seek a comforter for thee?
3:8. Art thou better than the populous Alexandria, that dwelleth among
the rivers? waters are round about it: the sea is its riches: the
waters are its walls.
Populous Alexandria. . .No-Ammon. A populous city of Egypt destroyed by
the Chaldeans, and afterwards rebuilt by Alexander, and called
Alexandria. Others suppose No-Ammon to be the same as Diospolis.
3:9. Ethiopia and Egypt were the strength thereof, and there is no end:
Africa and the Libyans were thy helpers.
3:10. Yet she also was removed and carried into captivity: her young
children were dashed in pieces at the top of every street, and they
cast lots upon her nobles, and all her great men were bound in fetters.
3:11. Therefore thou also shalt be made drunk, and shalt be despised:
and thou shalt seek help from the enemies.
3:12. All thy strong holds shall be like fig trees with their green
figs: if they be shaken, they shall fall into the mouth of the eater.
3:13. Behold thy people in the midst of thee are women: the gates of
thy land shall be set wide open to thy enemies, the fire shall devour
thy bars.
3:14. Draw thee water for the siege, build up thy bulwarks: go into the
clay, and tread, work it and make brick.
3:15. There shall the fire devour thee: thou shalt perish by the sword,
it shall devour thee like the bruchus: assemble together like the
bruchus, make thyself many like the locust.
3:16. Thou hast multiplied thy merchandises above the stars of heaven:
the bruchus hath spread himself and flown away.
3:17. Thy guards are like the locusts: and thy little ones like the
locusts of locusts which swarm on the hedges in the day of cold: the
sun arose, and they flew away, and their place was not known where they
were.
Locusts of locusts. . .The young locusts.
3:18. Thy shepherds have slumbered, O king of Assyria, thy princes
shall be buried: thy people are hid in the mountains, and there is none
to gather them.
3:19. Thy destruction is not hidden, thy wound is grievous: all that
have heard the fame of thee, have clapped their hands over thee: for
upon whom hath not thy wickedness passed continually?