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1 Woe to the bloody City, it is all full of lyes and robberie, the pray departeth not.
2 The noise of a whip, and the noise of the rattling of the wheeles, and of the praunsing horses, and of the iumping charets.
3 The horseman lifteth vp both the bright sword, & the glittering speare, and there is a multitude of slaine, and a great number of carkeises: and there is none ende of their corpses: they stumble vpon their corpses,
4 Because of the multitude of the whoredomes of the wel-fauoured harlot, the mistresse of witchcrafts, that selleth nations through her whoredomes, and families through her witchcrafts.
5 Behold, I am against thee, saith the Lord of hostes, and I will discouer thy skirtes vpon thy face, and I will shew the nations thy nakednesse, and the kingdomes thy shame.
6 And I will cast abominable filth vpon thee, and make thee vile, and will set thee as a gazing stocke.
7 And it shall come to passe, that all they that looke vpon thee, shall flee from thee, and say; Nineueh is layde waste, who will bemoane her? whence shall I seeke comforters for thee?
8 Art thou better then populous No, that was scituate among the riuers that had the waters round about it, whose rampart was the sea, and her wall was from the sea?
9 Ethiopia and Egypt were her strength, and it was infinit, Put and Lubim were thy helpers.
10 Yet was she caried away, she went into captiuitie: her yong children also were dashed in pieces at the top of all the streetes: and they cast lots for her honourable men, and all her great men were bound in chaines.
11 Thou also shalt be drunken: thou shalt bee hid, thou also shalt seeke strength because of the enemie.
12 All thy strong holds shall be like fig trees with the first ripe figs: if they bee shaken, they shall euen fall into the mouth of the eater.
13 Beholde, thy people in the midst of thee are women: the gates of thy land shall be set wide open vnto thine enemies, the fire shall deuoure thy barres.
14 Draw thee waters for the siege: fortifie thy strong holdes, goe into clay, and tread the morter: make strong the bricke-kill.
15 There shall the fire deuoure thee: the sword shall cut thee off: it shall eate thee vp like the cankerworme: make thy selfe many as the cankerworme, make thy selfe many as the locusts.
16 Thou hast multiplied thy merchants aboue the starres of heauen; the cankerworme spoileth & flieth away.
17 The crowned are as the locusts, and thy captains as the great grashoppers which campe in the hedges in the cold day: but when the Sunne ariseth, they flee away, and their place is not knowen where they are.
18 Thy shepheards slumber, O king of Assyria: thy nobles shall dwell in the dust: thy people is scattered vpon the mountaines, & no man gathereth them.
19 There is no healing of thy bruise: thy wound is grieuous: all that heare the bruit of thee, shall clap the hands ouer thee; for vpon whom hath not thy wickednesse passed continually?
The sins and judgments of Nineveh. (1-7) Its utter destruction. (8-19)1-7 When proud sinners are brought down, others should learn not to lift themselves up. The fall of this great city should be a lesson to private persons, who increase wealth by fraud and oppression. They are preparing enemies for themselves; and if the Lord sees good to punish them in this world, they will have none to pity them. Every man who seeks his own prosperity, safety, and peace, should not only act in an upright, honourable manner, but with kindness to all.
8-19 Strong-holds, even the strongest, are no defence against the judgments of God. They shall be unable to do any thing for themselves. The Chaldeans and Medes would devour the land like canker-worms. The Assyrians also would be eaten up by their own numerous hired troops, which seem to be meant by the word rendered "merchants." Those that have done evil to their neighbours, will find it come home to them. Nineveh, and many other cities, states, and empires, have been ruined, and should be a warning to us. Are we better, except as there are some true Christians amongst us, who are a greater security, and a stronger defence, than all the advantages of situation or strength? When the Lord shows himself against a people, every thing they trust in must fail, or prove a disadvantage; but he continues good to Israel. He is a strong-hold for every believer in time of trouble, that cannot be stormed or taken; and he knoweth those that trust in Him.
Commentary by Matthew Henry, 1710.