I will burn her chariots— I will burn thy habitation, &c. The simile taken from lions is continued; and therefore chariots is extremely improper. The word refers to the den or habitation of the lions, whom he threatens to suffocate with fire and smoke in their subterraneous caverns; thus keeping up the metaphor.
REFLECTIONS.—1st, Nineveh is doomed to fall, and lo! her enemies approach. He that dasheth in pieces is come up before thy face, that is to say, Nabopolassar the Babylonian. The Ninevites are ironically called to keep the munition, to guard the walls, to watch the way to the avenues of the city, to make their loins strong, and fortify their power mightily, to do their utmost to ward off the blow; but all their efforts will be vain, since their ruin is determined.
1. The cause of it, among other provocations, is their ill usage of Israel. The Lord hath turned away the excellency of Jacob as the excellency of Israel; hath humbled and brought them low, and hath employed the Assyrians as his instruments; but they gratified their pride, covetousness, and ambition herein; for the emptiers have emptied them out, and marred their vine-branches, plundering and destroying the country, and leading many of the people into captivity.
2. The terrible destruction coming upon Nineveh, for this and all her other sins, is described. The shields of the enemy are prepared, glittering with burnished brass, or red with the blood of the slain; the valiant men in scarlet, magnificently arrayed; their chariots, when preparing for the siege, shall shine with flaming torches, to direct their way by night, or set fire to the city. The fir-trees, the mighty men of Nineveh, shall be terribly shaken; quaking for fear, while the chariots of the enemy rage in the streets approaching the gates, or entered into the city; so eager to advance, that they shall jostle one against another, devouring as torches of fire, and swift as lightning. He shall recount his worthies, choosing out the mighty men to storm the place; and, in haste to obey, they shall stumble, though instantly recovering themselves, and mounting the breach, under the cover of the defence which is prepared; or this may be understood of the king of Nineveh mustering his forces, manning the walls, and preparing to sustain the siege, though his warriors shall stumble in their walk, and fall; at last the besiegers shall enter at the gates of the rivers, either forced or betrayed into their hands, and then the palace shall be dissolved; both the temples of the idols, and the houses of their princes, shall be laid in ruins, and Huzzab shall be led away captive, which some interpret of the queen, others of the king, compared to a woman for his effeminacy; or perhaps it may signify Nineveh itself, which before sat as a queen, but is now hurled from her dignity, and lamented by her maids of honour, her inhabitants; who, while they are represented supporting her fainting under her calamities, utter their doleful moans, and beat their breasts for grief and anguish. Thus, though of old this mighty city was like a pool of water, full of wealth and inhabitants, and tranquil and at ease; yet they shall flee away, like waters when the dam is broken down, and as weak before their enemies; in vain some gallant chief should cry, Stand, stand; panic fear has seized them, and none dare even look behind him. The besiegers now are called to seize the spoil of silver, gold, and rich furniture, immense, invaluable; and thoroughly is the city ransacked, and left empty, void, and waste; without inhabitant, a heap of ruins; none of that populous place dare resist; their hearts are melted, their knees knock against each other, they are like women in travail, and their countenances darkened like the livid faces of the dead.
2nd, They who insulted over the calamities of others, justly deserve retaliation in the day of their distress.
1. Nineveh is triumphed over by her enemies. Like a lion in time past had the king of this strong city ravened uncontrolled, and filled his young lions with food, and his den with prey; and strangled for his lionesses, his wives and concubines, who shared the spoils of the conquered nations, while none dared withstand or oppose him: but where is his dwelling now? it is desolate and ruined. Note; Wealth gotten by violence is a precarious tenure, a short-lived possession.
2. God is her enemy, therefore she must fall. Behold, I am against thee; and his wrath is more terrible than innumerable foes; he will burn her chariots in the smoke of the city in flames around them; and the sword shall devour the young lions, the inhabitants thereof and their children, enriched by rapine and spoil; I will cut off thy prey from the earth, destroying all their substance which they had collected; and the voice of thy messengers shall no more be heard, demanding tribute, menacing the poor subjected nations: or like Rabshakeh, uttering their blasphemies against God. Note; God will shortly silence the tongue of the blasphemer.