Nahum 2:10

Nah 2:10 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.

Ver. 10. She is empty, and void, and waste ] An elegant alliteration in the original, beyond translating, בוקה וסבוקה ופבלקה . whereby the utter destruction and consternation of the city and monarchy is graphically depainted, and set forth to the life. See a like elegance Jeremiah 16:15 . The last word, rendered waste, signifieth burnt up, or void of all verdure; a place where nothing green groweth. Such a horrible devastation followeth upon God’s word of command to the Chaldees, Nahum 2:9 , like as when Christ cursed the barren fig tree it withered away immediately, Matthew 21:20 , though it be the most succulent of any tree, and beareth the brunt of winter blasts unwithered. God’s words, however slighted, are not wind, but fire, Jeremiah 5:13-14 .

And the heart melteth ] The heart ( in quo fortitude stabulum habet, the seat of courage) fell asunder in their bosoms like drops of water; they were cowed out. See Joshua 2:11 ; Joshua 5:1 ; Jos 7:5 Isa 13:7 Ezekiel 21:12 .

And the knees smite together ] Genus labant, as is usual in extreme fear; the blood retreating to the heart, to relieve it. See Dan 5:6 Job 4:4 Isaiah 35:3 .

And much pain is in all loins ] Such pain as befalleth women in travail, Isaiah 21:3 ; Isaiah 13:8 Joe 2:6 Micah 4:9-10 ; the doubled form of the Hebrew word implieth the extremity of it. The loins are the seat of strength; whence the Latins call weak men ( Elumbes ) loinless men.

And the faces of them all gather blackness ] Heb. A pot, i.e. such blackness as is on the sides of a pot ( Olla, lebas, cacabus ). See Joel 2:6 . Joy and sorrow will show themselves in the face as in a glass. Now if for a temporal mischief there is so great a consternation in wicked men, what shall we think there is in hell?