A fruitfull commentarie vpon the twelue small prophets briefe, plaine, and easie, going ouer the same verse by verse, and shewing every where the method, points of doctrine, and figures of rhetoricke, to the no small profit of all godly and well disposed readers, with very necessarie fore-notes for the vnderstanding of both of these, and also all other the prophets. The text of these prophets together with that of the quotations omitted by the author, faithfully supplied by the translatour, and purged of faults in the Latine coppie almost innumerable, with a table of all the chiefe matters herein handled, and marginall notes very plentifull and profitable; so that it may in manner be counted a new booke in regard of these additions. VVritten in Latin by Lambertus Danæus, and newly turned into English by Iohn Stockwood minister and preacher at Tunbridge.

Vers. 15.

Behold vpon the mountaines the feete of him that decla∣reth, and publisheth peace: O Iudah, keepe thy solemne feastes, performe thy vowes: For the wicked shall no more passe through thee: He is vtterly cut off.

* 1.1THe figure Epiphonema, or acclamation, whereby both the former deliuerance is confirmed vnto the Israelites, and Iu∣dah also, that is, the brethren of the Israelites are for this cause ex∣horted to reioyce. For as yet the kindgdom of Iudah was safe and vntouched. But they are stirred vp to reioyce at this so happie a condition which should be of Israell, as of their brother: and at the fall of the Assyrians, as their common enimies, as a thing most assured & certaine. For no man is in vaine or to no purpose ex∣horted by God to giue thanks, sing praises, and to reioyce, but for that the same thing shall altogether come to passe,* 1.2 for the which these things are commāded of God to be done. This therefore is a mostapt & fit Apostrophe or turning of speech vnto the Iewes, that they also may reioyce at the destruction of their common aduer∣saries.

For the Assyrians were enimies vnto the Iewes also, that is, vnto the kingdom of Iudah, as appeareth in the historie of Eze∣chiah the king 2. Kings. Yet out of this place cannot be gathered that Nahum prophesied vnder Ezechias king of Iudah, at that time after that Ierusalem was deliuered from besieging, that is, after that it was deliuered out of the hands of Senacherib king of the Assyrians. For here he foretelleth things to come, the which notwithstanding (after the manner of other prophets) he setteth foorth as if they were all readie fulfilled, for the greater certantie of the thing to come. This place is like vnto that of Esaie cap. 52. ver. 7. How beautifull vpon the mountaines are the feete of him,* 1.3 that declareth, and publisheth peace: that declareth good tidings, and pub∣lisheth saluation, saying vnto Sion, thy God reigneth.

* 1.4But here in this place of our prophet Nahum are reckoned vp three sorts of ioyes. First an happie and ioyfull tidings, and neere at hand concerning peace that was to insue vnto the land of Iudah, because the enimies of that kingdom, to wit the Assyrians, are de∣stroyed. For the feete of the men and messengers signifiyng and bringing the same,* 1.5 did euen now appeare in the mountaines neer vnto them, so that the Iewes should by and by heare the same. The Second, the most free holding and keeping of their feastes, the which was an holie and solemne, and most great and lawfull ioye of the Iewes. The third, the paying of their vowes, that is, the acknowledging and confessing of extraordinarie benefites of God, the which was done by the performing of vowes,* 1.6 and by the offring of Sacrifices of thanks giuing. The reason of this ioye is, because that there is now ordeined sure and certaine peace for the Iewes by God: for as I haue said, he hath cleane taken away their enimies the Assyrians, so that they shal now no more come into the landes of the Iewes.

Notes

• * 1.1

  What the figure Epipho∣nema is, see Io∣nas, cap. 2. ver. 9.
• * 1.2

  What the si∣gure Apostro∣phe is, see A∣mos cap. 8. ver 4.
• * 1.3

  Three kinds of ioyes.
• * 1.4

  1. Tidings of peace.
• * 1.5

  2. The keeping of their solemne feastes.
• * 1.6

  3. The paying of vowes.