Nahum 3:9

9. Ethiopia and Egypt] Heb. Cush and Egypt. At this time Egypt and Cush, the country south of Upper Egypt, were virtually one, as the 25th or Ethiopian dynasty were on the throne (from 728–662), with No or Thebes as their capital. Jer_46:9.

and it was infinite] A favourite phrase of the prophet, Nah_2:9, Nah_3:3; Nah_3:9; cf. Isa_2:7.

Put and Lubim] Gen_10:6 Phut is one of the four sons of Ham. Eze_30:5, Phut appears in the armies of Egypt (Jer_46:9), Eze_38:5 among the followers of Gog, and Eze_27:10 among the mercenaries of Tyre. Sept. sometimes renders Lybians, here Phut and Lybians seem distinguished. The place of Phut is usually sought on the N. coast of Africa, west of Egypt, though the views of scholars are divergent. In Isa_66:19 Phut is perhaps to be read for Phul.

thy helpers] The versions render her helpers.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Nah 3:9 Ethiopia and Egypt [were] her strength, and [it was] infinite; Put and Lubim were thy helpers.

Ver. 9. Ethiopia and Egypt were her strength] No was the metropolis of Egypt, and knew no end of her power, as bearing rule over Ethiopia the strong and Egypt the infinite, Chus valida et Egyptii infiniti (some read this text), and as having all the rest of the peoples inhabiting Africa and Libya for her confederates. See Jer 46:9, where the prophet speaketh of such people as brought aid to Egypt against the Chaldees, but were foiled and worsted. Of the huge armies that Ethiopia was able to raise see 2Ch 14:9; 2Ch 16:8. Egypt for her strength was called Rahab, Psa 87:4; Psa 89:10 that is, mighty and proud.

Put and Lubim were thy helpers] By Put Jerome understandeth Africa (which was over beside Alexandria, the sea between), a waste continent, thrice as big as Europe; and by Lubim Libya, a considerable part of that continent sometimes put for the whole. These would have been helpers to No, but could not; because overpowered by Nebuchadnezzar, sent against them by God. Leagues entered into with wicked men profit not those whom God will punish. The Grecian Churches, A.D. 1438, being afraid of the Turks, sent and subjected themselves to the Bishop of Rome, that they might have the help of the Latin Churches; but shortly after they were destroyed, and their empire subdued, and swallowed up in the Turkish greatness. It is gathered by some out of Rev 16:14-16, that the Pope and his adherents shall, towards the end of the world, for the restoring of his decayed authority, call in the help not only of Popish princes, but of foreign states, out of Asia, Africa, and America, to suppress the heretics (as they call us) and to root out religion; but with evil success, for they shall associate themselves only to be broken in pieces, Isa 8:9; these auxiliaries, shall, speed no better than those subsidiary Syrians did, 2Sa 10:18-19; they shall receive a famous foil at Armageddon, such as Sisera did at the waters of Megiddo, Jdg 5:19, and a voice from the throne shall say, "It is done," Nah 3:16-17.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

3:9-10 Thebes fell to the Assyrians under King Ashurbanipal in 663 BC. Before Ashurbanipal’s victory, Thebes had seemed to have unconquerable defenses, as well as the help of all Egypt and its allies: Ethiopia, Put (perhaps the fabled land of Punt, located near what is now coastal Somalia), and Libya. None of these, however, had effectively protected Thebes. • babies were dashed to death: Ancient conquerors had the heinous practice of exterminating the infants of their enemies in this way (2 Kgs 8:12; Ps 137:9; Isa 13:16, 18). • Soldiers threw dice for the spoils of war, while the leaders of the conquered people were bound in chains (see 2 Kgs 25:7; Jer 40:1, 4; Joel 3:3; Obad 1:11).

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Or, thine.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Ethiopia--Hebrew, Cush. Ethiopia is thought at this time to have been mistress of Upper Egypt.

Egypt--Lower Egypt.

her strength--her safeguard as an ally.

it was infinite--The resources of these, her allies, were endless.

Put--or Phut (Gen 10:6); descended from Ham (Eze 27:10). From a root meaning a bow; as they were famed as archers [GESENIUS]. Probably west of Lower Egypt. JOSEPHUS [Antiquities, 1:6.2] identifies it with Mauritania (compare Jer 46:9, Margin; Eze 38:5).

Lubim--the Libyans, whose capital was Cyrene; extending along the Mediterranean west of Egypt (Ch2 12:3; Ch2 16:8; Act 2:10). As, however, the Lubim are always connected with the Egyptians and Ethiopians, they are perhaps distinct from the Libyans. The Lubim were probably at first wandering tribes, who afterwards were settled under Carthage in the region of Cyrene, under the name Libyans.

thy--No's.

helpers--literally, "in thy help," that is, among thy auxiliaries.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 9. Ethiopia and Egypt were her strength] The land of Cush, not far from Diospolis; for it was in Arabia, on the Red Sea.

Put and Lubim] A part of Africa and Libya, which were all within reach of forming alliances with No-Ammon or Diospolis.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Ethiopia and Egypt were her strength,.... That is, the strength, support, protection, and defence of No, whether Alexandria, or Thebes, or Memphis: Egypt was, for these cities were in it, and subject to it; or, if this was a free city, as some think, yet in alliance with Egypt, and under its protection; and in like connection it was with Ethiopia, that is, Arabia, a country that lay near to it; and yet, though it was strengthened by such powerful neighbours and allies, it was not secure from the devastation of the enemy:

and it was infinite; or there was "no end" (o); of its strength, or of the number of its allies, or the forces they were able to bring in its defence. The Ethiopians were very numerous, as may be learnt from Ch2 14:9 and so were the Egyptians, to whom some interpreters strictly connect this sentence. In the times of Amasis, as Mela (p) relates, there were twenty thousand cities inhabited in it; and Josephus (q) says there were in it seven hundred and fifty myriads of men; as Sethon, king of Egypt, and Tirhakah, king of Ethiopia, were about this time the allies of the Jews, in whom they trusted, no doubt they were confederate together, and so both the strength of this city; see Isa 36:6,

Put and Lubim, were thy helpers; Put, or the Putim, were the people of the Moors, that dwelt in Mauritania; and Lubim were the Lybians that bordered on Egypt, and whose country is sometimes reckoned a part of it. The Jews (r) say Lybia is Egypt; see Act 2:10 these several people were the confederates of No; and helped them, not only by their commerce with them, but in time of war assisted them against their enemies; and yet, though so strengthened by alliances, were not safe and secure; and therefore Nineveh could not depend upon such helps and helpers.

(o) "non est finis", Pagninus, Montanus, Munster, Cocceius. (p) De Orbis Situ. l. 1. c. 9. (q) De Bello Jud. l. 2. c. 16. sect. 4. (r) T. Hieros. Celaim, c. 8. fol. 31. 3.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Ethiopia and Egypt were her strength - Literally, “Egypt was strength , and Ethiopia, and boundless.” He sets forth first the imperial might of No; then her strength from foreign, subdued power. The capital is a sort of impersonation of the might of the state; No, of Egypt, as Nineveh, of Assyria. When the head was cut off or the heart ceased to beat, all was lost. The might of Egypt and Ethiopia was the might of No, concentrated in her. They were strength, and that strength unmeasured by any human standard. Boundless was the strength, which Nineveh had subdued: boundless, the store Nah 2:10 which she had accumulated for the spoiler; boundless Nah 3:3 the carcasses of her slain. “And it was infinite.” “The people that came up with the king out of Egypt, were without number” 2Ch 12:3. The Egyptians connected with Thebes are counted by a pagan author at seven million. Put or Phut is mentioned third among the sons of Ham, after Cash anal Mizraim Gen 10:6. They are mentioned with the Ethiopians in Pharaoh’s army at the Euphrates , as joined with them in the visitation of Egypt Eze 30:5; with Cush in the army of Gog Eze 38:15; with Lud in that of Tyre Eze 29:10; a country and river of that name were, Josephus tells us , “frequently mentioned by Greek historians.” They dwelt in the Libya, conterminous to the Canopic mouth of the Nile .

And Lubim - These came up against Judah in the army of Shishak 2Ch 12:3 against Rehoboam, and with the Ethiopians, “a huge host” under Zerah the Ethiopian against Asa . The Ribou or Libou appear on the monuments as a people conquered by Menephthes and Rameses III . They were still to be united with Egypt and the Ethiopians in the times of Antiochus Epiphanes Dan 11:43; so their connection with Egypt was not broken by its fall. Those unwearied enemies had become incorporated with her; and were now her help. These were (English Margin) in thy help; set upon it, given up to it. The prophet appeals to No herself, as it were, “Thou hadst strength.” Then he turns away, to speak of her, unwilling to look on the miseries which he has to portray to Nineveh, as the preludes of her own. Without God, vain is the help of man.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Ethiopia; Chus, in Arabia, not far from Diospolis.

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

It is not very probable that this Ethiopia should be that remote country that lay south of Egypt, though in truth it is possible, and while Egypt was in friendship with No Amon, or Alexandria, the aids might in length of time come from Ethiopia, or Abyssinia. But there was a Cush, an Ethiopia, in Arabia, near to Egypt and Alexandria, whose people were likest to undertake the assistance of Alexandria their neighbour. See 2Ch 14:9; Eze 30:4,5; Hab 3:7. This No, or Alexandria, was either a city subject to, and was part of Egypt, or if (as some conjecture) it was a free city, it was in league with Egypt.

Were her strength; furnishing soldiers and warlike assistance on all occasions to Alexandria, which relied on these confederates.

It was infinite; they never made an end of their confederacies and warlike provisions. It is reported, that when Amasis reigned Egypt reckoned twenty thousand cities, and when Zerah king of Ethiopia came against Asa it was with an army of ten hundred thousand men, and three hundred (thousand) chariots; these were the associates of Alexandria.

Put, or Phuteans, or the Moors, who lie along westward of Alexandria.

Lubim; the people that inhabited the parts of Africa, and thought to be that which is now called Cyrene: see Eze 30.

Were thy helpers, O Alexandria.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Ethiopia and Egypt were her strength. Urdamaneh, or Rudammon, in whose time this capture of No-Amon took place, was son and successor of Tirhalrah, who is called expressly King of Ethiopia. (2Ki_19:9 Isa_37:9) Egypt. The Egyptians proper, combined with the Ethiopians, formed the kingdom of Egypt under the twenty-fifth, the Ethiopian, dynasty. And it was infinite. The power of Egypt was boundless, its forces in numerable. (see 2Ch_12:3) Pusey notes a remark of Cato (in Steph. Byzant. ap. Boch., 4:27) that the Egyptians connected with Thebes amounted to seven millions. In Isaiah 18-20. Ethiopia and Egypt are represented as combined against Assyria, and conquered by it (Wordsworth). Septuagint, Ouk esth terav thv fughv , "There was no limit of the flight." This is thought by Jerome to be connected with the previous verses, and to refer to Nineveh. Put and Lubim were thy helpers. No- Amon is here suddenly addressed. Put, or Punt, designates either a part of Arabia or that part of the coast of Egypt opposite to it (see Ebers, "AEgypt. und die Buch. Mos.," p. 64, etc.). Luhim are the Lybians, dwelling on the west of the Canopic mouth of the Nile. Thus the enumeration of the forces of Thebes is regularly arranged, beginning with the south, Ethiopia, then through Egypt proper to the north, and then to the provinces on the east and west (Knabenbauer). The Vulgate translates the two terms, Africa et Libya. The LXX combines them in one, Libuev . These peoples are named together elsewhere: e.g. Jer_46:9 Eze_27:10 Eze_30:5 Eze_38:5.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Her strength - Furnishing soldiers and warlike assistance. It was infinite - There was no end to their confidence and warlike provisions. Put - Or the Moors, who lie westward of Alexandria. Lubim - The people that inhabited that which is now called Cyrene.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

Cush was [its] strength—The Cushites were its strength.

Put and the Lubim—The Putim and the Lubim, who were your helpers, were also in her [Assyria’s] army.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.