John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 4. He rebuketh the sea, and maketh it dry , etc.] As he did the Red sea, when the children of Israel passed through it as on dry land; which shows his power and sovereignty over it; that it is at his command, as a servant at his master’s; and since the wind and sea obey him, what is it he cannot do? (see Isaiah 50:2 51:10); and drieth up all the rivers ; that is, he can do it if he will; he divided the waters of Jordan, through the midst of which the Israelites passed on dry ground; and will dry up the river Euphrates, to make way for the kings of the east; and as for Tigris, on the banks of which the city of Nineveh stood, of which the inhabitants boasted, and in which they trusted for their security, he could dry up, and make way for the enemy to enter in; or make that their enemy, and overflow them with it, as he did; (see Na 1:8 Na 2:8).
By the “sea” and “rivers” may be meant the whole Assyrian empire, and many nations and people, as Jarchi and Abarbinel interpret it, of whom it consisted; (see Jeremiah 51:36 Revelation 17:15); Bashan languisheth, and Carmel, and the flower of Lebanon languisheth ; when the Lord restrains the heavens from giving rain, then Bashan, famous for its fat pastures and fruitful meadows, and Carmel for its rich grain fields, and Lebanon for its tall shadowy cedars, these, and the glory of all, wither and fade away, being parched and dried up for want of moisture.
These were places in the land of Israel, but may be put for like flourishing and fruitful hills and countries in the land of Assyria, which should become desolate; (see <19A733> Psalm 107:33,34).
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-8 - About a hundred years before, at Jonah's preaching, the Ninevite repented, and were spared, yet, soon after, they became worse tha ever. Nineveh knows not that God who contends with her, but is tol what a God he is. It is good for all to mix faith with what is her said concerning Him, which speaks great terror to the wicked, an comfort to believers. Let each take his portion from it: let sinner read it and tremble; and let saints read it and triumph. The anger of the Lord is contrasted with his goodness to his people. Perhaps the are obscure and little regarded in the world, but the Lord knows them The Scripture character of Jehovah agrees not with the views of prou reasoners. The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ is slow to wrat and ready to forgive, but he will by no means acquit the wicked; an there is tribulation and anguish for every soul that doeth evil: but who duly regards the power of his wrath?
Original Hebrew גוער1605 בים3220 ויבשׁהו3001 וכל3605 הנהרות5104 החריב2717 אמלל536 בשׁן1316 וכרמל3760 ופרח6525 לבנון3844 אמלל׃536
