“In the twelfth year of the reign of Nabuchodonosor, who reigned in Nineve, the great city; in the days of Arphaxad, which reigned over the Medes in Ecbatane,”
Now, refers to the internal purpose of the author. (St. Gregory, hom 2. in Ezechiel.) (Worthington) Many of the books begin with And; shewing their connection. This work formed a part of the general history. The building of Ecbatana likewise took place soon after the destruction of Ninive, mentioned in the preceding book. — Arphaxad. He was probably the same as is called Dejoces by Herodotus; to whom he attributes the building of Ecbatana, the capital city of Media; (Challoner) or rather Arphaxad, more resembles both in name and actions the second king Phraortes or Apharaartas, (Montfaucon and Houbigant) who fortified and embellished the city. (Calmet) — Ecbatana, or Agbata, which in Arabic signifies “variegated;” (Bochart) as the seven walls, rising one higher than another round it, were marked with one white, two black, three red, four blue, five dark red, six silver, seven gold. (Herodotus i. 98.) (Calmet) See Tobias iii. 7.
“And built in Ecbatane walls round about of stones hewn three cubits broad and six cubits long, and made the height of the wall seventy cubits, and the breadth thereof fifty cubits:”
Hewed. Greek adds, “three cubits broad and six long.” The ancients aimed at solidity in their architecture, as appears from their ruins. (Calmet) — High. Salien (the year of the world 3345) thinks there is a transposition, and that the walls were 70 cubits high. (Menochius) — What need was there of such a breadth? Greek allows 70 in height, and 50 in breadth, which seems more proportionate. Old Vulgate has 60 cubits high, and 50 broad. On the walls of Ninive, three chariots might fight abreast, (Calmet) and six on those of Babylon. (Ctesias.) — Feet. Projecting from the wall, to remove an enemy. (Menochius) — Greek, “and the towers thereof he placed above the gates 100 cubits, and the foundation was 60 cubits broad. And he made the gates to rise 70 cubits, being 40 cubits in breadth, to send out the armies of his mighty men, and to draw up his infantry.” (Haydock)
“And he made the gates thereof, even gates that were raised to the height of seventy cubits, and the breadth of them was forty cubits, for the going forth of his mighty armies, and for the setting in array of his footmen:”
Gloried. Fool, this night wilt thou perish, Luke xii. 20. (Worthington)
“Even in those days king Nabuchodonosor made war with king Arphaxad in the great plain, which is the plain in the borders of Ragau.”
Nabuchodonosor. Not the king of Babylon, who took and destroyed Jerusalem, but another of the same name, who reigned in Nivine; and is called by profane historians Saosduchin. He succeeded Asarhaddon in the kingdom of the Assyrians, and was contemporary with Manasses, king of Juda. (Challoner) — He might be the same with Asarhaddon, who resided at Ninive in the 20th year of his reign. After the defeat at Bethulia, the Medes recovered part of their power, under Cyaxares I., who was succeeded by Astyages and Cyaxares II., with whom Cyrus was associated in the empire. (Xenophon) — Asarhaddon spent the latter years of his life at Babylon, of which he had made himself master. (Houbigant) — The Jews frequently give names to foreign princes different from those by which they are known in profane history. See Tobias ultra. (Haydock) — Him. Greek afterwards (ver. 15) insinuates, that he prevented any from mounting the throne of Media, till this work was written, “he transfixed him with his darts, and destroyed him till this day.” (Houbigant)
“And there came unto him all they that dwelt in the hill country, and all that dwelt by Euphrates, and Tigris and Hydaspes, and the plain of Arioch the king of the Elymeans, and very many nations of the sons of Chelod, assembled themselves to the battle.”
Ragau, near Rages. (Tobias i. 16.) (Menochius) — Syriac, “Dura,” mentioned [in] Daniel iii. 1. (Calmet) — Jadason, or Mount Jason, above the Caspian gates; (Strabo xi.) unless it may be the city Jassu, in Armenia. Greek has “the Hydaspes,” a river of India, though Curtius (v.) places it near Susa; confounding it with the Choaspes. — Elicians. Greek, “Elymeans,” perhaps the same with Pontus. Hebrew Ellasar, Genesis xiv. 9. Various battles were fought during this war, which the Greek intimates lasted seven years. (Calmet) — That version also would represent these and various other nations coming to meet Nabuchodonosor, who hereupon sent his ambassadors to all in Persia, and westward to Cilicia, &c. As they were treated contemptuously, he swore that he would revenge himself. But first he attacked Arphaxad, took and sacked Ninive, slew the king, and then abandoned himself with his army to pleasure in the conquered city, “120 days.” (Haydock)
“And to those among the nations that were of Carmel, and Galaad, and the higher Galilee, and the great plain of Esdrelom,”
Esdrelon. Syriac, “Jezrael,” which is the usual name in Scripture, Josue xvii. 16.
“And to all that were in Samaria and the cities thereof, and beyond Jordan unto Jerusalem, and Betane, and Chelus, and Kades, and the river of Egypt, and Taphnes, and Ramesse, and all the land of Gesem,”
Jesse, or Gessen, where Joseph placed his brethren, Genesis xlvi. 34.
“But all the inhabitants of the land made light of the commandment of Nabuchodonosor king of the Assyrians, neither went they with him to the battle; for they were not afraid of him: yea, he was before them as one man, and they sent away his ambassadors from them without effect, and with disgrace.”
Refused. Greek adds, “and did not come to help him in the war, because they feared him not, (Haydock; supposing he would have enough to do with Arphaxad) as he was but like their equal, or as one man. (Calmet)
“Therefore Nabuchodonosor was very angry with all this country, and sware by his throne and kingdom, that he would surely be avenged upon all those coasts of Cilicia, and Damascus, and Syria, and that he would slay with the sword all the inhabitants of the land of Moab, and the children of Ammon, and all Judea, and all that were in Egypt, till ye come to the borders of the two seas.”
Countries. Those who were subject to him did wrong in refusing aid. But the Jews were under no such obligations; and God espoused their cause the more, as the king set up for a deity, chap. iii. (Calmet) — He had at first entertained thoughts of universal dominion, (Haydock) being elated by his victory, like other conquerors. — Auferre, trucidare, rapere falsis nominibus imperium, atque ubi solitudinem faciunt, pacem appellant. (Tacitus, Agric.)