John Calvin Commentary Nahum 3:4

"because of the multitude of the whoredoms of the well-favored harlot, the mistress of witchcrafts, that selleth nations through her whoredoms, and families through her witchcrafts." — Nahum 3:4 (ASV)

The Prophet mentions again the cause why God would execute so dreadful a vengeance on that city, which yet, through its splendor, had gained so much glory and respect among all people. God seems, in a way, to have little regard for the order of the world when he thus overturns great cities.

For since he is the Creator of the whole world, it seems to be his proper role to protect its various parts, especially those which excel in beauty, for they seem to deserve a higher regard. Therefore, when any splendid city is demolished, such thoughts as these occur to us: that God is either delighted with the ruin of the world, or is asleep in heaven, and that thus all things revolve by chance and contingency.

Therefore, the Prophet shows that God had just reasons for decreeing the ruin of Nineveh, and for deforming that beauty, so that it might not deceive the eyes of men. Hence, he compares Nineveh to a harlot. The comparison seems not very suitable; but if we take a closer view of things, the Prophet could not have more fittingly nor more strikingly set forth the condition of that city.

He had previously mentioned its barbarous cruelty, and said that it was the den of lions, and that savage and bloody wild beasts dwelt there. He now begins to speak of the frauds and crafty artifices by which the kings of this world attain for themselves both wealth and power. The Prophet then likens the city Nineveh to a harlot for this reason: because it had not only brought neighboring nations under its power by threats and terrors, and also by cruelty, but because it had ensnared many by oblique arts and fraudulent means, by deceptive dealings and allurements. This is the reason why it is now called a harlot by the Prophet.

The Prophets of God indeed seem to speak with little reverence of great cities and empires. But we know that it rightly belongs to the Spirit of God, in exercising his own jurisdiction, to uncover the base deeds of the whole world, which otherwise would remain concealed and, even under the appearance of virtues, deceive the eyes and senses of the simple. And since men flatter themselves so much and are intoxicated with their own delusions, it is necessary that those who are too self-indulgent and delicate be roughly handled.

Since, then, kings always set up their own splendor so that they may dazzle the eyes of the simple, and use their own greatness as a beautiful covering, the Spirit of God divests them of these masks. This, then, is the reason why the Prophet speaks here, in no very respectful terms, of that great monarchy which had attracted the admiration of all nations.

For when the Spirit of God adopts a humble and common mode of speaking, men, blinded by their vices, will not acknowledge their own baseness; indeed, they will even dare to set up in opposition those things which cover their disgraceful deeds. But the Spirit of God breaks through all these things and dissipates those delusions with which men deceive themselves.

Such is the reason for this comparison. He says, On account of the multitude of the whoredoms of the harlot, who excels in favor. It is said, by way of concession, that Nineveh was in great favor; that is, that by her beauty she had allured many nations to herself, like a harlot who attracts many lovers. And thus, the Prophet allows that Nineveh was beautiful.

But he adds that she was the mistress of sorceries. כשף, casheph, means sorcery, and also juggling. We may then render כשפים, cashaphim, used here, as "juggleries" (praestigias — sleights of hand). But the Prophet seems to allude to love potions, by which harlots drive youths mad. Just as harlots not only attract notice by their beauty and charming manners and other usual ways, but they also, in a way, fascinate unhappy youths and use various arts and delusions, so the Prophet under this word comprehends all the deceits practiced by harlots. It is as though he said, “This harlot was not only beautiful, but also an enchantress, who by her charms deceived unhappy nations like a strumpet who maddens unhappy youths who do not take care of themselves.”

He afterwards adds, Who sells nations by her whoredoms, and tribes by her sorceries. Though Nahum still carries on the same metaphor, he nonetheless shows more clearly what he meant by whoredoms and sorceries: namely, the crafts of princes, by which they allure their neighbors and then reduce them to bondage.

Thus, all the counsels of kings (which they call policies) are here, by the Spirit of God, called sorceries or juggleries, and also meretricious arts. This reproof, as I have already said, many consider too severe; for so much majesty then shone forth in the Assyrians that they ought, as they think, to have been treated more respectfully.

But it was fitting for the Spirit of God to speak in this forceful language, for there is no one who does not applaud such crafty proceedings.

If anyone, without mentioning princes, were to ask, “Is it right to deceive, and then by lies, deceptions, perjuries, cavils, and other arts, to cover things up?” — if this question were asked, the immediate answer would be that all these things are as far removed as possible from virtue, as nothing is more fitting for men than genuine sincerity.

But when princes appear in public and make this pretense—that the world must be ruled with great prudence, and that unless secret counsels are taken, all kingdoms would immediately fall into ruin—this veil covers all their shameful transactions. Consequently, it becomes lawful for them, and even praiseworthy, to deceive one party, to circumvent another, and to oppress a third by means of deception.

Since, then, princes are praised for their craftiness, this is the reason why the Prophet here forcibly removes, as it were, the mask under which they hide their base proceedings. “They are,” he says, “meretricious arts, and they are sorceries and juggleries.”

It is true that he speaks here of one city; but the Prophet undoubtedly describes in this striking representation how kingdoms increase and by what crafty means: first, by robberies, and then by artful dealings, such as would by no means be fitting for honest men in ordinary life.

But princes could never succeed unless they practiced such artifices. Yet we see how they are described here by the Spirit of God: that they are like strumpets given to juggleries and to other base and filthy arts, which he calls whoredoms.

But, as I have said, the meaning of the Prophet can be more clearly elicited from the second clause of the verse, when he says that the Ninevites treated the nations as merchandise.

Indeed, even today we see that princes disturb the whole world as they please. They deliver up innocent people to one another and shamefully sell them, while each, without any shame, hunts after his own advantage. To increase his own power, he will deliver others into the hand of an enemy.

Since, then, crafty proceedings of this kind are so prevalent today, there is no need for me to attempt to explain at length the meaning of the Prophet. I wish that examples were to be sought from afar. Let us proceed.