- Nineveh:
- Nineveh, the capital of Assyria, was situated on the eastern bank of the river Tigris, opposite the present Mosul, about 280 miles north of Babylon, 400 ne of Damascus, in latitude 36 degrees 20 minutes n longitude 73 degrees 10 minutes e. It was not only a very ancient ("Out of¹ that¹ landª went forthª° Asshur,ª and buildedª°¹ Nineveh,ª and the cityª Rehoboth,ª and Calah,ª" {Gen 10:11}), but also a very great city. Strabo says that it was much larger than Babylon, the circuit of which he estimates at 385 furlongs; and, according to Diodorus Siculus, it was an oblong parallelogram, extending 150 furlongs in length, 90 in breadth, and 480 in circumference, i.e., about 20 miles long, 12 broad, and 60 in compass. This agrees with the account given here of its being "an exceeding great city of three days' journey," i.e., in circuit; for 20 miles a day was the common computation for a pedestrian. It was surrounded by large walls 100 feet high, so broad that three chariots could drive abreast on them, and defended by 1,500 towers 200 feet in height. See notes on Nahum. "So Jonahª arose,ª° and went²°¹ unto¹ Nineveh,ª according to the wordª of the LORD.ª Now Ninevehª was¹ an exceedingª greatª cityª of threeª days'ª journey.ª" {Jna 3:3} + "Arise,ª° go²°¹ to¹ Nineveh,ª that greatª city,ª and cryª° against¹ it; for¹ their wickednessª is come upª° beforeª me." {Jna 1:2} + "And he will stretch outª° his handª against¹ the north,ª and destroyª°¹ Assyria;ª and will makeª°¹ Ninevehª a desolation,ª [and] dryª like a wilderness.ª ... This¹ [is] the rejoicingª cityª that dweltª° carelessly,ª that saidª° in her heart,ª I¹ [am], and [there is] none¹ beside²¹ me: how¹ is she become¹ a desolation,ª a place for beastsª to lie down¹ in!² every one¹ that passeth¹ by²°¹ her shall hiss,ª° [and] wagª° his hand.ª" {Zph 2:13-15}
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