Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1882-02-07
For the SPECTATOR.
NINEvEH.

It is not our intention to prepare 9
long, dry. and prosy account Of this
subject. We may delve in classic lore
and quote ancient authorities, but they
will be brief and 30 abridged a. to give
q complete but not tedious delineati0n
Of the most interesting aud remarkable
events concerning the greatly renowned
and eminently historical city of Nine
veh.- "Nineveh. the capital of the an
oient Assyrian Empire, was situated on
che eastern bank of the river TiRris,
about 28O miles north of Babylon and
400 miles northeast of Damascus. II
was one of the most ancient cities upon
earth; being founded by Ashur or by
NimrOd both grandsOns of Noah. Ac-
cordinK to DiOdorus Siculus, this city
was ali oblong parallelogram, extending
$50 furlOngs in length, 80 furl0nRs in
breadth, and 480 in compass. This
agrees with the account given by the
prophet, that 1t was AN exceeding great
city of three days journey in circuit
reckoning 20 miles day as the com
mon computation for q traveller on foot.
This vast city was surrounded with
prodigious walls, 100 feet high; and 80
broad that three chariots could drive
abreast on them: the whole extent was
defended by 1900 towers, zoe feet high,
or double the height of the walls. The
population of Nineveh is supposed to
have been at least 900, 900 souls in the
time of the prophet Jonah. ."-Robert
Sears' Bible Biography, 19th ed. Very
little is really known Of the actual histo-
~ of Nineveh, as nearly all distinguished
historians agree upon the same thing,
thus no division Is created to engage
cOntemporaneous comment, but, how
ever, one notable feature Is certainly
known, that after it "had risen to its
splendor and magnificence on the ruins
of the surrounding states, and success
having attended their various military
enterprises, both rulers and their people
became intoxicated with pride, and,
under the influence of superstition and
idolatry, cruelty marked their progress
In every country, and oppression char.
acterized their government over the
vanquished nations."-R. S. B. B.
Having met with such great and tlatter-
Ing success and victory, they became 90
revengefully arrogant and extremely
Independent, that they scorned aud
scoffed at the entreatiug admonitions
Of the prophets and utterly refused to
obey the laws of God hence, ~ He has
always done and will ever do, He pro.
nounced curse upon them for their
gross wickedness and willful disobe-
dience. Although their endless and
seethless tide of iniquity, in all it, black
hideousness, had rolled out before Him,
yet In infinite mercy He determined
that before the consuming wrath Of His
righteous indignation should be poured
out upon them to send q messenger to
warn them to turn from their evil WAYS.
and thereby escape the i'm pen ding ruin,
and, having formed that resolution, He
proceeded to execute it with Divine
drmnesss, therefore He commissioned
Jonah-ths s0n of Amittai, the ftth Of
the small prophets. whom some spp.
pose to have been the widows son OF
Sarepta restored to life by Elijah-to 20
to Nineveh aud cry against It, that In
forty days it would be destroyed. All
that is positively known of Jonah ID
that God, having On,manded him to
go to Nineveh, he. instead Of obeyinR
God, and seeiuiDgly unmindful that
God is every wheIe, resolved to Zee to
Tarsus, III Cilicia. for he apparently
considered 'hst G"t ws- ,eculiarly real