John Trapp on Nahum 2:12

Verſe 12. The lion did tear in pieces enough for his whelps] i. e. that which might have been enough and ſpare, but that they were unſatiable. So covetous they were and ravenous, that their Poſie might have been, Totus non ſufficit orbis: their deſire of more, was enlarged as hell; greedy lions they were, that could never have enough, Eſay 56.11. As a ſhip may be over-laden with gold and ſilver, even unto ſinking, and yet have compaſſe and ſides enough to hold ten times more: ſo the cormorants and covetous caitives of this world, though they have enough to ſink them; yet never have they enough to ſatisfie them.

and ſtrangled for his lioneſſes] i. e. for his wives and concubines, by whom they were commanded, being captivarum ſuarum captivi, as Plutarch ſaith of the Perſian kings; ſlaves to their ſhe-ſlaves, whom they enriched and adorned with the ſpoils of the ſubdued nations. Cicero in his fifth Action againſt Verres, ſaith, that the kings of Perſia and Syria, (think the ſame of Aſſyria) as they had many wives, ſo they would beſtow upon them whole cities for their maintenance. Antiochus king of Syria, gave two fair cities to his Concubine, 2 Maccab. 4.30. Antony gave all Egypt to Cleopatra. Henry 2. of France, gave to Diana Valentina all the confiſcation of goods made in the kingdom for cauſe of Hereſie, Anno 1554. which cauſed the burning of many good people. Ʋtinam hodie non eſſent leanae, ſaith Calvin here. It were to be wiſhed there were not now adayes lioneſſes,Hiſt. of Councel of Trent. 387. that can of themſelves ſtrangle and devour: but we ſee that there are ſome women that exceed all men in impudency and cruelty. The Queen-mother he meant, in all likelyhood, as Beza did her cruell ſonne Charles 9. Authour of the Maſſacre, in that Verſe of his, made upon the that new ſtarre in Caſſiopeia, 1572.

Tu verò Herodes ſanguinolente time.Camd. Elizab.

and filled his holes with prey, and his denne with ravine] His palaces with treaſure, his coffers with caſh, raked together by evil arts, and oppreſſive practiſes. What elſe was the whole Aſſyrian Empire, but a great theevery? Alexander the Great was told to his teeth, that he was the greateſt thief in the world. And was not Jul[illegible: 3 letters] Caeſar ſuch another? who ſaid, that for a kingdomes ſake right might be vio[illegible: 4 letters]? and who robbed his countrey of her liberty, for the ſatisfying of his unlawfull deſire of ruledome? But for whom all this? ſurely for thoſe that never thanked them for any thing, but fought for their ſpoil.