Ezek. xxxii. 30. Gen. x. 8, 9.NIMROD, or Nembrod, Son of Cush, a mighty Hunter before the Lord, as the Scripture says of him. He began to make himself powerful upon the Earth, and gave Occasion to the Proverb, as Nimrod, the great Hunter before the Lord. His hunting was not only exercised on Wild Beasts, but he made use of it also to subdue Men, to take them, to put them to Death, or to reduce them under his Dominion. Ezekiel gives the Name of Hunters to all Tyrants. The Foundation of the Empire of Nimrod was at Babylon; and tis very probable he was one of the most eager Undertakers of the Building of the Tower of Babel, and that continuing there after the Dispersion of Mankind, he built Babylon in the same Place, or near this famous Tower. From thence he extended his Dominion over the neighbouring Countries, and reigned at Erech, Accad, and Calneh, in the Land of Shinar. What we have said upon each of these Places may be seen under their particular Articles.
Moses adds: Out of that Land went forth Asshur, and builded Nineveh, and the City Rehoboth, and Calah, and Resen between Nineveh and Calah: the same is a great City. This Bochart understands still of Nimrod, and translates the Hebrew in this manner. From this Place he went
¹ Abenezra, Kimchi, vide et Grot. out to go into Assyria, where he built Nineveh, Rehoboth, Calah, and Resen. That is to say, that when Nimrod had establish-ed the Beginning of his Empire at Babylon, and in the Land of Shinar, he advanced towards Assyria, and there built powerful Cities, to serve as so many Fortresses; to keep the People in Subjection to his Dominion. The Scripture informs us of no more than this concerning Nimrod.
Gen. xiii. 13. Gen. xxxviii. 7.Some Rabbins ¹ take in a good Sense what is said of this Monarch, that he was a mighty Hunter before the Lord, saying he had a particular Address and Dexterity for Hunting, and what Game he took he offer’d to the Lord. It must be own’d that these Words before the Lord is commonly taken in good Part, as an Exaggeration of the good Qualities of any one; but in this Place the greatest Number of Interpreters take it in a bad Sense, in the same Manner as when it is said of the Men of Sodom, that they were great Sinners before the Lord. Peccatores coram Domino nimis. As also of Er the eldest Son of Judah, that he was a very wicked Man before the Lord. Nequam in conspectu Domini.
Some have confounded Nimrod with Belus, the Founder of the Kingdom of Babylon, and with Ninus, the Founder of that of Nineveh: but both these are much later than Nimrod. Prophane Authors have embellished the History of Bacchus, with several Circumstances taken from that of Nimrod. For example, the Name Nebrodeus or Nebrodus, given to Bacchus, is evidently derived from Nembrod or Nimrod, tho’ the Greeks will have its Original from a Goat-Skin, with which they pretend Bacchus was cloathed. The Name Bacchus may also be derived from Bar-chus, the Son of Cush, because Nimrod was indeed the Son of Cush. The Greeks give to Bacchus the Name of Hunter, just as Moses gives to Nimrod. The Expeditions of Bacchus into the Indies are formed upon the Wars that Nimrod made in Babylonia and Assyria. Nimrod in Hebrew signifies a Rebel. To him is imputed the first Invention of that idolatrous Worship paid to Men.
The History of Nimrod is dress’d up with Fables by the Persian Authors m. Some confound him with Zohac, the first King of the Dynastie of those Princes that reign’d immediately after the Deluge. Others will have Nimrod to be the same as Caicacus, the second King of the second Persian Dynastie, call’d that of the Cainaides. The Persian Historians make him to have reign’d above an hundred and fifty Years, and affirm, that he contrived the rash Atm Bibl. Orient. p. 668. tempt of scaling Heaven: which is taken from what the Scripture relates concerning the Children of Noah, that they undertook to build a Tower, the Top of which should reach to Heaven. The Author of the Book call’d Malem tells us also this Story. When Nimrod saw that the Fire, in which he had caus’d Abraham to be cast, did him no Damage, he resolved to ascend into Heaven, that he might see that great God, that Abraham reveal’d to him. ‘Twas in vain that his Courtiers endeavoured to divert him from this Design; he was resolved to accomplish it.
At the same Time he gave Orders for the building of a Tower, that might be as high as possible. They worked upon this for three Years together, when he went up to the Top, and was much surprized to see himself as far from Heaven, as when he was upon the Ground. His Confusion was much increased, when they came to inform him the next Morning, that his Tower was fallen to the Ground. He commanded then that another should be built, that might be stronger and higher than the former; but this met with the same Fate. Then he took a ridiculous Resolution, of making himself be carried to Heaven in a Chest or Box, by four of those monstrous Birds, which the antient Eastern Authors call Kerkes, and of which they make Mention in their Romances.
Nimrod therefore had those Birds taught to carry the Box, and then putting himself into it, he wandered and flew for some Time in the Air; but at last the Kerkes dashed him so violently against a Mountain, that his Box was quite overset by the Shock. This Accident did not make him grow wiser, for he still continued to persecute the Saints, and the Worshippers of the true God. For this Reason God took away from him the greatest Part of his Subjects, by the Division that he sent among them, and by the Confusion of Tongues. Those that still continued firm to him were almost all killed by a Cloud of Flies that God sent amongst them. He himself was tormented for four Years by one of those Insects, which entering into his Brain, gave him such exquisite Pain, that he was forced to have his Head beat with a Mallet, that he might obtain some Rest.
‘Tis supposed that Moses makes Nimrod the immediate Son of Cush. The Persians make him to be Son to Canaan, and Brother to Cush. Eutychius, Patriarch of Alexandria, says, that Nimrod was the first Author of the Religion of the Magians, and of the Worshippers of Fire.