Nahum 3:2 - Exposition

The noise of a whip. The prophet describes the advance of the investing army. He hears the cracking of the whips of the charioteers, and the rattling of the wheels of the chariots, and the galloping horses, and the chariots bounding over the plain. Probably all the expressions in this verso refer to chariots and to horses yoked to them, which varied in number from one to three. The whip was a simple thong attached to a short handle. Comp. Virg; 'Georg.,' 3:106, etc.—

"... illi instant verbere torto

Et proni dant lora, volat vi fervidus axis;

Jamque humiles, jamque elati sublime videntur

Aera per vacuum ferri, atque adsurgere in auras ."