Nahum 2:1-4

SIEGE AND DESTRUCTION OF NINEVEH; SACK OF THE CITY, Nahum 2:1-10.

From the declaration that the doom of Nineveh is decreed the prophet passes to a description of the carrying out of the decree. The army that is ordained to execute the judgment is already approaching (1); in imagination the prophet beholds its terrible attacks against the city, the glittering weapons, the raging chariots (3, 4). Desperate efforts are made to save the city, but in vain, and it falls (5, 6); the queen and her attendants are captured (7); the inhabitants flee (8); the city is sacked and left a desolation (9, 10).

Nahum 2:1 is addressed, like Nahum 1:14, to Assyria Nineveh.

He that dasheth in pieces Literally, he that scatters. Translated in Proverbs 25:18, “maul”; a similar word, which some think should be read here, is translated in Jeremiah 51:20, “battle-axe.” The city is exhorted to prepare for the struggle.

Keep the munition R.V., “fortress”; better, fortification, the wall around the city. This is to be guarded, lest it fall into the hands of the enemy. Some render simply “keep watch.”

Watch the way By which the enemy approaches, so as to guard against disastrous surprises.

Make thy loins strong Perhaps equivalent to gird thy loins, that is, prepare for vigorous action (compare Isaiah 5:27).

Fortify thy power mightily Collect all thy power and resources; equivalent to strain every nerve.

In Nahum 2:2 the translation of R.V. is undoubtedly to be preferred: “For Jehovah restoreth the excellency of Jacob, as the excellency of Israel; for the emptiers have emptied them out, and destroyed their vine branches.” The verse is taken by some as the continuation of Nahum 1:15, while Nahum 2:3, is thought to be the continuation of Nahum 2:1. This transposition would greatly improve the development of the thought; and the only serious objection to it is that Nahum 2:2, would be a weak conclusion of the first section of the book. In either case the thought remains essentially the same. If left in its present position, Nahum 2:2 explains why Nineveh must be destroyed: to clear the way for the exaltation of Judah; if it is placed after Nahum 1:15, it explains why Judah is exhorted to rejoice: because the excellency of Judah is about to be restored. Instead of “as the excellency of Israel” we should read “and the excellency of Israel.”

Jacob,… Israel Synonyms, both referring to the southern kingdom, which was the only one in existence in the days of Nahum.

Excellency The nation, at present oppressed and afflicted, will be restored to the position of glory and splendor enjoyed in the days of David. This restoration must be accomplished by Jehovah, for the nation is in a hopeless condition.

The emptiers The enemies who at various times plundered and desolated Judah; the chief among these were the Assyrians.

Marred [“destroyed”] their vine branches Judah is likened here to a vineyard, or, perhaps better, to a vine, whose branches have been ruthlessly destroyed (compare Isaiah 5:1-7; Jeremiah 12:10).

In Nahum 2:3 ff. (continuing Nahum 2:1) the prophet describes the attack of the besieging army.

His mighty men The soldiers of the hostile army are preparing for attack.

The shield… is made red Since this is still “in the day of his preparation,” that is, before the attack and battle, the red cannot be caused by the blood of the slain; it must be some color other than blood reflected by the shields. Some connect this passage with Josephus, Antiquities, 13: 12, 5, which mentions “shields of brass (copper)” and “shields covered with brass”; these shields are said in 1Ma 6:39 , to blaze in the sunlight “like torches of fire.” On the other hand, there may be an allusion to the custom of “anointing” shields (Isaiah 21:5), which in some cases may have taken the form of coloring them.

In scarlet Again, not a reference to blood, but to the scarlet color of the uniforms (Ezekiel 23:14).

The chariots shall be with flaming torches R.V., “the chariots flash with steel”; literally, with fire of steel are the chariots. An obscure expression. The word peladhoth, rendered “steel” in R.V., is rendered “torches” in A.V. (compare Nahum 2:4, where the Hebrew has lappidhim); in order to get such meaning here, a transposition of the consonants must be assumed. The translation “steel” is based upon the meaning of a similar Arabic word, but in the latter language the noun seems to be a loan word from the Persian; if so, we would hardly expect to find it in Hebrew in the time of Nahum. A third translation, based upon the similarity of the noun with an Arabic verb, “to cut,” is “scythes.” This translation is made improbable by the fact that chariots furnished with scythes appear to be a later invention. Tradition ascribes the invention to Cyrus, and they are referred to for the first time in connection with the battle of Cunaxa ( Anabasis, Nahum 1:8 ; Nahum 1:10); in Jewish literature they are first mentioned in 2Ma 13:2 . From the same root “cut” there is derived the meaning “divide”; here, “fire which divides itself,” that is, flashing fire. This meaning also is doubtful. Jeremias has suggested that the word may refer to the steel coverings of Assyrian chariots or of machines used in attacks upon the walls. Following this suggestion, Cheyne proposes to change the word into hallopheth, the Assyrian halluptu, meaning “covering.” Whether the alteration is made or not, it is quite likely that Jeremias’s suggestion is correct. The text becomes smoother if “with fire” is changed into “like fire,” so that the entire clause reads, “like fire are the steel coverings of the chariots.”

Day of his preparation The attack is not yet in progress.

Fir trees Better, R.V., “cypress spears.”

Terribly shaken The verb occurs only here in the Old Testament, but the cognate languages establish the meaning “to move tremblingly,” “to reel.” Here the reference is to the swinging of the spears by the excited warriors. LXX. and Peshitto read “horsemen” or “horses,” and in view of the peculiar expression “fir trees” in the sense of spears made of fir or cypress wood many consider that the original; if so, the verb refers to the restless movements of the cavalry.

Nahum 2:4 describes the furious charge.

The chariots Of the attacking army.

Shall rage Better, R.V., “rage.” It is a description of something present to the mental vision of the prophet. The verb means “to behave foolishly,” “to rave”; here it is used of mad driving (Jeremiah 46:9; compare 2 Kings 9:20), parallel to and synonymous with “rush to and fro” in the next clause.

In the streets… broad ways Or, places. Not the streets and open places within the city, but those outside the city walls, where the battle rages. The defenders try to prevent the besiegers from getting inside.

Torches As the steel-covered chariots race to and fro in the light of the sun they look like flaming torches.

Like the lightnings With lightning-like rapidity they speed from place to place, driving back or treading down the defenders.