1. Now begins the description of the attack upon Nineveh and its fall. Nahum 2:2, however, returns to Israel and contains a reflection on the meaning of the downfall of Nineveh—its purpose is the restoration of Israel. The following Nahum 2:3 continues Nahum 2:1, and the occurrence of Nahum 2:2 between them is very unnatural. Possibly Nahum 2:2 is the marginal reflection of a reader, which has fallen into the text, or it is to be placed before Nahum 2:1.

He that dasheth in pieces] Probably the word should be pointed so as to mean a maul or hammer, as Jeremiah 51:20; cf. Proverbs 25:18. The foe and destroyer of Nineveh is referred to.

before thy face] Or, against thy face. Probably “thy,” which is fem, in Heb. text, should be read as masc. Asshur is addressed.

Keep the munition] i.e. the fortress or stronghold. Nineveh or Asshur is exhorted to be ready for the foe who has come up: the fort is to be kept, the way by which the enemy approaches watched and occupied, and resolute courage displayed. The phrase “fortify thy power,” or, make strong thy might, is parallel to “make thy loins strong,” referring to inward resolution and not to external things, such as fortifications or the army; Amos 2:14.

2. hath turned away] Rather: restoreth the excellency, i.e. the former glory of the kingdom. This is Jehovah’s purpose in the destruction of Nineveh, the redemptive meaning of that event. The term “Jacob” must be used here of Judah, while “Israel” refers to the people of the North. Isaiah 46:3; Obadiah 1:18.

the emptiers] i.e. plunderers. The figure is the common one of the vine, cf. Jeremiah 5:10. Nahum 2:2 can hardly have stood originally between Nahum 2:1 and Nahum 2:3.

3. Description of the hostile army “in the day of its preparation,” i.e. before engaging the Ninevites. The pronoun, “his” mighty men, refers to the destroyer of Nineveh mentioned in Nahum 2:1. From Nahum 2:3 to Nahum 2:7 all the tenses should be in the present, as R.V.

The shield … is made red] The meaning is uncertain. It is supposed that reference is made to shields covered with copper, which flashed red in the sun (1Ma 6:39). The word would more naturally suggest some practice of dyeing or anointing (Isaiah 21:5) the shields red. In Assyrian warfare the men fought in groups of two or three, one carrying the shield and the others shooting arrows or using other weapons of offence. Shields were of various kinds, sometimes of wicker work on a metal frame and covered with leather or metal plates; sometimes of more solid materials mounted with round or pointed bosses. Large standing shields set upon the ground were also in use, behind which the archers stood. Examples are given in Layard, Nineveh, II. pp. 344–348, and in Billerb.-Jerem., pp. 169, 174 seq.

valiant men are in scarlet] The reference is probably to the colour of the uniforms, which in ancient times was often red. As to the Babylonians, cf. Ezekiel 23:14, and the Assyrians, Ezekiel 23:6.

shall be with flaming torches] lit., with (or, in) fire of torches are the chariots. The word rendered torches (pldt) is of uncertain meaning and was translated torches by A.V. under the assumption that it was a form of the usual word (lpdt). Ges. conjectured “steel” after Arabic, and so R.V. The Arab. word for steel, however, is borrowed from the Persian, and too late to be found here. Others think of an Arab, verb “to cut off,” &c., and render “fire which divides itself,” coruscating or flashing fire. The Ar. word means to cut off a piece of property in order to bestow it upon another; or, to cut flesh meat or liver in pieces, but has not the general sense of cut or divide, and could not express the idea of flashes or flames of fire. Altogether to be rejected is the idea founded on the word “to cut,” that chariots armed with scythes are meant. In Biblical literature such chariots are first mentioned, 2Ma 13:2. They were not known in early antiquity, being referred to for the first time in connexion with the battle of Cunaxa (Anab. i. 7, 10, i. 8, 10). In the Cyropaedia (iv. 1, 30) Cyrus is said to have been the inventor of scythed chariots. The Assyrians did not employ them, nor, it may be assumed, the Medes. The unknown word here is probably a technical term, and the reference may be to the burnished plates of metal with which the chariots were mounted or mailed, and the glittering weapons hung on them. A figure of such an armed chariot in Billerb.-Jerem., p. 167.

the fir trees shall be terribly shaken] If “firtrees” be the true reading, long lances or spears may be intended. Sept. read horsemen, a somewhat similar word. The verb rendered “terribly shaken” (R.V. shaken terribly; perhaps bristle, horrent) does not occur again, though the word “reeling,” Zechariah 12:2, and the more usual form, Psalm 60:3; Isaiah 51:17; Isaiah 51:22, may be derived from it; also Isaiah 3:19 gauze veils? possibly from the quivering of the fine stuff? The reference would be to the shaking or vibrating of the long lances in the hands of those who brandished them. Or, reference might be to the battering rams swung against the walls. If “horsemen” be read with Sept., Syr. the wild careering of the cavalry would be referred to.

3–10. Assault and sack of the city

The verses give a graphic, though of course ideal, picture of the attack on Nineveh and its capture. (1) Description of the hostile warriors, who bear shields and are clad in purple; and of the furious charging of the chariots (Nahum 2:3-4). (2) The attack on the city walls; capture of the queen and harem, and sack of the town (Nahum 2:5-10). More particularly, Nahum 2:3 describes the hostile army as prepared for the conflict; Nahum 2:4 conflict outside the walls; Nahum 2:5 approach to the walls and assault upon them; Nahum 2:6 opening of the river-gates, and despair of the palace; Nahum 2:7 capture of the palace and its inmates; Nahum 2:8-10 sack of the city.

4. Nahum 2:3 referred to the aspect of the assailing army in the day of preparation; Nahum 2:4 appears to describe an actual conflict before the city.

shall rage in the streets] rage in the outplaces. The reference is certainly to what is taking place outside the walls, not within the town. The term “streets” often means fields (Job 5:10), or what lies outside or abroad; it is parallel to “broad places” next clause, i.e. open ground in front of the walled city.

A suburb or outskirt of Nineveh called ribit Nina (broad place of Nineveh) lay probably on the N.E. of the city, or on the east, the side on which the great road to Arbela left the city. In such places there would no doubt be forts here and there and around these the battle would rage, for the defenders would not retreat within the walls without a conflict. Jeremiah 46:9 also uses the word “rage” of the racing of chariots. Chariots were employed in sieges. Lay., Nineveh, II. 349.

They shall seem like torches] the appearance of them is like torches. The glitter of the mailed chariots and their furious racing is compared to torches and lightnings.

5. It is not easy to say whether this verse refers to the besiegers or the besieged. As Nahum 2:3 referred to the preparation, and Nahum 2:4 to conflicts before the walls, Nahum 2:5 might naturally as the next step describe the assault on the wall by the besiegers. The siege actually lasted two years, but the prophet condenses the whole into a few brilliant successive scenes. The term rendered “worthies” is translated “nobles,” Ch. Nahum 3:18, marg. valiant men, viz. those of the king of Assyria. If the meaning were the same here reference would be to the measures of defence taken by the Assyrian king. The expression “they hasten to the wall” might also seem more natural if the defenders were referred to; and the other expression “they stumble in their walk” (or march) is more likely to be said of worn-out defenders than of an eager enemy in the act of delivering an assault. The phrase could hardly describe the pellmell rush of a storming party towards the wall.

recount his worthies] He bethinketh himself of his worthies, or valiant men.

shall stumble in their walk] they stumble in their steps. Their stumbling might be due to the suddenness of their call and weariness from the harassing fatigues of the defence. There is no necessity for supposing that the defenders were sunk in sloth and effeminate from debauchery.

the defence shall be prepared] is prepared. The term “defence” (sokek), lit. coverer, is obscure in two ways: (1) it is uncertain whether it be a thing or a body of men, an engine or a party of troops, called the coverer, as another similar word is the ambush, i.e. the party forming an ambuscade: and (2) it is uncertain whether it belongs to the besiegers or the besieged. If the rest of the verse described the defenders this clause would also most naturally be said of them. In this case it would be either some apparatus of defence against the assault of the enemy or a body of men placed in some position to beat back the storming party. City walls were usually provided with turrets or battlements projecting forward over the walls, from which the besieged could observe the movements of the enemy at the foot, and hurl destructive missiles upon them. A party placed in such a position might be intended. (Figures, Billerb.-Jerem., p. 160.) On the other hand, if the sokek belonged to the besiegers it would probably be some engine for battering the walls, The construction is less natural: they hasten to the wall, but the sokek has been prepared—they find the engines in position and at work. There was great variety of battering machines. Besides the usual ram, a beam with an iron head, suspended by chains and swung against the wall, there were engines run on wheels and generally provided with two wall-breachers armed with lance-shaped heads. These rams were not generally swung horizontally but sloping upwards so as to operate on the foundations of the projecting towers, and bring them down. (Figures in Billerb.-Jerem., p. 180 seq.; Layard, II. 367 seq.) These wheeled breaching engines were of course roofed to protect those who worked the rams. Such an engine has some resemblance to the vinea or mantlet (so R.V. here); the testudo or roof of shields does not seem to have been used in eastern warfare. Moveable towers which put the assailants on a level with the defenders on the wall were also employed, Layard, II. 368 sq.

6. The gates … shall be opened] are opened. The city of Nineveh lay on the left or E. side of the Tigris. The city proper was of the form of an irregular parallelogram, stretching from N.W. to S.E., the broader end being on the N. This city proper was enclosed by walls protected by moats. It was only at the N.W. point that the city touched the Tigris, from which it gradually retreated to the S.E., leaving between it and the river a considerable space of territory, though an arm of the river again approached the city at the S.W. corner of the parallelogram. Billerbeck computes the length of the north wall at 2000 mètres (6561 feet), that of the south wall at 800 m., and the length of the east wall N. to S. at 5000 m., and conjectures that there was room in the city for 300,000 inhabitants. Through the city ran a mountain stream, the Choser, cutting the city into two parts and falling into the Tigris, and from this stream and other streams and canals from the hills on the N.E. was drawn the water that filled the moats as well as the water supply of the city, the Tigris being unsuited for drinking. Besides the walls of the city proper with their moats there were extensive outer defences. A wall ran along the east bank of the Tigris, and an immense rampart protected the city on the east side, between which and the city walls rose various kinds of fortifications. These outer walls were also protected by moats. The moats did not wash the walls, but were trenches at some distance from them, and the walls could only be approached by drying the moats or throwing dams across them. The “gates of the rivers” are not city gates situated on the rivers, but rather the points in the wall where the rivers or canals enter the city. Reference to a bab nari (river gate) occurs in an inscription of Sennacherib (Billerb. p. 126, note), which it is conjectured might be the point where a canal entered the city on the north-east, the course of which is now the road to Khorsabad. Such “gates” would be structures provided with sluices regulating the supply of water, and if these were opened the walls would be undermined or the city inundated. Others suggest that the “river-gates” may be the sluices of the moats. If these were opened, however, for the purpose of running the moats dry, this step should have come earlier in the prophet’s description. Whatever the opening of the river-gates means, it threw the palace into a panic and shewed that all was over. The precise conception of the prophet must remain somewhat uncertain. The attack on the city would not be made from the west nor from the Tigris, but from the north or north-east, the side of the hills.

palace shall be dissolved] is dissolved, i.e. the inmates are overwhelmed with terror and despair. Possibly the word “dissolved,” though not used literally was suggested by the previous words, “the river gates are opened.”

7. And Huzzab] The word is altogether obscure, and Assyriology has not been able to throw any light upon it. Reference must be to the queen, but whether she be called by her name, or whether some epithet be applied to her is uncertain. The text even may be faulty. Some would read hazzab, “the lizard,” a creature which takes refuge in holes, fancying that the queen was so called because she was detected and dragged from her hiding-place. This poor witticism need not be attributed to the prophet. There is another word hazzab signifying “the litter” or palanquin (Isaiah 66:20), and in lieu of anything better one might be tempted to think that the litter might mean the woman or lady, just as in Arab. ḍḥa‘inah means a woman’s litter and then a woman.

shall be led away captive] is detected, or uncovered.

shall be brought up] she is brought up (or, out), her maids moaning as with the voice of doves, tabering upon their breasts (Jdt 8:5). The phrase “brought up” following “detected” probably means dragged out; R.V. carried away. To “taber” is to drum or beat. Beating the breast was a gesture of grief or despair, Luke 18:13; Luke 23:27; people also smote upon the thigh, Jeremiah 31:19; Ezekiel 21:12 (Heb. 21:17). The moaning of mourners is often compared to the complaint of the dove, see Ezek. Cambridge Bible, p. 49. In Assyrian the dove is called summatu, the mourner or complainer.

8. But Nineveh … a pool of water] And Nineveh was like a pool of water from her beginning, lit. from the days she was, during all her history.

shall flee away] but they flee away. The vast population of Nineveh, drawn from all quarters, is compared to a mass of waters; these break asunder and flee away. The figure of waters “fleeing,” Psalm 104:7. The text is not beyond suspicion in the first clause of the verse. The prophet vividly realises the scene. Nothing will arrest the precipitate flight. The cry, Stand! is unheard, none looks back. Cf. Jeremiah 46:21.

9. All the wealth of the city is abandoned by the inhabitants, fleeing for their life, and the scene of plunder is pictured in the exclamations of the prophet, Spoil the silver!

and glory … furniture] and wealth of all precious vessels, but the term vessels means virtually “articles.” Jewels, rich apparel, costly vessels and whatever men think precious would be found in the rich capital in abundance (Zechariah 14:14). The enormous riches of Nineveh are frequently alluded to in the inscriptions; the treasures brought home by Assurbanipal’s army after the capture of Thebes or No (ch. Nahum 3:8) were fabulous.

10. In a series of exclamations the prophet depicts the desolation of the city and the paralysis and helplessness of those remaining in it; Isaiah 13:7; Isaiah 21:3; Joshua 7:5. The paronomasia in the first words, emptiness and voidness and waste! cannot be reproduced. Isaiah 24:1; Isaiah 29:2; Ezekiel 33:29; Zephaniah 1:15.

faces … gather blackness] are waxed pale, lit. have withdrawn their colour; Joel 2:6. Comp. the phrase of Jeremiah 30:6, are turned to greenness (blanched).

11–13. The prophet’s exultation over the downfall of Nineveh

11. Where is the dwelling] the den.

the old lion] Perhaps, the lioness.

12. The lion did tear] Perhaps, the lion, which did tear, carrying on previous verse.

with ravin] i.e. torn carcases.

13. her chariots in the smoke] in smoke, i.e. so that they go up in smoke. For “her chariots” Sept., Syr. read thy multitude or abundance (rubka for rikba). One might even suggest “thy lair” (ribçka). The pronoun “thy” is more natural than “her,” though changes in person are very common.

voice of thy messengers] i.e. emissaries, exacting tribute or compelling submission, 2 Kings 18:17; 2 Kings 18:19; 2 Kings 19:9; 2 Kings 19:23. The form of the word is anomalous; the anomaly would disappear if the pronouns were read in the masc.