Nahum 2

1 The destroyer is risen up against thee: keep the fortress, watch the way, make thy loins strong, fortify thy power mightily.

2 For the LORD shall restore the glory of Jacob as the glory of Israel; for the emptiers have emptied them out and marred their vine branches.

3 The shield of his valiant ones shall be red, the men of his army are in scarlet, the chariot as fire of torches in the day which shall be made ready; the fir trees shall be terribly shaken.

4 The chariots shall rage in the streets; they shall flow through the streets, their faces like torches; they shall run like the lightnings.

5 He shall remember his valiant ones; they shall stumble in their walk when they make haste to their wall, and the covering shall be prepared.

6 The gates of the rivers shall be opened, and the palace shall be destroyed.

7 And the queen shall be taken captive; they shall order her to go up, and her maids shall take her, mourning as with the voice of doves, beating upon their breasts.

8 And Nineveh was of old like a pool of water; but now they flee away. Stand, stand, shall they cry; but no one looks back.

9 Take the spoil of silver, take the spoil of gold, for there is no end of the riches; honour, more than all the desirable furniture.

10 She is empty and worn out and is in pieces, and the heart melted, the knees smite together, and much pain is in the kidneys, and the faces of them all gather blackness.

11 What of the dwelling of the lions and of the feeding place of the young lions where the lion and the lioness walked and the lion’s whelps, and no one made them afraid?

12 The lion tore in pieces enough for his whelps and strangled for his lionesses and filled his holes with prey and his dens with robbery.

13 Behold, I speak unto thee, saith the LORD of the hosts, and I will burn and reduce thy chariots into smoke, and the sword shall devour thy young lions; and I will cut off thy robbery from the earth, and the voice of thy ambassadors shall never be heard again.

Nahum 2 Commentary

Chapter 2

Nineveh's destruction foretold. (1-10) The true cause, their sinning against God, and his appearing against them. (11-13)

Verses 1-10 Nineveh shall not put aside this judgment; there is no counsel or strength against the Lord. God looks upon proud cities, and brings them down. Particular account is given of the terrors wherein the invading enemy shall appear against Nineveh. The empire of Assyria is represented as a queen, about to be led captive to Babylon. Guilt in the conscience fills men with terror in an evil day; and what will treasures or glory do for us in times of distress, or in the day of wrath? Yet for such things how many lose their souls!

Verses 11-13 The kings of Assyria had long been terrible and cruel to their neighbours, but the Lord would destroy their power. Many plead as an excuse for rapine and fraud, that they have families to provide for; but what is thus obtained will never do them any good. Those that fear the Lord, and get honestly what they have, shall not want for themselves and theirs. It is just with God to deprive those of children, or of comfort in them, who take sinful courses to enrich them. Those are not worthy to be heard again, that have spoken reproachfully of God. Let us then come to God upon his mercy-seat, that having peace with him through our Lord Jesus Christ, we may know that he is for us, and that all things shall work together for our everlasting good.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO NAHUM 2

This chapter gives an account of the destruction of the city of Nineveh; describes the instruments of it as very terrible and powerful, and not to be resisted, Na 2:1-4. The manner of taking it, the flight of its inhabitants, and the spoil of its riches and treasures, Na 2:5-10 and the king and the princes thereof, compared to a lion, and a lion's whelp, are insulted as being without a den or dwelling place, because of their cruelty and ravening, for which the Lord was against them, and threatened them with utter ruin, which he brought upon them, Na 2:11-13.