Naum 2:2-12

2 For the Lord has turned aside the pride of Jacob, as the pride of Israel: for they have utterly rejected them, and have destroyed their branches.
3 the arms of their power from among men, their mighty men sporting with fire: the reins of their chariots in the day of his preparation, and the horsemen shall be thrown into confusion
4 in the ways, and the chariots shall clash together, and shall be entangled in each other in the broad ways: their appearance is as lamps of fire, and as gleaming lightnings.
5 And their mighty men shall bethink themselves and flee by day; and they shall be weak as they go; and they shall hasten to her walls, and shall prepare their defences.
6 The gates of the cities have been opened, and the palaces have fallen into ruin,
7 and the foundation has been exposed; and she has gone up, and her maid-servants were led as doves moaning in their hearts.
8 And Nineve, her waters as a pool of water: and they fled, and staid not, and there was none to look back.
9 They plundered the silver, they plundered the gold, and there was no end of their adorning; they were loaded upon all their pleasant vessels.
10 thrusting forth, and shaking, and tumult, and heart-breaking, and loosing of knees, and pangs on all loins; and the faces of all as the blackening of a pot.
11 Where is the dwelling-place of the lions, and the pasture that belonged to the whelps? where did the lion go, that the lion's whelp should enter in there, and there was none to scare away?
12 The lion seized enough prey for his whelps, and strangled for his lions, and filled his lair with prey, and his dwelling-place with spoil.

Naum 2:2-12 Meaning and Commentary

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.

The Brenton translation of the Septuagint is in the public domain.