Naum 2:7

7 and the foundation has been exposed; and she has gone up, and her maid-servants were led as doves moaning in their hearts.

Naum 2:7 Meaning and Commentary

Nahum 2:7

And Huzzab shall be led away captive
The Targum translates it the queen; and Jarchi and Aben Ezra, after R. Samuel, take it to be the name of the queen of Assyria; so called, as every queen might, from her standing at the king's right hand, ( Psalms 45:9 ) who, when the royal palace was destroyed, was taken out, and carried captive with the rest, who before was in a well settled and tranquil state and condition: or perhaps the king himself is designed, who may be represented as a woman, as follows, for his effeminacy; conversing only with women; imitating their voice; wearing their apparel; and doing their work, spinning which is the character historians ^F12 give of the last king of the Assyrians: some ^F13 take it to be the idol Venus, worshipped by the Ninevites: though it may be meant either of the palace itself, as Kimchi's father, which was firm and well established; or rather Nineveh itself, thought to be stable and secure, the inhabitants of which should be carried into a strange land: she shall be brought up;
the queen, or the king, out of the palace or private retirement, where they were in peace and safety; or Nineveh, and the inhabitants of it, out of their secure state and condition: and her maids shall lead [her];
her maids of honour, supporting her on the right hand and left, ready to sink and faint under her misfortunes: this may also be understood of towns and villages, and the inhabitants of them, that should go into captivity along with Nineveh: as with the voice of doves, tabering upon their breasts;
mourning like doves, inwardly and secretly, not daring to express their sorrow more publicly, because of their enemies; but knocking and beating upon their breasts, as men do upon tabrets or drums, thereby expressing the inward grief of their minds; see ( Ezekiel 7:16 ) .

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FOOTNOTES:

F12 Diodor. Sicul. l. 2. p. 109, 110.
F13 Gebhardus apud Burkium in loc.

Naum 2:7 In-Context

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.