---
title: "Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible -  Nahum 2"
description: "CHAPTER 2   :-. THE ADVANCE
OF THE DESTROYING
FORCES AGAINST NINEVEH,
AFTER IT WAS
USED AS GOD"
image: "/images/missing.jpg"
url: "https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/nahum/2"
---

CHAPTER 2

. THE ADVANCE
OF THE DESTROYING
FORCES AGAINST NINEVEH,
AFTER IT WAS
USED AS GOD'S
ROD FOR A TIME
TO CHASTISE HIS
PEOPLE: THE
CAPTURE OF THAT
LION'S DWELLING,
ACCORDING TO THE SURE
WORD OF JEHOVAH.

**1. He that dasheth in pieces**—God's
"battle axe," wherewith He "breaks in pieces" His
enemies. [Jeremiah 51:20](../../../kjv/jeremiah/51/20) applies the
same *Hebrew* term to Nebuchadnezzar (compare [Proverbs 25:18](../../../kjv/proverbs/25/18);
[Jeremiah 50:23](../../../kjv/jeremiah/50/23), "the hammer of
the whole earth"). Here the Medo-Babylonian army under Cyaxares
and Nabopolassar, that destroyed Nineveh, is prophetically meant.
**before thy face**—before
Nineveh. *Openly,* so that the work of God may be manifest.
**watch the way**—by which
the foe will attack, so as to be ready to meet him. Ironical advice;
equivalent to a prophecy, Thou shalt have need to use all possible
means of defense; but use what thou wilt, all will be in vain.
**make thy loins strong**—The
loins are the seat of strength; to gird them up is to prepare all
one's strength for conflict ([Jeremiah 50:23](../../../kjv/jeremiah/50/23)). Also gird on thy sword ([2 Samuel 20:8](../../../kjv/2-samuel/20/8);
[2 Kings 4:29](../../../kjv/2-kings/4/29)).

**2. For the Lord hath turned away the
excellency of Jacob**—that is, the time for Nineveh's overthrow
is ripe, because Jacob (Judah) and Israel (the ten tribes) have been
sufficiently chastised. The Assyrian rod of chastisement, having done
its work, is to be thrown into the fire. If God chastised Jacob and
Israel with all their "excellency" (Jerusalem and the
temple, which was their pre-eminent excellency above all nations in
God's eyes, [Psalms 47:4](../../../kjv/psalms/47/4); [Psalms 87:2](../../../kjv/psalms/87/2);
[Ezekiel 24:21](../../../kjv/ezekiel/24/21); see on [Ezekiel 24:21](../../../kjv/ezekiel/24/21)), how much more will He punish fatally Nineveh, an alien to
Him, and idolatrous? MAURER,
not so well, translates, "restores," or "will restore
the excellency of Jacob."
**emptiers**—the Assyrian
spoilers.
**have emptied them out**—have
spoiled the Israelites and Jews ([Ezekiel 24:21](../../../kjv/ezekiel/24/21)). Compare [Ezekiel 24:21](../../../kjv/ezekiel/24/21), on "vine branches," as applied to Israel.

**3. his mighty men**—the
Medo-Babylonian general's *mighty men* attacking Nineveh.
**made red**—The ancients
dyed their bull's-hide shields *red,* partly to strike terror
into the enemy, chiefly lest the blood from wounds which they might
receive should be perceived and give confidence to the foe [CALVIN].
G. V. SMITH conjectures
that the reference is to the red reflection of the sun's rays from
shields of bronze or copper, such as are found among the Assyrian
remains.
**in scarlet**—or *crimson*
military tunics (compare ). XENOPHON
mentions that the Medes were fond of this color. The Lydians and
Tyrians extracted the dye from a particular worm.
**chariots . . . with flaming
torches**—that is, the chariots shall be like flaming torches,
their wheels in lightning-like rapidity of rotation flashing light
and striking sparks from the stones over which they pass (compare ). *English Version* supposes a transposition of the
*Hebrew* letters. It is better to translate the *Hebrew* as
it is, "the chariots (shall be furnished) with fire-flashing
*scythes*" (literally, "with the fire," or
glitter, *of iron weapons*). Iron scythes were fixed at right
angles to the axles and turned down, or parallel to it, inserted into
the felly of the wheel. The Medes, perhaps, had such chariots, though
no traces of them are found in Assyrian remains. On account of the
latter fact, it may be better to translate, "the chariots (shall
come) with the glitter of *steel weapons*" [MAURER
and G. V. SMITH].
**in the day of his
preparation**—JEHOVAH'S
([Isaiah 13:3](../../../kjv/isaiah/13/3)). Or,
"*Medo-Babylonian commander's* day of preparation for the
attack" ([Nahum 2:1](../../../kjv/nahum/2/1)). "He"
confirms this, and "his" in this verse.
**the fir trees**—their
fir-tree lances.
**terribly shaken**—branded
so as to strike terror. Or, "shall be tremulous with being
brandished" [MAURER].

**4. rage**—are driven in furious
haste ([Jeremiah 46:9](../../../kjv/jeremiah/46/9)).
**justle one against
another**—run to and fro [MAURER].
**in the broad ways**— ([Jeremiah 46:9](../../../kjv/jeremiah/46/9)). Large open spaces in the suburbs of Nineveh.
**they shall seem like
torches**—literally, "their (feminine in *Hebrew*)
appearance (is)": namely, the appearance of *the broad places*
is like that of torches, through the numbers of chariots in them
flashing in the sun ([Proverbs 8:26](../../../kjv/proverbs/8/26),
*Margin*).
**run like the lightnings**—with
rapid violence ([Matthew 24:27](../../../kjv/matthew/24/27);
[Luke 10:18](../../../kjv/luke/10/18)).

**5.** The Assyrian preparations for
defense.
**He**—the Assyrian king.
**shall recount his worthies**—
([Nahum 3:18](../../../kjv/nahum/3/18)). *Review,* or
*count over in his mind,* his nobles, choosing out the bravest
to hasten to the walls and repel the attack. But in vain; for
**they shall stumble in their
walk**—"they shall stumble in their *advance*"
through fear and hurry.
**the defence shall be
prepared**—rather, *the covering machine* used *by
besiegers* to protect themselves in advancing to the wall. Such
sudden transitions, as here from the besieged to the besiegers, are
frequent (compare [Ezekiel 4:2](../../../kjv/ezekiel/4/2)),
[MAURER]. Or, used *by
the besieged Assyrians* [CALVIN].

**6. The gates of the rivers . . .
opened**—The river wall on the Tigris (the west defense of
Nineveh) was 4,530 yards long. On the north, south, and east sides,
there were large moats, capable of being easily filled with water
from the Khosru. Traces of dams ("gates," or sluices) for
regulating the supply are still visible, so that the whole city could
be surrounded with a water barrier (). Besides, on the east, the weakest side, it was further
protected by a lofty double rampart with a moat two hundred feet wide
between its two parts, cut in the rocky ground. The moats or canals,
flooded by the Ninevites before the siege to repel the foe, were made
a dry bed to march into the city, by the foe turning the waters into
a different channel: as Cyrus did in the siege of Babylon [MAURER].
In the earlier capture of Nineveh by Arbaces the Mede, and Belesis
the Babylonian, DIODORUS
SICULUS, [1.2.80], states
that there was an old prophecy that it should not be taken till the
river became its enemy; so in the third year of the siege, the river
by a flood broke down the walls twenty furlongs, and the king
thereupon burnt himself and his palace and all his concubines and
wealth together, and the enemy entered by the breach in the wall.
Fire and water were doubtless the means of the second destruction
here foretold, as of the first.
**dissolved**—by the
inundation [HENDERSON].
Or, those in the palace shall melt with fear, namely, the king and
his nobles [GROTIUS].

**7. Huzzab**—the name of the
queen of Nineveh, from a *Hebrew* root implying that she *stood
by* the king ([Psalms 45:9](../../../kjv/psalms/45/9)),
[VATABLUS]. Rather,
Nineveh personified as a queen. She who had long *stood* in the
most supreme prosperity. Similarly CALVIN.
MAURER makes it not a
proper name, and translates, "It is established," or
"determined" (compare [Psalms 45:9](../../../kjv/psalms/45/9)). *English Version* is more supported by the
parallelism.
**led away captive**—The
*Hebrew* requires rather, "she *is laid bare*";
brought forth from the apartments where Eastern women remained
secluded, and is stripped of her ornamental attire. Compare [Isaiah 47:2](../../../kjv/isaiah/47/2);
[Isaiah 47:3](../../../kjv/isaiah/47/3), where the same image of
a woman with face and legs exposed is used of a city captive and
dismantled (compare [Nahum 3:5](../../../kjv/nahum/3/5)),
[MAURER].
**brought up**—Her people
shall be *made to go up* to Babylon. Compare the use of "go
up" for *moving from* a place in [Nahum 3:5](../../../kjv/nahum/3/5).
**her maids . . . as . . .
doves**—As Nineveh is compared to a queen dethroned and
dishonored, so she has here assigned to her in the image *handmaids
attending her with dove-like plaints* ([Isaiah 38:14](../../../kjv/isaiah/38/14);
[Isaiah 59:11](../../../kjv/isaiah/59/11). The image implies
*helplessness and grief suppressed, but at times breaking out*).
The minor cities and dependencies of Nineveh may be meant, or her
captive women [JEROME].
GROTIUS and MAURER
translate, for "lead *her,*" "*moan,*"
or "*sigh.*"
**tabering**—*beating*
on their breasts *as on a tambourine.*

**8. But**—rather, "Though"
[G. V. SMITH].
**of old**—rather, "from
the days that she hath been"; from the earliest period of her
existence. Alluding to Nineveh's antiquity (). "Though Nineveh has been of old defended by water
surrounding her, yet her inhabitants shall flee away." GROTIUS,
less probably (compare ), interprets, the "waters" of her *numerous
population* ([Isaiah 8:7](../../../kjv/isaiah/8/7); [Jeremiah 51:13](../../../kjv/jeremiah/51/13);
[Revelation 17:15](../../../kjv/revelation/17/15)).
**Stand, stand,*****shall
they cry*******—that is, the few patriotic citizens *shall
cry* to their *fleeing* countrymen; "but none looketh
back," much less stops in flight, so panic-stricken are they.

**9. silver . . . gold**—The
conquerors are summoned to plunder the city. Nineveh's riches arose
from the annual tribute paid by so many subject states, as well as
from its extensive merchandise ([Nahum 3:16](../../../kjv/nahum/3/16);
[Ezekiel 27:23](../../../kjv/ezekiel/27/23); [Ezekiel 27:24](../../../kjv/ezekiel/27/24)).
**store**—accumulated by
the plunder of subject nations. It is remarkable, that while small
articles of value (bronze inlaid with gold, gems, seals, and
alabaster *vases*) are found in the ruins of Nineveh, there are
is none of *gold* and *silver.* These, as here foretold,
were "taken for spoil" before the palaces were set on fire.
**glory out of all the pleasant
furniture**—or, "there is abundance of precious vessels of
every kind" [MAURER].

**10.** Literally, "emptiness,
and emptiedness, and devastation." The accumulation of
substantives without a verb (as in ), the two first of the three being derivatives of the same
root, and like in sound, and the number of syllables in them
increasing in a kind of climax, intensify the gloomy effectiveness of
the expression. *Hebrew, Bukah, Mebukah, Mebullakah* (compare
[Isaiah 24:1](../../../kjv/isaiah/24/1); [Isaiah 24:3](../../../kjv/isaiah/24/3);
[Isaiah 24:4](../../../kjv/isaiah/24/4); [Zephaniah 1:15](../../../kjv/zephaniah/1/15)).
**faces of all gather
blackness**—(See on [Zephaniah 1:15](../../../kjv/zephaniah/1/15)).
CALVIN translates,
"withdraw (literally, 'gather up') their glow," or flush,
that is, grow pale. This is probably the better rendering. So MAURER.

**11. dwelling of . . . lions**—Nineveh,
the seat of empire of the rapacious and destructive warriors of
various ranks, typified by the "lions," "young lions,"
"old lion" (or *lioness* [MAURER]),
"the lion's whelp." The image is peculiarly appropriate, as
lions of every form, winged, and sometimes with the head of a man,
are frequent in the Assyrian sepulchres. It was as full of spoils of
all nations as a lion's den is of remains of its prey. The question,
"Where," &c., implies that Jehovah "would make an
utter end of *the place,*" so that its very site could not
be found ([Nahum 1:8](../../../kjv/nahum/1/8)). It is a
question expressing wonder, so incredible did it then seem.

**12. prey . . . ravin**—different
kinds of prey. Compare [Isaiah 3:1](../../../kjv/isaiah/3/1),
"the stay and the staff."

**13. burn . . . in the smoke**—or
(so as to pass) "*into* smoke," that is, "entirely"
[MAURER], ([Psalms 37:20](../../../kjv/psalms/37/20);
[Psalms 46:9](../../../kjv/psalms/46/9)). CALVIN,
like *English Version,* explains, As soon as the flame catches,
and the fire smokes, by the mere smoke I will burn her chariots.
**cut off thy prey from the
earth**—Thou shalt no more carry off prey from the nations of the
earth.
**the voice of thy messengers .
. . no more . . . heard**—No more shall thy emissaries be heard
throughout thy provinces conveying thy king's commands, and exacting
tribute of subject nations.

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