1.
He that dasheth in pieces is come up before thy face: keep the munition, watch the way, make thy loins strong, fortify thy power mightily.
He that dasheth, &c.: i.e. Cyaxares and Nabopolassar ( Herod, i. 106). A reference or type of the future destruction of Antichrist.
dasheth, &c.: or, the breaker (Hebrew. mephiz = battle-axe, or hammer (Proverbs 25:18 )). Compare Jeremiah 23:29 ; Jeremiah 51:20 . Ezekiel 9:2 , margin Micah 2:13 .
keep the munition . Figure of speech Homoeopropheron ( App-6 ), in the Hebrew In English, keep the keeps, or fortify the fortress, or fence the defences.
make thy loins strong: i.e. be courageous. Compare Job 40:7 . Jeremiah 1:17 .
fortify, &c . = strengthen [thee] with power mightily. Compare Proverbs 24:5 .
2.
For the LORD hath turned away the excellency of Jacob, as the excellency of Israel: for the emptiers have emptied them out, and marred their vine branches.
the LORD . Hebrew. Jehovah. App-4 . The verse not "misplaced", as alleged. See the Structure above.
hath turned away = restoreth, or is on the way to bring back.
the excellency = pre-eminence. Used in good, or bad sense according to the context.
Jacob . Put here for the natural seed, and Judah in contrast with Israel; compare Genesis 32:28 ; Genesis 43:6 ; Genesis 45:26 , Genesis 45:28 .
as = as [He will restore] the excellency, &c.
3.
The shield of his mighty men is made red, the valiant men are in scarlet: the chariots shall be with flaming torches in the day of his preparation, and the fir trees shall be terribly shaken.
mighty men = mighty ones, or warriors. Compare 2 Samuel 23:8 . 1 Kings 1:8 , 1 Kings 1:10 .
made red = reddened [with blood].
are in scarlet = [are clad] in scarlet, as were the armies of the Persians.
the chariots shall be . . . torches: or, with the flashing of steel the chariots [glitter].
fir trees . Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Cause), App-6 , for the spears or lances made from them.
4.
The chariots shall rage in the streets, they shall justle one against another in the broad ways: they shall seem like torches, they shall run like the lightnings.
rage = rave [as though mad]. Hebrew. halal .
justle . From Old French jouster, to tilt; from Low Latin. juxtare, to approach (as in tilting).
Jostle = to push against, a frequentative form; but the Hebrew ( shakak ) means to run to and fro, as in Isaiah 33:4 .Joel 2:9 .
they shall seem = their appearance is.
run = rush, or flash. Hebrew. ruz.
5.
He shall recount his worthies: they shall stumble in their walk; they shall make hast to the wall thereof, and the defence shall be prepared.
He. The king of Assyria (Nahum 3:18 ).
recount = bethink himself of.
worthies = nobles, who may assemble their troops; as in Nahum 3:18 . Jdg 5:13 . 2 Chronicles 23:20 .
in their walk = as they march.
the wall thereof = her wall: i.e. the wall of Nineveh.
and = yet.
the defence = the mantelet, or portable storming cover [of the besiegers].
6.
The gates of the rivers shall be opened, and the palace shall be dissolved.
gates = flood-gates, or sluices.
the rivers. Nineveh lay on the east (or left) bank of the Tigris. The Khusur (a perennial stream) ran through it; also a canal from it to the Tigris ran through the city.
opened: i.e. by the enemy.
be dissolved = melt away [in fear], or was in dismay.
7.
And Huzzab shall be led away captive, she shall be brought up, and her maids shall lead her as with the voice of doves, tabering upon their breasts.
Huzzab . The words which follow show that the queen or queen-mother is meant: or, Huzzab may be taken as a verb (dual of nazah) , and the "and" as = though (like "but" in Nahum 2:8 ). In that case read: "though firmly established, she shall be dishonoured and taken captive"; the city being thus personified.
lead her = mourn for, or bemoaning.
tabering = drumming [with their fingers] incessantly. Hebrew. taphaph , from toph = a drum. See note on Exo 15:20 . 1 Samuel 10:6 .
breasts = hearts. Some codices read "heart" (singular); but others, with eight early printed editions, read "hearts" (plural)
8.
But Nineveh is of old like a pool of water: yet they shall flee away. Stand, stand, shall they cry; but none shall look back.
But = Though, to answer to the "yet" of the next line.
is of old, &c . Read "hath been from of old [filled with men] as a pool [is full] of water".
they: i.e. the defenders.
flee away . Before their besiegers.
they: i.e. the captains.
9.
Take ye the spoil of silver, take the spoil of gold: for there is none end of the store and glory out of all the pleasant furniture.
take the spoil . Note the Figure of speech Epizeuxis ( App-6 ), for emphasis.
none end, &c . = [there are] treasures without end, [and] stores of all covetable vessels.
10.
She is empty, and void, and waste: and the heart melteth, and the knees smite together, and much pain is in all loins, and the faces of them all gather blackness.
empty . . . void . . . waste. Note the Figure of speech Paronomasia ( App-6 ), for emphasis. Hebrew. bukah umbukah umebullakah.
the faces of them all, &c . Only here, and in Joel 2:6 . The reference is to Joel 2:6 (as Nahum 1:15 is to Isaiah 52:7 ); not vice versa.
11.
Where is the dwelling of the lions, and the feedingplace of the young lions, where the lion, even the old lion, walked, and the lion's whelp, and none made them afraid?
Where . . . ? Figure of speech Erotesis ( App-6 ), for emphasis.
lions . Note the Figure of speech Synonymia ( App-6 ), for emphasis. This is Jehovah's answer to Sennacherib's taunt in 2 Kings 18:34 , looking back after the fulfillment of this prophecy.
old lion = lioness.
12.
The lion did tear in pieces enough for his whelps, and strangled for his lionesses, and filled his holes with prey, and his dens with ravin.
did tear = was tearing. Nineveh again personified in verses: Nahum 2:11 , Nahum 2:12 .
13.
Behold, I am against thee, saith the LORD of hosts, and I will burn her chariots in the smoke, and the sword shall devour thy young lions: and I will cut off thy prey from the earth, and the voice of thy messengers shall no more be heard.
saith the LORD of Hosts = [is] the oracle of Jehovah Sabaioth.
the LORD . Hebrew. Jehovah. as in Nahum 2:2 . The full expression, "Jehovah of hosts", occurs only here in Nahum ("Nahum 2:13 ") and in the corresponding member ("Nahum 3:5 "). See note on 1 Samuel 1:3 .
in the smoke = into smoke.
messengers = ambassadors. Compare 2 Kings 18:17 , 2Ki 18:19 ; 2 Kings 19:9 , 2 Kings 19:23 .