Nahum Chapter 2

Bible Study at Gospel Light Christian Church, Singapore
by Pastor Dr Paul Choo
on 18 April 2001 Mid-Week Teaching Service

v.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" refers to the alliance of Babylon, Medes and Scythians that God raised to boldly (ie, "come up before thy face") attack impregnable Nineveh. Nahum prophesied this attack many years before it occurred, yet he speaks in the present tense as if it was presently happening. God's prophecies of the future are so sure, they are as good as if they were done.

The Ninevites dashed their victims to pieces, therefore, they will "reap what they sow" (GAL 6:7).

Though their doom is certain, the Ninevites are sarcastically warned to make the necessary preparations ("keep the municiton, watch the way, make thy loins strong…").

v.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 - This is probably an argument from the greater to the lesser. That is, if God allowed His beloved Jacob and Israel to be "emptied out" and "marred" because they had sinned against Him, surely it should come as no surprise that He would also "empty out and mar" wicked Nineveh. In the Bible, Israel was often represented as the "vine" and its people as the "vine branches." The grape-vine though small is extremely fruitful and Israel was supposed to be spiritually fruitful for God.

v.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 preparation, and the fir trees shall be terribly shaken - This verse probably describes the enemy. Their shields may have been made of polished brass, which gave off a reddish reflection, or made of animal hides dyed scarlet. Their "armor" was also scarlet in color. Scarlet, besides looking very impressive, is also able to camouflage bloodstains.

The charioteers may have used "flaming torches" as they attacked Nineveh in the night, or the chariots may have appeared like "flaming torches" as they glistened in the sun. Furthermore, the friction of the chariot wheels against the road produced many sparks.
The "fir trees were terribly shaken" because invading armies often destroyed whole forests as they cut down the trees to make battering-rams, attack towers, weapons, etc.

v.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 - This verse probably describes the scene when the enemy chariots entered Nineveh. Though the streets of this great city were "broad ways" the sheer number of invading chariots "justled one against another." The rage with which the charioteers drove their chariots made them appear "like the lightnings."

v.5 He shall recount his worthies: they shall stumble in their walk; they shall make haste to the wall thereof, and the defence shall be prepared - The king of Assyria shall summon ("recount") his gallant men ("worthies") and in their haste to go to the defence of the city, "they shall stumble." This description tells us that the Ninevites were completely taken by surprise because they believed that their city was impregnable.

v.6 The gates of the rivers shall be opened, and the palace shall be dissolved - Nineveh was built by the Tigris River at the place where two smaller rivers join it. Historians record the massive destruction of almost 4 kilometers of city walls by an unusual overflowing flood (ie, "the gates of the rivers shall be opened"). NAH 1:8 also describes this event: "But with an overrunning flood he will make an utter end of the place thereof."

In Hebrew, the word that is translated as "palace" can refer either to the king's palace or to the temple (of the Assyrian god Nisroch). When God sends forth His judgment even kings and idols "dissolve"!

v.7 The 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 - The word "Huzzab" means "she that is established" and probably refers to the queen. She was so unprepared for captivity that she had to be "brought up by her maids." Doves have a mournful voice. The "taber" was a percussion instrument that was lightly struck with the hands. The queen's maids had probably, in the past, played this instrument to her to entertain her. However, when she is led away captive, the maids beat upon their breasts in grief but did it lightly for fear of offending their captors (much as they used to do with the taber).

v.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 - Nineveh is one of the oldest cities in the world (GEN 10:12). "Water" symbolizes people (REV 17:1, 15). Therefore, Nineveh, the "pool of water," refers to a populous city of people. It was probably the most populous city of its day (JON 4:11). In spite of its antiquity and vast population, it will disappear as the people "flee away." Every attempt of its leaders to encourage the soldiers to fight (ie, "stand, stand") failed. Instead there was a mass retreat and fleeing (ie, "but none shall look back"). It was like water draining away from a pool.

v.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 - Nineveh was so full of looted treasures of its numerous conquests that the officers had to encourage their men to "take" these treasures because there was so much of it (ie, "for there is none end of the store").

v.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 - The destruction of the proud city of Nineveh is so complete that it is described with three similar words "empty, void and waste" that describe total destruction. The end result of a collector of physical possessions is: "Vanity of vanities; all is vanity" (ECC 1:2) and the loss of their earthly treasures will make "the faces of them all gather blackness."

The next three phrases (ie, "heart melteth, knees smite together and much pain is in all loins") describe total fear.

v.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? - Nineveh contained many lion sculptures. There have been archaeological findings of wall paintings of Assyrian kings on lion hunts. Assyria was like the lion - proud, fierce and fearless (ie, "none made them afraid"). However, the wicked Assyrians were unlike lions in that they attacked their own species and killed even when they did not need to do so (for food or self-defense).

The "old lion" probably referred to the king, "young lions" to the princes and "lion's whelps" to the king's children.

The Assyrian princes, like "young lions," brought their prey and loot to Nineveh, "their feedingplace," to feed their lusts and pride.

v.12 The lion did tear in pieces enough for his whelps, and stangled for his lionesses, and filled his holes with prey, and his dens with ravin - Just as the lion "tears in pieces" his prey to provide "ravin" (ie, flesh) for his whelps and lionesses, the king "tore in pieces" and "strangled" many nations to provide feed the lusts and pride of his wives and children. Many wicked men oppress the wicked to satisfy the lusts of their wives and children - and excuse themselves by claiming that they have to "provide for their families"! Wicked oppression is the worst way to "provide" for our families.

v.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 form the earth, and the voice of thy messengers shall no more be heard - All that has been predicted thus far regarding Nineveh's destruction is humanly impossible because there were no earthly forces capable of destroying her. Therefore, the Lord adds this verse to explain how Nineveh would be utterly destroyed - namely, by the LORD of hosts (ie, God of armies). He will be Nineveh's destroyer, using the human instrumentality of the Babylonians, Medes and Scythians. Three times He says "I" in this verse. We must not fret nor seek revenge against the wicked (PSA 37) because God said "Vengeance is mine; I will repay" (ROM 12:19). It is important to know that God is an Avenger, therefore, this verse begins with the word "Behold"!