Nahum Chapter 2 — The Fall of Nineveh
Nahum describes the chaotic siege and eventual destruction of Nineveh, depicting the city's wealth being plundered and its power dissolved.
1He who dashes in pieces has come up against you. Keep the fortress! Watch the way! Strengthen your waist! Fortify your power mightily!
2For the LORD restores the excellency of Jacob as the excellency of Israel, for the destroyers have destroyed them and ruined their vine branches.
3The shield of his mighty men is made red. The valiant men are in scarlet. The chariots flash with steel in the day of his preparation, and the pine spears are brandished.
4The chariots rage in the streets. They rush back and forth in the wide ways. Their appearance is like torches. They run like the lightnings.
5He summons his picked troops. They stumble on their way. They dash to its wall, and the protective shield is put in place.
6The gates of the rivers are opened, and the palace is dissolved.
7It is decreed: she is uncovered, she is carried away; and her servants moan as with the voice of doves, beating on their breasts.
8But Nineveh has been from of old like a pool of water, yet they flee away. “Stop! Stop!” they cry, but no one looks back.
9Take the plunder of silver. Take the plunder of gold, for there is no end of treasure, an abundance of every precious thing.
10She is empty, void, and waste. The heart melts, the knees knock together, their bodies and faces have grown pale.
11Where is the den of the lions, and the feeding place of the young lions, where the lion and the lioness walked with the lion’s cubs, and no one made them afraid?
12The lion tore in pieces enough for his cubs, and strangled prey for his lionesses, and filled his caves with the kill and his dens with prey.
13“Behold, I am against you,” says the LORD of Armies, “and I will burn her chariots in the smoke, and the sword will devour your young lions; and I will cut off your prey from the earth, and the voice of your messengers will no longer be heard.”
WEB Translation
Notable Verses
Nahum 2:6
“The gates of the rivers are opened, and the palace is dissolved.”
This verse describes the specific manner of Nineveh's collapse, often associated with the flooding of its river defenses.
Nahum 2:13
““Behold, I am against you,” says the LORD of Armies, “and I will burn her chariots in the smoke, and the sword will devour your young lions.””
This concludes the chapter by identifying God as the ultimate authority behind the city's downfall.
Chapter Summary
Nahum Chapter 2 provides a graphic and detailed account of the military assault on Nineveh. The chapter begins with a call to prepare for defense as an attacker approaches. It describes the terrifying appearance of the invading army, with red shields, scarlet-clad soldiers, and flashing chariots racing through the streets. The prophet depicts the failure of Nineveh's defenses as river gates open and the palace is destroyed. The once-mighty city, compared to a pool of water, sees its inhabitants flee in terror while its vast treasures of gold and silver are plundered. The chapter concludes with a metaphor of Nineveh as a lion's den that has been emptied and ruined. Ultimately, the destruction is attributed to the Lord of Armies, who declares He is against the city, signaling the end of its military dominance and the silencing of its messengers.
Frequently Asked Questions
The chapter describes the siege and fall of Nineveh, the capital of the Assyrian Empire. It depicts the city's transition from a position of great power to one of total desolation as it faces invaders.
The invaders are described with vivid military imagery, including red shields, scarlet uniforms, and steel-clad chariots that flash like lightning. They move with such speed and intensity through the streets that they overwhelm the city's defenses.
The metaphor compares Nineveh to a lion's den to illustrate its former status as a fierce and predatory power that gathered wealth for its young. The disappearance of the lions signifies that the city's era of conquest has ended and its power is broken.
Study Note
The mention of 'gates of the rivers' in verse 6 may refer to the Tigris and Khosr rivers, which played a strategic role in Nineveh's irrigation and defense.
Related Chapters
Nahum Chapter 1
Nahum 1 introduces God's character and the proclamation of judgment that is carried out in chapter 2.
Jonah Chapter 3
While Nahum 2 depicts Nineveh's destruction, Jonah 3 records a previous time when the city repented.
Isaiah Chapter 10
This chapter also addresses God's judgment on Assyria for its arrogance and violence against other nations.
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