NAHUM—NOTE ON NAHUM 2:1 Focus on Nineveh: The Lord’s Coming Judgment. Nahum’s prediction reads like an eyewitness account of Nineveh being attacked, overrun by the enemy, and plundered. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
NAHUM—NOTE ON NAHUM 2:2 God no longer needs the Assyrians to discipline unfaithful Judah because THE LORD IS RESTORING THE MAJESTY OF JACOB. Judah’s true majesty was that God had separated them from the nations to be devoted to him. With them he made his covenants; from them would come the Messiah ... [ Continue Reading ]
NAHUM—NOTE ON NAHUM 2:3 SHIELD... RED. Perhaps their shields were permanently stained with the blood of defeated foes from previous battles. HIS.... HE is a reference to the scatterer mentioned in v. Nahum 2:1. The attacking army was a coalition of Medes and Babylonians, and possibly Scythians. The... [ Continue Reading ]
NAHUM—NOTE ON NAHUM 2:5 The attacking army now reaches the wall of Nineveh proper. HE REMEMBERS. “He” (see v. Nahum 2:3) may be so eager to be involved in the attack that he almost forgets to delegate parts of the operation to HIS OFFICERS. These officers, eager both to join in the attack themselves... [ Continue Reading ]
NAHUM—NOTE ON NAHUM 2:6 RIVER GATES. The Khoser River flowed through Nineveh. North of the city were dams, most likely with gates to control the flow of the river. The attacking army could easily have closed the gates, waited until a large quantity of water collected, and then opened the gates. The... [ Continue Reading ]
NAHUM—NOTE ON NAHUM 2:8 LIKE A POOL. See note on v. 6. HALT... THEY CRY. Nahum places the reader in Nineveh as the city is attacked by enemy forces. The reader “sees” the fleeing inhabitants and “hears” some of the Assyrian commanders crying out, “Halt! Stand and fight,” BUT NONE TURNS BACK to do so... [ Continue Reading ]
NAHUM—NOTE ON NAHUM 2:9 SILVER... GOLD. Nineveh had taken great wealth during Assyria’s military victories. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
NAHUM—NOTE ON NAHUM 2:10 DESOLATE... RUIN is a description of Nineveh emptied of inhabitants and destroyed by the victorious invaders. HEARTS MELT... PALE. The Assyrians previously had been proud of how they terrorized other peoples. Now they experience such terror themselves. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = d... [ Continue Reading ]
NAHUM—NOTE ON NAHUM 2:11 LIONS. Members of the Assyrian royal house. The lion was a symbol for kingship (compare Genesis 49:9). The Assyrian kings exhibited great power in their “devouring” other lands, and even called themselves lions. NONE TO DISTURB. During the time of Assyrian strength, no other... [ Continue Reading ]
NAHUM—NOTE ON NAHUM 2:13 Nineveh will fall because this is the will of the Lord. In vv. Nahum 2:1 and Nahum 2:13 Nineveh is addressed (“you,” “your”), and both verses express the thought “against you.” LORD OF HOSTS. See note on Mic. 4:4. BURN YOUR CHARIOTS. A striking contrast to the conquering arm... [ Continue Reading ]