D G K 2:1,2. Yahaveh's defiance.
L 2:3-10. Judgment. Invasion.
M 2:11-3:7. Causes.
H 3:8-10. Examples. Citation.
H 3:11-13. Examples. Application.
G K 3:14. Yahaveh's defiance.
L 3:15-17. Judgment. Devastation.
M 3:18,19. Causes.603 B.C.
Nahum 2)
1 He that breaks (cp. Prov. 25:18. Jer. 23:29; 51:20. Ezek. 9:2. Mic. 2:13) in pieces (i.e. Cyaxares and Nabopolassar. A reference or type of the of the future destruction of Antichrist) is come up before your face (Nineveh becomes a type of Babylon): keep the munition (or, fortify the fortress, or fence the defenses), watch the way, make your loins strong (i.e. be courageous. Cp. Job 40:7. Jer. 1:17), strengthen you with power mightily (cp. Prov. 24:5).
2 For the LORD (Yehovah) has restored (or, is on the way to bring back) the pre-eminence of Jacob (put here for the natural seed, and Judah in contrast with Israel; cp. Gen. 32:28; 43:6; 45:26,28), as [He will restore] the pre-eminence of Israel: for the emptiers have emptied them out, and marred their vine branches.
L N 3-6. Ninevah. Assaulted.
O 7,8. Captured.
N Ninevah. Spoiled.
O 10. Dismayed.
3 The shield of his mighty ones (or warriors. Cp. 2 Sam. 23:8. 1 Kings 1:8,10) is reddened [with blood], the valiant men are [clad] in scarlet (as were the armies of the Persians): the chariots shall be with flaming torches in the day of his preparation, and the fir trees (put for sears or lances made from them) shall be terribly shaken. (Viciousness of the battle.)
4 The chariots shall rave (as though mad) in the streets, they shall jostle one against another in the broad ways: their appearance is like torches, they shall rush (or flash) like the lightnings. (People are not going to be ready for the supernatural.)
5 He (the king of Assyria [3:18]) shall bethink himself of his nobles (who may assemle their troops; as in 3:18. Judg. 5:13. 2 Chron. 23:20): they shall stumble as they march; they shall make haste to her wall (i.e. the wall of Nineveh), yet the mantelet (Or portable storming cover [of the besiegers]) shall be prepared. (It will be no good, you can't hide.)
6 The flood-gates (or sluices) of 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) shall be opened (i.e. by the enemy), and the palace shall be melt away [in fear] (or was in dismay). (The wicked get away with nothing.)
7 And Huzzab (the words which follow show that the queen or queen-mother is meant. Heathen queen-mother of heaven - Babylon - worships the wicked counselor. See Rev.; or, Huzzah may be taken as a verb, and the "and" as = though [like "but" in v.8]. In that case read: "though firmly established, she shall be dishonored and taken captive"; the city thus being personified) shall be led away captive, she shall be brought up, and her maids shall mourn for (or bemoaning) as with the voice of doves, drumming [with their fingers] incessantly upon their hearts. (Saying something like, "You're saved. You don't have to understand the Book of Revelation. You don't have to understand God's Word. All you have to do is believe!! First one taken in the field is taken by Antichrist!)
8 Though Nineveh has been from old [filled with men] as a pool [is full] of water: yet they (i.e. the defenders) shall flee away. Stand, stand, shall they cry; but none shall look back.
9 Take you the spoil of silver, take the spoil of gold (the hidden dynasty of Economy/monetary system, in the "one world system"): for there is [there are] treasures without end, [and] stores of all covetable vessels.
10 She is empty, and void, and waste: and the heart melts, and the knees smite together, and much pain is in all loins, and the faces of them all gather blackness. (Cp. Joel 2:6 [as 1:15 is to Isa. 52:7]; not visa versa.)
M P 2:11,12. Yahaveh. Defiance.
Q 2:13. The cause. Hostility.
P 3:1-3. Yahaveh. Defiance.
Q 3:4-7. The cause. Hostility.
11 Where is the dwelling of the lions, and the feeding-place of the young lions, where the lion, even the lioness, walked, and the lion's whelp, and none made them afraid? (This is Yahaveh's answer to Sennacherib's taunt in 2 Kings 18:34, looking back after the fulfillment of this prophecy)
12 The lion was tearing in pieces enough for his whelps (Nineveh again personified in vv.11,12), and strangled for his lionesses, and filled his holes with prey, and his dens with ravin.
13 "Behold, I am against you, says the LORD of hosts, and I will burn her chariots into the smoke, and the sword shall devour your young lions: and I will cut off your prey from the earth, and the voice of your ambassadors (cp. 2 Kings 18:17,19; 19:9,23) shall no more be heard. (Remember Assyria is a type of Babylon. The future is now! He's going to cut off false preaching and wicked counseling!)