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Nahúm 2:1
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SUBIO destruidor contra ti: guarda la fortaleza, mira el camino, fortifica los lomos, fortalece mucho la fuerza.
Subi� el destructor contra ti. Guarda la fortaleza, vigila el camino, fortifica los lomos, fortalece mucho tu poder.
Subi� destruidor contra ti; guarda la fortaleza, mira el camino, fortifica los lomos, fortalece mucho la fuerza.
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
He that dasheth in pieces: or, The disperser, or, hammer, Isaiah 14:6, Jeremiah 25:9, Jeremiah 50:23, Jeremiah 51:20-23
keep: Nahum 3:14, Nahum 3:15, 2 Chronicles 25:8, Jeremiah 46:3-10, Jeremiah 51:11, Jeremiah 51:12, Joel 3:9-11
Reciprocal: Isaiah 13:18 - shall dash Jonah 1:2 - Nineveh Micah 7:10 - she that Nahum 3:11 - thou also Zephaniah 3:6 - cut
Gill's Notes on the Bible
He that dasheth in pieces is come up before thy face,.... O Nineveh, or land of Assyria; for this is not to be understood of Sennacherib's coming up against Jerusalem, as Kimchi; but of Nebuchadnezzar against Nineveh, as Aben Ezra; not Nebuchadnezzar the great, who, the Jewish chronologers say c, took Nineveh in the first year of his reign; but his father, Nebuchadnezzar the first, called Nabopolassar, who, with Cyaxares or Ahasuerus the Mede, joined their forces against Nineveh, and took it, see the Apocrypha:
"But before he died he heard of the destruction of Nineve, which was taken by Nabuchodonosor and Assuerus: and before his death he rejoiced over Nineve.'' (Tobit 14:15)
and these together, the Chaldeans and Medes, are the "dasher in pieces"; or, "the hammer" d, as the word may be rendered; and so Babylon, over which one of these kings reigned, is called the hammer of the whole earth, Jeremiah 50:23 these came up openly, boldly, to the face of the king of Assyria, attacked him in his metropolis, not fearing his strength and numbers:
keep the munition; this and what follow are spoken ironically to the Assyrian king, and inhabitants of Nineveh, to take care of their towers and garrisons, and fortify them, and fill them with soldiers: and
watch the way; in which the enemy came; secure the passes and avenues that lead to their city; stop his march, and prevent his access:
make [thy] loins strong; put on armour, gird on the sword, prepare for war:
fortify [thy] power mightily; increase thine army, exert all thy strength and courage, and do all that is in thy power to do, to oppose the enemy, and defend thyself; and when all is done, it will be in vain.
c Seder Olam Rabba, c. 24. p. 69. d מפיץ "malleus", Drusius, Tarnovius.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
He that dasheth in pieces - Rather, “the Disperser,” the instrument of God, whereby he should “break her in pieces like a potter’s vessel, or should scatter” her in all lands, is come up against thy face, O Nineveh, i. e., either, over against thee” , confronting her as it were, face to face, or directed against thee . From the description of the peace of Judah, the prophet turns suddenly to her oppressor, to whom, not to Judah, the rest of the prophecy is directed. Jacob and Israel are spoken of, not to . The destroyer of Nineveh “went up against the face of Nineveh,” not in the presence of Judah and Jacob, who were far away and knew nothing of it. “Keep the munition.” While all in Judah is now peace, all in Nineveh is tumult. God whom they had defied, saying that Hezekiah could not “turn away the face of one captain of the least of his servants” Isaiah 36:9, now bids them prepare to meet him whom He would send against them. “Gird up thy loins now, like a man” Job 40:7. Thou who wouldest lay waste others, now, if theft canst, keep thyself. The strength of the words is the measure of the irony. They had challenged God; He in turn challenges them to put forth all their might.
Fence thy defenses - we might say. Their strong walls, high though they were, unassailable by any then known skill of besiegers, would not be secure.
The prophet uses a kindred and allusive word, that their protection needed to be itself protected; and this, by one continued watchfulness. Watch, he adds, the way: spy out (as far as thou canst), the coming of the enemy; strengthen the loins, the seat of strength. Elsewhere they are said to be girded up for any exertion. “Fortify thy strength exceedingly.” The expression is rare : commonly it is said of some part of the human frame, knees, arms, or mind, or of man by God.
The same words are strong mockery to those who resist God, good counsel to those who trust in God. “Keep the munition, for He who keepeth thee will not sleep Psalms 121:3; watch the way,” by which the enemy may approach from afar, for Satan approacheth, sometimes suddenly, sometimes very stealthily and subtly, “transforming himself into an angel of light.” Jerome: “Watch also the way by which thou art to go, as it is said, ‘Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein;’ Jeremiah 6:16, so that, having stood in many ways, we may come to that Way which saith, ‘I am the Way.’” Then , “make thy loins strong,” as the Saviour commands His disciples, “Let your loins be girded about” Luke 12:35, and the Apostle says, “Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth” Ephesians 6:14; for nothing so strengthens as the Truth. For Christ being the Truth, whose with his whole heart hath belived in Christ, is strong against himself, and hath power over the loins, the seat of the passions. Then, since this warfare is hard, he adds, be strong, “fortify thy power mightily;” resist not listlessly, but vehemently; and that, in His strength who hath strengthened our nature, taking it to Himself and uniting it with the Godhead. For without Him, strong though thou be, thou wilt avail nothing.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
CHAPTER II
Nineveh is now called upon to prepare for the approach of her
enemies, the instruments of Jehovah's vengeance, 1;
and the military array and muster, the very arms and dress, of
the Medes and Babylonians in the reigns of Cyaxares and
Nabopolassar; their rapid approach to the city; the process of
the siege, and the inundation of the river; the capture of the
place; the captivity, lamentation, and flight of the
inhabitants; the sacking of this immense, wealthy, and
exceedingly populous city; and the consequent desolation and
terror, are all described in the pathetic, vivid, and sublime
imagery of Hebrew poetry, 2-10.
This description is succeeded by a very beautiful and
expressive allegory, 11-12;
which is immediately explained, and applied to the city of
Nineveh, 13.
It is thought by some commentators that the metropolitan city
of the Assyrian empire is also intended by the tender and
beautiful simile, in the seventh verse, of a great princess
led captive, with her maids of honour attending her, bewailing
her and their own condition, by beating their breasts, and by
other expressions of sorrow.
NOTES ON CHAP. II
Verse Nahum 2:1. He that dasheth in pieces — Or scattereth. The Chaldeans and Medes.
Keep the munition — Guard the fenced places. From this to the end of the fifth verse, the preparations made at Nineveh to repel their enemies are described. The description is exceedingly picturesque.
Watch the way — By which the enemy is most likely to approach.
Make thy loins strong — Take courage.
Fortify thy power — Muster thy troops; call in all thy allies.
