Keraia
Nahum 2

Nahum 2:13

The Overthrow of Nineveh · Nahum 2:1–13
Read Nahum 2

Translations

Modern
“Behold, I am against you,” declares the LORD of Hosts. “I will reduce your chariots to cinders, and the sword will devour your young lions. I will cut off your prey from the earth, and the voices of your messengers will no longer be heard.”
Traditional
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 from the earth, and the voice of thy messengers shall no more be heard.
Literal
“Behold, I am against you,” a declaration of YHWH of Hosts, “And I will burn in smoke your chariots, and the sword will devour your young lions; and I will cut off your prey from the earth, and will be heard no more the voice of your messengers!”
Latin
Ecce ego ad te, dicit Dominus exercituum, et succendam usque ad fumum quadrigas tuas, et leunculos tuos comedet gladius, et exterminabo de terra prædam tuam, et non audietur ultra vox nuntiorum tuorum.

Original

Hebrew
English
“Behold, I am against you,” declares the LORD of Hosts. “I will reduce your chariots to cinders, and the sword will devour your young lions. I will cut off your prey from the earth, and the voices of your messengers will no longer be heard.”

Notes

Nahum 2:13

Examples of the voices of Assyria’s proud messengers are in 2 Kings 18:19–19:13.

Nahum 2:11–13

After describing Nineveh’s fall (Nahum 2:1–10), Nahum includes the first of three taunt songs (see also 3:8–13, 14–19). Taunt songs were a common form of poetry in the ancient Near East.

In this song, Nahum uses sharp humor to compare Nineveh to a lion’s den. Sennacherib and other Assyrian kings often compared themselves to lions. They even decorated their palaces with images of lions and scenes of royal lion hunts.

However, because God had become Nineveh’s enemy, the city would no longer be a safe place for a powerful predator. Its strength and pride would not protect it.

Theme notes and profiles

God’s Justice

Events

People

LORD: Names or title used to refer to God

Glossary

Book of Nahum

Topics

Chariots: The Jews Condemned For: Taken in War, often Destroyed