Nahum 2:1 kjv
He that dasheth in pieces is come up before thy face: keep the munition, watch the way, make thy loins strong, fortify thy power mightily.
Nahum 2:1 nkjv
He who scatters has come up before your face. Man the fort! Watch the road! Strengthen your flanks! Fortify your power mightily.
Nahum 2:1 niv
An attacker advances against you, Nineveh. Guard the fortress, watch the road, brace yourselves, marshal all your strength!
Nahum 2:1 esv
The scatterer has come up against you. Man the ramparts; watch the road; dress for battle; collect all your strength.
Nahum 2:1 nlt
Your enemy is coming to crush you, Nineveh.
Man the ramparts! Watch the roads!
Prepare your defenses! Call out your forces!
Nahum 2 1 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Isa 10:5-6 | "Woe to Assyria, the rod of my anger..." | God uses Assyria for judgment |
| Isa 13:1 | "...the oracle concerning Babylon which Isaiah... saw." | Prophecy of Babylon's destruction |
| Isa 21:2 | "...the traitor betrays... Go up, O Elam; lay siege..." | Calls for siege, divine judgment |
| Isa 37:29 | "...I will put my hook in your nose... and turn you back." | God's control over Assyrian King |
| Jer 50:41 | "Behold, a people comes from the north..." | Armies from the North for judgment |
| Jer 51:11 | "...rouse the spirits of the kings of Media..." | God stirs nations for judgment |
| Zeph 2:13 | "And he will stretch out his hand against the north and destroy Assyria..." | Specific prophecy against Assyria |
| Obad 1:15 | "...as you have done, it will be done to you..." | Law of retribution/judgment |
| Hab 1:6 | "For behold, I am raising up the Chaldeans..." | God raising nations for judgment |
| Psa 76:12 | "He cuts off the spirit of princes; he is to be feared by the kings of the earth." | God's sovereignty over kings |
| Prov 16:18 | "Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall." | Principle of judgment |
| Job 21:30 | "The evil person is reserved for the day of destruction." | Certainty of judgment |
| Matt 7:27 | "...and the floods came and beat on that house, and it fell..." | Folly of unstable foundations |
| Luke 19:43-44 | "...your enemies will build a barricade around you..." | Prophecy of Jerusalem's siege |
| Rom 12:19 | "...vengeance is mine; I will repay, says the Lord." | God's justice/vengeance |
| Rev 18:2 | "Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great!" | Judgment on symbolic Babylon |
| Rev 18:6 | "Pay her back as she herself has paid..." | Retribution/divine justice |
| Dan 4:32 | "...the Most High is sovereign over the kingdom of men..." | God's rule over all kingdoms |
| Psa 33:10-11 | "The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing..." | God frustrates human plans |
| Isa 14:12 | "How you are fallen from heaven, O Day Star..." | Fall from pride and power |
| 1 Cor 10:11 | "...written for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come." | OT events as warnings |
| 2 Thess 1:6 | "...it is just in God to repay tribulation to those who trouble you..." | Justice for the oppressed |
Nahum 2 verses
Nahum 2 1 Meaning
Nahum 2:1 is a prophetic announcement to Nineveh, the capital of Assyria, declaring the imminent arrival of a destructive force. The verse paradoxically calls upon Nineveh to prepare its defenses, knowing that these preparations will ultimately be futile against the judgment ordained by God. It vividly portrays the immediacy of the threat and the desperate, yet ultimately useless, efforts Nineveh will make to resist its divinely orchestrated downfall. The "shatterer" represents the invading army used by God as His instrument of judgment.
Nahum 2 1 Context
Nahum chapter 2 shifts from the general declaration of God's vengeance in Chapter 1 to a vivid and specific prophecy detailing the destruction of Nineveh. This verse marks the beginning of the oracle's explicit description of the siege. Historically, Nahum likely prophesied between 663 and 612 BC, anticipating the fall of Nineveh, which occurred in 612 BC at the hands of a coalition of Babylonian and Median forces. The chapter is characterized by military imagery and prophetic irony, portraying God as the sovereign commander directing the downfall of His arrogant enemy. Verse 1 serves as an initial, almost taunting, warning to Nineveh, underscoring the inescapable nature of its doom despite its formidable defenses and reputation. The surrounding context of Nahum 1:2-8 establishes God's vengeful and slow-to-anger nature, while Nahum 1:9-11 announces Nineveh's complete destruction, setting the stage for the specific details in Nahum 2.
Nahum 2 1 Word analysis
- He who shatters (מַפִּיץ - mappitz): This is a Hebrew participle, emphasizing a continuous action or a characteristic. It means "the scatterer," "the crusher," "the one who breaks to pieces." The subject is vague in the Hebrew, implying either God Himself as the ultimate agent of judgment, or, more likely given the context of a siege, the destructive army (Babylonians and Medes) that God uses as His instrument. The term evokes utter destruction and dismemberment. This concept of God raising up or sending nations to execute judgment is common in the prophetic books (e.g., Isa 10:5-6, Hab 1:6).
- is coming up (עָלָה - alah): This verb signifies ascent, indicating movement towards a higher place, which is typical for approaching a fortified city often built on an elevation. It emphasizes an active, aggressive advance, not a casual approach. The immediate arrival intensifies the warning.
- before your face (עַל־פָּנֶיךָ - al-paneykha): This idiomatic phrase stresses immediacy and direct confrontation. The threat is not distant but imminent and inescapable; it is at Nineveh's doorstep, right in its very presence. This directness heightens the sense of impending doom and the futility of resistance.
- Guard the ramparts (נָצוֹר מְצֻרָה - natsor metzurah): This is an imperative command, but it's deeply ironic. Natsor means to keep watch, guard, or preserve. Metzurah refers to a fortified place, stronghold, or rampart, indicative of Nineveh's renowned impregnability. The prophet's command is a sarcastic challenge, knowing that all efforts to defend will fail. It highlights the divine mockery of Nineveh's presumed invincibility.
- watch the road (צְפֵּה דֶּרֶךְ - tsepeh derekh): Another imperative, tsepeh means to look out, spy, or watch carefully. Derekh is a path or road. This command suggests the defenders should be alert to the invaders' approach. The irony persists, as no amount of vigilance can avert what God has ordained. It underscores the complete siege and encirclement the city will face.
- brace yourselves (חַזֵּק - chazeq): An imperative meaning to strengthen, make firm, or grip tightly. It's a call to physical and mental preparation for battle, emphasizing the intense struggle expected. This further accentuates the futility, as their best efforts will be insufficient.
- strengthen your might exceedingly (אַמֵּץ כֹּחַ מְאֹד - ammets koach me'od): This is the final ironic command for intensified effort. Ammets means to be firm, courageous, or mighty. Koach refers to strength, power, or vigor. Me'od serves as an emphatic adverb, meaning "very, exceedingly, greatly." The cumulative force of these commands, combined with the earlier sarcastic warnings, underscores the desperation and monumental, yet utterly futile, effort Nineveh will be forced to exert against its divinely appointed destruction. It mocks their overconfidence in their strength.
Nahum 2 1 Bonus section
The specific details and commands in Nahum 2:1 highlight the strategic approach of ancient warfare, emphasizing the importance of ramparts, road surveillance, and unified strength during a siege. However, the prophetic message turns these practical measures into symbols of futility. The Hebrew participles and imperatives create a sense of intense, relentless action both by the advancing enemy and the futile resistance. The entire chapter, beginning with this verse, employs vivid imagery (e.g., flash of steel, chariots plunging, fire devouring, the Lion's lair concept), akin to a divine battle report, making the prophecy feel as if the events are unfolding in real-time. This artistic and literary skill enhances the dramatic impact of God's unyielding judgment on a notoriously cruel empire.
Nahum 2 1 Commentary
Nahum 2:1 serves as the dramatic opening act to Nineveh's downfall, following the theological principles laid out in chapter 1 regarding God's just vengeance against wickedness. The "shatterer" is clearly identified as the instrument of divine wrath, not just a random invader, highlighting God's absolute sovereignty over nations. The use of urgent, imperative commands directed at Nineveh is dripping with prophetic irony; it’s a divine taunt, challenging Nineveh to do its utmost, knowing full well that no amount of military might, strategic vigilance, or fortified defenses can stand against the decree of the Almighty. Nineveh prided itself on its military strength and impenetrable walls, symbolized by the "ramparts." This verse directly confronts that pride, demonstrating that human strength is utterly worthless when faced with God's judgment. It reminds believers that ultimately, all human strongholds and arrogant boasts will fall before the justice of God. This principle transcends Nineveh's destruction and serves as a timeless warning to any nation or individual who defies God and His righteousness. The "coming up before your face" denotes the immediate, unavoidable, and deeply personal nature of this impending divine reckoning.