Nahum 2 4

Nahum 2:4 kjv

The chariots shall rage in the streets, they shall justle one against another in the broad ways: they shall seem like torches, they shall run like the lightnings.

Nahum 2:4 nkjv

The chariots rage in the streets, They jostle one another in the broad roads; They seem like torches, They run like lightning.

Nahum 2:4 niv

The chariots storm through the streets, rushing back and forth through the squares. They look like flaming torches; they dart about like lightning.

Nahum 2:4 esv

The chariots race madly through the streets; they rush to and fro through the squares; they gleam like torches; they dart like lightning.

Nahum 2:4 nlt

The chariots race recklessly along the streets
and rush wildly through the squares.
They flash like firelight
and move as swiftly as lightning.

Nahum 2 verses

Nahum 2 4 Meaning

Nahum 2:4 graphically portrays the overwhelming speed, chaotic energy, and terrifying appearance of the invading army's chariots as they advance to conquer Nineveh. The prophet employs vivid sensory imagery, likening their movements to a maddened frenzy, jostling relentlessly through broad public ways, their metallic glint like flashing torches, and their swiftness comparable to bolts of lightning. This verse captures the destructive, irresistible force divinely orchestrated to bring about Nineveh’s swift and utter downfall.

Nahum 2 4 Context

Nahum is a prophetic book primarily focused on proclaiming God's judgment against Nineveh, the capital of Assyria, the oppressive empire that had previously sacked the northern kingdom of Israel. Chapter 1 establishes God's powerful nature, His slowness to anger, yet His certainty in punishing evil, promising Nineveh's destruction. Chapter 2 transitions to a vivid, almost real-time, description of the actual siege and fall of Nineveh, written as if it is already happening (prophetic perfect tense), signifying its inevitability. Verse 4 is part of this dramatic depiction, portraying the overwhelming assault. While Assyria itself was renowned for its chariots, this verse almost certainly describes the chariots of the attacking forces—the Medes and Babylonians—as they swiftly and chaotically advance, fulfilling God's promised judgment against the arrogant city.

Nahum 2 4 Word analysis

• The chariots (הָרֶכֶב, ha-rekhev): The definite article points to a specific, dominant, and central element of the invading military force. Though Assyria was known for its chariots, here they represent the instruments of divine judgment against Nineveh, driven by the Medes and Babylonians. Their sheer multitude and destructive power are implied.
• rage (יְהֹלְלוּ, yehollu): Derived from the Hebrew root halal, often translated as "to praise" or "to boast," but in this Piel form, it carries a sense of wildness, madness, or frenzied behavior. It depicts an uncontrolled, furious, and highly agitated motion, almost like chariots possessed by a destructive impulse, conveying terror and a loss of restraint.
• in the streets (בַּחוּצוֹת, ba-chutzot): Refers to broad avenues, outer areas, or public squares rather than confined narrow streets. This implies an unhindered advance and the ability of the chariots to maneuver at full speed within or immediately outside the city's major thoroughfares, contributing to the sense of an irresistible flood.
• They jostle one another (יִתְרוֹצָצוּ, yitrotzatzu): From the root ratzatz, meaning to break, crush, or dash to pieces. In Hithpoel, it describes a restless, chaotic, and dashing movement. It portrays a multitude of chariots not moving in orderly formation, but colliding, surging, and swerving with such momentum that they are like an unmanageable, destructive wave, breaking anything in their path.
• in the broad ways (בָּרְחֹבֹת, bar'ḥōvōt): Reinforces "in the streets," referring to the wide, open spaces of the city, such as plazas and public squares. This imagery emphasizes the attackers' deep penetration into the urban heart, symbolizing the city's complete lack of defense and imminent doom.
• They seem like torches (כְּלַפִּידִים, kelaṗîdîm): This is a powerful visual simile. It suggests the dazzling reflection of bronze armor and polished chariot fittings under the sun, creating flashing lights as they move rapidly. Alternatively, it might refer to literal torches or the fiery, destructive nature associated with war, akin to consuming flames, instilling terror and foreboding of conflagration.
• They run like lightning (כַּבְּרָקִים, kaḇberaḳim): A simile for extreme speed and suddenness. Lightning is known for its instant, irresistible strike and devastating impact. This highlights the rapidity of the invasion and the overwhelming, almost supernatural, force of the attacking army, which serves as an instrument of divine swift justice, against which there is no defense.

Words-group analysis:

• The pairing of "rage" and "jostle one another" describes the tumultuous and disorderly yet incredibly forceful movement of the chariots. It conveys an image of uncontrolled power and overwhelming chaos, where individual chariots are part of an unstoppable, frenzied tide, reflecting a profound sense of panic and inescapable doom for Nineveh.
• "In the streets" and "in the broad ways" signify not just their presence, but their free, unhindered movement within Nineveh's significant public spaces, emphasizing the penetration and triumph of the invaders over the city's once proud infrastructure and defenses.
• The similes "like torches" and "like lightning" are both visual metaphors, focusing on light and speed. "Like torches" adds a sense of fiery destruction and a gleaming, terrifying presence. "Like lightning" signifies instantaneousness and an irresistible, destructive power, hinting at the divine speed of judgment, leaving no chance for escape or resistance. This combination overwhelms the senses, showing a spectacle of pure, terrifying force.

Nahum 2 4 Bonus section

The dramatic portrayal in Nahum 2:4 exemplifies the "prophetic perfect" tense often found in the Old Testament, where future events are described as if they have already occurred. This rhetorical device imbues the prophecy with certainty and emphasizes the unchangeable nature of God's word regarding Nineveh's inevitable fall. The detailed, vivid language appeals to multiple senses—sight, sound (implied through the chaos), and motion—making the impending destruction terrifyingly real to the audience. This intense focus on the sensory aspects of war, especially the sight of gleaming, swiftly moving vehicles, ensures the message of God's judgment is conveyed with maximum impact and immediacy. The image contrasts Nineveh's perceived impregnability with the irresistible, divinely empowered advance of her enemies.

Nahum 2 4 Commentary

Nahum 2:4 is a masterclass in prophetic imagery, painting a vivid picture of Nineveh's destruction. The verse is not just a description of a military maneuver, but a pronouncement of God's sure judgment. The chariots, frenzied and crashing, are depicted not as orderly legions but as an uncontainable force, symbolizing the unstoppable nature of God’s decree. Their rapid, flashing appearance, like torches and lightning, underscores the suddenness and finality of the impending doom. It conveys both the visual terror and the crushing power of the Medo-Babylonian armies as God’s instruments, signifying that Nineveh’s long reign of oppression would end abruptly and violently, with no avenue for escape or prolonged resistance. The imagery emphasizes the sensory overload of total warfare, bringing fear and chaotic disarray upon the city.