TEXT [Commentary]

  C.   The Discredited City (2:11-13)

11 Where now is that great Nineveh,

that den filled with young lions?

It was a place where people—like lions and their cubs—

walked freely and without fear.

12 The lion tore up meat for his cubs

and strangled prey for his mate.

He filled his den with prey,

his caverns with his plunder.

13 “I am your enemy!”

says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies.

“Your chariots will soon go up in smoke.

Your young men[*] will be killed in battle.

Never again will you plunder conquered nations.

The voices of your proud messengers will be heard no more.”

NOTES

2:11 [12] lions and their cubs. The several words for lion here seem intended to represent the whole family (or pride) of lions: ’ari [TH738, ZH787] (lion), kepir [TH3715, ZH4097] (young lion), labi’ [TH3833, ZH4233] (lioness), and gur ’aryeh [TH1482/743.2, ZH1594/793] (lion cub). The ancient versions, however, understand labi’ as an infinitive construct, apparently reading labo’ [TH3807.1/935, ZH4200/995] from bo’ (enter). Accordingly, some (Maier 1959; Roberts 1991) take the MT reading as a Hiphil infinitive construct form shortened from lehabi’ [TH3807.1/935, ZH4200/995] (“to bring”; cf. Jer 27:7).

a place where. This particle (’asher [TH834, ZH889]) has locative force. The relative pronoun here betrays its Akkadian origin as a noun ashru, meaning “place,” from which a particle ashar developed as a locative relative particle (cf. Aramaic/Syriac ’atar with secondary development into a locative relative “place where” with further development in Hebrew as a general relative particle).

2:12 [13] cubs. In the various mss, there are two readings: gur [TH1482, ZH1594] (whelp) and gor [TH1484, ZH1596] (lion cub); both are masculine nouns but occur with a feminine plural ending in this verse. Since masculine Hebrew nouns frequently take feminine plural endings, there is no need to emend the text to a masculine plural as some have done.

tore up . . . strangled. The two verbs in the Hebrew text are tarap [TH2963, ZH3271] (tear) and khanaq [TH2614, ZH2871] (strangle). As to the former, the root tarap occurs three times in this verse, strategically placed in poetic parallelism and in chiasmus so as to emphasize the viciousness of the lion with regard to its prey. The root reappears in 2:13 (NLT “plunder”) and forms a literary link with the next section, where it appears again in 3:1 (NLT “victims”). As for the latter, although some charged that the idea of lions strangling their prey is unrealistic (with the result that some such translation as “tore up” [cf. NJB] has been substituted), the verb means “strangle” throughout the Semitic family of languages and is consistently so used in the OT. As Cathcart (1973a:107) observes, “Lions do strangle their prey and we have excellent representations from the Near East of lions strangling their prey.”

2:13 [14] I am. Heb. hineni (behold me). Nahum uses the particle hinneh [TH2009, ZH2180] several times at strategic points as a transitional device (e.g., 1:15; 3:13). It is often used to introduce divine pronouncements and to authenticate a prophet’s words. Here hinneh is reinforced by the noun ne’um [TH5002, ZH5536] (declaration), which is frequently used to confirm the divine source of a prophet’s message (cf. Jer 9:22 [21]; 23:31; Ezek 20:3; Zech 12:1).

Your young men. Lit., “your young lions” (so NLT mg). The literary practice of calling royalty, leaders, or warriors by animal names is common in both Ugaritic and Hebrew. The figure of devouring the prey is continued here, but with image transfer: The young lions are now the prey devoured by the enemy’s sword.

COMMENTARY [Text]

Contemplating the demise of arrogant Nineveh, Nahum utilized a taunt song, a literary form that was common in the ancient Near East (cf. Patterson 2007). A taunt song is a subtype of satire. The first of three such satires was directed against Nineveh (cf. 3:8-13; 3:14-19). The tone is personal, invective, and morally indignant. Using an extended metaphor (or allegory), Nineveh is ironically compared to a lion’s den—no longer the lair of an invincible predator or a den of refuge for its cubs, but reduced to ashes. The point of the satirical taunt song is clear: Nineveh will be judged for its selfishness, rapacity, and cruelty.

The lion motif is particularly appropriate. History attests that Sennacherib compared himself to a lion, decorating his palace freely with sphinx-like lion statues. Other Assyrian kings referred to themselves as lions and adorned their palaces with various artistic representations of the lion (Johnston 2001:287-307). Reliefs of the Assyrian kings on the lion hunt appear frequently on the palace walls. The mighty lion of the nations (Assyria) used to proceed at will from its impenetrable lair (Nineveh) to return with its prey to its pride (the citizens of Nineveh). At one time, Nineveh bulged with the bounteous booty that her kings had brought within its walls. But all that would soon change.

In the light of Assyrian rapacity, God’s pronouncement again is heard: “Behold, I am against you.” Such is the solemn utterance of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies (Yahweh Sabaoth). This term (found about 260 times in the OT) declares God’s sovereignty not only over creation (Amos 4:13) but also over all nations and over earth’s history (Isa 37:16). Although God had used Assyria as his agent to punish an unrepentant Israel, he could and would use still another army (which, in turn, would one day suffer God’s chastisement for its own sin; Jer 50:18) to effect the just judgment of haughty Assyria (Zeph 2:13-15), the very nation for whom a merciful God had earlier been so concerned (Jonah 4:2, 11). Ultimately, Israel herself will triumph through her Lord of Heaven’s Armies, who will rule eternally over all forces, heavenly and earthly alike (1 Sam 17:45; Isa 24:21-23; 34:1-10).

The satirical taunt with which the chapter closes underscores both the helplessness of arrogant Assyria and the sovereignty of Almighty God. The proud Assyrian in his royal city of Nineveh, whom all viewed as an unconquerable lion, has met his tamer. The One who is the sovereign and omnipotent ruler of the world is he who removes kings and sets others on their thrones (Dan 2:21), and who does as he pleases with those who live on earth (Dan 4:35). He is not unmindful of the cruelty of men and nations, as the parade of fallen dictators and evildoers testifies. For his “eyes watch the proud and humiliate them” (2 Sam 22:28).

In an interesting twist, a world alienated from God will be brought into subjection by the Lion of the tribe of Judah (Rev 5:5; 19:11-21). Accordingly, the believer may take heart and so live as to fulfill Micah’s admonition: “The LORD has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God” (Mic 6:8; cf. Jas 4:16; 1 Pet 5:6-7).