The “scatterer” described as having gone up against Nineveh (literally, “against your face”) would be the military force consisting of Babylonians and Medes that was determined to conquer the city, resulting in the scattering of any survivors of the siege who might seek to make their escape in every direction possible. To be ready for the attack, Nineveh’s defenders are called upon to “guard the rampart,” the city’s fortifications or its defenses. They needed to “watch the way” on which the invading force would be advancing in order to be prepared to fight. In this context, to “gird the loins” (to “strengthen the loins” [LXX]) probably means to get ready for battle, and to “make strength exceedingly firm” (to “be exceedingly manly” [LXX]) may be understood to denote to muster up courage and to take whatever steps were needed to mount a defense against the attacking warriors. Nevertheless, the implication is that all these efforts would prove to be in vain. (2:1[2]; for the initial part of the Septuagint reading, see the Notes section.)
The Israelites in the kingdom of Judah had suffered greatly from Assyrian aggression and had thus been humiliated. Through his prophet, YHWH promised to restore the “pride [ga’óhn] of Jacob as the pride [ga’óhn] of Israel.” The Hebrew word ga’óhn can denote “pride,” “eminence,” or “majesty.” In this context, the restoration of this “pride” could mean that the people of Judah would again come to have the dignified standing that their forefather Jacob had enjoyed and which had been the former majesty or eminence of Israel as God’s people. The Septuagint rendering refers to God’s having “turned aside the pride of Jacob” as he did the “pride of Israel.” This could indicate that the pride the people of the kingdom of Judah once enjoyed would be removed from them just as the “pride of Israel” has been taken away when the Assyrians conquered the kingdom of Israel and exiled the surviving Israelites. (2:2[3])
The Hebrew text appears to point to the reason for the restoration of the “pride,” eminence, or majesty. “Those emptying” or laying waste had “emptied them” or laid them waste, and “they have destroyed their branches.” Assyrian assaults had greatly reduced the population in the kingdom of Judah and devastated the land. The kingdom of Judah would have resembled a ruined orchard filled with trees that had their branches broken off. According to the Septuagint, those “shaking” shook off the people [literally, “them”] and “their branches.” These words could also be understood to relate to the destruction and devastation resulting from the Assyrian invasion of the territory of the kingdom of Judah. (2:2[3])
The Hebrew text appears to refer to the military force that would besiege Nineveh, with “his mighty men” possibly designating the warriors of the “scatterer” mentioned in verse 1(2). Each of these warriors is portrayed as having a “reddened shield” and being “dressed in crimson.” The context does not make it possible to determine whether the shields are reddened with dye or from the blood of those slain in battle. Likewise, the attire of the warriors may here be described as dyed scarlet or as having been covered with blood during conflicts. (2:3[4]; see the Notes section regarding the Septuagint rendering.)
There is considerable uncertainty about the meaning of the Hebrew text that may be translated literally, “In fire the steel [peladáh] of the chariot in the day of his preparing, and the firs [beróhsh] are made to shake.” On the basis of the Persian word pûlâd, lexicographers have defined the Hebrew word peladáh as meaning “steel.” There are various interpretive renderings of the Hebrew phrase that includes the word peladáh. “Fiery steel are the chariots on the day of his mustering.” (NAB) “The metal on the chariots flashes like fire when they are ready to attack.” (NCV) “The metal of the chariots sparkles as he prepares for battle.” (NJB) “Their chariots in battle line flash like fire.” (REB)
In other contexts, the Hebrew word beróhsh refers to a tree, and suggested meanings in lexicons are “fir” (Latin, abies [a rendering of beróhsh found in the Vulgate]), “cypress” (Greek, kypárissos [a rendering of beróhsh found in the Septuagint]) and “juniper” (based on the Akkadian word burāšu.) The reference to the “firs,” “junipers,” or “cypresses” could be to spear shafts made of wood or to spears or lances. A number of translators have rendered the plural of beróhsh as “spears.” “The cypress spears are brandished.” (ESV) “The spears of pine are brandished.” (NIV) “The spears are brandished.” (HCSB) “Watch as their glittering chariots move into position, with a forest of spears waving above them.” (NLT) (2:3[4])
The chariots could be either those of the attackers or the defenders. It is less likely that the reference is to chariots in Nineveh, as the warriors manning the chariots would have been in the battle before the walls of the city were breached. So it may be that the description of the furiously moving chariots on the streets and their rushing through the squares applies to the chariots of the attackers as they would make their rapid advance in the campaign of conquest. The metal parts on the moving chariots would flash like torches as the chariots would race like streaks of lightning. Interpretive renderings of modern translations vary. “The squadrans of horse advance; they charge madly on the city, they storm through the outskirts, like torches, like the zigzag of lightning.” (REB) “Chariots dash wildly through the streets, rushing back and forth in the city squares. They flash like torches and dart about like lightning.” (GNT, Second Edition) “The chariots dash about frenzied in the fields, they rush through the meadows. They race like streaks of lightning.” (Tanakh) (2:4[5])
According to the Septuagint, the chariots would be thrown into confusion and would clash together in the streets. This suggests that the chariots are those of the defenders. If there is a direct link to the wording of verses 2 and 3 (3 and 4), the defenders would be Israelites faced with Assyrian aggression. In the event the subject changes to Nineveh (as is explicit in verse 9[10]), the reference would be to the Assyrian warriors who would be defending the city. (2:4[5])
The one who would “remember his majestic ones,” possibly meaning his outstanding warriors, likely is the Assyrian monarch who would look to and call upon these mighty men to mount a defense. Yet they would “stumble” in “their going” to confront the enemy. They would hasten to the wall of Nineveh, where some kind of protective structure would be put in position. In their renderings, translators vary considerably, with some taking the reference to be to those attacking Nineveh. “The leaders display their prowess, rushing in headlong career; they dash to the city wall, and mantelets are set in position.” (REB) “An officer gives a command. But his soldiers stumble, as they hasten to build a shelter to protect themselves against rocks thrown down from the city wall.” (CEV) “He summons his picked troops, yet they stumble on their way. They dash to the city wall; the protective shield is put in place.” (NIV) “His captains are called out; stumbling as they go, they speed towards the wall, and the mantelet is put in position.” (NJB) (2:5[6])
The Septuagint mentions great men or nobles, possibly meaning elite Assyrian warriors, as being remembered and taking flight by day. On the way, they would become weak when they hurried to the walls and prepared “their advance guards” or “their defenses.” (2:5[6])
The reference to “gates of the rivers” may be understood figuratively as designating barriers that would protect Nineveh from being destroyed as by a great deluge from rivers at flood stage. These “gates” would be opened, and the attacking forces would overwhelm Nineveh like powerful currents. The palace would “melt” as if an inundation dissolved the mud bricks used in its construction. With the opening of the gates, the palace (according to the Septuagint) “has collapsed.” (2:6[7])
There is considerable uncertainty about the meaning of the form of the Hebrew word that follows the conjunction “and.” As a form of the verb natsáv, the expression may be rendered, “it is determined” or “it is made to stand” and could relate to the fate of Nineveh. “It is decreed that the city be exiled.” (NIV, NRSV) The reference to being “uncovered” and “carried away,” when applied to Nineveh, could mean that the city would be humiliated like a woman who is stripped of her garments, and the survivors of Nineveh’s fall would be carried away into exile. As for the “maidens,” “handmaids,” or female slaves, these could be the women of Nineveh. They would lament as with the mournful sound of doves. “Upon their heart” or upon their breast, they, in expression of their great grief, would beat as upon a tambourine. (2:7[8])
Translations vary considerably because translators have transliterated the form of the Hebrew word natsáv or have rendered the text according to an emendation or an interpretive conjecture. “And Huzzab is exiled and carried away, while her handmaidens escort [her] as with the voices of doves, beating their breasts.” (Tanakh) “And the queen is uncovered, she is carried away, and her handmaids moan as with the voice of doves, tabering upon their breasts.” (Margolis) “Nineveh is disgraced. The queen is dragged off. Her servant women mourn; they sound like doves, and they beat their breasts in sorrow.” (CEV) “The train of captives goes into exile, their slave-girls are carried off, moaning like doves and beating their breasts.” (REB) “Its mistress is led forth captive, and her handmaids, under guard, moaning like doves, beating their breasts.” (NAB) The interpretive rendering “mistress” has been understood as designating either the queen or the goddess Ishtar, and the “handmaids” would then be either those of the queen or the female prostitutes in the service of Ishtar. (2:7[8]; see the Notes section regarding the Septuagint rendering.)
Nineveh is likened to a “pool,” possibly because peoples from many nations and great riches had poured into the city and made it strong. Perhaps the words “from days” (which are not included in LXX) could be understood to denote that from of old Nineveh was like a “pool.” In her time of distress, however, the “waters” of this pool, the people who had made the city strong, would flee. The cry for these “waters” to “stand” or to stop so as to provide protection or defense for Nineveh would go unheeded. No one would be turning back. In the Septuagint, the “waters” are referred to as “fleeing” and not standing, “and [there] was no one looking.” No one paid attention to what was happening, but all were focused on making their escape. (2:8[9])
The imperative to plunder silver and gold is directed to the conquerors of Nineveh. There would be no “end” or limit to the stored-up riches consisting of all the “desirable vessels” or precious objects. This is because the Assyrians had accumulated the wealth from the towns and cities they had seized and from the tribute they exacted from the nations they had defeated or which had entered into alliances with them. (2:9[10])
In the Septuagint, the despoiling is represented as having been completed. “They were plundering the silver; they were plundering the gold, and [there] was no end of her adornment. They were weighed down with all her desirable vessels.” The abundant wealth in Nineveh proved to be the city’s adornment. So great was the booty the Assyrians had seized that they were weighed down with all the precious objects. (2:9[10])
Nineveh would be reduced to an empty and waste or desolate condition. The “heart” of the people of Nineveh would be “melting” (breaking [LXX]), indicating that they would lose all courage and hope. Overwhelmed with fear, their knees would buckle, knocking together (loosening [LXX]). Pangs would seize their loins. In view of the calamity upon Nineveh, the “faces of all” the surviving inhabitants would “collect a glow [pa’rúr].” There is considerable uncertainty about the meaning of the Hebrew word pa’rúr. The phrase where pa’rúr appears has been variously rendered (“all faces turn ashen” [Tanakh]; “all faces grow pale” [NRSV]; “every face drained of colour” [REB]; “every face blanched” [NAB]). The thought may be that the “glow” is collected from the faces, turning them pale. According to the Septuagint, “the face of all” would be “like soot on a pot” or take on an ashen or black appearance when faced with calamity. (2:10[11]; see the Notes section for additional comments about the Septuagint rendering.)
Nineveh is portrayed as the habitation of lions, for the Assyrian monarch and the warriors under his command were like beasts of prey, conquering towns and cities, slaughtering many people, and seizing abundant spoils. In Nineveh, the king and the mighty men of his forces were like lions feasting on the spoils of warfare. Both those represented by the cubs and the mature lions walked or moved about securely in the city, and there was no one who made them afraid. So certain was the end of Nineveh (the place where the lion “entered”) that the question is framed as though the fall had already occurred (“Where [is] the habitation of lions …?”) (2:11[12])
Aggressive warfare had filled Nineveh with abundant spoils so that all could share in the bounty. The “lion,” possibly designating the Assyrian king, had torn enough to pieces for “his cubs and strangled for his lionesses.” Indicative of the abundant booty is the reference to prey filling the holes in the lion’s den and torn flesh filling his habitation. (2:12[13])
The introductory “look” calls a attention to the declaration of YHWH of hosts (Lord Almighty [LXX]), the God with hosts of angels in his service. He is represented as expressing himself as being against Nineveh and decreeing that he would burn her chariots (chariot [a collective singular]; abundance or multitude [LXX]), making them go up in smoke. The “sword” would devour her “young lions,” or the warriors in possession of youthful strength. With the Assyrian military might destroyed, the “prey” for Nineveh would be cut off from the land. No longer would the victorious military force be bringing abundant spoils into the city. The voice of Assyrian messengers, threatening siege and demanding surrender, would no more be heard. In the Septuagint, the reference is to no more hearing about the “works,” which would have included the Assyrian military campaigns and the threats and demands directed to other nations. (2:13[14])
Notes
The Septuagint opens verse 1(2) with the words, “Having been delivered from distress, he rose up, blowing [form of emphysáo) in your face.” It appears that the translator used the Greek verb emphysáo to convey the sound of the Hebrew word for “scatterer” (mephíts). The one rising up would be the military force that would attack Nineveh, “blowing” against the city like a fierce storm. Assyria had been the dominant power in the region and exercised control over Babylon, causing distress for the very people who, upon coming to be liberated from the Assyrian yoke, could mount a successful attack.
In the case of the Septuagint rendering according to the punctuation in Rahlfs’ printed text, the last word in verse 2(3) completes the initial phrase of verse 3(4), but the concluding thought is not completed until the next verse (4[5]). “They destroyed their weapons of might from [among] men, mighty men mocking with fire. The reins of their chariots in the day of his preparation, and the horsemen will be thrown into confusion in the ways.” These words are linked to developments involving the Israelites in the kingdom of Judah. The invaders are the ones who destroyed their weapons, and these invaders mocked or sported with fire, which could mean that they set fire to whatever was left after they had conquered and plundered cities and towns. Preparations for a defense against the invaders appear to be represented as futile. With the horsemen in a state of confusion, the charioteers holding the reins would likewise be unable to mount a successful defense in the “day of preparation” for battle.
In verse 7(8), the opening words of the Septuagint are obscure. They may literally be translated, “And the foundation was uncovered, and she went up.” This could be interpreted to mean that Nineveh would be leveled to its foundation, and her surviving inhabitants would be going up from the desolated city into captivity. It is then said that “her handmaidens were led away like doves, uttering sounds in their hearts.” Within themselves, they would moan mournfully.
The opening words of verse 10(11) in the Septuagint appear to represent the survivors of Nineveh’s fall as shaking, trembling, and quaking.