The big picture
Nahum 2 opens in verse 1 with “He that dasheth in pieces is come up before thy face: keep the munition, watch the way…”, reaches its middle movement near verse 7 with “And Huzzab shall be led away captive, she shall be brought up, and her maids shall lead…”, and closes in verse 13 with “Behold, I am against thee, saith the LORD of hosts, and I will burn her chariots in the…” Repeated or prominent terms include chariots, lion, lions, excellency, loins. Together, those details trace this chapter’s own movement from its opening to its conclusion.
Scripture beside the summary
Nahum · King James Version · 13Nahum 2:1-7
1–7: He that dasheth in pieces is come up before thy face: keep the munition…
Nahum 2:1–7 opens with “He that dasheth in pieces is come up before thy face: keep the munition, watch the way, make thy…” and reaches “And Huzzab shall be led away captive, she shall be brought up, and her maids shall lead her as…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Nineveh preparing its defenses as shields, chariots, walls, and river gates fail; The once-crowded city draining away and imperial treasure being plundered, with particular weight carried by chariots, excellency, torches.
Context that brings the passage to life
“He that dasheth in pieces is come up before thy face: keep the munition, watch the way, make thy loins strong, fortify…” The line’s distinctive content terms include dasheth, face, fortify. Its relationship to verses 2 shows what work it does in this passage.
“For the LORD hath turned away the excellency of Jacob, as the excellency of Israel: for the emptiers have emptied them…” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.
Nahum 2:1-7
King James Version1He that dasheth in pieces is come up before thy face: keep the munition, watch the way, make thy loins strong, fortify thy power mightily.
2For the LORD hath turned away the excellency of Jacob, as the excellency of Israel: for the emptiers have emptied them out, and marred their vine branches.
3The shield of his mighty men is made red, the valiant men are in scarlet: the chariots shall be with flaming torches in the day of his preparation, and the fir trees shall be terribly shaken.
4The 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.
5He shall recount his worthies: they shall stumble in their walk; they shall make haste to the wall thereof, and the defence shall be prepared.
6The gates of the rivers shall be opened, and the palace shall be dissolved.
7And Huzzab shall be led away captive, she shall be brought up, and her maids shall lead her as with the voice of doves, tabering upon their breasts.
Nahum 2:8-13
8–13: Nineveh is of old like a pool of water: yet they shall flee away. Stand…
Nahum 2:8–13 opens with “But Nineveh is of old like a pool of water: yet they shall flee away. Stand, stand, shall they…” and reaches “Behold, I am against thee, saith the LORD of hosts, and I will burn her chariots in the smoke…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Nineveh preparing its defenses as shields, chariots, walls, and river gates fail; The once-crowded city draining away and imperial treasure being plundered, with particular weight carried by lion, lions, prey.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 1 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“But Nineveh is of old like a pool of water: yet they shall flee away. Stand, stand, shall they cry; but none shall…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
Nahum 2:8-13
King James Version8But Nineveh is of old like a pool of water: yet they shall flee away. Stand, stand, shall they cry; but none shall look back.
9Take ye the spoil of silver, take the spoil of gold: for there is none end of the store and glory out of all the pleasant furniture.
10She is empty, and void, and waste: and the heart melteth, and the knees smite together, and much pain is in all loins, and the faces of them all gather blackness.
11Where is the dwelling of the lions, and the feedingplace of the young lions, where the lion, even the old lion, walked, and the lion’s whelp, and none made them afraid?
12The lion did tear in pieces enough for his whelps, and strangled for his lionesses, and filled his holes with prey, and his dens with ravin.
13Behold, 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.
Details worth noticing
The opening image
Nahum 2:1 begins with “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.”
Where the chapter turns
Nahum 2:8 forms a natural hinge: “But Nineveh is of old like a pool of water: yet they shall flee away. Stand, stand, shall they cry; but none shall look back.”
The final note
Nahum 2:13 leaves the reader with “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…”
A word trail through the chapter
The words chariots, lion, lions, excellency, loins, LORD help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.
Which gifts come before the prohibition?
Life, the garden, food and meaningful work. The command occurs inside generosity.
How does chapter 2 deepen chapter 1?
It concentrates on dependence, partnership and responsibility within the shared human calling.
KJV words made clear
- behold
- look, or pay close attention
- thee
- you
- thy
- your
- hath
- has
Text first
Where readers differ
The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.
The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.
Comparative interpretive notes for this chapter are in preparation. Until reviewed notes are ready, this page separates the KJV text from summary and application without claiming that serious readers agree on every question.