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Selected Verse: Nahum 2:3 - Strong Concordance
| Verse |
Translation |
Text |
| Na 2:3 |
Strong Concordance |
The shield [04043] of his mighty men [01368] is made red [0119], the valiant [02428] men [0582] are in scarlet [08529]: the chariots [07393] shall be with flaming [0784] torches [06393] in the day [03117] of his preparation [03559], and the fir trees [01265] shall be terribly shaken [07477]. |
| |
King James |
The 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. |
Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse
| A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882] |
his mighty men--the Medo-Babylonian generals mighty men attacking Nineveh.
made red--The ancients dyed their bull's-hide shields red, partly to strike terror into the enemy, chiefly lest the blood from wounds which they might receive should be perceived and give confidence to the foe [CALVIN]. G. V. SMITH conjectures that the reference is to the red reflection of the sun's rays from shields of bronze or copper, such as are found among the Assyrian remains.
in scarlet--or crimson military tunics (compare Mat 27:28). XENOPHON mentions that the Medes were fond of this color. The Lydians and Tyrians extracted the dye from a particular worm.
chariots . . . with flaming torches--that is, the chariots shall be like flaming torches, their wheels in lightning-like rapidity of rotation flashing light and striking sparks from the stones over which they pass (compare Isa 5:28). English Version supposes a transposition of the Hebrew letters. It is better to translate the Hebrew as it is, "the chariots (shall be furnished) with fire-flashing scythes" (literally, "with the fire," or glitter, of iron weapons). Iron scythes were fixed at right angles to the axles and turned down, or parallel to it, inserted into the felly of the wheel. The Medes, perhaps, had such chariots, though no traces of them are found in Assyrian remains. On account of the latter fact, it may be better to translate, "the chariots (shall come) with the glitter of steel weapons" [MAURER and G. V. SMITH].
in the day of his preparation--JEHOVAH'S (Isa 13:3). Or, "Medo-Babylonian commander's day of preparation for the attack" (Nah 2:1). "He" confirms this, and "his" in this verse.
the fir trees--their fir-tree lances.
terribly shaken--branded so as to strike terror. Or, "shall be tremulous with being brandished" [MAURER]. |
| Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834] |
Army is arrayed against army; the armies, thus far, of God against the army of His enemy; all without is order; all within, confusion. The assailing army, from its compactness and unity, is spoken of, both as many and one. The might is of many; the order and singleness of purpose is as of one. The shield, collectively, not shields. "His mighty men;" He, who was last spoken of, was Almighty God, as He says in Isaiah; "I have commanded My consecrated ones; I have also called My mighty ones, them that rejoice in My highness" Isa 13:3.
Is reddened - Either with blood of the Assyrians, shed in some previous battle, before the siege began, or (which is the meaning of the word elsewhere ), an artificial color, the color of blood being chosen, as expressive of fiery fierceness. The valiant men are in scarlet, for beauty and terror, as, again being the color of blood . It was especially the color of the dress of their nobles one chief color of the Median dress, from whom the Persians adopted their's . "The chariots shall be with flaming torches," literally, "with the fire of steels , or of sharp incisive instruments. Either way the words seem to indicate that the chariots were in some way armed with steel. For steel was not an ornament, nor do the chariots appear to have been ornamented with metal. Iron would have hindered the primary object of lightness and speed. Steel, as distinct from iron, is made only for incisiveness. In either way, it is probable, that scythed chariots were already in use. Against such generals, as the younger Cyrus and Alexander , they were of no avail; but they must have been terrific instruments against undisciplined armies.
The rush and noise of the British chariots disturbed for a time even Caesar's Roman troops . They were probably in use long before . Their use among the ancient Britons , Gauls and Belgians , as also probably among the Canaanites , evinces that they existed among very rude people.
The objection that the Assyrian chariots are not represented in the monuments as armed with scythes is an oversight, since these spoken of by Nahum may have been Median, certainly were not Assyrian. "In the day of His preparation" , when He musters the hosts for the battle; "and the fir-trees shall be terribly shaken;" i. e., fir-spears (the weapon being often named from the wood of which it is made) shall be made to quiver through the force wherewith they shall be hurled.
The chariots shall rage - (Or madden , as the driving of Jehu is said to be "furiously," literally, in madness) "in the streets." The city is not yet taken; so, since this takes place "in the streets and broad ways," they are the confused preparations of the besieged. "They shall justle one against another," shall run rapidly to and fro, restlessly; "their show (English margin) is like torches," leaving streaks of fire, as they pass rapidly along. "They shall run" vehemently, "like the lightnings," swift; but vanishing. |
| Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78] |
After assigning this reason for the divine purpose concerning Asshur, the prophet proceeds in Nah 2:3. to depict the army advancing towards Nineveh, viz., in Nah 2:3 its appearance, and in Nah 2:4 the manner in which it sets itself in motion for battle. Nah 2:3. "The shield of His heroes is made red, the valiant men are clothed in crimson: in the fire of the steel-bosses are the chariots, on the day of His equipment; and the cypresses are swung about. Nah 2:4. The chariots rave in the streets, they run over one another on the roads; their appearance is like the torches, they run about like lightning." The suffix attached to gibbōrēhū (His heroes) might be taken as referring to mēphı̄ts in Nah 2:1 (2); but it is more natural to refer it to Jehovah in Nah 2:2 (3), as having summoned the army against Nineveh (cf. Isa 13:3). The shields are reddened, i.e., not radiant (Ewald), but coloured with red, and that not with the blood of enemies who have been slain (Abarbanel and Grotius), but either with red colour with which they are painted, or what is still more probable, with the copper with which they are overlaid: see Josephus, Ant. xiii. 12, 5 (Hitzig). אנשׁי־חיל are not fighting men generally, i.e., soldiers, but brave men, heroes (cf. Jdg 3:29; Sa1 31:12; Sa2 11:16, equivalent to benē chayil in Sa1 18:17, etc.). מתלּעים, ἁπ. λεγ., a denom. of תּולע, coccus: clothed in coccus or crimson. The fighting dress of the nations of antiquity was frequently blood-red (see Aeliani, Var. hist. vi. 6).
(Note: Valerius observes on this: "They used Poenic tunics in battle, to disguise and hide the blood of their wounds, not lest the sight of it should fill them with alarm, but lest it should inspire the enemy with confidence.")
The ἁπ. λεγ. pelâdōth is certainly not used for lappı̄dı̄m, torches; but in both Arabic and Syriac paldâh signifies steel (see Ges. Lex.). But pelâdōth are not scythes, which would suggest the idea of scythe-chariots (Michaelis, Ewald, and others); for scythe-chariots were first introduced by Cyrus, and were unknown before his time to the Medes, the Syrians, the Arabians, and also to the ancient Egyptians (see at Jos 17:16). Pelâdōth probably denotes the steel covering of the chariots, as the Assyrian war-chariots were adorned according to the monuments with ornaments of metal.
(Note: "The chariots of the Assyrians," says Strauss, "as we see them on the monuments, glare with shining things, made either of iron or steel, battle-axes, bows, arrows, and shields, and all kinds of weapons; the horses are also ornamented with crowns and red fringes, and even the poles of the carriages are made resplendent with shining suns and moons: add to these the soldiers in armour riding in the chariots; and it could not but be the case, that when illumined by the rays of the sun above them, they would have all the appearance of flames as they flew hither and thither with great celerity." Compare also the description of the Assyrian war-chariots given by Layard in his Nineveh and its Remains, vol. ii. p. 348.)
The army of the enemy presents the appearance described בּיום הכינו, in the day of his equipment. הכין, to prepare, used of the equipping of an army for an attack or for battle, as in Jer 46:14; Eze 7:14; Eze 38:7. The suffix refers to Jehovah, like that in גּבּוריהוּ; compare Isa 13:4, where Jehovah raises an army for war with Babylon. Habberōshı̄m, the cypresses, are no doubt lances or javelins made of cypress-wood (Grotius and others), not magnates (Chald., Kimchi, and others), or viri hastati. הרעלוּ, to be swung, or brandished, in the hands of the warriors equipped for battle. The army advances to the assault (Nah 2:4), and presses into the suburbs. The chariots rave (go mad) in the streets. התהולל, to behave one's self foolishly, to rave, used here as in Jer 46:9 for mad driving, or driving with insane rapidity (see Kg2 9:20). השׁתּקשׁק, hithpalel of שׁקק, to run (Joe 2:9); in the intensive form, to run over one another, i.e., to run in such a way that they appear as though they would run over one another. חוּצות and רחבות are roads and open spaces, not outside the city, but inside (cf. Amo 5:16; Psa 144:13-14; Pro 1:20), and, indeed, as we may see from what follows, in the suburbs surrounding the inner city of citadel. Their appearance (viz., that of the chariots as they drive raving about) is like torches. The feminine suffix to מראיהן can only refer to הרכב, notwithstanding the fact that elsewhere רכב is always construed as a masculine, and that it is so here in the first clauses. For the suffix cannot refer to רחבות (Hoelem. and Strauss), because הרכב is the subject in the following clause as well as in the two previous ones. The best way probably is to take it as a neuter, so that it might refer not to the chariots only, but to everything in and upon the chariots. The appearance of the chariots, as they drove about with the speed of lightning, richly ornamented with bright metal (see on Nah 2:3), and occupied by warriors in splendid clothes and dazzling armour, might very well be compared to torches and flashing lightning. רצץ, pilel of רוּץ (not poel of רצץ, Jdg 10:8), cursitare, used of their driving with lightning-speed. |
| Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65] |
| The shield - One part for the whole of the armour, and furniture. Mighty men - Medes or Chaldeans. Red - With the blood of the slain. Torches - Torches were always carried in them. In the day - When he shall muster his armies. Shaken - By axes cutting them down for the war. |
| Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826 |
The shield of his mighty men is made red - These things may refer to the war-like preparations made by the Ninevites: they had red shields, and scarlet or purple clothing; their chariots were finely decorated, and proceeded with amazing rapidity.
The fir trees shall be terribly shaken - This may refer to the darts, arrows, and javelins, flung with destructive power. |
1 He that dasheth in pieces [06327] is come up [05927] before thy face [06440]: keep [05341] the munition [04694], watch [06822] the way [01870], make thy loins [04975] strong [02388], fortify [0553] thy power [03581] mightily [03966].
3 I have commanded [06680] my sanctified ones [06942], I have also called [07121] my mighty ones [01368] for mine anger [0639], even them that rejoice [05947] in my highness [01346].
28 Whose arrows [02671] are sharp [08150], and all their bows [07198] bent [01869], their horses [05483]' hoofs [06541] shall be counted [02803] like flint [06862], and their wheels [01534] like a whirlwind [05492]:
28 And [2532] they stripped [1562] him [846], and put on [4060] him [846] a scarlet [2847] robe [5511].
3 I have commanded [06680] my sanctified ones [06942], I have also called [07121] my mighty ones [01368] for mine anger [0639], even them that rejoice [05947] in my highness [01346].
8 And that year [08141] they vexed [07492] and oppressed [07533] the children [01121] of Israel [03478]: eighteen [08083] [06240] years [08141], all the children [01121] of Israel [03478] that were on the other side [05676] Jordan [03383] in the land [0776] of the Amorites [0567], which is in Gilead [01568].
3 The shield [04043] of his mighty men [01368] is made red [0119], the valiant [02428] men [0582] are in scarlet [08529]: the chariots [07393] shall be with flaming [0784] torches [06393] in the day [03117] of his preparation [03559], and the fir trees [01265] shall be terribly shaken [07477].
20 Wisdom [02454] crieth [07442] without [02351]; she uttereth [05414] her voice [06963] in the streets [07339]:
13 That our garners [04200] may be full [04392], affording [06329] all manner of store [02177] [02177]: that our sheep [06629] may bring forth thousands [0503] and ten thousands [07231] in our streets [02351]:
14 That our oxen [0441] may be strong to labour [05445]; that there be no breaking in [06556], nor going out [03318]; that there be no complaining [06682] in our streets [07339].
16 Therefore the LORD [03068], the God [0430] of hosts [06635], the Lord [0136], saith [0559] thus; Wailing [04553] shall be in all streets [07339]; and they shall say [0559] in all the highways [02351], Alas [01930]! alas [01930]! and they shall call [07121] the husbandman [0406] to mourning [060], and such as are skilful [03045] of lamentation [05092] to wailing [04553].
9 They shall run to and fro [08264] in the city [05892]; they shall run [07323] upon the wall [02346], they shall climb up [05927] upon the houses [01004]; they shall enter in [0935] at the windows [02474] like a thief [01590].
20 And the watchman [06822] told [05046], saying [0559], He came [0935] even unto them, and cometh not again [07725]: and the driving [04491] is like the driving [04491] of Jehu [03058] the son [01121] of Nimshi [05250]; for he driveth [05090] furiously [07697].
9 Come up [05927], ye horses [05483]; and rage [01984], ye chariots [07393]; and let the mighty men [01368] come forth [03318]; the Ethiopians [03568] and the Libyans [06316], that handle [08610] the shield [04043]; and the Lydians [03866], that handle [08610] and bend [01869] the bow [07198].
4 The chariots [07393] shall rage [01984] in the streets [02351], they shall justle one against another [08264] in the broad ways [07339]: they shall seem [04758] like torches [03940], they shall run [07323] like the lightnings [01300].
4 The noise [06963] of a multitude [01995] in the mountains [02022], like as [01823] of a great [07227] people [05971]; a tumultuous [07588] noise [06963] of the kingdoms [04467] of nations [01471] gathered together [0622]: the LORD [03068] of hosts [06635] mustereth [06485] the host [06635] of the battle [04421].
7 Be thou prepared [03559], and prepare [03559] for thyself, thou, and all thy company [06951] that are assembled [06950] unto thee, and be thou a guard [04929] unto them.
14 They have blown [08628] the trumpet [08619], even to make all ready [03559]; but none goeth [01980] to the battle [04421]: for my wrath [02740] is upon all the multitude [01995] thereof.
14 Declare [05046] ye in Egypt [04714], and publish [08085] in Migdol [04024], and publish [08085] in Noph [05297] and in Tahpanhes [08471]: say [0559] ye, Stand fast [03320], and prepare [03559] thee; for the sword [02719] shall devour [0398] round about [05439] thee.
16 And the children [01121] of Joseph [03130] said [0559], The hill [02022] is not enough [04672] for us: and all the Canaanites [03669] that dwell [03427] in the land [0776] of the valley [06010] have chariots [07393] of iron [01270], both they who are of Bethshean [01052] and her towns [01323], and they who are of the valley [06010] of Jezreel [03157].
17 And Saul [07586] said [0559] to David [01732], Behold my elder [01419] daughter [01323] Merab [04764], her will I give [05414] thee to wife [0802]: only be thou valiant [01121] [02428] for me, and fight [03898] the LORD'S [03068] battles [04421]. For Saul [07586] said [0559], Let not mine hand [03027] be upon him, but let the hand [03027] of the Philistines [06430] be upon him.
16 And it came to pass, when Joab [03097] observed [08104] the city [05892], that he assigned [05414] Uriah [0223] unto a place [04725] where he knew [03045] that valiant [02428] men [0582] were.
12 All the valiant [02428] men [0376] [0381] arose [06965], and went [03212] all night [03915], and took [03947] the body [01472] of Saul [07586] and the bodies [01472] of his sons [01121] from the wall [02346] of Bethshan [01052], and came [0935] to Jabesh [03003], and burnt [08313] them there.
29 And they slew [05221] of Moab [04124] at that time [06256] about ten [06235] thousand [0505] men [0376], all lusty [08082], and all men [0376] of valour [02428]; and there escaped [04422] not a man [0376].
3 I have commanded [06680] my sanctified ones [06942], I have also called [07121] my mighty ones [01368] for mine anger [0639], even them that rejoice [05947] in my highness [01346].
2 For the LORD [03068] hath turned away [07725] the excellency [01347] of Jacob [03290], as the excellency [01347] of Israel [03478]: for the emptiers [01238] have emptied them out [01238], and marred [07843] their vine branches [02156].
1 He that dasheth in pieces [06327] is come up [05927] before thy face [06440]: keep [05341] the munition [04694], watch [06822] the way [01870], make thy loins [04975] strong [02388], fortify [0553] thy power [03581] mightily [03966].
4 The chariots [07393] shall rage [01984] in the streets [02351], they shall justle one against another [08264] in the broad ways [07339]: they shall seem [04758] like torches [03940], they shall run [07323] like the lightnings [01300].
3 The shield [04043] of his mighty men [01368] is made red [0119], the valiant [02428] men [0582] are in scarlet [08529]: the chariots [07393] shall be with flaming [0784] torches [06393] in the day [03117] of his preparation [03559], and the fir trees [01265] shall be terribly shaken [07477].
4 The chariots [07393] shall rage [01984] in the streets [02351], they shall justle one against another [08264] in the broad ways [07339]: they shall seem [04758] like torches [03940], they shall run [07323] like the lightnings [01300].
3 The shield [04043] of his mighty men [01368] is made red [0119], the valiant [02428] men [0582] are in scarlet [08529]: the chariots [07393] shall be with flaming [0784] torches [06393] in the day [03117] of his preparation [03559], and the fir trees [01265] shall be terribly shaken [07477].
3 The shield [04043] of his mighty men [01368] is made red [0119], the valiant [02428] men [0582] are in scarlet [08529]: the chariots [07393] shall be with flaming [0784] torches [06393] in the day [03117] of his preparation [03559], and the fir trees [01265] shall be terribly shaken [07477].