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The Prophet Nahum

⭑ Catholic Public Domain Version 2009 ⭑

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- Chapter 2 -

1
He ascends, who would scatter before your eyes, who would maintain the blockade. Contemplate the way, fortify your back, reinforce virtue greatly.
2
For the Lord has repaid the arrogance of Jacob, just like the arrogance of Israel. For the despoilers have scattered them, and they have corrupted their procreation.(a)
3
The shield of his strong ones is fire, the men of war are in scarlet. The reins of the chariot are fiery in the day of his preparation, and the drivers have been drugged.(b) (c) (d)
4
They have become confused on their journey. The four-horse chariots have collided in the streets. Their appearance is like torches, like lightning dashing around.
5
He will call to mind his strong ones; they will destroy along their journey. They will quickly ascend its walls, and a shelter will be prepared.(e)
6
The gates of the rivers have been opened, and the temple has been pulled down to the ground.
7
And the foot soldier has been led away captive, and her handmaids were driven away, mourning like doves, murmuring in their hearts.
8
And Nineveh, her waters are like a fish pond. Yet truly, they have fled away: “Stand, stand!” But there is no one who will turn back.(f)
9
Despoil the silver, despoil the gold. And there is no end to all the riches of desirable equipment.
10
She has been scattered, and cut, and torn apart. And the heart melts, and the knees buckle, and weakness is in every temperament. And the faces of them all are like a black kettle.(g)
11
Where is the dwelling place of the lions, and the feeding ground of the young lions, to which the lion went, so as to open a way for the young lion, and so that there would be none to make them afraid?
12
The lion seized enough for his young, and killed enough for his lionesses, and he filled his caves with prey, and his den with spoils.
13
Behold, I will come to you, says the Lord of hosts, and I will burn your chariots even to smoke, and the sword will devour your young lions. And I will exterminate your prey from the land, and the voice of your messengers shall no longer be heard.

Footnotes

(a)2:2 has rendered the pride of Jacob, etc:He has punished Jacob for his pride; and therefore Ninive must not expect to escape. Or else, rendering the pride of Jacob means rewarding, that is, punishing Ninive for the pride they exercised against Jacob.(Challoner)
(b)2:3 The ‘agitatores’ (drivers) ‘consopiti sunt’ (have been drugged). The verb ‘sopio’ refers, not merely falling asleep at the end of every day, but to something that causes sleep unnaturally, such as a soporific or a blow to the head. The prefix ‘con’ intensifies the meaning of this verb, so that it is clear that the drivers are not merely sleepy, but they have been drugged.(Conte)
(c)2:3 Of his mighty men, etc:He speaks of the Chaldeans and Medes sent to destroy Ninive.(Challoner)
(d)2:3 Stupefied:consopiti. That is, they drive on furiously like men intoxicated with wine.(Challoner)
(e)2:5 Stumble in their march:By running hastily on.(Challoner)
(f)2:8 The city becomes, in war, like shooting fish in a barrel. Yet the soldiers flee. “State, state!” The cry is heard: “Stand your ground, stand your ground!” But no one turns back.(Conte)
(g)2:10 The expression ‘defectio in cunctis renibus’ literally means that there is a weakness or failure in everyone’s kidneys. The kidneys in ancient texts represent not so much the actual internal organ, but the idea of temperament, composure, patience, or the lack of these things, so the text has a general meaning of loss of composure.(Conte)
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