John Gill Commentary Nahum 2:1

"He that dasheth in pieces is come up against thee: keep the fortress, watch the way, make thy loins strong, fortify thy power mightily." — Nahum 2:1 (ASV)

He that dasheth in pieces is come up before your face O Nineveh, or land of Assyria; for this is not to be understood of Sennacherib's coming up against Jerusalem, as Kimchi; but of Nebuchadnezzar against Nineveh, as Aben Ezra; not Nebuchadnezzar the great, who, the Jewish chronologers say ^F3, took Nineveh in the first year of his reign; but his father, Nebuchadnezzar the first, called Nabopolassar, who, with Cyaxares or Ahasuerus the Mede, joined their forces against Nineveh, and took it, see the Apocrypha: ``But before he died he heard of the destruction of Nineve, which was taken by Nabuchodonosor and Assuerus: and before his death he rejoiced over Nineve.'' and these together, the Chaldeans and Medes, are the "dasher in pieces"; or, "the hammer" ^F4, as the word may be rendered; and so Babylon, over which one of these kings reigned, is called the hammer of the whole earth, (Jeremiah 50:23) these came up openly, boldly, to the face of the king of Assyria, attacked him in his metropolis, not fearing his strength and numbers:

keep the munition; this and what follow are spoken ironically to the Assyrian king, and inhabitants of Nineveh, to take care of their towers and garrisons, and fortify them, and fill them with soldiers: and watch the way; in which the enemy came; secure the passes and avenues that lead to their city; stop his march, and prevent his access:

make [your] loins strong; put on armour, gird on the sword, prepare for war: fortify [your] power mightily; increase your army, exert all your strength and courage, and do all that is in your power to do, to oppose the enemy, and defend yourself; and when all is done, it will be in vain.

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FOOTNOTES:

• F3: Seder Olam Rabba, c. 24. p. 69.
• F4: (Uypm) "malleus", Drusius, Tarnovius.