Chapter 2

Starts with this:

1 The scatterer has come up against you. Man the ramparts; watch the road; dress for battle; collect all your strength. [Nah 2:1 ESV]

vss 2-9 seem to be a description of the chaos in Ninevah as the Babylonians enter it in conquest, pillaging, looting, taking anything of value and taking slaves.

2024 - This from Wikipedia:

"In 612 BC, the Babylonians mustered their army again and joined with Median king Cyaxares encamping against Nineveh. They laid siege to the city for three months and, in August, finally broke through the defenses and began plundering and burning the city."  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Nineveh_(612_BC)

So the description of chaos in the city streets seems to be pretty much spot on.

10 Desolate! Desolation and ruin! Hearts melt and knees tremble; anguish is in all loins; all faces grow pale! [Nah 2:10 ESV]

A picturesque description of the fear felt by those conquered.    The language is direct - you can feel the fear.

A short chapter, written almost as if Nahum was inside the city when the Babylonians broke through.  Almost first person language.

2024 - Then the last verse of the chapter:

13 Behold, I am against you, declares the LORD of hosts, and I will burn your chariots in smoke, and the sword shall devour your young lions. I will cut off your prey from the earth, and the voice of your messengers shall no longer be heard. [Nah 2:13 ESV].  Who is this about, conquering or conquered?  Does it refer back to the feet of the messenger in 1:15?

2024 - Was 1:15 about Jonah?  Was he the messenger who'd come and brought peace to the city for a time?  But then what's the last half of the verse about?  Maybe the last half of the verse should be 2:1?  Maybe it is telling Judah they won't have to worry about Assyria anymore.  Hmm....in that case, then the messenger of peace might be the one bringing news of the downfall of Ninevah?  Assyria will never again invade Judah.  Then 2:1 actual begins the POV description of the fall of Ninevah.

The lions and young lions of vs 13 connect us back to the questions in 10-12, showing that vs 13 is about the end of Ninevah, just in simple verse, not prose.