Nahum 2:3

Mighty men. Probably a reference to the besiegers of Nineveh.

Red. Possibly the shields were so colored, or their bronze or copper covering appeared red. It may be that the meaning is that the shields would become “red” with the blood of the slain.

Torches. I \cb. peladoth. a word occurring in the OT only here, and of uncertain meaning. Some, from a comparison with the Arabic and the Persian, suggest the meaning “steel,” allowing the phrase to be translated “with fire of steel.” However, the derivation is doubtful. By a change in the Hebrew tire RSV reads, “The chariots flash like flame.” The translation “torches” is obtained by a transposition of the first two consonants of peladoth. The conquering foe would not seek to take the city by stealth. The prophet graphically pictures a scene of flashing brilliance. The reference could be to the chariot ornaments, the weapons of the soldiers, the trappings of the horses, all of which would glitter in the sun and give the appearance of flashes of fire.

His preparation. The reference is probably to God, who is represented as gathering the host for battle (see Isa. 13:4; see on Isa. 13:6). Some think the reference is to the commander of the enemy forces.

Fir trees. Heb. beroshim, identified as the Phoenician juniper, similar to the cypress tree. A change of one letter in the consonantal Hebrew (see Vol. I, pp. 25, 26) gives the reading “riding horses,” “steeds,” “chargers” (RSV). This change is supported by the LXX, which here reads, “The horses shall be thrown into confusion.” The Heb. ra‘al, “terribly shaken,” may be rendered “tremble.” The RSV translates the clause, “the chargers prance.”