Commentaries and Other Bible Study Helps - Prayer Tents - Prayer Tents

2:3-4 shield . . . red. Either their shields were painted red, or they were permanently stained with the blood of defeated foes from previous military campaigns. His . . . he is a reference to the scatterer mentioned in v. 1. The attacking army was a coalition made up of Medes and Babylonians, and possibly Scythians. Cyaxares (625-585 b.c.) was the leader of the Medes (who played the dominant role in the destruction of Nineveh), and Nabopolassar (626-605) led the Babylonians. The streets and squares are those of the suburbs surrounding Nineveh, the first areas to be overrun by the attacking army. flashing metal . . . gleam like torches. The sunlight reflects off of the metal pieces of the chariots. dart like lightning. This could refer again to the light reflecting, or indicate the swift movement of the chariots.

2:5 The attacking army now reaches the wall of Nineveh proper. He remembers. "He" (see v. 3) may be so eager to be involved in the attack that he almost forgets to delegate parts of the operation to his officers. These officers, eager both to join in the attack themselves and to please their superior(s), so rush into the action that they practically stumble over one another. Or, as they move toward Nineveh's wall, they may stumble over the wreckage in the devastated suburbs. siege tower. This could also be rendered "mantelet" (see ESV footnote), a covering that protects the attacking soldiers from arrows, spears, and other objects thrown down on them by the defenders on the wall.