Nahum 2:7

Footnotes

1. 41 The term “Nineveh” is not in the Hebrew text, but is supplied from context.
2. 42 The reads the Pual perfect 3rd person feminine singular גֻּלְּתָה (gullétah) from גָלָה (galah, “to uncover, to go into exile”; 162–63 גָלָה; גלה). There are two basic views of the meaning of גֻּלְּתָה in this verse: (1) “She is stripped” (see R. L. Smith, Micah-Malachi [], ). This may describe the exposure of the foundation of a building (Ezek 13:14) or the uncovering of intimate parts of the body (Exod 20:26; Isa 47:3; Ezek 16:36, 57; 23:29;). This is reflected in the reading ἀπεκαλύφθη (apekaluphthē, “she has been exposed”). This approach is followed by (“she is stripped”). (2) “She is taken into exile” (, , , ). The Qal stem of גָלָה often means “to go into exile” (Judg 18:30; 2 Kgs 24:14; Isa 5:13; 49:21; Jer 1:3; Ezek 39:23; Amos 1:5; 5:5; 6:7; Lam 1:3); the Hiphil often means “to deport exiles” (2 Kgs 15:20; 16:9; 17:6, 11, 26, 28, 33; 18:11; 24:14–15; 25:11; Jer 20:4; 22:12; 24:1; 27:20; 29:1, 4, 7, 14; 39:9; 43:3; 52:15, 28, 30; Ezek 39:28; Amos 1:6; 5:27; Lam 4:22; Esth 2:6; Ezra 2:1; Neh 7:6; 1 Chr 5:6, 26, 41; 8:6; 2 Chr 36:20); and the Hophal stem always means “to be deported; to be taken into exile” (Jer 40:1, 7; Esth 2:6; 1 Chr 9:1). This makes the best sense in the light of the parallel verb הֹעֲלָתָה (ho’alatah, “she is led away”) in v. 7 [8 ] and the description of the fleeing Ninevites in v. 8 [9 ]. The editors and suggest that consonantal גלתה be vocalized as Qal perfect 3rd person feminine singular גָּלְתָה (goltah, “she goes into exile”) from גָלָה (Qal: “go into exile”). R. D. Patterson suggests vocalizing consonantal גלתה as the noun with 3rd person feminine singular suffix גָּלְתָהּ for גּוֹלְתָהּ (goltah, “her exiles/captives”) and taking the singular form as collective in meaning: “her exiles/captives are carried away” (Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah [], 70). W. H. F. Saggs suggests that גֻלְּתָה is the noun גֻּלָּה (gullah, “column-base”) as in 1 Kgs 7:41–42; 2 Chr 4:12–13 ( 165 גֻּלָּה 2.b; גֻּלָּה 1.b) which is related to Assyrian gullatu (“column-base”; 5:128). He renders the phrase וְהֻצַּב גֻּלְּתָה (véhutsav gullétah) as “its column-base[s] is/are dissolved” (see above). He suggests that this provides an excellent parallel to “the palace begins to melt” (וְהַהֵיכָל נָמוֹג, véhahekhal namog). W. H. F. Saggs also proposes that the reflects this picture (“Nahum and the Fall of Nineveh,” 20 [1969]: 220–25).
3. 43 Or “And its column-bases collapse and it goes up [in smoke].” The reads the Hophal perfect 3rd person feminine singular הֹעֲלָתָה (ho’alatah, “she is carried away”) from עָלָה (’alah, “to go up”). The Hiphil stem of עָלָה often describes a military commander leading a group of forced workers out of a town (1 Kgs 5:13 [ 5:27]; 9:15, 21; 2 Chr 8:8); likewise, the Hophal stem may denote “to be led away into exile” ( ; 748 עָלָה).
4. 44 The reads the Piel participle מְנַהֲגוֹת (ménahagot, “sobbing, moaning”) from II נָהַג (“to moan, to lament”; ; 624 II נָהַג). This root is related to Assyrian nagagu (“to cry”; 2:709.b). This harmonizes well with the following cola: “Her maidservants moan like doves, they beat upon their breasts.” This is adopted by several English versions (, , ). On the other hand, an alternate vocalization tradition (represented by several Hebrew , Jonathan, , and ) reads the Pual participle מְנֹהֲגוֹת (ménohagot, “forcibly removed”) from the more common root I נַהַג (“to drive away, to lead away”; נהג). This root is often used of conquerors leading away exiles or prisoners of war (Gen 31:26; Deut 4:27; 28:37; Isa 20:4; Lam 3:2). This picture is clearly seen in the reading καὶ αἱ δοῦλαι αὐτῆς ἤγοντο (kai hai doulai autēs ējgonto, “and her maidservants were led away”). This textual tradition harmonizes with the imagery of exile in the preceding colon (see translator’s note on the word “exile” in this verse). This approach is adopted by several English versions (, ). Or “her maidservants are led away [into exile].”
5. 45 Heb “like the sound of doves.”
6. 46 The Poel participle מְתֹפְפֹת (métoféfot, “beating continuously”) is from תָפַף (“to beat”; תֹּף; 1074 תָּפַף). Elsewhere it is used of beating timbrels (Ps 68:26; 1 Sam 21:14). The participle describes a circumstance accompanying the main action (“her maidservants moan”) and functions in a continual, repetitive manner (see §37.6; R. J. Williams, Hebrew Syntax, 43, §221).
7. 47 The reads מְתֹפְפֹת עַל־לִבְבֵהֶן (métoféfot ’al-livvehen, “beating upon their hearts [= breasts]”). The reading φθεγγόμεναι ἐν καρδίαις αὐτῶν (phthengomenai en kardiais autōn, “moaning in their hearts”) reflects either an alternate textual tradition or simple textual confusion. The Greek participle φθεγγόμεναι seems to reflect either: (1) the Qal participle הֹגוֹת (hogot) from הָגָה (hagah, “to moan”) as reflected in Jonathan and or (2) the Poel participle מְנֹהֲגוֹת (ménohagot, “moaning”) from II נָהַג (“to moan”) which appears in the previous line, pointing to a transposition of words between the two lines. Heb “upon their heart.” The term “their heart” (לִבְבֵהֶן, livvehen) is a figure of speech (synecdoche of the inner organ for the outer body part) representing their breasts/chests (e.g., Dan 4:16 [13]; see לֵבָב; 523 לֵבָב II.1). The singular noun is used collectively for all the maidservants as a whole, as the plural suffix indicates (see §7.2.1; R. J. Williams, Hebrew Syntax, 7, §2).