Nahum 2:13 (KJV)

Passage

Behold, I am against thee, saith the LORD of hosts, and I will burn her chariots in the smoke, and the sword shall devour thy young lions: and I will cut off thy prey from the earth, and the voice of thy messengers shall no more be heard.

Nearby Context

Nahum 2:11 Where is the dwelling of the lions, and the feedingplace of the young lions, where the lion, even the old lion, walked, and the lion’s whelp, and none made them afraid?

Nahum 2:12 The lion did tear in pieces enough for his whelps, and strangled for his lionesses, and filled his holes with prey, and his dens with ravin.

Nahum 2:13 Behold, I am against thee, saith the LORD of hosts, and I will burn her chariots in the smoke, and the sword shall devour thy young lions: and I will cut off thy prey from the earth, and the voice of thy messengers shall no more be heard.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "behold", "against", "thee", "saith", "lord", "hosts", "burn", and "chariots". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "behold" and "against", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The prior verse says "The lion did tear in pieces enough...", giving immediate footing for "behold" and "against". In Nahum context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "behold" and "against" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.