Verse 15
However if the Ninevites did strengthen their defenses, fire would consume them where they went to draw water and the sword would cut them down as they built. The walls of Nineveh would become the walls of her tomb rather than her defense.
"There was no question about the clear traces of the burning of the temple (as also in the palace of Sennacherib), for a layer of ash about two inches thick lay clearly defined in places on the southeast side about the level of the Sargon pavement." [Note: R. Campbell Thompson and R. W. Hutchinson, A Century of Exploration at Nineveh, p. 77.]
The city’s destruction would be like a locust invasion. A hoard of invading soldiers would descend on Nineveh and leave nothing remaining (cf. Joel 1:2-13). Nahum ironically encouraged the Ninevites to multiply their numbers like locusts since they would have to face a swarm of invading locust-like soldiers. [Note: Longman, "Nahum," p. 825.] Another interpretation is that Nahum was addressing the invading soldiers and encouraging them to increase their number so they would be successful. This seems less likely to me since the references to "yourself" are to the people of Nineveh in the context, and an ironical word to them makes sense.
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