Nahum 3:18

Nahum addressed the king of Assyria who would rule after Nineveh’s downfall (in 612 B.C.). This turned out to be Ashur-uballit who tried for three years to hold the empire together from the city of Haran. The prophet told the king that Assyria’s shepherds (leaders) and nobles were not providing leadership for their people. They were lying down on the job, asleep at the switch (cf. Isaiah 5:26-27). The ordinary citizens were scattered all over rather than being under the direction of the leaders, like sheep without shepherds. No one was available to re-gather them into the imperial fold.