נחום, פרק ג׳, פסוק י׳

Military and political might offer no immunity against total destruction. The historical fall of the mighty Egyptian capital, No-Amon, serves as a terrifying warning to the city of Nineveh: just as the great Egyptian empire fell, so too will Nineveh. Despite its vast strength, greatness, and numerous allies, the Egyptian capital could not withstand the conquering army and was forced into exile [רש״י, אבן עזרא, מצודת דוד, שטיינזלץ]. This precedent stands as a clear threat that Nineveh will soon follow the exact same path into captivity [רד״ק, מלבי״ם].

The nature of this exile was absolute. While one might assume that an exiled population could still retain some basic freedom to move around in a new land, this was not the case. The banishment was accompanied by complete subjugation and the total loss of personal liberty [מלבי״ם]. Other perspectives view the dual mention of exile and captivity simply as a way to emphasize the sheer severity of the tragedy [רד״ק].

The fate of the city's inhabitants was exceptionally cruel, beginning with the youngest. Because the invading army had no practical use for local children, they were shown no mercy. Soldiers slaughtered the young children in the city streets, sometimes almost as a form of cruel amusement [שטיינזלץ]. The violence inflicted upon them was so severe that they were beaten and torn apart until they were no longer recognizable as human [מצודת ציון, מלבי״ם].

This brutality extended all the way to the top of society. The conquering soldiers cast lots over the city's elite and honored men, using a game of chance to decide how to divide them up and who would claim each noble as a slave [מצודת דוד, מלבי״ם, שטיינזלץ]. The great leaders of the city were bound in heavy iron chains. This binding is understood either as a way to emphasize the harsh reality of their imprisonment [רד״ק, מצודת ציון] or as a literal description of double, reinforced chains ensuring no escape [מלבי״ם]. Stripped of their former glory, these leaders were shackled so they could be sold into slavery, held for ransom to extort money, or ultimately executed [שטיינזלץ].