Your maxims ¹  are proverbs of ashes; ²  your defenses ³  are defenses of clay. ⁴ 

They ¹  removed the defenses ²  of Judah. At that time ³  you looked for the weapons in the House of the Forest. ⁴ 

Therefore,” says the sovereign Lord, “an enemy will encircle the land. ¹  He will take away your power; ²  your fortresses will be looted.”

For the music director; according to the shushan-eduth style; ²  a prayer ³  of David written to instruct others. ⁴  It was written when he fought against Aram Naharaim and Aram-Zobah. That was when Joab turned back and struck down ⁵  12,000 Edomites ⁶  in the Valley of Salt. ⁷  O God, you have rejected us. ⁸  You suddenly turned on us in your anger. ⁹  Please restore us!

They do not jostle one another; ¹  each of them marches straight ahead. ²  They burst through ³  the city defenses ⁴  and do not break ranks.

Draw yourselves water for a siege! ¹  Strengthen your fortifications! Trample the mud ²  and tread the clay! Make mud bricks to strengthen your walls! ³ 

May there be peace inside your defenses, and prosperity ¹  inside your fortresses! ² 

Through patience ¹  a ruler can be persuaded, ²  and a soft tongue ³  can break a bone. ⁴ 

So come on, let’s go ahead and attack it by night and destroy all its fortified buildings.’

He flashes ¹  destruction down upon the strong so that destruction overwhelms ²  the fortified places.)

He fortified these cities and placed officers in them, as well as storehouses of food, olive oil, and wine.

The wise person ¹  can scale ²  the city of the mighty and bring down the stronghold ³  in which they trust. ⁴ 

I will destroy the cities of your land, and tear down all your fortresses.

a day of trumpet blasts ¹  and battle cries. ²  Judgment will fall on ³  the fortified cities and the high corner towers.

Consider its defenses! ¹  Walk through ²  its fortresses, so you can tell the next generation about it! ³ 

He broke down ¹  their strongholds ²  and devastated their cities. The land and everything in it was frightened at the sound of his roaring.

A sword will flash in their cities, it will destroy the bars of their city gates, and will devour them in their fortresses.

They rush into ¹  the city; they scale ²  its walls. They climb up into the houses; they go in through the windows like a thief.

(2:2) The watchmen of Nineveh shout: ¹  “An enemy who will scatter you ²  is marching out ³  to attack you!” ⁴  “Guard ⁵  the rampart! ⁶  Watch the road! Prepare yourselves for battle! ⁷  Muster your mighty strength!” ⁸ 

The commander ¹  orders ²  his officers; they stumble ³  as they advance; ⁴  they rush to the city wall ⁵  and they set up ⁶  the covered siege tower. ⁷