Nahum 3:11

11 You also will behave like a drunkard; You also will hide yourself; You also will seek refuge from [the] enemy.

Nahum 3:11 Meaning and Commentary

Nahum 3:11

Thou also shalt be drunken
This is said to Nineveh, whose turn would be next to drink of the cup of the wrath of God, and be inebriated with it, so that they should not know where they were, or what they did; and be as unable to guide and help themselves as a drunken man. So the Targum,

``thou also shalt be like to a drunken man;''

this was literally true of Nineveh when taken; see ( Nahum 1:10 ) : thou shalt be hid;
or, "thou shall be", as if thou wast not; as Nineveh is at this day, "hid" from the sight of men, not to be seen any more. So the Targum,

``thou shall be swallowed up or destroyed.''

The Septuagint, Vulgate Latin, and Arabic versions, render it "despised"; or the meaning is, she should "hide herself" ^F23; or be lurking about through shame, as drunken, or through fear of her enemies: thou also shall seek strength because of the enemy;
seek to others to help them against the enemy, not being able with their own strength to face them: or, seek strength "of the enemy" ^F24; beg their lives of him, and their bread; pray for quarter, and desire to be taken under his protection; to so low and mean a state and condition should Nineveh and its inhabitants be reduced, who had given laws to all about them, and had been a terror to them.

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FOOTNOTES:

F23 (hmlen) "latitans", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator; "abscondes te", Vatablus; "eris abscondita", Burkius.
F24 (bywam) (ex ecyrwn) , Sept.; "ab hoste", Montanus, Calvin, Drusius, Grotius, Cocceius.

Nahum 3:11 In-Context

9 Cush [was] her strength, Egypt without end; Put and Libya were among {your allies}.

10 Yet she went into captivity as an exile; her children were dashed to pieces at the head of [the] streets; they cast lots for all of her nobles; all of her dignitaries were bound with chains.

11 You also will behave like a drunkard; You also will hide yourself; You also will seek refuge from [the] enemy.

12 All of your fortifications [are like] fig trees with [ripe] firstfruits-- if they are shaken, they will fall into the mouth of the eater.

13 Look! Your troops [are like] women in your midst. The gates of your land are wide open to your enemies; fire will consume the bars [of your gates].