Nahum 3:11

11 Expect the same treatment, Nineveh. You'll soon be staggering like a bunch of drunks, Wondering what hit you, looking for a place to sleep it off.

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 Ethiopia stood guard to the south, Egypt to the north. Put and Libya, strong friends, were ready to step in and help.

10 But you know what happened to her: The whole city was marched off to a refugee camp, Her babies smashed to death in public view on the streets, Her prize leaders auctioned off, her celebrities put in chain gangs.

11 Expect the same treatment, Nineveh. You'll soon be staggering like a bunch of drunks, Wondering what hit you, looking for a place to sleep it off.

12 All your forts are like peach trees, the lush peaches ripe, ready for the picking. One shake of the tree and they fall straight into hungry mouths.

13 Face it: Your warriors are wimps. You're sitting ducks. Your borders are gaping doors, inviting your enemies in. And who's to stop them?