Nahum 3:10

10 But Thebes was captured anyway. Its people were taken away as prisoners. Its babies were smashed to pieces at every street corner. The Assyrian soldiers cast lots for all of its great leaders. They put them in chains and made slaves out of them.

Nahum 3:10 Meaning and Commentary

Nahum 3:10

Yet [was] she carried away, she went into captivity
Not by Nebuchadnezzar; though this city was afterwards taken, and its inhabitants carried captive, by that monarch, as was foretold, ( Jeremiah 46:25 ) but the prophet here does not predict an event to be accomplished, and instance in that, and argue from it, which could have no effect on Nineveh and its inhabitants, or be an example or terror to them; but refers to what had been done, a recent fact, and which they were well acquainted with. Aben Ezra says, this city No was a city of the land of Egypt, which the king of the Chaldeans took as he went to Nineveh; but when, and by whom it was taken, is nowhere said. According to Bishop Usher ^F19 and Dean Prideaux ^F20, the destruction of the city of Thebes was by Sennacherib, in his expedition against Egypt, which he harassed for three years together, from one end to the other; at which time Sevechus, the son of Sabacon, or So, the Ethiopian, was king of Egypt; and Egypt and Ethiopia were as one country, and helped each other; but could not secure this city from falling into the hands of Sennacherib, about three years before he besieged Jerusalem; and so, according to Mr. Whiston ^F21, it was destroyed three years before the army of Sennacherib was destroyed at Jerusalem: her young children also were dashed in pieces at the top of all the
streets:
against the walls of the houses, or upon the stones and pavements of the streets; which cruelties were often used by conquerors upon innocent babes at the sacking of cities, ( Psalms 137:9 ) ( Isaiah 13:16 ) : and they cast lots for her honourable men;
the soldiers did, who should have them, and sell them for slaves; which was done without any regard to their birth and breeding, ( Joel 3:3 ) : and all her great men were bound in chains;
as nobles may be meant by "honourable men", by "great men" may be designed the gentry, merchants, and others; these were taken, and bound in iron chains, handcuffed, and pinioned, and so led captive into a foreign land; and Nineveh might expect the same treatment.

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FOOTNOTES:

F19 Annales Vet. Test. A. M. 3292.
F20 Connexion, par. 1. B. 1. p. 22, 23.
F21 Chronological Tables, cent. 8.

Nahum 3:10 In-Context

8 Nineveh, are you better than Thebes on the Nile River? There was water all around that city. The river helped to keep it safe. The waters were like a wall around it.

9 Cush and Egypt gave it all of the strength it needed. Put and Libya also helped it.

10 But Thebes was captured anyway. Its people were taken away as prisoners. Its babies were smashed to pieces at every street corner. The Assyrian soldiers cast lots for all of its great leaders. They put them in chains and made slaves out of them.

11 People of Nineveh, you too will get drunk. You will try to hide from your enemies. You will look for a place of safety.

12 All of your forts are like fig trees that have their first ripe fruit on them. When the trees are shaken, the figs fall into the mouths of those who eat them.