Nahum 3:2-12

2 Cracking whip and rumbling wheel, galloping horse and careening chariot!

3 Charging cavalry, flashing sword, and glittering spear; countless slain, masses of corpses, endless dead bodies—they stumble over their dead bodies!

4 Because of the many whorings of the whore, the lovely graces of the mistress of sorceries, the one who sells nations by means of her whorings and peoples by means of her sorceries:

5 Look! I am against you, proclaims the LORD of heavenly forces. I will lift your skirts over your face; I will show nations your nakedness and kingdoms your dishonor.

6 I will throw disgusting things at you; I will treat you with contempt and make you a spectacle.

7 Then all who look at you will recoil from you and say, "Nineveh has been devastated! Who will lament for her?" Where could I possibly seek comforters for you?

8 Are you better than Thebes, situated by the Nile, waters surrounding her, whose fortress is sea and whose city wall is waters?

9 Cush and Egypt constituted her strength, without limit; Put and the Libyans were her help.

10 Yet even she was destined for exile; she went into captivity. Indeed, her infants were dashed to pieces at the head of every street. They cast lots for her officials; all of her powerful citizens were bound in chains.

11 Yes, even you will become drunk; you will have to hide! Even you will have to seek refuge from the enemy!

12 All your fortifications are fig trees with ripe fruit; when the trees are shaken, the fruit falls into the mouth of the eater.

Nahum 3:2-12 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO NAHUM 3

In this chapter is contained the prophecy of the destruction of Nineveh, and with it the whole Assyrian empire; the causes of which, besides those before mentioned, were the murders, lies, and robberies it was full of, Na 3:1 for which it should be swiftly and cruelly destroyed, Na 3:2,3 as also its whoredoms and witchcrafts, or idolatry, by which nations and families were seduced, Na 3:4 and hence she should be treated as a harlot, her nakedness exposed, and she cast out with contempt, and mocked at by all, Na 3:5-7 and all those things she placed her confidence in are shown to be of no avail; as her situation and fortresses, as she might learn from the case of No Amon, Na 3:8-12 nor the number of her inhabitants, which were weak as women; nor even her merchants, captains, nobles, and king himself, Na 3:13-18 nor the people she was in alliance with, who would now mock at her, her case being irrecoverable and incurable, Na 3:19.

Footnotes

• [a]. Traditionally Ethiopia
• [b]. LXX; MT your