The Meaning of Nahum 3:13 Explained

Nahum 3:13

KJV: Behold, thy people in the midst of thee are women: the gates of thy land shall be set wide open unto thine enemies: the fire shall devour thy bars.

YLT: Lo, thy people are women in thy midst, To thine enemies thoroughly opened Have been the gates of thy land, Consumed hath fire thy bars.

Darby: Behold, thy people in the midst of thee are as women: the gates of thy land are set wide open unto thine enemies; the fire devoureth thy bars.

ASV: Behold, thy people in the midst of thee are women; the gates of thy land are set wide open unto thine enemies: the fire hath devoured thy bars.

Discover Nahum 3:13

CONTEXT: What is the Context of Nahum 3:13?

MEANING: What does Nahum 3:13 Mean?

WORDS: What do the individual words in Nahum 3:13 mean?

RELATIONS: What do the major concepts mean in Nahum 3:13?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Behold, thy people  in the midst  of thee [are] women:  the gates  of thy land  shall be set wide  open  unto thine enemies:  the fire  shall devour  thy bars. 

What does Nahum 3:13 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The Ninevites would prove to be as defenseless, vulnerable, and fearful as women, in contrast to lion-like soldiers (cf. Isaiah 19:16; Jeremiah 50:37; Jeremiah 51:30). Their gates would be so weak that they could have been left open rather than bolted shut because fire would consume them (cf. Isaiah 10:16-17).

Context Summary

Nahum 3:1-19 - Deserved Doom
This terrible chapter pictures the doom of Nineveh. She had used infamous methods in bringing surrounding nations under her power, and now her shame was to be discovered and exposed. It seemed incredible that so great a city should become desolate, but she is reminded of the populous Thebes especially dedicated to Ammon, the Egyptian Jupiter. As this great city had been overwhelmed by Assyria, so would Nineveh be by the Chaldeans. In spite of her Nile and her tributary nations, Thebes fell, and Nineveh would drink of the same cup. Her fall would be as easy as the plucking of ripe figs. The centuries that have passed since the prophet spoke only lend emphasis to his words. The silence of death still reigns over the desolate mounds that mark the site of the cherished capital. In Revelation 19:1-10 the saints and martyrs celebrate the fall of Babylon the Great. Let us see to it that we are heirs of that Kingdom which cannot be shaken, Hebrews 12:28 [source]

Chapter Summary: Nahum 3

1  The destruction of Nineveh

What do the individual words in Nahum 3:13 mean?

Surely your people [are] women in your midst for your enemies wide are open the gates of your land shall devour Fire the bars of your [gates]
הִנֵּ֨ה עַמֵּ֤ךְ נָשִׁים֙ בְּקִרְבֵּ֔ךְ לְאֹ֣יְבַ֔יִךְ פָּת֥וֹחַ נִפְתְּח֖וּ שַׁעֲרֵ֣י אַרְצֵ֑ךְ אָכְלָ֥ה אֵ֖שׁ בְּרִיחָֽיִך‪‬

הִנֵּ֨ה  Surely 
Parse: Interjection
Root: הִנֵּה  
Sense: behold, lo, see, if.
עַמֵּ֤ךְ  your  people 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, second person feminine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
נָשִׁים֙  [are]  women 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural
Root: אִשָּׁה  
Sense: woman, wife, female.
בְּקִרְבֵּ֔ךְ  in  your  midst 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct, second person feminine singular
Root: קֶרֶב  
Sense: midst, among, inner part, middle.
לְאֹ֣יְבַ֔יִךְ  for  your  enemies 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural construct, second person feminine singular
Root: אֹיֵב  
Sense: (Qal) enemy.
פָּת֥וֹחַ  wide 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Infinitive absolute
Root: פָּתַח 
Sense: to open.
נִפְתְּח֖וּ  are  open 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: פָּתַח 
Sense: to open.
שַׁעֲרֵ֣י  the  gates 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: שַׁעַר  
Sense: gate.
אַרְצֵ֑ךְ  of  your  land 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, second person feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
אָכְלָ֥ה  shall  devour 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person feminine singular
Root: אָכַל  
Sense: to eat, devour, burn up, feed.
אֵ֖שׁ  Fire 
Parse: Noun, common singular
Root: אֵשׁ  
Sense: fire.
בְּרִיחָֽיִך‪‬  the  bars  of  your  [gates] 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, second person feminine singular
Root: בְּרִיחַ  
Sense: bar.

What are the major concepts related to Nahum 3:13?

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Similar Scriptures for Nahum 3:13

Jeremiah 51:30 [6]
Isaiah 19:16 [5]
Nahum 2:6 [4]
Jeremiah 50:37 [4]
Isaiah 45:1-2 [3]
Psalms 147:13 [2]
Psalms 107:16 [2]