Nahum 3:8-19

Nahum 3:8-19

[8] Art thou better  No,  that was situate  among the rivers,  that had the waters  round about  it, whose rampart  was the sea,  and her wall  was from the sea?  [9] Ethiopia  and Egypt  were her strength,  and it was infinite;  Put  and Lubim  were thy helpers.  [10] Yet was she carried away,  she went  into captivity:  her young children  also were dashed in pieces  at the top  of all the streets:  and they cast  lots  for her honourable men,  and all her great men  were bound  in chains.  [11] Thou also shalt be drunken:  thou shalt be hid,  thou also shalt seek  strength  because of the enemy.  [12] All thy strong holds  shall be like fig trees  with the firstripe figs:  if they be shaken,  they shall even fall  into the mouth  of the eater.  [13] Behold, thy people  in the midst  of thee are women:  the gates  of thy land  shall be set wide  unto thine enemies:  the fire  shall devour  thy bars.  [14] Draw  thee waters  for the siege,  fortify  thy strong holds:  go  into clay,  and tread  the morter,  make strong  the brickkiln.  [15] There shall the fire  devour  thee; the sword  shall cut thee off,  it shall eat thee up  like the cankerworm:  make thyself many  as the cankerworm,  make thyself many  as the locusts.  [16] Thou hast multiplied  thy merchants  above the stars  of heaven:  the cankerworm  spoileth,  and flieth away.  [17] Thy crowned  are as the locusts,  and thy captains  as the great grasshoppers,  which camp  in the hedges  in the cold  day,  but when the sun  ariseth  they flee away,  and their place  is not known  where  [18] Thy shepherds  slumber,  O king  of Assyria:  thy nobles  shall dwell  in the dust: thy people  is scattered  upon the mountains,  and no man gathereth  [19] There is no healing  of thy bruise;  thy wound  is grievous:  all that hear  the bruit  of thee shall clap  the hands  over thee: for upon whom hath not thy wickedness  passed  continually? 

What does Nahum 3:8-19 Mean?

Contextual Meaning

This section, evidently another message that Nahum delivered concerning Nineveh"s fall, begins by comparing it to the fall of another great city. Nahum proceeded to use many figures of speech to describe how various segments of Ninevite society would respond to the coming invasion. The literary form of the section is that of a taunt song. [1]