Naum 3
Bob Utley · You Can Understand the Bible
Naum 3
NJB (MT versing) Nineveh's Complete Ruin The Woe of Nineveh The Sack of Nineveh (1:15-3:19) The Fall of Nineveh (2:1-3:19) Sentence Passed on Nineveh the Harlot 3:1-7 (1-7) 3:1-4 (1-4) 3:1-7 (1-7) 3:1-4 (1-4) 3:1-4 (1-4) 3:5-7 (5-7) 3:5-7 (5-7) 3:5-7 (5-7) The Lesson of Thebes 3:8-15c (8-15c) 3:8-11 (8-11) 3:8-9 (8-9) 3:8-10 3:8-10 (8-10) 3:10-13 (10-13) 3:11-15c 3:11 (11) Nineveh's Preparations Useless 3:12-13 (12-13) 3:12-15b (12-15b) The Locusts Fly Away 3:14-15c (14-15c) 3:14-15c (14-15c) 3:15c-17a (15c-17a) 3:15d-19 (15d-19) 3:15d-17 (15d-17) 3:15d-17 (15d-17) 3:15d-17 A Funeral Lament 3:17b-19 (17b-19) 3:18-19 (18-19) 3:18-19 (18-19) 3:18-19 Etc.
Naum 3:1-7
3:1 "Woe to the bloody city" Assyria was known for its cruelty. From Assyrian documents we know that they impaled alive, skinned to death, dragged to death, put hooks in the mouths of exiles, and physically blinded her captives. Quite often she cut off the hands and heads of military men who opposed her. In Ezekiel Jerusalem is called "the bloody city" (cf. Ezek. 22:2; 24:6). The imagery denotes a society out of control where the powerful dominate the powerless. "Woe" is the Hebrew INTERJECTION "Ah" (BDB 222), which often introduces laments (i.e., Isa. 1:4,24; 5:8,11,18,20,21,22; Jer. 22:13,18; 23:1; 48:1; 50:27, but only here in Nahum). ▣ "completely full of lies and pillage" See Nahum 2:9. ▣ "Her prey never departs" Assyria was always looking for more people to conquer. She was never satisfied! In the end this over-extension is what brought the empire down in such a short period of time. 3:2-3 It is uncertain if these verses exclusively refer to the defenders of Nineveh, the invaders, or both in different lines of poetry (cf. Nah. 2:3-7). The poetic lines are short with a rhythmic beat which graphically and vividly portray the siege of Nineveh. 3:2 "chariots" See SPECIAL TOPIC: CHARIOTS. 3:3 "countless dead bodies" The footnote of the NASB Study Bible, p. 1312, is helpful. "The Assyrian king, Shalmaneser III, boasted of erecting a pyramid of chopped-off heads in front of an enemy's city. Other Assyrian kings stacked corpses like cord wood by the gates of defeated cities." What they did to others has now come home to them (i.e., Nah. 3:10c). 3:4 "All because of the many harlotries of the harlot" Some scholars say that this refers to political alliances (figurative language), but in context, it may refer to the worship of the love goddess, Ishtar, cf. Nah. 2:7 (i.e., literal usage) ▣ "the charming one, the mistress of sorceries" Jonah had preached the truth to Nineveh and she repented, but now she had turned back to her superstition and idols. From the Assyrian documents it is obvious how superstitious these people really were. 3:5-7 Nahum lists the judgment ("I am against you") God will send against proud, cruel, idolatrous Assyria. lift up your skirts over your face, Nah. 3:5 throw filth on you and make you vile, Ezek. 24:13 a spectacle, Jer. 13:22,26; Lam. 1:9 all who see you will shrink from you with no compassion 3:5 "I am against you" This is a repeat of Nah. 2:13. This phrase has ominous connotations. The One, true God has become your enemy! Judah ‒ Jer. 21:13 Babylon ‒ Jer. 50:31 Tyre ‒ Ezek. 26:3 Assyria ‒ here SPECIAL TOPIC: MONOTHEISM ▣ "Lord of hosts" See SPECIAL TOPIC: Lord OF HOSTS. ▣ "I will lift up your skirts over your face" This is a sign of shame for prostitutes and those caught in adultery (cf. Nah. 2:7; Jer. 13:26; Ezek. 16:37; Hos. 2:3,10). SPECIAL TOPIC: SHAME 3:6 "I will throw filth on you" This term "filth" (BDB 1055) is connected to idolatry in several passages, cf. Jer. 4:1; 7:30; 13:27; 16:18; Ezek. 5:11; 7:20; 11:18,21; 20:7,8,30; 37:23. 3:7d-e These are rhetorical questions expecting "no" answers. The second question may reflect an Assyrian "curse" formula. ▣ "grieve" This is literally "shake the head" (BDB 626, KB 678, Qal IMPERFECT). Here, it is a physical gesture of lament (cf. Ps. 64:8; Isa. 51:19; Jer. 15:5; 16:5; 18:16; 22:10; 48:17). ▣ "comfort" This VERBAL (BDB 636, KB 688, Piel PARTICIPLE) apparently comes from an Arabic root for the panting of a horse. This panting and shaking of the head can be both positive (as here, cf. Job 2:11; Isa. 51:19; Jer. 15:5) or negative (cf. Lam. 1:2,9,16,17,21). ▣ "for you" The LXX has "for her." This fits the parallelism better but it requires an emendation. MT ‒ לך, "for you" LXX ‒ לה, "for her"
Naum 3:8-15
3:8 "Are you better than No-amon" This refers to the capital of southern Egypt, Thebes (cf. Jer. 46:25). This city was also well fortified and utilized natural river defenses. However, it fell to Ashurbanipal in 633 B.C. and was totally razed. Nineveh, who also trusted in her powerful army and natural water defenses, would be destroyed like Thebes. This event has been very helpful in dating the book. Most commentators date Nahum between the fall of Thebes, 633 B.C., and the fall of Nineveh, 612 B.C. A good possible date would be around 627 B.C., when Ashurbanipal, the last effective king, died and the empire began to fall apart. ▣ "the sea. . .the sea" The word "sea" (BDB 410) can refer to rivers. Nile ‒ Isa. 18:1-2; 19:5; 27:1; Ezek. 32:2 Euphrates ‒ Isa. 21:1; Jer. 51:36 3:9 Thebes (No-amon) had powerful and numerous allies but they could not stop the fall. Ethiopia (Cush) all of Egypt Put (founder of Libya) Lubim (i.e., Libya) 3:10 "Also her small children were dashed to pieces at the head of every street" Babies were often killed because: they could not travel easily into captivity it cut off the future generations from these captured people it demoralized the people causing less resistance (cf. 2 Kgs. 8:12; Ps. 137:9; Isa. 13:16,18; Hos. 10:14; 13:16) ▣ "They cast lots for her honorable men" This refers to a method of gambling for slaves deciding which victorious leader got which defeated nobles as their slaves For a similar occasion of casting lots for prisoners, see Joel 2:3; Obad. 11. What Assyria did to Thebes will now happen to Nineveh. exiled children killed sold into slavery led away in chains 3:11 These are actions of fear at the fall of Nineveh. drunkenness attempt to hide attempt to flee Several scholars suggest that #2 should be "you will hire yourself out," which involves the repointing of שׂ to שׁ. The term "refuge" is used twice in Nahum. God's people found refuge in Him, Nah. 1:7 Nineveh's people found no refuge 3:12 Powerful imagery of defeat! The NET Bible, p. 1646, #11, 16, mentions that Sennacharib had planted fig trees along all the main roads of Nineveh. This may be eyewitness sarcasm! 3:13 "your people are women in your midst" This is ANE imagery of the fear and weakness of Nineveh's defenders. For similar imagery see Isa. 13:7-8; 19:16; Jer. 51:30. The term "people" (BDB 766 I) can refer to soldiers (cf. Num. 20:20; 21:23). ▣ "The gates of your land are opened wide to your enemies" The VERB here is intensified by the use of an INFINITIVE ABSOLUTE and PERFECT TENSE VERB of the same root (BDB 834, KB 986). In Nah. 2:6 the wall of Nineveh's citadel was opened by the force of the dammed river water. Now the same imagery is used for the whole empire of Assyria. Here, probably the initial homeland. 3:14 This is a series of five sarcastic IMPERATIVES about the futility of Nineveh's defenses and defenders (cf. Nah. 2:1). draw for yourself water for the siege ‒ BDB 980, KB 1367, Qal IMPERATIVE strengthen your fortifications ‒ BDB 304, KB 302, Piel IMPERATIVE go into the clay (i.e., to strengthen defensive fortifications) ‒ BDB 97, KB 112, Qal IMPERATIVE tread the mortar (related to #3) ‒ BDB 942, KB 1245, Qal IMPERATIVE take hold of the brick mold (related to #3 and #4) ‒ BDB 304, KB 302, Hiphil IMPERATIVE 3:15 "There fire will consume you" Archaeology has confirmed that Nineveh was destroyed by fire. Also, ancient tradition asserts that the last king burned himself and all of his family in the royal palace. Therefore, he committed suicide just before the fall of the city. This city was so destroyed that it was never rebuilt. Xenophon, in abut 400 B.C., visited the site and could not even tell a city had been there! SPECIAL TOPIC: FIRE
Naum 3:15-19
3:15d-19 "Multiply yourself like the creeping locust" This seems to emphasize the fact that military power will not prevail, while Nah. 3:16 emphasizes that governmental administration will not help. Nahum 3:18 states that all of the leaders are dead. Both Nah. 3:15c and 15d are Hithpael IMPERATIVES (BDB 457, KB 455). The imagery of locusts is reminiscent of Joel. Notice the different people involved in Assyria's downfall. traders, Nah. 3:16 ‒ BDB 940 princes, Nah. 3:16 ‒ BDB 634 (only here) marshals (or scribes), Nah. 3:17 ‒ BDB 381 (military connotation, cf. Jer. 51:27) shepherds, Nah. 3:18 ‒ BDB 944 I majestic ones (NASB, "Nobles"), Nah. 3:18 ‒ BDB 12, cf. Nah. 2:5; Jer. 14:3; 25:34-36; 30:21 your people, Nah. 3:18 ‒ BDB 766 I All aspects of society collapsed. 3:17c "like hordes of grasshoppers settling in the stone walls on a cold day" Grasshoppers are immobile in cold weather and this was a striking metaphor for Nahum's purposes. 3:18 "sleeping" "Sleeping" is an ANE idiom for death (i.e., Deut. 31:16; 2 Sam. 7:12; 1 Kgs. 2:16; Jer. 51:39,57; Dan. 12:2). ▣ "scattered" The MT VERB (BDB 807 II, KB 921, Niphal PERFECT) is found only here. Many scholars suggest a change to another Hebrew root, BDB 658 or 659, "scatter." 3:19 "There is no relief for your breakdown" The term "relief" (BDB 462) occurs only here. BDB suggests that it be changed to "healing" (BDB 155). כהה, "relief" גהה, "healing" (LXX, JPSOA, cf. Pr. 17:22) ▣ "clap their hands over you" This was a gesture of joy over cruel Nineveh's fall. literal ‒ 2 Kgs. 11:12; Ps. 47:1; Ezek. 25:6 figurative ‒ Ps. 98:9; Isa. 55:12 negative connotation ‒ Job 27:23; Lam. 2:15