Nahum 3: The Inevitable Fall of Nineveh
Woe to the bloody city! it is all full of lies and robbery; the prey departeth not;
The noise of a whip, and the noise of the rattling of the wheels, and of the pransing horses, and of the jumping chariots.
The horseman lifteth up both the bright sword and the glittering spear: and there is a multitude of slain, and a great number of carcases; and there is none end of their corpses; they stumble upon their corpses:
Because of the multitude of the whoredoms of the wellfavoured harlot, the mistress of witchcrafts, that selleth nations through her whoredoms, and families through her witchcrafts.
Behold, I am against thee, saith the Lord of hosts; and I will discover thy skirts upon thy face, and I will shew the nations thy nakedness, and the kingdoms thy shame.
And I will cast abominable filth upon thee, and make thee vile, and will set thee as a gazingstock.
And it shall come to pass, that all they that look upon thee shall flee from thee, and say, Nineveh is laid waste: who will bemoan her? whence shall I seek comforters for thee?
Art thou better than populous 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?
Ethiopia and Egypt were her strength, and it was infinite; Put and Lubim were thy helpers.
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.
Thou also shalt be drunken: thou shalt be hid, thou also shalt seek strength because of the enemy.
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.
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.
Draw thee waters for the siege, fortify thy strong holds: go into clay, and tread the morter, make strong the brickkiln.
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.
Thou hast multiplied thy merchants above the stars of heaven: the cankerworm spoileth, and flieth away.
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 they are.
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 them.
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?
Nahum 3 meticulously details the appalling wickedness of Nineveh, painting a vivid picture of its impending doom. This chapter serves as a stark reminder that injustice and cruelty, however powerful they may seem, ultimately face divine retribution. It also provides insight into God's character as one who opposes wickedness and champions justice.
The Bloody City (Nahum 3:1-4)
Nahum begins with a damning indictment: "Woe to the city of blood, full of lies, full of plunder, never without victims!" (Nahum 3:1). This isn't merely a geographical description, but a moral assessment. Nineveh's prosperity was built on violence, deceit, and relentless exploitation. The prophet vividly portrays the chaotic scenes of battle, the clatter of whips, the rumble of chariots, and the heaps of corpses (Nahum 3:2-3). Nineveh's disregard for human life was horrifying, a testament to its utter depravity.
Furthermore, Nineveh is likened to a seductive prostitute, skilled in sorcery (Nahum 3:4). This imagery highlights the city's deceptive allure, its ability to entice and manipulate nations through its power and wealth. Just as a prostitute uses charm to exploit, Nineveh used its influence to ensnare and ultimately destroy other nations.
God's Judgment Declared (Nahum 3:5-7)
The Lord declares, "I am against you" (Nahum 3:5). These are words no nation, no individual, ever wants to hear. Because Assyria trusted in false gods and reveled in wickedness, God's judgment was inevitable. This isn't arbitrary wrath, but a just response to persistent and egregious sin.
As Assyria had inflicted shame and suffering upon other nations, God would expose its own shame before the world (Nahum 3:5). The tables would turn. The once-feared empire would become a spectacle of humiliation. Everyone who witnessed its devastation would recoil in horror (Nahum 3:7), a stark contrast to the fear and awe it once commanded.
The Consequences of Cruelty (Nahum 3:8-19)
Nahum uses several vivid comparisons to emphasize the completeness of Nineveh's downfall. The city's fate is likened to that of Thebes (No-amon), a powerful Egyptian city that had also fallen (Nahum 3:8-10). Just as Thebes was unable to withstand God's judgment, neither could Nineveh. As it had sent others into exile, it would become an exile itself (Nahum 3:10).
The prophet continues to mock Nineveh's futile attempts to prepare for the inevitable. Its fortifications were weak, its defenses inadequate (Nahum 3:11-13). The gates are described as being wide open to its enemies (Nahum 3:13), and the sword would cut [it] down (Nahum 3:15).
The chapter concludes with a lament over the defeated King of Assyria and the scattered people: "Your people are scattered across the mountains with no one to gather them together" (Nahum 3:18). Assyria’s end was like the end of the nations she defeated. There would be no remedy for [its] injury (Nahum 3:19) because no power can turn back the hand of God. Indeed, Assyria’s destruction came in 612 BC.
Lessons for Today
Nahum 3 isn't just a historical account; it's a timeless warning. It reminds us that:
- God sees injustice and will ultimately judge it. Judgment may seem slow in coming, but it always comes. What goes around comes around.
- True strength isn't found in military might or economic power, but in righteousness. Nineveh's reliance on violence and deceit ultimately led to its downfall.
- A life of wickedness and injustice leads to calamity and judgment. This principle applies not only to nations but also to individuals.
We can be certain that a god-forsaken life of wickedness and injustice will lead to calamity and judgment. God always wins. Therefore, we are called to live lives of integrity, compassion, and justice, knowing that our actions have eternal consequences.
Woe to the bloody city! it is all full of lies and robbery; the prey departeth not;
The noise of a whip, and the noise of the rattling of the wheels, and of the pransing horses, and of the jumping chariots.
The horseman lifteth up both the bright sword and the glittering spear: and there is a multitude of slain, and a great number of carcases; and there is none end of their corpses; they stumble upon their corpses:
Because of the multitude of the whoredoms of the wellfavoured harlot, the mistress of witchcrafts, that selleth nations through her whoredoms, and families through her witchcrafts.
Behold, I am against thee, saith the Lord of hosts; and I will discover thy skirts upon thy face, and I will shew the nations thy nakedness, and the kingdoms thy shame.
And I will cast abominable filth upon thee, and make thee vile, and will set thee as a gazingstock.
And it shall come to pass, that all they that look upon thee shall flee from thee, and say, Nineveh is laid waste: who will bemoan her? whence shall I seek comforters for thee?
Art thou better than populous 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?
Ethiopia and Egypt were her strength, and it was infinite; Put and Lubim were thy helpers.
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.
Thou also shalt be drunken: thou shalt be hid, thou also shalt seek strength because of the enemy.
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.
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.
Draw thee waters for the siege, fortify thy strong holds: go into clay, and tread the morter, make strong the brickkiln.
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.
Thou hast multiplied thy merchants above the stars of heaven: the cankerworm spoileth, and flieth away.
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 they are.
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 them.
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?
Nahum 3 meticulously details the appalling wickedness of Nineveh, painting a vivid picture of its impending doom. This chapter serves as a stark reminder that injustice and cruelty, however powerful they may seem, ultimately face divine retribution. It also provides insight into God's character as one who opposes wickedness and champions justice.
The Bloody City (Nahum 3:1-4)
Nahum begins with a damning indictment: "Woe to the city of blood, full of lies, full of plunder, never without victims!" (Nahum 3:1). This isn't merely a geographical description, but a moral assessment. Nineveh's prosperity was built on violence, deceit, and relentless exploitation. The prophet vividly portrays the chaotic scenes of battle, the clatter of whips, the rumble of chariots, and the heaps of corpses (Nahum 3:2-3). Nineveh's disregard for human life was horrifying, a testament to its utter depravity.
Furthermore, Nineveh is likened to a seductive prostitute, skilled in sorcery (Nahum 3:4). This imagery highlights the city's deceptive allure, its ability to entice and manipulate nations through its power and wealth. Just as a prostitute uses charm to exploit, Nineveh used its influence to ensnare and ultimately destroy other nations.
God's Judgment Declared (Nahum 3:5-7)
The Lord declares, "I am against you" (Nahum 3:5). These are words no nation, no individual, ever wants to hear. Because Assyria trusted in false gods and reveled in wickedness, God's judgment was inevitable. This isn't arbitrary wrath, but a just response to persistent and egregious sin.
As Assyria had inflicted shame and suffering upon other nations, God would expose its own shame before the world (Nahum 3:5). The tables would turn. The once-feared empire would become a spectacle of humiliation. Everyone who witnessed its devastation would recoil in horror (Nahum 3:7), a stark contrast to the fear and awe it once commanded.
The Consequences of Cruelty (Nahum 3:8-19)
Nahum uses several vivid comparisons to emphasize the completeness of Nineveh's downfall. The city's fate is likened to that of Thebes (No-amon), a powerful Egyptian city that had also fallen (Nahum 3:8-10). Just as Thebes was unable to withstand God's judgment, neither could Nineveh. As it had sent others into exile, it would become an exile itself (Nahum 3:10).
The prophet continues to mock Nineveh's futile attempts to prepare for the inevitable. Its fortifications were weak, its defenses inadequate (Nahum 3:11-13). The gates are described as being wide open to its enemies (Nahum 3:13), and the sword would cut [it] down (Nahum 3:15).
The chapter concludes with a lament over the defeated King of Assyria and the scattered people: "Your people are scattered across the mountains with no one to gather them together" (Nahum 3:18). Assyria’s end was like the end of the nations she defeated. There would be no remedy for [its] injury (Nahum 3:19) because no power can turn back the hand of God. Indeed, Assyria’s destruction came in 612 BC.
Lessons for Today
Nahum 3 isn't just a historical account; it's a timeless warning. It reminds us that:
- God sees injustice and will ultimately judge it. Judgment may seem slow in coming, but it always comes. What goes around comes around.
- True strength isn't found in military might or economic power, but in righteousness. Nineveh's reliance on violence and deceit ultimately led to its downfall.
- A life of wickedness and injustice leads to calamity and judgment. This principle applies not only to nations but also to individuals.
We can be certain that a god-forsaken life of wickedness and injustice will lead to calamity and judgment. God always wins. Therefore, we are called to live lives of integrity, compassion, and justice, knowing that our actions have eternal consequences.