Nahum 2:6 kjv
The gates of the rivers shall be opened, and the palace shall be dissolved.
Nahum 2:6 nkjv
The gates of the rivers are opened, And the palace is dissolved.
Nahum 2:6 niv
The river gates are thrown open and the palace collapses.
Nahum 2:6 esv
The river gates are opened; the palace melts away;
Nahum 2:6 nlt
The river gates have been torn open!
The palace is about to collapse!
Nahum 2 6 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Nahum 2:6 | The gates of the rivers shall be opened, and the palace shall be dissolved. | Isaiah 22:1-2 (Woes against the Valley of Vision) |
| Nahum 2:6 | And the appointed times shall be dissolved. | Jeremiah 51:31-32 (Fall of Babylon, likened to a mighty warrior) |
| Nahum 2:6 | It is determined, and she shall be carried away captive; her servants shall cry, "Woe unto us!" | Jeremiah 49:3 (Destruction of Ammon) |
| Nahum 2:6 | She shall be uncovered, she shall be carried up, and her handmaids shall mourn as doves with beating on their breasts. | Ezekiel 27:29-32 (Lamentation over Tyre) |
| Nahum 2:7 | And Nineveh shall be as a pool that watereth herself when they are fled away; it shall stand; and their incontinent ones shall say, "Flee ye, flee ye." | Jeremiah 51:36 (The sea shall be dried up) |
| Nahum 2:7 | Her princes shall be no more; they shall be afraid of a sword, and a large heap of slain; and the carcasses of men; because of the multitude of whoredoms of her, the pleasing harlot, the mistress of witchcrafts. | Revelation 18:3 (Fallen is Babylon the great!) |
| Nahum 2:8 | Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I am against thee, and will draw up a fishhook into thy jaws, and will cause thy scales to come up from thy jaws, and I will cast thee into the land; and thy bones shall thou draw. | Ezekiel 29:3-4 (God against Pharaoh) |
| Nahum 2:8 | I will cast thee into the land where thou shalt not be sown, and all thy neighbouring places shall cast thee out; and no memorial shall be for them, that they may cast out the feeble and naked. | Zephaniah 2:14-15 (Destruction of Nineveh) |
| Nahum 2:9 | Go ye up unto Media; besiege it; and lay waste all the strongest cities. | Isaiah 13:17 (Medes will destroy Babylon) |
| Nahum 2:9 | Then the princes shall come out of her, they shall be as beggars, and her great men shall be as if they were not. | Isaiah 23:7-8 (Fall of Tyre) |
| Nahum 2:10 | She is empty, and void, and broken, and the knees of every one of her are loosened, and the strength of all faces is turned into blackness. | Jeremiah 51:30 (Babylon's mighty men have ceased) |
| Nahum 2:10 | Where is the dwelling of the lions, and the feeding place of the young lions, where the lion, even the old lion, walked, and none made him afraid? | Ezekiel 19:2-3 (Lament for Israel's princes) |
| Nahum 3:1 | Woe to the bloody city! it is wholly of lies and rapine; the prey departeth not from the mouth. | Revelation 17:1-6 (Woman on the scarlet beast) |
| Nahum 3:1 | The noise of a whip, and the noise of the rattling of the wheels, and of the prancing horses, and of the rattling chariots, and of the abundance of horses. | Jeremiah 50:45-46 (The might of Babylon) |
| Nahum 3:2 | The noise of a whip, and the noise of the rattling of the wheels, and of the prancing horses, and of the galloping chariots. | Isaiah 5:26-30 (Judgment on a nation) |
| Nahum 3:3 | 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 bodies; they stumble upon their carcases. | Revelation 19:11-21 (The rider on the white horse) |
| Nahum 3:3 | Their captains shall come to her, their mighty men shall be led away captives, their captains shall stumble. | Jeremiah 46:12 (Judgment on Egypt) |
| Nahum 3:4 | Because of the multitude of the whoredoms of her that was fair and is an admirable sorceress, the mistress of witchcrafts, that selleth nations through her whoredoms, and families through her witchcrafts. | Ezekiel 16:25-34 (Idolatry of Jerusalem) |
| Nahum 3:5 | Behold, I am against thee, saith the LORD of hosts; and I will discover thy skirts upon thy face, and I will show the nations thy nakedness, and the kingdoms thy shame. | Hosea 2:9-10 (God's judgment on Israel) |
| Nahum 3:5 | I will cast abominable filth upon thee, and make thee vile, and will set thee as a gazingstock. | Job 30:10 (Job's suffering) |
| Nahum 3:6 | And I will cast abominable filth upon thee, and make thee vile, and will set thee as a gazingstock. | Lamentations 1:13 (God’s anger against Jerusalem) |
Nahum 2 verses
Nahum 2 6 Meaning
The Lord declares that Nineveh's mighty warriors will be like women, unable to defend themselves as they are struck down and captured. Their defenses will be like a well-watered garden that quickly withers and opens its gates to the enemy.
Nahum 2 6 Context
Nahum chapter 2 describes the impending doom and destruction of Nineveh, the capital of the Assyrian Empire. The prophecy details the siege and conquest of the city by the Medes and Babylonians. Verse 6 specifically focuses on the dismantling of the city's defenses and the surrender of its people, highlighting their helplessness in the face of the invading forces. Historically, Nineveh fell in 612 BC to a coalition of Babylonians and Medes, an event prophesied by Nahum. The verse vividly paints a picture of the city's vulnerabilities being exposed and its proud defenses rendered useless.
Nahum 2 6 Word Analysis
The gates (Shâ‘ăre y).
- Signifies the entrances to the city, often fortified and strategically important. In ancient times, gates were symbols of security and authority.
of the rivers (han-nahar).
- Refers to the waterways, possibly canals or moats, that protected Nineveh, particularly those connected to the Tigris River. Their breaching would lead to the city's downfall.
shall be opened (yippāṯĕḥû).
- A Piel infinitive, indicating the active opening or forcing open of these defenses. It implies a deliberate act of breaching.
and the palace (we-hêḵāl).
- Refers to the royal residence, a symbol of the king's power and the city's might.
shall be dissolved (yimmāsaṯ).
- Niphal verb meaning to melt, to liquefy, or to be utterly ruined. It suggests complete devastation, not just destruction, but a disintegration.
And it is determined (way·yikkōnāḵ).
- A Niphal perfect verb, indicating that the judgment is decreed or firmly established by God.
and she shall be carried away (we-šəḇûḥâ).
- Niphal passive verb, meaning she will be taken captive, emphasizing Nineveh's subjugation.
and her maidservants (we-šîmḥêha).
- Refers to the female servants or attendants of the city's elite, highlighting the impact of the destruction on all levels of society.
shall lead them away (nāḥû).
- A Qal imperfect verb, meaning they will lead or guide. Here, it implies they are led away in procession or as captives.
as the voice (ḵə·qōl).
- A simile, comparing the sounds of their mourning to a particular sound.
of doves (yōnîm).
- Doves are often associated with mourning, gentleness, and innocence. Their cooing can be mournful.
beating upon their breasts (ṯa·pū·ḥîm ‘al-lĕḇāḇōṯ).
- A posture of intense grief and distress, a physical manifestation of their sorrow.
gates of the rivers shall be opened, and the palace shall be dissolved: This phrase suggests a multi-pronged assault. The "gates of the rivers" could refer to the riverine defenses, perhaps water gates or sluice gates that controlled water flow for defense, being breached. Alternatively, it could imply that the rivers themselves would be used as conduits for invasion. The dissolving of the palace signifies the complete collapse of royal authority and the destruction of the seat of power, akin to something melting away.
determined, and she shall be carried away captive; her servants shall cry: The "determination" points to a divine decree of judgment. Nineveh's fate is sealed. The capture of its people and the cries of its servants underscore the widespread suffering and the reversal of fortunes from power to captivity.
as the voice of doves beating upon their breasts: This is a poignant image of collective mourning. Doves are gentle creatures, and the beating of breasts is a universal sign of deep sorrow and repentance or lamentation. It portrays the feminine and vulnerable aspects of the populace experiencing profound grief as they are led away captive.
Nahum 2 6 Bonus Section
The "dissolving" of the palace can be understood not only as physical destruction but also the evaporation of its power and prestige. The detailed description of the maidservants' mourning reflects the comprehensive nature of the judgment, affecting all strata of society. The image of doves mourning can be contrasted with the lions that represented Assyrian strength in Nahum 2:11, showing a complete reversal of their formerly fearsome image. This verse resonates with the universal theme that no earthly power, no matter how fortified, can withstand the judgment of God.
Nahum 2 6 Commentary
Nahum 2:6 is a powerful depiction of Nineveh's imminent collapse. The prophet employs vivid imagery to convey the complete subjugation of the Assyrian capital. The breaching of its riverine defenses and the utter destruction of its palace represent the loss of both external security and internal stability. The phrase "it is determined" emphasizes the unalterable nature of God's judgment upon this wicked city. The resulting captivity and the sorrowful cries of the city's maidservants paint a stark picture of the consequences of Assyrian cruelty. The comparison of their lamentation to the soft, mournful sounds of doves beating their breasts highlights the pervasive grief and helplessness that will overwhelm the populace. This verse underscores God's sovereignty in executing judgment against nations that perpetrate injustice and cruelty.