Nahum 2 7

Nahum 2:7 kjv

And Huzzab shall be led away captive, she shall be brought up, and her maids shall lead her as with the voice of doves, tabering upon their breasts.

Nahum 2:7 nkjv

It is decreed: She shall be led away captive, She shall be brought up; And her maidservants shall lead her as with the voice of doves, Beating their breasts.

Nahum 2:7 niv

It is decreed that Nineveh be exiled and carried away. Her female slaves moan like doves and beat on their breasts.

Nahum 2:7 esv

its mistress is stripped; she is carried off, her slave girls lamenting, moaning like doves and beating their breasts.

Nahum 2:7 nlt

Nineveh's exile has been decreed,
and all the servant girls mourn its capture.
They moan like doves
and beat their breasts in sorrow.

Nahum 2 verses

Nahum 2 7 Meaning

Nahum 2:7 foretells the humiliating downfall of Nineveh, the powerful capital of Assyria, under God's divine judgment. The verse declares a divinely ordained decree for Nineveh, personified as a female entity, to be stripped bare, exiled, and led away into captivity. Its "slave girls" or "attendants"—representing perhaps the most prominent women of the city, possibly even the queen's retinue—are depicted in deep mourning, moaning like doves and publicly beating their breasts, symbols of utter despair and loss. This vivid imagery underscores the complete desolation and profound humiliation that awaited the once-mighty city.

Nahum 2 7 Context

Nahum chapter 2 describes in vivid detail the impending siege and catastrophic fall of Nineveh, the capital of the oppressive Assyrian Empire. The prophecy comes after a general declaration of God's character and His judgment against Nineveh in chapter 1. Here, the imagery shifts from a distant threat to an imminent, violent assault. Verse 7 specifically zeroes in on the personal humiliation and despair of Nineveh's prominent women. This verse is situated within a broader section (Nahum 2:3-13) that vividly paints a picture of the besieging army, the city's frantic but futile defense, and its ultimate capture and plunder. Historically, Nineveh fell in 612 BC to a coalition of Babylonian and Median forces, precisely as prophesied, marking the end of the dominant Assyrian Empire which had been a terror to Judah and other nations for centuries. The specific focus on the lamenting women highlights the profound disruption of societal order and the utter humiliation that accompanies defeat and exile for a people accustomed to inflicting such misery on others.

Nahum 2 7 Word analysis

• It is decreed:

  • Hebrew: Hutzav (חֻצַּב), derived from the root ḥāṣab (חָצַב), meaning "to cut," "to hew," "to cut out," or "to engrave."
  • Significance: In this passive and impersonal form, it powerfully conveys that the judgment upon Nineveh is not merely an event but a fixed, predetermined divine edict. It is "cut out" or "hewn" by divine will, signifying an unchangeable and irreversible decision. This speaks to God's absolute sovereignty over nations and history, directly challenging any perception of Assyria's invincibility or the power of its own deities.

• She:

  • Hebrew: Hī (הִיא), feminine singular pronoun.
  • Significance: Refers to Nineveh itself, often personified in prophetic literature as a female figure, perhaps a proud queen or a seductress (cf. Nahum 3:4). The feminine imagery deepens the humiliation, as a "virgin daughter" city, previously unmolested, is now ravaged (cf. Isa 47:1-3 for Babylon). Some scholars link "she" to a specific goddess associated with Nineveh, such as Ishtar, whose humiliation would parallel that of her city and people.

• is exiled, carried away captive:

  • Hebrew: Gāleṯāh Helaḵāh bīšbî (גָּלְתָה הֹבְלָה בִּשְׁבִּי). Gāleṯāh (גָּלְתָה) means "she is unveiled/stripped/exiled." Hōḇelāh (הֹבְלָה) is passive, meaning "she is led/carried away." Bīšbî (בִּשְׁבִּי) means "into captivity" or "as a captive."
  • Significance: These terms emphasize the stripping away of dignity and security. Galah implies not just removal but an uncovering, making visible what was once hidden, thus exposing her shame. The combined phrases reinforce the forced removal from her land and entry into the humiliating state of bondage. This was the fate Assyria had often imposed on its own conquered peoples (e.g., Israel), now inflicted upon them.

• and her slave girls:

  • Hebrew: Wᵉʾammōṯeyhā (וְאַמֹּתֶיהָ), from ʾāmāh (אָמָה), meaning "maidservant," "handmaid," "slave girl," or "concubine."
  • Significance: These are not common citizens but privileged attendants, likely ladies of the court or prominent households. Their status amplifies Nineveh's downfall; if even those protected within the city's elite are enslaved and mourning, it signifies complete societal collapse. It highlights the reversal of fortune: those who served a powerful regime are now themselves reduced to the lowest status.

• lamenting, moaning like doves:

  • Hebrew: Mehōḡeḡōṯ Kqōl Yōnnīm (מְהֹמָמוֹת כְּקוֹל יוֹנִים). Mehōḡeḡōṯ (מְהֹמָמוֹת) means "leading forth," "driving," or "groaning/moaning." This can imply being led away while groaning or expressing loud lament. Kqōl Yōnnīm (כְּקוֹל יוֹנִים) literally "like the voice/sound of doves."
  • Significance: The dove's cooing or moaning sound was a common ancient Near Eastern metaphor for sorrow, weakness, helplessness, and plaintive grief (cf. Isa 38:14, Eze 7:16). It signifies a quiet, drawn-out, pervasive sorrow rather than an angry outcry, emphasizing the complete brokenness and powerlessness of the lamenters. They are not fighting, but only grieving their irreversible fate.

• and beating their breasts:

  • Hebrew: Mᵉṭōpĕfōt ʿal Libbêhem (מְטֹפְפוֹת עַל לִבּוֹתֵיהֶן). Mᵉṭōpĕfōt (מְטֹפְפוֹת) comes from tāphaf (טָפַף), meaning "to tap," "to beat," or "to strike." ʿal Libbêhem (עַל לִבּוֹתֵיהֶן) "upon their hearts/breasts."
  • Significance: This is a powerful visual gesture of profound sorrow, anguish, and despair, common in the ancient world. It denotes public and unrestrained grief, indicating a deep, internalized pain that physically manifests as self-punishment or an attempt to externalize overwhelming sorrow. It speaks to extreme emotional distress and hopelessness, illustrating the depth of Nineveh's defeat and degradation.

Nahum 2 7 Bonus section

The specific choice of "Hutzav" (decreed/hewn) implies an irreversible, cut-in-stone judgment, echoing divine declarations elsewhere in the Bible that speak of God's unchangeable will. The prophetic foresight of this detail underscores the divine inspiration of Nahum's message, as such a precise outcome against a formidable empire was humanly improbable without divine insight. Furthermore, the description of "moaning like doves" for people usually denotes not only deep sadness but often loneliness or isolation, suggesting that in their final agony, the Assyrians found no true comfort or alliance. This fate stood in stark contrast to their previous cruel treatment of captives, showcasing a divine principle of lex talionis – a mirroring judgment. The prophecy highlights that Nineveh's strength, once a terror, crumbled into utter vulnerability, signifying that true power belongs solely to Yahweh, who brings low the proud.

Nahum 2 7 Commentary

Nahum 2:7 serves as a poignant depiction of God's sovereign judgment executed against Nineveh, embodying the fulfillment of divine justice against the proud and oppressive Assyrian Empire. The decree ("Hutzav") highlights that this catastrophic fall is not accidental or merely a result of political shifts, but a direct, fixed outcome willed by the Almighty God. Nineveh, accustomed to stripping nations and parading their captives, now faces the very same humiliating fate. The personification of Nineveh as a female, destined for exile and stripped bare, powerfully communicates the ultimate defilement and dishonor of what was once an unassailable city. The focus on the "slave girls" or prominent women of the court further emphasizes this complete reversal of fortunes, showcasing how even the most sheltered and privileged are subject to the same overwhelming despair as the common people. Their piteous wailing, "like doves," underlines their helplessness and loss of voice, transformed from triumphant imperialists into pathetic mourners. The public display of grief by "beating their breasts" is a visceral image of their anguish, testifying to a destruction so absolute that it brings even the most haughty to the deepest possible state of despair. This verse functions not only as a prophecy of Nineveh's fall but as a timeless reminder that all human empires, no matter their power, are subject to the ultimate authority and justice of the Lord. For believers in Judah, this was a promise of comfort, affirming God's justice would prevail over their oppressors.