Nahum 3 14

Nahum 3:14 kjv

Draw thee waters for the siege, fortify thy strong holds: go into clay, and tread the morter, make strong the brickkiln.

Nahum 3:14 nkjv

Draw your water for the siege! Fortify your strongholds! Go into the clay and tread the mortar! Make strong the brick kiln!

Nahum 3:14 niv

Draw water for the siege, strengthen your defenses! Work the clay, tread the mortar, repair the brickwork!

Nahum 3:14 esv

Draw water for the siege; strengthen your forts; go into the clay; tread the mortar; take hold of the brick mold!

Nahum 3:14 nlt

Get ready for the siege!
Store up water!
Strengthen the defenses!
Go into the pits to trample clay,
and pack it into molds,
making bricks to repair the walls.

Nahum 3 verses

Nahum 3 14 meaning

Nahum 3:14 is an ironic command from the Lord to Nineveh, the capital of Assyria, mockingly instructing them to make extensive preparations for an impending siege. Despite the seemingly urgent call to draw water, fortify defenses, and manufacture bricks for repair, the underlying meaning is that these strenuous efforts will be utterly futile against the divinely ordained destruction. It underscores the certainty of their downfall and the vanity of human strength when confronted by God's sovereign judgment.

Nahum 3 14 Context

Nahum chapter 3 vividly describes the impending, gruesome destruction of Nineveh, the capital of Assyria. The chapter opens by pronouncing Nineveh as a "bloody city" filled with lies, plunder, and unrelenting cruelty (Nah 3:1). The prophecy then graphically depicts scenes of battle, slaughter, and complete desolation as a consequence of their egregious sins, including sorcery, prostitution, and ensnaring nations (Nah 3:2-7). Nineveh's fall is likened to that of Thebes (No-amon), an Egyptian city previously conquered by Assyria, thereby asserting that if Thebes, with its impressive defenses, fell, so too would Nineveh despite its power (Nah 3:8-10). The ensuing verses emphasize that all of Nineveh's fortresses, valiant men, and resources will be unable to prevent its catastrophic ruin (Nah 3:11-13). Verse 14, therefore, serves as a poignant, sarcastic command for Nineveh to prepare for siege. It is an ironic divine taunt, instructing them to perform arduous tasks usually undertaken by a besieged city in desperate defense, while simultaneously asserting the utter futility of these very efforts against the decree of God. Historically, this prophecy was fulfilled when a coalition of Babylonians and Medes sacked Nineveh in 612 BC, bringing an end to the Assyrian Empire.

Nahum 3 14 Word analysis

• Draw (שְׁאֲבִי - sha'avi): This is an imperative verb, a command, meaning "draw out," specifically referring to drawing water. The action signifies a basic, essential task for survival.
• Thee (לָךְ - lāḵ): A second-person feminine singular suffix, referring directly to Nineveh. The address is personal and direct.
• Waters (מַיִם - mayim): Crucial for survival during a siege. Lack of water forces surrender or leads to death.
• For the siege (לְמָצוֹר - lə-māṣôr): Māṣôr refers to a siege, a fortified place, or a distress/restraint. Here, it denotes the act of surrounding a city to cut off supplies, underscoring the purpose of drawing water.
• Fortify (חַזְּקִי - ḥazzəqî): Another imperative verb, meaning "strengthen," "make firm," or "reinforce." It conveys an urgent command for defense.
• Thy strong holds (מִבְצָרַיִךְ - mivtsārāyik): Mivtsar means a fortified place, fortress, or stronghold. These were the primary defensive structures of ancient cities, representing their military strength and security.
• Go into (בֹּאִי - bōʾî): Imperative verb, "go in" or "enter." It is a command to engage in a laborious activity.
• Clay (בַּטִּיט - baṭṭîṭ): Ṭîṭ refers to mire, clay, or mud. This is the raw material for making bricks, indicating arduous labor, often associated with forced servitude (Ex 1:14).
• And tread (רִמְסִי - rimsî): Imperative verb, meaning "trample," "tread under foot," or "stamp down." It describes the physical action of mixing clay with water to create mortar.
• The morter (בַּחֹמֶר - baḥōmer): Ḥōmer refers to clay, mud, or mortar. It is the prepared material used for binding bricks or building.
• Make strong (חֲזִקִי - ḥăziqî): Yet another imperative, identical to "fortify," meaning to strengthen or reinforce. This repeats the sense of desperate preparation.
• The brickkiln (מַלְבֵּן - malbēn): Refers to the brick mold or brickkiln itself. Strengthening the kiln implies producing a large quantity of bricks, suggesting extensive repair or construction projects.

Words-group analysis:

• "Draw thee waters for the siege": This phrase captures the immediate, life-sustaining need during a siege. Access to water determined a city's ability to withstand a prolonged attack. It represents the most basic level of preparation for survival.
• "Fortify thy strong holds": This phrase commands defensive action at the architectural level. It refers to reinforcing existing walls, towers, and strategic points, indicating an effort to maximize structural security against attackers.
• "Go into clay, and tread the morter, make strong the brickkiln": This tripartite command vividly illustrates the laborious, foundational work of producing building materials. It's a progression from gathering raw clay, mixing it to create mortar, to strengthening the kilns for mass production of bricks. This intense, physically demanding activity underscores the depth of the preparation Nineveh is mockingly told to undertake, portraying a scene of frantic, last-ditch construction efforts.

Nahum 3 14 Bonus section

The threefold imperative structure (sha'avi, hazz'kki, bo'i/rim'si/haziqi) emphasizes the totality and urgency of the commanded preparations. Each instruction is aimed at survival and defense against a besieging army, highlighting all aspects from basic needs (water) to structural reinforcement (fortifications and new bricks). The reference to brick-making, a highly labor-intensive process, traditionally performed by laborers or slaves in the ancient Near East, carries an implicit humiliation for the mighty Assyrians. They are commanded to engage in servile work in a futile attempt to save themselves from God's wrath, reinforcing their fall from power and status. The imagery also foreshadows the complete undoing of their proud, self-reliant civilization built by these very means.

Nahum 3 14 Commentary

Nahum 3:14 delivers a powerful divine taunt to Nineveh, characterized by sarcasm and irony. God issues a series of commands for the Assyrian capital to prepare meticulously for the inevitable siege—drawing water for sustenance, strengthening its formidable defenses, and engaging in the arduous labor of making bricks and mortar for construction or repair. Each command points to a desperate attempt at survival. However, the true impact lies in the futility implied; despite all these intense efforts and preparations, Nineveh's destruction is certain because it is decreed by the Almighty. The verse highlights that no amount of human ingenuity, military strength, or laborious toil can overturn the sovereign will and judgment of God upon a nation steeped in sin and cruelty. It reveals the arrogance of Nineveh in relying on its own power rather than acknowledging the God who holds all nations accountable. The call to "go into clay, and tread the morter" echoes ancient imagery of arduous, often forced, labor (reminiscent of Israel's bondage in Egypt), paradoxically instructing the proud oppressors to perform such menial tasks for their own doomed defense. The lesson for us is to never trust in worldly strength or material security over divine sovereignty, for all such defenses ultimately crumble before God's righteous decree.