Nahum 3 15

Nahum 3:15 kjv

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.

Nahum 3:15 nkjv

There the fire will devour you, The sword will cut you off; It will eat you up like a locust. Make yourself many?like the locust! Make yourself many? like the swarming locusts!

Nahum 3:15 niv

There the fire will consume you; the sword will cut you down? they will devour you like a swarm of locusts. Multiply like grasshoppers, multiply like locusts!

Nahum 3:15 esv

There will the fire devour you; the sword will cut you off. It will devour you like the locust. Multiply yourselves like the locust; multiply like the grasshopper!

Nahum 3:15 nlt

But the fire will devour you;
the sword will cut you down.
The enemy will consume you like locusts,
devouring everything they see.
There will be no escape,
even if you multiply like swarming locusts.

Nahum 3 verses

Nahum 3 15 Meaning

Nahum 3:15 proclaims the comprehensive and unavoidable destruction awaiting Nineveh. It details that fire will consume the city, the sword will utterly destroy it, and the devastation will be as thorough and relentless as an invasion of cankerworms. The verse then challenges Nineveh, with biting sarcasm, to multiply its forces and population to numbers as vast as locust swarms, asserting that even such overwhelming strength will prove utterly ineffectual against God's decreed judgment.

Nahum 3 15 Context

Nahum's prophecy, delivered likely in the latter half of the 7th century BC (between the fall of No Amon in 663 BC, mentioned in v.8, and Nineveh's fall in 612 BC), is exclusively focused on the imminent, utter destruction of Nineveh, the capital of Assyria. Assyria had been a dominant and exceptionally brutal empire, widely feared for its military prowess and cruelty, which had brought immense suffering to many nations, including Israel and Judah. Chapter 3 begins by vividly describing Nineveh as a "bloody city" (v.1), a seductive yet ruthless "harlot" (v.4) that enslaved nations. Verses 10-14 recount the past humiliation of No Amon as a precedent, contrasting Nineveh's former perceived invincibility with its coming downfall and showing how easily its defenses and warriors will crumble. Verse 15 follows this depiction of military collapse, powerfully reinforcing that Nineveh's celebrated numbers and strength will be utterly ineffective against the decreed divine judgment, instead becoming a source of vulnerability, consumed like fields by insects.

Nahum 3 15 Word analysis

• There shall the fire devour thee;

  • There: Specifies the immediate location of judgment—within Nineveh itself, signifying its complete internal destruction.
  • fire (אֵשׁ, 'esh): A prevalent biblical symbol of God's fierce judgment, wrath, and total eradication, implying overwhelming and inescapable destruction.
  • devour (תֹּאכְלֵךְ, to'ḵəleḵ): From the verb אָכַל ('akal), "to eat" or "consume." This active and complete consumption highlights that nothing will remain untouched or undamaged.

• the sword shall cut thee off;

  • sword (חֶרֶב, ḥerev): A quintessential instrument of warfare and execution, symbolizing military conquest, violent death, and God's just retribution upon the city.
  • cut thee off (תַּכְרִיתֵךְ, taḵərîtēḵ): Derived from כָרַת (karat), meaning "to cut down," "exterminate," or "eradicate." It denotes a definitive and irreversible cessation of Nineveh's existence.

• it shall eat thee up like the cankerworm:

  • it shall eat thee up (תֹּאכְלֵךְ, to'ḵəleḵ): Repetition of "devour," emphasizing the total consumption, with the subject implicitly being the instruments of judgment (fire, sword, or divine decree itself).
  • like the cankerworm (כַּיֶּלֶק, kayyeleq): The yeleq refers to a "licking locust" or a devastating immature stage of a locust, notorious for its complete stripping of vegetation. This vivid simile portrays Nineveh's downfall as a pervasive, insidious, and all-encompassing devastation that will leave the city utterly stripped bare, reversing their proud power to total helplessness. This challenges Nineveh's perceived invincibility and self-reliance.

• make thyself many as the cankerworm, make thyself many as the locusts.

  • make thyself many (הִתְכַּבֵּד, hitkabbēd): A sarcastic imperative meaning "multiply yourself," "become weighty/numerous," or "boast of your greatness." It is a taunt challenging Nineveh to deploy its renowned strength in numbers, ironically suggesting its futility against God.
  • as the cankerworm (כַּיֶּלֶק, kayyeleq): (See above). The imagery underscores overwhelming, countless numbers, often associated with devastation.
  • as the locusts (כָּאַרְבֶּה, ka'arbeh): The 'arbeh signifies the fully mature migratory locust, known for its colossal swarms that utterly lay waste to entire regions. The repetition and intensification of insect imagery highlight the sheer scale of the population/army Nineveh is challenged to muster, underscoring that even such immeasurable forces cannot thwart God's will. The polemic is stark: Nineveh's pride in numbers, meant for conquest, will now only make them a more abundant feast for judgment.

• "There shall the fire devour thee; the sword shall cut thee off;": This powerful parallel emphasizes dual modes of absolute destruction: one through consumption, the other through eradication by violent force. Both are active agents aimed directly at Nineveh, signaling an unavoidable and relentless judgment.

• "it shall eat thee up like the cankerworm:": This transition from direct, aggressive weaponry to a slow, pervasive natural force broadens the scope of Nineveh's destruction. It implies not just military defeat but an ecological, life-sapping annihilation, making it clear that every aspect of the city, like vegetation consumed by insects, will be utterly wasted.

• "make thyself many as the cankerworm, make thyself many as the locusts.": This climactic and ironic challenge strikes at the core of Nineveh's identity as a conquering power. Assyria prided itself on its vast armies and numerous population. By commanding them to increase these numbers even more, likening them to the overwhelming yet perishable swarms of locusts, the prophecy declares that such human might is inconsequential and will offer no defense against divine wrath. It dramatically reverses the role, implying that Nineveh, though numerous as locusts, will ultimately be consumed like crops by them.

Nahum 3 15 Bonus section

• Echoes in Assyrian history: Records of Assyrian campaigns often boasted about the vastness of their armies. This prophecy directly confronts such boasts by illustrating the futility of quantity without God's favor.
• Symbolic Reversal: Nineveh, which spread over nations like a plague of locusts, oppressing and devouring, will itself be consumed like a helpless field by "locusts" of judgment. This reflects the biblical principle of lex talionis, or 'measure for measure.'
• Literary Foreshadowing: The insect imagery serves as an inverted echo of passages where God sends armies like locusts to judge (e.g., Joel 2). Here, the judged itself is metaphorically depicted as the crop ready for consumption.

Nahum 3 15 Commentary

Nahum 3:15 is a forceful and comprehensive prophecy of Nineveh's ultimate destruction. It utilizes potent imagery of consuming fire, a cutting sword, and insatiable cankerworms to describe a multifaceted and total obliteration, leaving no part of the city intact. The repeated emphasis on "devour" or "eat up" underlines the thoroughness of this divine judgment. The verse culminates in a sarcastic dare: Nineveh is challenged to rally its countless warriors and populace, mimicking the sheer multitude of devastating locust swarms. This taunt underscores a profound spiritual truth: human might, numbers, or self-reliance, no matter how immense, are utterly powerless before the sovereign will of the Lord. Nineveh's pride in its numerical superiority, once its strength for conquering, will paradoxically become irrelevant, or even expose it as a more voluminous target for God's consumption. This served as both a warning against trusting in earthly power and an assurance to God's people of ultimate divine justice.