Nahum 3 16

Nahum 3:16 kjv

Thou hast multiplied thy merchants above the stars of heaven: the cankerworm spoileth, and fleeth away.

Nahum 3:16 nkjv

You have multiplied your merchants more than the stars of heaven. The locust plunders and flies away.

Nahum 3:16 niv

You have increased the number of your merchants till they are more numerous than the stars in the sky, but like locusts they strip the land and then fly away.

Nahum 3:16 esv

You increased your merchants more than the stars of the heavens. The locust spreads its wings and flies away.

Nahum 3:16 nlt

Your merchants have multiplied
until they outnumber the stars.
But like a swarm of locusts,
they strip the land and fly away.

Nahum 3 verses

Nahum 3 16 Meaning

This verse describes the catastrophic downfall of Nineveh, its rulers, and its merchants. It portrays a scene of utter ruin where those who enriched themselves through commerce and exploited others are completely devastated and scattered, unable to escape God's judgment. The "merchant of the land" signifies the wealthy elite who controlled trade and amassed fortunes, implying their involvement in or benefit from Nineveh's oppressive practices.

Nahum 3 16 Context

Nahum chapter 3 prophesies the complete destruction of Nineveh, the capital of the Assyrian empire. Assyria had been a formidable and brutal power, known for its military conquests and oppressive rule. Nahum's prophecy comes during a time when Nineveh's power was starting to wane. The chapter vividly depicts the city's impending doom, detailing its downfall in military and social terms. Verse 16 specifically focuses on the economic and commercial class of Nineveh, highlighting their role in the city's prosperity, which was likely built upon exploitation and injustice, and predicting their utter ruin and dispersion, mirroring the fate of the city itself.

Nahum 3 16 Word Analysis

• כִּי (ki): "for," "because." Introduces the reason or cause for the preceding statement.
• רָבוּ (ravu): "were many," "became numerous," "multiplied."
• סֹחֲרַיִךְ (socharayikh): "your merchants," "your traders." The word "sochar" (סֹחַר) relates to trade and merchandise.
• מִכּוֹכְבֵי (mikokhavei): "more than the stars of," "above the stars of." Implies an exceedingly great number.
• הַשָּׁמָיִם (hashamayim): "the heavens," "the sky."
• הַשַּׁחַת (hashachath): "the worm," "the moth," "the consuming thing." Refers to something that destroys or spoils, suggesting utter decay and ruin. It's also used for a maggot or cankerworm.

Words-group Analysis:

• "Multiplied your merchants above the stars of the heavens": This phrase emphasizes the vast number and prosperity of Nineveh's merchants, a testament to its extensive trade and wealth. The hyperbole suggests an overwhelming abundance, akin to the countless stars.
• "The worm consumes, they will fly away": This powerful imagery signifies utter devastation and dispersal. The worm (or moth) represents an insidious and inevitable force of destruction that causes the once-prosperous merchants to flee or be swept away like dispersed insects.

Nahum 3 16 Bonus Section

The comparison of merchants to "stars of the heavens" can also allude to pride and aspiring to a celestial status, reminiscent of the fall of Lucifer (Isa 14:12), although directly applied to a commercial class. The "worm" (שַׁחַת) is a potent symbol of decay and impending doom, often used to describe the inevitable disintegration of those who place their ultimate trust in material wealth rather than in God. This verse underscores the universal principle that worldly riches are perishable and cannot provide lasting security or deliverance when divine judgment is poured out. The dispersed merchants "fly away," not with wings of freedom, but in panicked flight from an inescapable doom, a haunting image of utter powerlessness.

Nahum 3 16 Commentary

The prophecy in Nahum 3:16 vividly paints the collapse of Nineveh's economic power structure. The sheer volume of merchants, described as more numerous than the stars, highlights the city's former opulence and its extensive commercial reach. However, this prosperity was not a divine blessing but rather the fruit of exploitation and likely unethical practices, characteristic of empires built on conquest and dominance. The latter part of the verse, likening their fate to being consumed by a worm and flying away, speaks to total annihilation and dispersal. The merchant class, who often benefited the most from imperial power, becomes a victim of the same force that propelled the empire. This is a stark reminder of the transience of earthly wealth and power when detached from righteousness. The downfall of these merchants mirrors the judgment on wealthy entities in later biblical passages, particularly in the judgment of Babylon in Revelation, underscoring a consistent prophetic theme regarding economic injustice. Their "flight" is not an escape but a chaotic scattering under divine wrath, leaving them with nothing.