Nahum 3:7 kjv
And it shall come to pass, that all they that look upon thee shall flee from thee, and say, Nineveh is laid waste: who will bemoan her? whence shall I seek comforters for thee?
Nahum 3:7 nkjv
It shall come to pass that all who look upon you Will flee from you, and say, 'Nineveh is laid waste! Who will bemoan her?' Where shall I seek comforters for you?"
Nahum 3:7 niv
All who see you will flee from you and say, 'Nineveh is in ruins?who will mourn for her?' Where can I find anyone to comfort you?"
Nahum 3:7 esv
And all who look at you will shrink from you and say, "Wasted is Nineveh; who will grieve for her?" Where shall I seek comforters for you?
Nahum 3:7 nlt
All who see you will shrink back and say,
'Nineveh lies in ruins.
Where are the mourners?'
Does anyone regret your destruction?"
Nahum 3 7 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Nahum 3:7 | And it shall come to pass, that all that look upon her shall flee from her... | Nahum 3:10; Jeremiah 51:31 |
| Nahum 3:11 | Thou also shalt be drunken: thou also shalt be brought unto shame, and shalt seek refuge from the enemy. | Jeremiah 25:15-27; Revelation 18:3 |
| Jeremiah 51:31 | One post shall run to meet another, and one messenger to meet another, to shew the king of Babylon that his city is taken at the one end... | Jeremiah 50:44; Isaiah 13:14 |
| Revelation 18:3 | For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her... | Isaiah 23:17; Ezekiel 16:28 |
| Isaiah 13:14 | And it shall be as a chased roe, and as a sheep that no man taketh up: every man shall turn to his own people, and flee every one into his own land. | Isaiah 28:5; Amos 5:18 |
| Ezekiel 16:28 | Thou hast also committed fornication with the Assyrians, because thou wast not satisfied: yea, thou hast played the harlot with them, and yet canst not satisfy thyself. | Jeremiah 2:24; Hosea 2:12 |
| Lamentations 1:1 | How doth the city sit solitary, that was full of people! how is she become as a widow! she that was great among the nations... | Isaiah 47:8; Jeremiah 48:6 |
| Jeremiah 49:25 | How is the city of praise not left, the city of my joy! | Jeremiah 22:5 |
| Psalm 137:8 | O daughter of Babylon, who art to be destroyed; happy shall he be, that rewardeth thee as thou hast served us. | Psalm 137:7; Revelation 18:6 |
| Nahum 3:14 | Draw thee waters for the siege, fortify thy strong holds: go into clay, and tread the morter, make strong the brick-kiln. | 2 Kings 19:32; Isaiah 36:1 |
| Nahum 3:15 | There shall the fire devour thee; thy swords shall cut thee off... | Jeremiah 51:30; Isaiah 47:14 |
| Habakkuk 2:6 | Shall not all these take up a parable against him, and a taunting proverb against him, and say, Woe to him that increaseth that which is not his own! ... | Job 20:10; Psalm 109:12 |
| Zephaniah 2:15 | This is the rejoicing city that dwelt carelessly, that said in her heart, I am, and there is none beside me; how is she become a desolation... | Isaiah 47:7; Jeremiah 17:11 |
| Joel 2:19 | Yea, the LORD will say, I will send you corn, and wine, and oil, and ye shall be satisfied therewith: and I will no more make you a reproach among the heathen. | Joel 1:10; Amos 6:4 |
| Amos 5:18 | Woe unto you that desire the day of the LORD! to what end is it for you? the day of the LORD is darkness, and not light. | Isaiah 5:19; 1 Thessalonians 5:2 |
| 1 Peter 4:17 | For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall be the end of them that obey not the gospel of God? | Ezekiel 9:6; Luke 23:31 |
| Nahum 2:10 | The city is broken in pieces... | Jeremiah 50:30 |
| Nahum 3:4 | Woe to the bloody city! it is all full of lies and robbery; the prey departeth not. | Ezekiel 24:6; Revelation 17:4 |
| Nahum 1:9 | What do ye imagine against the LORD? he will make an utter end... | Nahum 1:8; Micah 1:4 |
| Micah 1:4 | The mountains shall be molten under him, and the valleys shall be cleft, as wax before the fire, and as the waters that are poured down a steep place. | Isaiah 64:1; Nahum 1:5 |
Nahum 3 verses
Nahum 3 7 Meaning
The verse vividly describes the inevitable judgment and complete destruction that will befall Nineveh, the capital of the Assyrian empire. It highlights the utter ruin and emptiness awaiting the city's inhabitants, likening their fate to an irreversible escape or fleeing.
Nahum 3 7 Context
Nahum 3:7 is part of a larger prophecy against the city of Nineveh, the capital of the Assyrian empire. Nineveh was a notoriously wicked and powerful city, responsible for much cruelty and oppression towards the people of God. The prophet Nahum delivers a message of impending judgment and utter destruction upon this oppressive empire. This chapter, specifically, details the downfall of Nineveh with vivid imagery, highlighting its impending ruin and the shame that will befall its people. The verse in question emphasizes the panic and helplessness that will grip the city's inhabitants as they witness the irreversible advance of their conquerors.
Nahum 3 7 Word Analysis
- וְהָיָה (və·hō·w·hî): "And it shall be," "and it shall come to pass." A common narrative connector introducing a future event or consequence.
- כִּי (kî): "That," "because," "when." Introduces a subordinate clause, here indicating the result of preceding actions or the circumstance under which the following occurs.
- כָּל־ (kāl-): "All." Denotes totality or entirety.
- רֹאֶיהָ (rō·’eh·hāh): "Those who see her," "her beholders." Refers to any person who witnesses Nineveh's condition. The Hebrew root "ראה" (ra'ah) means "to see."
- מָנָסוּ (mā·nā·sû): "They shall flee," "they shall flee away." This is the Qal perfect, 3rd person plural of the verb "נסס" (nasas). This root signifies fleeing or escaping, often implying panic or rapid movement away from danger. It suggests an uncontrollable urge to depart due to the terrifying spectacle of Nineveh's destruction.
- וְאָמְרוּ (wə·’ā·mər·û): "And [they] shall say." Introduces the speech or thought of those observing. The root "אמר" (amar) means "to say."
- נָצְחָה (nā·ṣə·ḥāh): "It has fled," "it has escaped," "it is victorious/strong." This word can be ambiguous. In the context of fleeing from a sight, it could mean "she (Nineveh) has gone/fled," implying its irretrievable downfall. It can also carry a sense of lost strength or inability to defend itself. The root "נצח" (natsach) can mean "to succeed," "to prevail," "to endure," but in certain contexts, especially when contrasted with defeat, it implies something that can no longer be held or controlled. Scholars debate its precise nuance here. Some see it as signifying Nineveh's utter loss of capacity or escape from her enemies. Others suggest it might be an exclamation of astonishment at her complete vulnerability. Given the preceding "flee" (mānōsū), "it has gone away" or "it is gone" is a likely interpretation, emphasizing the completeness of its demise and its utter inability to resist or stand. It signifies that any hope or strength has also fled from Nineveh.
Word Group Analysis
- "כָּל־ רֹאֶיהָ יָנוּסוּ" (kāl-rō’ehhāh yānōsū): "All who see her will flee." This phrase paints a powerful picture of the destructive force and horror of the coming judgment on Nineveh. The sight itself is so overwhelming and dreadful that people will be compelled to escape. It signifies that Nineveh's downfall will be a terrifying spectacle, making observers instinctively seek safety. The utter devastation will drive away even those who merely witness it.
Nahum 3 7 Bonus Section
The judgment prophesied against Nineveh by Nahum served as a stern warning against all oppressive nations and powerful empires that defy God's will and harm His people. The extreme wickedness of Nineveh, documented historically as well as in Scripture, is highlighted by the severe and absolute nature of the judgment described. The phrase "all that look upon her shall flee from her" is so forceful it implies Nineveh's destruction will be a visible, shocking event that causes instinctive flight even from the ruins themselves. This concept of divine judgment, which leads to absolute devastation and the fleeing of all witnesses, resonates in various prophetic passages throughout the Old Testament, particularly concerning the enemies of Israel. The eventual fall of Nineveh to the Babylonians and Medes in 612 BCE fulfilled this prophecy, turning the proud city into ruins, thus corroborating the prophetic word.
Nahum 3 7 Commentary
This verse poignantly illustrates the completeness of God's judgment against Nineveh. The Assyrian capital, once a symbol of power and might, will become such a scene of horror and desolation that all who witness its state will be driven to flee in terror and disbelief. The word "נָצְחָה" (natzchah) adds a layer of complexity, potentially indicating that not only are people fleeing from Nineveh, but Nineveh itself has irrevocably fled from its former glory and security. It implies an unrecoverable loss, a state of being utterly vanquished and stripped of all that constituted its former strength and pride. The inhabitants will look upon their ruined city, a place once teeming with life and power, now utterly broken, and exclaim that it has indeed gone – its vitality, its security, and its existence as a formidable entity have all vanished.