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But like a swarm of locusts, they strip the land and fly away.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/esv/nahum/3.htm">English Standard Version</a></span><br />You increased your merchants more than the stars of the heavens. The locust spreads its wings and flies away.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/bsb/nahum/3.htm">Berean Standard Bible</a></span><br />You have multiplied your merchants more than the stars of the sky. The young locust strips the land and flies away.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/kjv/nahum/3.htm">King James Bible</a></span><br />Thou hast multiplied thy merchants above the stars of heaven: the cankerworm spoileth, and flieth away.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nkjv/nahum/3.htm">New King James Version</a></span><br />You have multiplied your merchants more than the stars of heaven. The locust plunders and flies away.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nasb_/nahum/3.htm">New American Standard Bible</a></span><br />You have made your traders more numerous than the stars of heaven— The creeping locust sheds its skin and flies <i>away.</i><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nasb/nahum/3.htm">NASB 1995</a></span><br />You have increased your traders more than the stars of heaven— The creeping locust strips and flies away.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nasb77/nahum/3.htm">NASB 1977 </a></span><br />You have increased your traders more than the stars of heaven— The creeping locust strips and flies away.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/lsb/nahum/3.htm">Legacy Standard Bible </a></span><br />You have increased your traders more than the stars of heaven— The creeping locust strips and flies away.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/amp/nahum/3.htm">Amplified Bible</a></span><br />You have increased your traders more than the [visible] stars of heaven— The creeping locust strips <i>and</i> destroys and then flies away.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/csb/nahum/3.htm">Christian Standard Bible</a></span><br />You have made your merchants more numerous than the stars of the sky. The young locust strips the land and flies away.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/hcsb/nahum/3.htm">Holman Christian Standard Bible</a></span><br />You have made your merchants more numerous than the stars of the sky. The young locust strips the land and flies away. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/asv/nahum/3.htm">American Standard Version</a></span><br />Thou hast multiplied thy merchants above the stars of heaven: the canker-worm ravageth, and fleeth away.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/cev/nahum/3.htm">Contemporary English Version</a></span><br />More merchants are in your city than there are stars in the sky--but they are like locusts that eat everything, then fly away. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/erv/nahum/3.htm">English Revised Version</a></span><br />Thou hast multiplied thy merchants above the stars of heaven: the cankerworm spoileth, and flieth away.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/gwt/nahum/3.htm">GOD'S WORD® Translation</a></span><br />You have produced more businessmen than there are stars in the sky. [They are] like locusts that attack and then fly away.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/gnt/nahum/3.htm">Good News Translation</a></span><br />You produced more merchants than there are stars in the sky! But now they are gone, like locusts that spread their wings and fly away. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/isv/nahum/3.htm">International Standard Version</a></span><br />You added to your inventory of businessmen— they number more than the stars of heaven. The creeping locust sheds its skin and flies away.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/msb/nahum/3.htm">Majority Standard Bible</a></span><br />You have multiplied your merchants more than the stars of the sky. The young locust strips the land and flies away.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/net/nahum/3.htm">NET Bible</a></span><br />Increase your merchants more than the stars of heaven! They are like the young locust which sheds its skin and flies away. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nheb/nahum/3.htm">New Heart English Bible</a></span><br />You have increased your merchants more than the stars of the skies. The grasshopper strips, and flees away.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/wbt/nahum/3.htm">Webster's Bible Translation</a></span><br />Thou hast multiplied thy merchants above the stars of heaven: the canker-worm spoileth, and flieth away.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/web/nahum/3.htm">World English Bible</a></span><br />You have increased your merchants more than the stars of the skies. The grasshopper strips and flees away. <div class="vheading2"><b>Literal Translations</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/lsv/nahum/3.htm">Literal Standard Version</a></span><br />Multiply your merchants above the stars of the heavens, "" The cankerworm has stripped off, and flees away.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/ylt/nahum/3.htm">Young's Literal Translation</a></span><br /> Multiply thy merchants above the stars of the heavens, The cankerworm hath stripped off, and doth flee away.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/slt/nahum/3.htm">Smith's Literal Translation</a></span><br />Thou didst multiply thy traffics above the stars of the heavens: the feeder spread out and it will fly away.<div class="vheading2"><b>Catholic Translations</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/drb/nahum/3.htm">Douay-Rheims Bible</a></span><br />Thou hast multiplied thy merchandises above the stars of heaven: the bruchus hath spread himself and flown away. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/cpdv/nahum/3.htm">Catholic Public Domain Version</a></span><br />You have made more negotiations than there are stars in the sky. The beetle has spread out and flown away.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nabre/nahum/3.htm">New American Bible</a></span><br />You have made your traders more numerous than the stars of the heavens; like grasshoppers that shed their skins and fly away. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nrsvce/nahum/3.htm">New Revised Standard Version</a></span><br />You increased your merchants more than the stars of the heavens. The locust sheds its skin and flies away.<div class="vheading2"><b>Translations from Aramaic</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/lamsa/nahum/3.htm">Lamsa Bible</a></span><br />You have multiplied your merchants more than the stars of the heaven; the young locust swarms and flies away.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/hpbt/nahum/3.htm">Peshitta Holy Bible Translated</a></span><br />And you have multiplied your Merchants more than the stars of Heaven the crawling locust sheds skin and flies away<div class="vheading2"><b>OT Translations</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/jps/nahum/3.htm">JPS Tanakh 1917</a></span><br />Thou hast multiplied thy merchants Above the stars of heaven; The canker-worm spreadeth itself, and flieth away.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/sep/nahum/3.htm">Brenton Septuagint Translation</a></span><br />Thou hast multiplied thy merchandise beyond the stars of heaven: the palmerworm has attacked <i>it</i>, and has flown away.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/parallel/nahum/3-16.htm">Additional Translations ...</a></span></div></div></div><div id="centbox"><div class="padcent"><a name="audio" id="audio"></a><div class="vheadingv"><b>Audio Bible</b></div><iframe width="100%" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1vC_xxtlDxA?start=469" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe><span class="p"><br /><br /><br /></span><div class="vheadingv"><b>Context</b></div><span class="hdg"><a href="/bsb/nahum/3.htm">Judgment Against Nineveh</a></span><br>…<span class="reftext">15</span>There the fire will devour you; the sword will cut you down and consume you like a young locust. Make yourself many like the young locust; make yourself many like the swarming locust! <span class="reftext">16</span><span class="highl"><a href="/hebrew/7235.htm" title="7235: hir·bêṯ (V-Hifil-Perf-2fs) -- To be or become much, many or great. A primitive root; to increase.">You have multiplied</a> <a href="/hebrew/7402.htm" title="7402: rō·ḵə·la·yiḵ (V-Qal-Prtcpl-mpc:: 2fs) -- Probably to go about. A primitive root; to travel for trading.">your merchants</a> <a href="/hebrew/3556.htm" title="3556: mik·kō·wḵ·ḇê (Prep-m:: N-mpc) -- A star. Probably from the same as Kabbown or kavah; a star; figuratively, a prince.">more than the stars</a> <a href="/hebrew/8064.htm" title="8064: haš·šā·mā·yim (Art:: N-mp) -- Heaven, sky. Dual of an unused singular shameh; from an unused root meaning to be lofty; the sky.">of the sky.</a> <a href="/hebrew/3218.htm" title="3218: ye·leq (N-ms) -- (a kind of) locust. From an unused root meaning to lick up; a devourer; specifically, the young locust.">The young locust</a> <a href="/hebrew/6584.htm" title="6584: pā·šaṭ (V-Qal-Perf-3ms) -- To strip off, make a dash, raid. A primitive root; to spread out; by analogy, to strip.">strips the land</a> <a href="/hebrew/5774.htm" title="5774: way·yā·‘ōp̄ (Conj-w:: V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms) -- To fly, to faint. A primitive root; to cover; hence to fly; also to faint.">and flies away.</a> </span><span class="reftext">17</span>Your guards are like the swarming locust, and your scribes like clouds of locusts that settle on the walls on a cold day. When the sun rises, they fly away, and no one knows where.…<div class="cred"><a href="//berean.bible">Berean Standard Bible</a> · <a href="//berean.bible/downloads.htm">Download</a></div><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a name="crossref" id="crossref"></a><div class="vheading">Cross References</div><div id="crf"><span class="crossverse"><a href="/revelation/18-11.htm">Revelation 18:11-19</a></span><br />And the merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over her, because there is no one left to buy their cargo— / cargo of gold, silver, precious stones, and pearls; of fine linen, purple, silk, and scarlet; of all kinds of citron wood and every article of ivory, precious wood, bronze, iron, and marble; / of cinnamon, spice, incense, myrrh, and frankincense; of wine, olive oil, fine flour, and wheat; of cattle, sheep, horses, and carriages; of bodies and souls of slaves. ...<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/ezekiel/27-12.htm">Ezekiel 27:12-25</a></span><br />Tarshish was your merchant because of your great wealth of goods; they exchanged silver, iron, tin, and lead for your wares. / Javan, Tubal, and Meshech were your merchants. They exchanged slaves and bronze utensils for your merchandise. / The men of Beth-togarmah exchanged horses, war horses, and mules for your wares. ...<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/isaiah/23-8.htm">Isaiah 23:8-9</a></span><br />Who planned this against Tyre, the bestower of crowns, whose traders are princes, whose merchants are renowned on the earth? / The LORD of Hosts planned it, to defile all its glorious beauty, to disgrace all the renowned of the earth.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/jeremiah/51-13.htm">Jeremiah 51:13</a></span><br />You who dwell by many waters, rich in treasures, your end has come; the thread of your life is cut.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/zephaniah/1-11.htm">Zephaniah 1:11</a></span><br />Wail, O dwellers of the Hollow, for all your merchants will be silenced; all who weigh out silver will be cut off.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/isaiah/47-15.htm">Isaiah 47:15</a></span><br />This is what they are to you—those with whom you have labored and traded from youth—each one strays in his own direction; not one of them can save you.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/ezekiel/28-16.htm">Ezekiel 28:16</a></span><br />By the vastness of your trade, you were filled with violence, and you sinned. So I drove you in disgrace from the mountain of God, and I banished you, O guardian cherub, from among the fiery stones.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/revelation/18-3.htm">Revelation 18:3</a></span><br />All the nations have drunk the wine of the passion of her immorality. The kings of the earth were immoral with her, and the merchants of the earth have grown wealthy from the extravagance of her luxury.”<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/isaiah/13-20.htm">Isaiah 13:20</a></span><br />She will never be inhabited or settled from generation to generation; no nomad will pitch his tent there, no shepherd will rest his flock there.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/jeremiah/50-37.htm">Jeremiah 50:37</a></span><br />A sword is against her horses and chariots and against all the foreigners in her midst, and they will become like women. A sword is against her treasuries, and they will be plundered.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/isaiah/14-31.htm">Isaiah 14:31</a></span><br />Wail, O gate! Cry out, O city! Melt away, all you Philistines! For a cloud of smoke comes from the north, and there are no stragglers in its ranks.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/ezekiel/27-33.htm">Ezekiel 27:33</a></span><br />When your wares went out to sea, you satisfied many nations. You enriched the kings of the earth with your abundant wealth and merchandise.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/revelation/18-23.htm">Revelation 18:23</a></span><br />The light of a lamp will never shine in you again, and the voices of a bride and bridegroom will never call out in you again. For your merchants were the great ones of the earth, because all the nations were deceived by your sorcery.”<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/isaiah/47-9.htm">Isaiah 47:9</a></span><br />These two things will overtake you in a moment, in a single day: loss of children, and widowhood. They will come upon you in full measure, in spite of your many sorceries and the potency of your spells.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/jeremiah/51-33.htm">Jeremiah 51:33</a></span><br />For this is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: “The Daughter of Babylon is like a threshing floor at the time it is trampled. In just a little while her harvest time will come.”</div><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a name="tsk" id="tsk"><div class="vheading">Treasury of Scripture</div><p class="tsk2">You have multiplied your merchants above the stars of heaven: the cankerworm spoils, and flees away.</p><p class="hdg">above.</p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/genesis/15-5.htm">Genesis 15:5</a></b></br> And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be.</p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/genesis/22-17.htm">Genesis 22:17</a></b></br> That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which <i>is</i> upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies;</p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/nehemiah/9-23.htm">Nehemiah 9:23</a></b></br> Their children also multipliedst thou as the stars of heaven, and broughtest them into the land, concerning which thou hadst promised to their fathers, that they should go in to possess <i>it</i>.</p><p class="hdg">spoileth.</p><div class="vheading">Jump to Previous</div><a href="/nahum/3-15.htm">Cankerworm</a> <a href="/nahum/3-15.htm">Canker-Worm</a> <a href="/nahum/3-15.htm">Creeping</a> <a href="/nahum/3-7.htm">Flee</a> <a href="/amos/5-19.htm">Flees</a> <a href="/nahum/3-7.htm">Fleeth</a> <a href="/isaiah/7-18.htm">Flies</a> <a href="/jeremiah/49-22.htm">Flieth</a> <a href="/nahum/3-15.htm">Grasshopper</a> <a href="/jonah/1-9.htm">Heaven</a> <a href="/jonah/1-9.htm">Heavens</a> <a href="/nahum/2-1.htm">Increased</a> <a href="/micah/7-14.htm">Itself</a> <a href="/nahum/3-15.htm">Locust</a> <a href="/ezekiel/38-13.htm">Merchants</a> <a href="/hosea/12-10.htm">Multiplied</a> <a href="/nahum/3-15.htm">Multiply</a> <a href="/hosea/2-21.htm">Skies</a> <a href="/joel/3-16.htm">Sky</a> <a href="/hosea/7-1.htm">Spoileth</a> <a href="/lamentations/1-17.htm">Spreadeth</a> <a href="/lamentations/1-17.htm">Spreads</a> <a href="/obadiah/1-4.htm">Stars</a> <a href="/micah/3-3.htm">Strip</a> <a href="/nahum/2-10.htm">Stripped</a> <a href="/isaiah/27-10.htm">Strips</a> <a href="/ezekiel/27-24.htm">Traders</a> <a href="/hosea/4-19.htm">Wings</a><div class="vheading2">Jump to Next</div><a href="/psalms/105-34.htm">Cankerworm</a> <a href="/psalms/105-34.htm">Canker-Worm</a> <a href="/habakkuk/1-14.htm">Creeping</a> <a href="/nahum/3-17.htm">Flee</a> <a href="/john/10-12.htm">Flees</a> <a href="/john/10-12.htm">Fleeth</a> <a href="/exodus/8-21.htm">Flies</a> <a href="/deuteronomy/4-17.htm">Flieth</a> <a href="/leviticus/11-22.htm">Grasshopper</a> <a href="/zephaniah/1-3.htm">Heaven</a> <a href="/habakkuk/3-3.htm">Heavens</a> <a href="/zechariah/10-8.htm">Increased</a> <a href="/habakkuk/1-3.htm">Itself</a> <a href="/exodus/10-14.htm">Locust</a> <a href="/zephaniah/1-11.htm">Merchants</a> <a href="/zechariah/10-8.htm">Multiplied</a> <a href="/zechariah/10-8.htm">Multiply</a> <a href="/luke/10-15.htm">Skies</a> <a href="/habakkuk/3-11.htm">Sky</a> <a href="/psalms/35-10.htm">Spoileth</a> <a href="/exodus/40-19.htm">Spreadeth</a> <a href="/acts/4-17.htm">Spreads</a> <a href="/matthew/24-29.htm">Stars</a> <a href="/habakkuk/3-9.htm">Strip</a> <a href="/habakkuk/3-13.htm">Stripped</a> <a href="/luke/2-12.htm">Strips</a> <a href="/zephaniah/1-11.htm">Traders</a> <a href="/zechariah/5-9.htm">Wings</a><div class="vheading2">Nahum 3</div><span class="reftext">1. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/nahum/3-1.htm">The destruction of Nineveh.</a></span><br></div></div><div id="mdd"><div align="center"><div class="bot2"><table align="center" width="100%"><tr><td><div align="center"> <script id="3d27ed63fc4348d5b062c4527ae09445"> (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=51ce25d5-1a8c-424a-8695-4bd48c750f35&cid=3a9f82d0-4344-4f8d-ac0c-e1a0eb43a405'; </script> <script id="b817b7107f1d4a7997da1b3c33457e03"> (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=cb0edd8b-b416-47eb-8c6d-3cc96561f7e8&cid=3a9f82d0-4344-4f8d-ac0c-e1a0eb43a405'; </script><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-2'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-0' style='max-width: 300px;'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-3'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-1' style='max-width: 300px;'> </div><br /><br />  <div align="center" id='div-gpt-ad-1531425649696-0'> </div><br /><br /> <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:inline-block;width:200px;height:200px" data-ad-client="ca-pub-3753401421161123" data-ad-slot="3592799687"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script> <br /><br /> </div> </td></tr></table></div></div></div><div id="combox"><div class="padcom"><a name="study" id="study"></a><div class="vheading"><table width="100%"><tr><td width="99%" valign="top"><a href="/study/nahum/3.htm">Study Bible</a></td><td width="1%" valign="top"><a href="/study/nahum/" title="Book Summary and Study">Book ◦</a> <a href="/study/chapters/nahum/3.htm" title="Chapter summary and Study">Chapter </a></tr></table></div><b>You have multiplied your merchants more than the stars of the sky.</b><br>This phrase highlights the vast number of merchants in Nineveh, the capital of Assyria. Historically, Nineveh was a major trade hub due to its strategic location along important trade routes. The reference to "more than the stars of the sky" is hyperbolic, emphasizing the overwhelming abundance of merchants, which reflects the city's wealth and economic power. This imagery is reminiscent of God's promise to Abraham about his descendants being as numerous as the stars (<a href="/genesis/15-5.htm">Genesis 15:5</a>), but here it is used to illustrate excess and greed rather than blessing. The prosperity of Nineveh, however, is portrayed as superficial and temporary, as it is built on exploitation and oppression, which is condemned by the prophets.<p><b>The young locust strips the land and flies away.</b><br>The imagery of locusts is significant in biblical literature, often symbolizing destruction and divine judgment (<a href="/exodus/10-12.htm">Exodus 10:12-15</a>; <a href="/joel/1-4.htm">Joel 1:4</a>). Locusts consume everything in their path, leaving devastation behind. In this context, the young locust represents the merchants who, like locusts, exploit the land for profit and then leave it barren. This metaphor underscores the transient nature of Nineveh's wealth and the impending judgment upon it. The locusts' ability to "fly away" suggests the fleeting and unreliable nature of the city's prosperity. This passage serves as a warning that reliance on material wealth and exploitation leads to inevitable ruin, aligning with the broader biblical theme of divine justice against oppressive nations.<div class="vheading2">Persons / Places / Events</div>1. <b><a href="/topical/n/nineveh.htm">Nineveh</a></b><br>The capital of the Assyrian Empire, known for its wealth, power, and eventual downfall due to its wickedness and pride.<br><br>2. <b><a href="/topical/m/merchants.htm">Merchants</a></b><br>Symbolic of the economic prosperity and trade that Nineveh engaged in, which contributed to its wealth and arrogance.<br><br>3. <b><a href="/topical/y/young_locust.htm">Young Locust</a></b><br>Represents the destructive forces that consume and devastate, symbolizing the impending judgment and ruin of Nineveh.<div class="vheading2">Teaching Points</div><b><a href="/topical/t/the_danger_of_pride_and_wealth.htm">The Danger of Pride and Wealth</a></b><br>Nineveh's reliance on its merchants and wealth led to its downfall. We must guard against pride and placing our trust in material prosperity.<br><br><b><a href="/topical/i/inevitability_of_divine_judgment.htm">Inevitability of Divine Judgment</a></b><br>Just as the locusts strip the land, God's judgment is thorough and unavoidable for those who persist in wickedness.<br><br><b><a href="/topical/t/temporary_nature_of_earthly_riches.htm">Temporary Nature of Earthly Riches</a></b><br>The fleeting nature of Nineveh's wealth serves as a reminder that earthly riches are temporary and should not be our ultimate pursuit.<br><br><b><a href="/topical/g/god's_sovereignty_over_nations.htm">God's Sovereignty Over Nations</a></b><br>The fall of Nineveh demonstrates God's control over nations and His ability to bring about justice in His timing.<br><br><b><a href="/topical/c/call_to_repentance.htm">Call to Repentance</a></b><br>The imagery of destruction serves as a warning to turn from sin and seek God's mercy before judgment comes.<div class="vheading2">Lists and Questions</div><a href="/top10/lessons_from_nahum_3.htm">Top 10 Lessons from Nahum 3</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/q/what_defines_a_good_conscience.htm">What are the key themes of the Minor Prophets?</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/q/why_is_the_bible_important.htm">What do vultures represent in the Bible?</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/q/what_do_vultures_symbolize_biblically.htm">What do vultures represent in the Bible?</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/q/how_to_reconcile_nahum_3_15-17_with_archaeology.htm">How do we reconcile Nahum's prophecy of Nineveh's swift destruction (Nahum 3:15-17) with archaeological evidence of its prolonged ruins and partial habitation?</a><a name="commentary" id="commentary"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/ellicott/nahum/3.htm">Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers</a></div>(16) <span class= "bld">Spoileth.</span>--Better, <span class= "ital">spreads itself out:</span> swarms out to spoil.<p><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/pulpit/nahum/3.htm">Pulpit Commentary</a></div><span class="cmt_sub_title">Verse 16.</span> - Its extensive commercial relations shall not save it. <span class="cmt_word">Thou hast multiplied thy merchants.</span> Nineveh was most favourably situated for carrying on commerce with other countries. The roads from Asia Minor, Syria, Egypt, and Phoenicia, that led into Media, Persia, and the interior of Asia, converged at Nineveh, and brought thither merchandise from all lands; and the Assyrians themselves exported their own produce and manufactures to the far West. Among these are enumerated textile fabrics, carpets, dyed attire, and embroidered work, carvings in ivory, gems, spices (see Rawlinson, 'Anc. Mon.,' 2:179, etc.; Layard, 'Nineveh,' 2:414, etc.). <span class="cmt_word">The cankerworm spoileth;</span> or, <span class="accented">spreadeth itself</span> for plunder; Vulgate, <span class="accented">expansus est</span>; Septuagint, <span class="greek">ὥρμησεν</span>, "attacked." The cankerworm (see note on ver. 15) are the enemy,who spread themselves over the rich produce of Nineveh, and then <span class="cmt_word">flee away</span> laden with spoil. Pusey makes the cankerworm represent Nineveh. She spread herself everywhere wasting and plundering, and now she is gone, has disappeared. But the former explanation better suits the comparison in ver. 15, where "the licker" is the enemy; and it is most natural that the prophet should allude to the fate of that commercial wealth which he has just mentioned, as in previous verses he contrasts the riches and power of Nineveh with the ruin that awaits them. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/commentaries/nahum/3-16.htm">Parallel Commentaries ...</a></span><span class="p"><br /><br /><br /></span><a name="lexicon" id="lexicon"></a><div class="vheading">Hebrew</div><span class="word">You have multiplied</span><br /><span class="heb">הִרְבֵּית֙</span> <span class="translit">(hir·bêṯ)</span><br /><span class="parse">Verb - Hifil - Perfect - second person feminine singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_7235.htm">Strong's 7235: </a> </span><span class="str2">To be or become much, many or great</span><br /><br /><span class="word">your merchants</span><br /><span class="heb">רֹֽכְלַ֔יִךְ</span> <span class="translit">(rō·ḵə·la·yiḵ)</span><br /><span class="parse">Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct | second person feminine singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_7402.htm">Strong's 7402: </a> </span><span class="str2">To travel for, trading</span><br /><br /><span class="word">more than the stars</span><br /><span class="heb">מִכּוֹכְבֵ֖י</span> <span class="translit">(mik·kō·wḵ·ḇê)</span><br /><span class="parse">Preposition-m | Noun - masculine plural construct<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_3556.htm">Strong's 3556: </a> </span><span class="str2">A star, a prince</span><br /><br /><span class="word">of the sky.</span><br /><span class="heb">הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם</span> <span class="translit">(haš·šā·mā·yim)</span><br /><span class="parse">Article | Noun - masculine plural<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_8064.htm">Strong's 8064: </a> </span><span class="str2">Heaven, sky</span><br /><br /><span class="word">The young locust</span><br /><span class="heb">יֶ֥לֶק</span> <span class="translit">(ye·leq)</span><br /><span class="parse">Noun - masculine singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_3218.htm">Strong's 3218: </a> </span><span class="str2">A devourer, the young locust</span><br /><br /><span class="word">strips the land</span><br /><span class="heb">פָּשַׁ֖ט</span> <span class="translit">(pā·šaṭ)</span><br /><span class="parse">Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_6584.htm">Strong's 6584: </a> </span><span class="str2">To strip off, make a dash, raid</span><br /><br /><span class="word">and flies away.</span><br /><span class="heb">וַיָּעֹֽף׃</span> <span class="translit">(way·yā·‘ōp̄)</span><br /><span class="parse">Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_5774.htm">Strong's 5774: </a> </span><span class="str2">To fly, to faint</span><br /><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><div class="vheading">Links</div><a href="/niv/nahum/3-16.htm">Nahum 3:16 NIV</a><br /><a href="/nlt/nahum/3-16.htm">Nahum 3:16 NLT</a><br /><a href="/esv/nahum/3-16.htm">Nahum 3:16 ESV</a><br /><a href="/nasb/nahum/3-16.htm">Nahum 3:16 NASB</a><br /><a href="/kjv/nahum/3-16.htm">Nahum 3:16 KJV</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="//bibleapps.com/nahum/3-16.htm">Nahum 3:16 BibleApps.com</a><br /><a href="//bibliaparalela.com/nahum/3-16.htm">Nahum 3:16 Biblia Paralela</a><br /><a href="//holybible.com.cn/nahum/3-16.htm">Nahum 3:16 Chinese Bible</a><br /><a href="//saintebible.com/nahum/3-16.htm">Nahum 3:16 French Bible</a><br /><a href="/catholic/nahum/3-16.htm">Nahum 3:16 Catholic Bible</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/nahum/3-16.htm">OT Prophets: Nahum 3:16 You have increased your merchants more than (Nah. Na) </a></div></div></td></tr></table></div><div id="left"><a href="/nahum/3-15.htm" onmouseover='lft.src="/leftgif.png"' onmouseout='lft.src="/left.png"' title="Nahum 3:15"><img src="/left.png" name="lft" border="0" alt="Nahum 3:15" /></a></div><div id="right"><a href="/nahum/3-17.htm" onmouseover='rght.src="/rightgif.png"' onmouseout='rght.src="/right.png"' title="Nahum 3:17"><img src="/right.png" name="rght" border="0" alt="Nahum 3:17" /></a></div><div id="botleft"><a href="#" onmouseover='botleft.src="/botleftgif.png"' onmouseout='botleft.src="/botleft.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botleft.png" name="botleft" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="botright"><a href="#" onmouseover='botright.src="/botrightgif.png"' onmouseout='botright.src="/botright.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botright.png" name="botright" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="bot"><iframe width="100%" height="1500" scrolling="no" src="/botmenubhnew2.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></div></td></tr></table></div></body></html>