What does Nahum 1:10 mean?
"For while they be folden together as thorns, and while they are drunken as drunkards, they shall be devoured as stubble fully dry." - Nahum 1:10

The bible verse Nahum 1:10 in the King James Version (KJV) reads, "For while they be folden together as thorns, and while they are drunken as drunkards, they shall be devoured as stubble fully dry." This verse comes from the book of Nahum, which is a prophetic book in the Old Testament. The book of Nahum is one of the twelve Minor Prophets in the Hebrew Bible and it primarily focuses on the downfall of the Assyrian empire and the eventual restoration of Judah.
In Nahum 1:10, the prophet Nahum is delivering a message of judgment against the enemies of God's people. The verse depicts the enemies being compared to thorns and drunkards, and then being devoured as dry stubble. This imagery is vivid and captures the impending destruction of the enemies of God's people.
The first part of the verse states, "For while they be folden together as thorns, and while they are drunken as drunkards." The metaphor of thorns and drunkards conveys the idea of the enemies being intertwined and entangled like thorns, and being intoxicated with their own power and arrogance like drunkards. This imagery conveys the chaotic and destructive nature of the enemies' behavior.
The second part of the verse states, "they shall be devoured as stubble fully dry." This imagery suggests that the enemies will be consumed and destroyed like dry stubble that is easily engulfed in flames. It conveys the idea of the enemies' swift and complete destruction.
The overall theme of Nahum 1:10 is the righteous judgment of God. The verse emphasizes the certainty and severity of God's judgment against those who oppose or oppress His people. The imagery used in the verse is meant to convey the inevitability and decisiveness of God's actions against the enemies of His people.
The context of Nahum 1:10 is the impending downfall of the Assyrian empire. The book of Nahum was written during a time when Assyria was a dominant and oppressive force in the ancient Near East. The Assyrians had conquered the northern kingdom of Israel and posed a significant threat to the southern kingdom of Judah. The book of Nahum serves as a message of hope and encouragement to the people of Judah, assuring them that God will ultimately bring about the downfall of their enemies and deliver them from oppression.
In addition to its historical context, the verse can also be applied to broader spiritual and moral principles. It serves as a reminder that God's judgment is always just and sure, and that those who oppress others will eventually face the consequences of their actions. The imagery of thorns and drunkards being devoured as dry stubble serves as a powerful warning against the arrogance and cruelty of those who seek to harm others.
Symbolically, the thorns and drunkards in the verse can represent any form of opposition or evil in the world. The image of being "folden together as thorns" can represent the entwined and dangerous nature of sin and wickedness. The image of being "drunken as drunkards" can represent the intoxicating allure of power and selfishness. And the image of being "devoured as stubble fully dry" can represent the inevitable and complete destruction of wickedness in the face of God's righteous judgment.
In conclusion, Nahum 1:10 is a powerful and evocative verse that conveys the theme of God's righteous judgment and the certainty of the downfall of those who oppose His people. The imagery of thorns, drunkards, and dry stubble serves as a vivid and warning example of the consequences of arrogance and wickedness. The verse holds historical, spiritual, and moral significance, and it continues to inspire and encourage believers today.
Have questions about Nahum 1:10?
Dive deeper into this scripture with Bible Chat — an AI-powered tool for exploring God's Word through conversation. Ask questions, get context, and grow in your understanding of the Bible.
Get Our Apps
Nahum 1:10 Artwork
Nahum 1:10 - "For while they be folden together as thorns, and while they are drunken as drunkards, they shall be devoured as stubble fully dry."
"For while they be folden together as thorns, and while they are drunken as drunkards, they shall be devoured as stubble fully dry." - Nahum 1:10
Nahum 1:1 - "The burden of Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite."
"The burden of Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite." - Nahum 1:1
Nahum 1:6
Nahum 3:1 - "Woe to the bloody city! it is all full of lies and robbery; the prey departeth not;"
Nahum 2:10 - "She is empty, and void, and waste: and the heart melteth, and the knees smite together, and much pain is in all loins, and the faces of them all gather blackness."
Nahum 1:3 – "The Lord is slow to anger but great in power; the Lord will not leave the guilty unpunished."
Nahum 1:11 - "There is one come out of thee, that imagineth evil against the LORD, a wicked counsellor."
Nahum 1:7 - "The LORD is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him."
Nahum 1:13 - "For now will I break his yoke from off thee, and will burst thy bonds in sunder."
Nahum 1:5 - "The mountains quake at him, and the hills melt, and the earth is burned at his presence, yea, the world, and all that dwell therein."
Nahum 1:8 - "But with an overrunning flood he will make an utter end of the place thereof, and darkness shall pursue his enemies."
Nahum 1:4 - "He rebuketh the sea, and maketh it dry, and drieth up all the rivers: Bashan languisheth, and Carmel, and the flower of Lebanon languisheth."
Nahum 1:2 - "God is jealous, and the LORD revengeth; the LORD revengeth, and is furious; the LORD will take vengeance on his adversaries, and he reserveth wrath for his enemies."
Nahum 1:9 - "What do ye imagine against the LORD? he will make an utter end: affliction shall not rise up the second time."
Nahum 3:10 - "Yet was she carried away, she went into captivity: her young children also were dashed in pieces at the top of all the streets: and they cast lots for her honourable men, and all her great men were bound in chains."
Nahum 1:3 - "The LORD is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked: the LORD hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet."
"Woe to the bloody city! it is all full of lies and robbery; the prey departeth not;" - Nahum 3:1
"Behold upon the mountains the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace! O Judah, keep thy solemn feasts, perform thy vows: for the wicked shall no more pass through thee; he is utterly cut off." - Nahum 1:15
Nahum 2:1 - "He that dasheth in pieces is come up before thy face: keep the munition, watch the way, make thy loins strong, fortify thy power mightily."
Nahum 1:6 - "Who can stand before his indignation? and who can abide in the fierceness of his anger? his fury is poured out like fire, and the rocks are thrown down by him."
"There is one come out of thee, that imagineth evil against the LORD, a wicked counsellor." - Nahum 1:11
"The LORD is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him." - Nahum 1:7
Nahum 1:12 - "Thus saith the LORD; Though they be quiet, and likewise many, yet thus shall they be cut down, when he shall pass through. Though I have afflicted thee, I will afflict thee no more."
"For now will I break his yoke from off thee, and will burst thy bonds in sunder." - Nahum 1:13
Nahum 1:14 - "And the LORD hath given a commandment concerning thee, that no more of thy name be sown: out of the house of thy gods will I cut off the graven image and the molten image: I will make thy grave; for thou art vile."
"She is empty, and void, and waste: and the heart melteth, and the knees smite together, and much pain is in all loins, and the faces of them all gather blackness." - Nahum 2:10
"But with an overrunning flood he will make an utter end of the place thereof, and darkness shall pursue his enemies." - Nahum 1:8
Nahum 1:15 - "Behold upon the mountains the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace! O Judah, keep thy solemn feasts, perform thy vows: for the wicked shall no more pass through thee; he is utterly cut off."