What does Nahum 3:14 mean?
"Draw thee waters for the siege, fortify thy strong holds: go into clay, and tread the morter, make strong the brickkiln." - Nahum 3:14
The verse Nahum 3:14 from the King James Version of the Bible reads, "Draw thee waters for the siege, fortify thy strong holds: go into clay, and tread the mortar, make strong the brick-kiln." This verse is found in the book of Nahum, a prophetic book in the Old Testament. The book of Nahum is a prophecy against Nineveh, the capital of Assyria, and specifically addresses the city's impending destruction.
In this verse, the prophet Nahum is exhorting the people of Nineveh to prepare for a siege. It is important to understand the historical and cultural context in order to fully grasp the meaning and significance of this verse. Nineveh was a powerful and prosperous city, known for its wealth, military might, and wickedness. The Assyrians were notorious for their cruelty and violence, and the city of Nineveh was the epitome of their arrogance and oppression.
The verse begins with the command to "draw thee waters for the siege," which can be interpreted as a call to fortify the city and prepare for the impending attack. In ancient warfare, sieges were a common tactic used to capture fortified cities. The besieging army would often cut off the water supply to the city in order to weaken its defenses and force it to surrender. By drawing water for the siege, the people of Nineveh are being instructed to gather and store water in preparation for the prolonged conflict and hardship that comes with a siege.
The next part of the verse instructs the people to "fortify thy strong holds," emphasizing the need to strengthen the city's defenses and fortifications. This demonstrates the gravity of the threat facing Nineveh and the urgency of the situation. The prophet urges the people to take practical steps to protect themselves and their city from the impending danger.
The verse continues with the command to "go into clay, and tread the mortar, make strong the brick-kiln." This imagery of working with clay and mortar to strengthen the brick-kiln conveys the idea of construction and craftsmanship. In the face of impending destruction, the people are being called to put in the effort and skill necessary to reinforce their defenses and fortify their city. This serves as a reminder that preparedness and diligence are crucial in times of crisis.
In terms of symbolism, the verse can be interpreted as a metaphor for spiritual warfare and the need to fortify one's faith and defenses against the attacks of the enemy. The city of Nineveh can be seen as a representation of the world and its wickedness, while the siege symbolizes the spiritual battles that believers face. The exhortation to fortify strong holds and strengthen defenses can be applied to the Christian's need to secure themselves with the armor of God and build a firm foundation in their faith.
Overall, Nahum 3:14 is a powerful and evocative verse that conveys a sense of urgency and determination. It serves as a reminder of the importance of preparation, diligence, and fortitude in the face of adversity. The verse's historical context provides insight into the specific challenges and threats faced by the people of Nineveh, while its symbolism allows for a broader application to the spiritual battles that believers encounter.
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Nahum 3:14 - "Draw thee waters for the siege, fortify thy strong holds: go into clay, and tread the morter, make strong the brickkiln."
"Draw thee waters for the siege, fortify thy strong holds: go into clay, and tread the morter, make strong the brickkiln." - Nahum 3:14
Nahum 3:1 - "Woe to the bloody city! it is all full of lies and robbery; the prey departeth not;"
Nahum 1:3 – "The Lord is slow to anger but great in power; the Lord will not leave the guilty unpunished."
Nahum 3:2 - "The noise of a whip, and the noise of the rattling of the wheels, and of the pransing horses, and of the jumping chariots."
Nahum 3:6 - "And I will cast abominable filth upon thee, and make thee vile, and will set thee as a gazingstock."
Nahum 3:16 - "Thou hast multiplied thy merchants above the stars of heaven: the cankerworm spoileth, and flieth away."
Nahum 3:9 - "Ethiopia and Egypt were her strength, and it was infinite; Put and Lubim were thy helpers."
Nahum 3:11 - "Thou also shalt be drunken: thou shalt be hid, thou also shalt seek strength because of the enemy."
Nahum 3:12 - "All thy strong holds shall be like fig trees with the firstripe figs: if they be shaken, they shall even fall into the mouth of the eater."
Nahum 3:3 - "The horseman lifteth up both the bright sword and the glittering spear: and there is a multitude of slain, and a great number of carcases; and there is none end of their corpses; they stumble upon their corpses:" bible verse art
Nahum 3:4 - "Because of the multitude of the whoredoms of the wellfavoured harlot, the mistress of witchcrafts, that selleth nations through her whoredoms, and families through her witchcrafts."
Nahum 3:8 - "Art thou better than populous No, that was situate among the rivers, that had the waters round about it, whose rampart was the sea, and her wall was from the sea?"
Nahum 3:18 - "Thy shepherds slumber, O king of Assyria: thy nobles shall dwell in the dust: thy people is scattered upon the mountains, and no man gathereth them."
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
"The noise of a whip, and the noise of the rattling of the wheels, and of the pransing horses, and of the jumping chariots." - Nahum 3:2
Nahum 3:13 - "Behold, thy people in the midst of thee are women: the gates of thy land shall be set wide open unto thine enemies: the fire shall devour thy bars."
Nahum 3:17 - "Thy crowned are as the locusts, and thy captains as the great grasshoppers, which camp in the hedges in the cold day, but when the sun ariseth they flee away, and their place is not known where they are."
Nahum 3:19 - "There is no healing of thy bruise; thy wound is grievous: all that hear the bruit of thee shall clap the hands over thee: for upon whom hath not thy wickedness passed continually?"
Nahum 2:3 - "The shield of his mighty men is made red, the valiant men are in scarlet: the chariots shall be with flaming torches in the day of his preparation, and the fir trees shall be terribly shaken."
Nahum 3:7 - "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 3:5 - "Behold, I am against thee, saith the LORD of hosts; and I will discover thy skirts upon thy face, and I will shew the nations thy nakedness, and the kingdoms thy shame."
Nahum 3:15 - "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 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."
"Ethiopia and Egypt were her strength, and it was infinite; Put and Lubim were thy helpers." - Nahum 3:9
"And I will cast abominable filth upon thee, and make thee vile, and will set thee as a gazingstock." - Nahum 3:6
"Thou hast multiplied thy merchants above the stars of heaven: the cankerworm spoileth, and flieth away." - Nahum 3:16
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."
"Thou also shalt be drunken: thou shalt be hid, thou also shalt seek strength because of the enemy." - Nahum 3:11