What does Nahum 3:1 mean?
"Woe to the bloody city! it is all full of lies and robbery; the prey departeth not;" - Nahum 3:1
Nahum 3:1 - "Woe to the bloody city! it is all full of lies and robbery; the prey departeth not;"
The book of Nahum is a prophetic book in the Old Testament that focuses on the destruction of the city of Nineveh, the capital of the Assyrian Empire. Nahum 3:1 in the King James Version states, "Woe to the bloody city! it is all full of lies and robbery; the prey departeth not."
This verse is a proclamation of judgment against the city of Nineveh. The use of the word "woe" signifies that the city is in deep trouble and has brought its destruction upon itself. The term "bloody city" speaks to the violence and bloodshed that is rampant within the city. The people of Nineveh are engaged in acts of brutality and wickedness, which ultimately lead to their downfall. The phrase "it is all full of lies and robbery" points to the city's moral corruption and dishonesty. The leaders and inhabitants of Nineveh are guilty of deceit, theft, and exploitation, all of which contribute to the city's downfall.
The final part of the verse, "the prey departeth not," indicates that Nineveh's victims have not escaped or been spared. The wrongs committed by the city have led to the suffering and oppression of others, and they will not be able to escape the consequences of their actions. The verse thus serves as a warning to the people of Nineveh and a reminder of the justice of God.
The broader context of Nahum 3:1 is the prophecy of Nahum, who foretells the destruction of Nineveh. The city of Nineveh had a long history of wickedness and oppression, and the book of Nahum speaks to the divine judgment that will befall the city as a result of its evil deeds. The Assyrian Empire, of which Nineveh was the capital, had been a brutal and oppressive force, and the book of Nahum serves as a proclamation of judgment against this empire.
One of the key themes of Nahum 3:1 is the justice and righteousness of God. The verse emphasizes that God will not allow the wickedness and violence of Nineveh to go unpunished. The city's sins have reached a tipping point, and God's judgment is imminent. This theme of divine justice is a recurring motif throughout the book of Nahum and serves as a reminder of God's sovereignty and the consequences of human wickedness.
Another theme in this verse is the consequences of moral corruption. The city of Nineveh has become a hotbed of lies, robbery, and violence, and these sins have resulted in the city's impending destruction. The verse serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of moral depravity and the inevitable consequences that follow.
Symbolically, Nineveh can be seen as representative of any nation or empire that becomes corrupted by power and loses its moral compass. The verse serves as a warning to all societies about the dangers of unchecked power and the moral decay that can result from it. In this sense, the verse has a broader application beyond the specific historical context of Nineveh and the Assyrian Empire.
In conclusion, Nahum 3:1 is a powerful proclamation of judgment against the city of Nineveh, emphasizing the justice and righteousness of God, the consequences of moral corruption, and the broader implications for societies that become corrupted by power. The verse serves as a reminder of the importance of moral integrity and the inevitable consequences of wickedness.
Nahum 3:1 Artwork
Nahum 3:1 - "Woe to the bloody city! it is all full of lies and robbery; the prey departeth not;"
Nahum 1:1 - "The burden of Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite."
Nahum 1:3 – "The Lord is slow to anger but great in power; the Lord will not leave the guilty unpunished."
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."
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 3:3 - "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 3:14 - "Draw thee waters for the siege, fortify thy strong holds: go into clay, and tread the morter, make strong the brickkiln."
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 1:11 - "There is one come out of thee, that imagineth evil against the LORD, a wicked counsellor."
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 1:7 - "The LORD is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him."
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 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."
Nahum 1:13 - "For now will I break his yoke from off thee, and will burst thy bonds in sunder."
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 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 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 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 3:13 - "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 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 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 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 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 3:7 - "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?"