What does Nahum 3:13 mean?
"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 3:13
The verse Nahum 3:13 from the King James Version of the Bible reads, "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."
In order to truly understand the meaning and significance of this verse, it is necessary to consider the context in which it was written. The book of Nahum is a prophetic book in the Old Testament that focuses on the downfall of the city of Nineveh, the capital of the Assyrian Empire. Nahum, the prophet, delivers a message of judgment and destruction against the city for its wickedness and oppression of other nations.
Nahum 3:13 is part of a larger passage in which the prophet vividly describes the impending downfall of Nineveh. In this specific verse, Nahum is warning the people of Nineveh that their defenses will be of no use against the impending judgment of God. The people are compared to women, who were often seen as weaker and more vulnerable in ancient societies. This comparison emphasizes the impending vulnerability and defenselessness of the people of Nineveh in the face of their enemies.
The imagery of the gates of the land being set wide open serves to highlight the complete lack of protection and security for the people. In ancient times, the gates of a city were its primary means of defense, and by saying that they will be set wide open, Nahum is essentially saying that the city will be defenseless and easily overrun by its enemies.
The mention of fire devouring the bars further emphasizes the idea of destruction and desolation. The bars of a city were another form of defense, and their destruction conveys the idea that there will be no escape or protection for the people of Nineveh.
Symbolically, this verse can be seen as a warning against the arrogance and pride of nations. The Assyrian Empire was known for its brutality and aggression, and Nahum's prophecy serves as a reminder that even the mightiest nations are not immune to the judgment of God. The downfall of Nineveh is portrayed as a consequence of its wickedness and oppression, and a warning to all nations that they will face judgment if they follow a similar path.
In a broader sense, this verse can also be seen as a reminder of the consequences of sin. The imagery of vulnerability and defenselessness serves as a warning to individuals who rely on their own strength and power, rather than seeking refuge in God. The destruction of Nineveh serves as a powerful reminder of the consequences of pride and wickedness.
Overall, Nahum 3:13 is a powerful and vivid portrayal of the impending downfall of Nineveh. Through its striking imagery and symbolism, the verse serves as a warning against arrogance, pride, and wickedness, and a reminder of the consequences of relying on one's own strength rather than seeking refuge in God. It stands as a timeless reminder of the inevitability of judgment and the importance of living in accordance with God's will.
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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."
"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 3:13
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 1:13 - "For now will I break his yoke from off thee, and will burst thy bonds in sunder."
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 3:14 - "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 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 3:17 - "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."
"Ethiopia and Egypt were her strength, and it was infinite; Put and Lubim were thy helpers." - Nahum 3:9
"For now will I break his yoke from off thee, and will burst thy bonds in sunder." - Nahum 1:13
"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."