Nahum 3:16

Verse

Berean Standard Bible

You have multiplied your merchants more than the stars of the sky. The young locust strips the land and flies away.

American Standard Version (1901)

Thou hast multiplied thy merchants above the stars of heaven: the canker-worm ravageth, and fleeth away.

Bible in Basic English

Let your traders be increased more than the stars of heaven:

Douay-Rheims 1899

Thou hast multiplied thy merchandises above the stars of heaven: the bruchus hath spread himself and flown away.

Free Bible Version

You increased your merchants so that there are more of them than the stars of heaven. But like locusts they strip everything and then fly away.

Geneva Bible 1599

Thou hast multiplied thy marchantes aboue the starres of heauen: the locust spoileth and flyeth away.

King James (Authorized) Version

Thou hast multiplied thy merchants above the stars of heaven: the cankerworm spoileth, and flieth away.

Translation for Translators

In your city there are now very many merchants; it seems that there are more of them than there are stars. But when your city is being destroyed, those merchants will take the valuable things and disappear like [SIM] locusts that strip the leaves from plants and then fly away.

Unlocked Literal Bible

You have multiplied your merchants more than the stars in the heavens; but they are like young locusts: they plunder the land and then fly away.

Noah Webster Bible

Thou hast multiplied thy merchants above the stars of heaven: the canker-worm spoileth, and flieth away.

World English Bible

You have increased your merchants more than the stars of the skies. The grasshopper strips and flees away.

Young's Literal Translation

Multiply thy merchants above the stars of the heavens, The cankerworm hath stripped off, and doth flee away.

Context

Judgment on Nineveh

¹⁵There 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! ¹⁶You have multiplied your merchants more than the stars of the sky. The young locust strips the land and flies away. ¹⁷Your 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.

Summary

This verse in the book of Nahum describes the fate of Nineveh, the capital of Assyria, as being consumed by fire. It portrays the destruction and devastation that will come upon the city as a result of its wickedness and violence. The imagery of fire symbolizes God's judgment and righteous anger towards unrepentant sin. Ultimately, this verse serves as a reminder of the consequences of rebellion against God and the importance of turning back to Him in repentance to avoid His wrath.

Commentary

Adam Clarke
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
John Gill
Tyndale

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

Thou hast multiplied thy merchants - Like Tyre, this city was a famous resort for merchants; but the multitudes which were there previously to the siege, like the locusts, took the alarm, and fled away.

John Gill Bible Commentary

Thou hast multiplied thy merchants above the stars of heaven,.... A hyperbolical expression, setting forth the great number of merchants that were in Nineveh, and in the land of Assyria; who either were the natives of the place, or came thither for the sake of merchandise, which serve to enrich a nation, and therefore are encouraged to settle; and from whom, in a time of war, much benefit might be expected; being able to furnish with money, which is the sinews of war, as well as to give intelligence of the designs of foreign princes, they trading abroad: the cankerworm spoileth, and flieth away; or "puts off" (c) its clothes, disrobes and changes its form; or breaks out with force, as the Septuagint, out of its former worm state, and appears a beautiful butterfly, and then flies away. The word is rendered a caterpillar, Psa 105:34 and what we translate "spoileth" is used of stripping, or putting off of clothes, Sa1 19:24 and the sense may be, that though their merchants were multiplied above the stars of heaven, in which there may be an allusion to the increase of caterpillars, Nah 3:15 yet, as the caterpillar drops its clothes, and flies away, so their merchants, through fear of the enemy, would depart in haste, or be suddenly stripped of their riches, which make themselves wings, and fly away, Pro 23:5. These merchants, at their beginning, might be low and mean, but, increasing, adorning, and enriching themselves in a time of peace, fled away in a time of war: or, "spreads itself" (d), and "flies away"; so these creatures spread themselves on the earth, and devour all they can, and then spread their wings, and are gone; suggesting that in like manner the merchants of Nineveh would serve them; get all they could by merchandise among them, and then betake themselves elsewhere and especially in a time of war, which is prejudicial to merchandise; and hence nothing was to be expected from them, or any dependence had upon them. (c) "exspoliavit", De Dieu; "proprie est, exuere, vestem detrahere et exspoliare", De Dieu. (d) "Diffundit se", Munster, so the Targum; "effunditur", Cocceius.

Nahum 3:16

Judgment on Nineveh

Scripture
Sermons
Commentary

Berean Standard Bible

You have multiplied your merchants more than the stars of the sky. The young locust strips the land and flies away.

American Standard Version (1901)

Thou hast multiplied thy merchants above the stars of heaven: the canker-worm ravageth, and fleeth away.

Bible in Basic English

Let your traders be increased more than the stars of heaven:

Douay-Rheims 1899

Thou hast multiplied thy merchandises above the stars of heaven: the bruchus hath spread himself and flown away.

Free Bible Version

You increased your merchants so that there are more of them than the stars of heaven. But like locusts they strip everything and then fly away.

Geneva Bible 1599

Thou hast multiplied thy marchantes aboue the starres of heauen: the locust spoileth and flyeth away.

King James (Authorized) Version

Thou hast multiplied thy merchants above the stars of heaven: the cankerworm spoileth, and flieth away.

Translation for Translators

Unlocked Literal Bible

You have multiplied your merchants more than the stars in the heavens; but they are like young locusts: they plunder the land and then fly away.

Noah Webster Bible

Thou hast multiplied thy merchants above the stars of heaven: the canker-worm spoileth, and flieth away.

World English Bible

You have increased your merchants more than the stars of the skies. The grasshopper strips and flees away.

Young's Literal Translation

Multiply thy merchants above the stars of the heavens, The cankerworm hath stripped off, and doth flee away.

Adam Clarke
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
John Gill
Tyndale

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

John Gill Bible Commentary

Nahum 3:16

Verse

Context

Judgment on Nineveh

Summary

Commentary

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

John Gill Bible Commentary

Tyndale Open Study Notes

Nahum 3:16

Judgment on Nineveh

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

John Gill Bible Commentary

Tyndale Open Study Notes