Nahum 3:2
◄  Nahum 3:2  ►
New International Version (©2011)
The crack of whips, the clatter of wheels, galloping horses and jolting chariots!

New Living Translation (©2007)
Hear the crack of whips, the rumble of wheels! Horses' hooves pound, and chariots clatter wildly.

English Standard Version (©2001)
The crack of the whip, and rumble of the wheel, galloping horse and bounding chariot!

New American Standard Bible (©1995)
The noise of the whip, The noise of the rattling of the wheel, Galloping horses And bounding chariots!

King James Bible (Cambridge Ed.)
The noise of a whip, and the noise of the rattling of the wheels, and of the pransing horses, and of the jumping chariots.

Holman Christian Standard Bible (©2009)
The crack of the whip and rumble of the wheel, galloping horse and jolting chariot!

International Standard Version (©2012)
The crack of whips and the clamor of wheels! The galloping horses and the bounding chariots!

NET Bible (©2006)
The chariot drivers will crack their whips; the chariot wheels will shake the ground; the chariot horses will gallop; the war chariots will bolt forward!

GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995)
The sound of the whip! The sound of rattling wheels! Horses gallop! Chariots bounce along!

King James 2000 Bible (©2003)
The noise of a whip, and the noise of the rattling of the wheels, and of the prancing horses, and of the jolting chariots.

American King James Version
The noise of a whip, and the noise of the rattling of the wheels, and of the prancing horses, and of the jumping chariots.

American Standard Version
The noise of the whip, and the noise of the rattling of wheels, and prancing horses, and bounding chariots,

Douay-Rheims Bible
The noise of the whip, and the noise of the rattling of the wheels, and of the neighing horse, and of the running chariot, and of the horsemen coming up,

Darby Bible Translation
The crack of the whip, and the noise of the rattling of the wheels, and of the prancing horses, and of the bounding chariots!

English Revised Version
The noise of the whip, and the noise of the rattling of wheels; and pransing horses, and jumping chariots;

Webster's Bible Translation
The noise of a whip, and the noise of the rattling of the wheels, and of the prancing horses, and of the bounding chariots.

World English Bible
The noise of the whip, the noise of the rattling of wheels, prancing horses, and bounding chariots,

Young's Literal Translation
The sound of a whip, And the sound of the rattling of a wheel, And of a prancing horse, and of a bounding chariot, Of a horseman mounting.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

3:1-7 When proud sinners are brought down, others should learn not to lift themselves up. The fall of this great city should be a lesson to private persons, who increase wealth by fraud and oppression. They are preparing enemies for themselves; and if the Lord sees good to punish them in this world, they will have none to pity them. Every man who seeks his own prosperity, safety, and peace, should not only act in an upright, honourable manner, but with kindness to all.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 2. - The noise of a whip. The prophet describes the advance of the investing army. He hears the cracking of the whips of the charioteers, and the rattling of the wheels of the chariots, and the galloping horses, and the chariots bounding over the plain. Probably all the expressions in this verso refer to chariots and to horses yoked to them, which varied in number from one to three. The whip was a simple thong attached to a short handle. Comp. Virg., 'Georg.,' 3:106, etc. -

"... illi instant verbere torto
Et proni dant lora, volat vi fervidus axis;
Jamque humiles, jamque elati sublime videntur
Aera per vacuum ferri, atque adsurgere in auras."

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

The noise of a whip,.... Of a horseman or chariot driver whipping his horses to make speed to Nineveh, and enter into it, so near as to be heard by the inhabitants of it; and is thus represented in order to strike terror into them:

and the noise of the rattling of the wheels; that is, of the chariots upon the stones, whose drivers drove Jehu like, making the utmost haste they could to get in first, and seize the prey:

and of the pransing horses; or bounding steeds, upon a full gallop; either with horsemen on them riding full speed to partake of the booty; or in chariots, in which they caper and prance, and shake the ground as they go; hence it follows:

and of the jumping chariots; which, through the swiftness of the motion, seem to leap and dance as they run along.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

2. The reader is transported into the midst of the fight (compare Jer 47:3). The "noise of the whips" urging on the horses (in the chariots) is heard, and of "the rattling of the wheels" of war chariots, and the "horses" are seen "prancing," and the "chariots jumping," &c.

Nahum 3:2 Parallel Commentaries

Nahum 3:2 NIV
Nahum 3:2 NLT
Nahum 3:2 ESV
Nahum 3:2 NASB
Nahum 3:2 KJV

Bible Hub: Online Parallel Bible


Judgment against Nineveh
1Woe to the bloody city! it is all full of lies and robbery; the prey departs not; 2The noise of a whip, and the noise of the rattling of the wheels, and of the prancing horses, and of the jumping chariots. 3The horseman lifts up both the bright sword and the glittering spear: and there is a multitude of slain, and a great number of carcasses; and there is none end of their corpses; they stumble on their corpses: …

Job 39:22 It laughs at fear, afraid of nothing; it does not shy away from the sword.
Jeremiah 47:3 at the sound of the hooves of galloping steeds, at the noise of enemy chariots and the rumble of their wheels. Parents will not turn to help their children; their hands will hang limp.
Nahum 2:3 The shields of the soldiers are red; the warriors are clad in scarlet. The metal on the chariots flashes on the day they are made ready; the spears of juniper are brandished.
Nahum 2:4 The chariots storm through the streets, rushing back and forth through the squares. They look like flaming torches; they dart about like lightning.