Nahum 3:10
New International Version
Yet she was taken captive and went into exile. Her infants were dashed to pieces at every street corner. Lots were cast for her nobles, and all her great men were put in chains.

New Living Translation
Yet Thebes fell, and her people were led away as captives. Her babies were dashed to death against the stones of the streets. Soldiers threw dice to get Egyptian officers as servants. All their leaders were bound in chains.

English Standard Version
Yet she became an exile; she went into captivity; her infants were dashed in pieces at the head of every street; for her honored men lots were cast, and all her great men were bound in chains.

Berean Standard Bible
Yet she became an exile; she went into captivity. Her infants were dashed to pieces at the head of every street. They cast lots for her dignitaries, and all her nobles were bound in chains.

King James Bible
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.

New King James Version
Yet she was carried away, She went into captivity; Her young children also were dashed to pieces At the head of every street; They cast lots for her honorable men, And all her great men were bound in chains.

New American Standard Bible
Yet she became an exile, She went into captivity; Also her small children were smashed to pieces At the head of every street; They cast lots for her honorable men, And all her great men were bound with shackles.

NASB 1995
Yet she became an exile, She went into captivity; Also her small children were dashed to pieces At the head of every street; They cast lots for her honorable men, And all her great men were bound with fetters.

NASB 1977
Yet she became an exile, She went into captivity; Also her small children were dashed to pieces At the head of every street; They cast lots for her honorable men, And all her great men were bound with fetters.

Legacy Standard Bible
Yet she became an exile; She went into captivity; Also her infants were dashed to pieces At the head of every street; They cast lots for her honorable men, And all her great men were bound with fetters.

Amplified Bible
Yet she became an exile; She went into captivity. Her young children were dashed to pieces At the head of every street; They cast lots for her honorable men, And all her great men were bound with chains.

Christian Standard Bible
Yet she became an exile; she went into captivity. Her children were also dashed to pieces at the head of every street. They cast lots for her dignitaries, and all her nobles were bound in chains.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Yet she became an exile; she went into captivity. Her children were also dashed to pieces at the head of every street. They cast lots for her dignitaries, and all her nobles were bound in chains.

American Standard Version
Yet was she carried away, she went into captivity; her young children also were dashed in pieces at the head of all the streets; and they cast lots for her honorable men, and all her great men were bound in chains.

Contemporary English Version
But she was captured and taken to a foreign country. Her children were murdered at every street corner. The members of her royal family were auctioned off, and her high officials were bound in chains.

English Revised Version
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.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Even she went into captivity and was exiled. Even her little children were smashed to death at every street corner. Soldiers tossed dice for her important men, and all her best men were bound in chains.

Good News Translation
Yet the people of Thebes were carried off into exile. At every street corner their children were beaten to death. Their leading men were carried off in chains and divided among their captors.

International Standard Version
But she, too, was exiled— she went into captivity! Her young children were dashed to pieces at every crossroad of their streets, and her famous citizens were sold by lottery, while all of her aristocrats were put in chains.

Majority Standard Bible
Yet she became an exile; she went into captivity. Her infants were dashed to pieces at the head of every street. They cast lots for her dignitaries, and all her nobles were bound in chains.

NET Bible
Yet she went into captivity as an exile; even her infants were smashed to pieces at the head of every street. They cast lots for her nobility; all her dignitaries were bound with chains.

New Heart English Bible
Yet was she carried away. She went into captivity. Her young children also were dashed in pieces at the head of all the streets, and they cast lots for her honorable men, and all her great men were bound in chains.

Webster's Bible Translation
Yet was she carried away, she went into captivity: her young children also were dashed in pieces at the head of all the streets: and they cast lots for her honorable men, and all her great men were bound in chains.

World English Bible
Yet was she carried away. She went into captivity. Her young children also were dashed in pieces at the head of all the streets, and they cast lots for her honorable men, and all her great men were bound in chains.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
Even she becomes an exile, "" She has gone into captivity, "" Even her sucklings are dashed to pieces "" At the top of all out-places, "" And for her honored ones they cast a lot, "" And all her great ones have been bound in chains.

Young's Literal Translation
Even she doth become an exile, She hath gone into captivity, Even her sucklings are dashed to pieces At the top of all out-places, And for her honoured ones they cast a lot, And all her great ones have been bound in fetters.

Smith's Literal Translation
Also she being carried away captive went into captivity: also her young children shall be dashed in pieces at the head of every street, and upon her honored ones they cast the lot, and all her great ones were bound in chains.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Yet she also was removed and carried into captivity: her young children were dashed in pieces at the top of every street, and they cast lots upon her nobles, and all her great men were bound in fetters.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Nevertheless, she has been led away with the transmigration into captivity. Her little ones have been dashed in pieces at the top of every street, and they have cast lots over her celebrities, and all her elite have been fastened together in shackles.

New American Bible
Yet even she became an exile, and went into captivity; Even her little ones were dashed to pieces at the corner of every street; For her nobles they cast lots, and all her great ones were put into chains.

New Revised Standard Version
Yet she became an exile, she went into captivity; even her infants were dashed in pieces at the head of every street; lots were cast for her nobles, all her dignitaries were bound in fetters.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Yet even she was carried away into captivity; her children were dashed in pieces at the head of all the streets; and they cast lots for her honorable men, and all her great men were bound in chains.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Also she went into captivity and her children were dashed to pieces at the head of all of its streets, and for her honorable men they cast lots and all her great ones were bound in chains
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Yet was she carried away, She went into captivity; Her young children also were dashed in pieces At the head of all the streets; And they cast lots for her honourable men, And all her great men were bound in chains.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Yet she shall go as a prisoner into captivity, and they shall dash her infants against the ground at the top of all her ways: and they shall cast lots upon all her glorious possessions, and all her nobles shall be bound in chains.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Judgment Against Nineveh
9Cush and Egypt were her boundless strength; Put and Libya were her allies. 10Yet she became an exile; she went into captivity. Her infants were dashed to pieces at the head of every street. They cast lots for her dignitaries, and all her nobles were bound in chains. 11You too will become drunk; you will go into hiding and seek refuge from the enemy.…

Cross References
Isaiah 13:16
Their infants will be dashed to pieces before their eyes, their houses will be looted, and their wives will be ravished.

Hosea 13:16
Samaria will bear her guilt because she has rebelled against her God. They will fall by the sword; their little ones will be dashed to pieces, and their pregnant women ripped open.

Jeremiah 51:22
With you I shatter man and woman; with you I shatter the old man and the youth; with you I shatter the young man and the maiden.

Lamentations 2:21
Both young and old lie together in the dust of the streets. My young men and maidens have fallen by the sword. You have slain them in the day of Your anger; You have slaughtered them without compassion.

Ezekiel 9:6
Slaughter the old men, the young men and maidens, the women and children; but do not go near anyone who has the mark. Now begin at My sanctuary.” So they began with the elders who were before the temple.

2 Kings 8:12
“Why is my lord weeping?” asked Hazael. “Because I know the evil you will do to the Israelites,” Elisha replied. “You will set fire to their fortresses, kill their young men with the sword, dash their little ones to pieces, and rip open their pregnant women.”

Isaiah 47:9
These two things will overtake you in a moment, in a single day: loss of children, and widowhood. They will come upon you in full measure, in spite of your many sorceries and the potency of your spells.

Jeremiah 50:33
This is what the LORD of Hosts says: “The sons of Israel are oppressed, and the sons of Judah as well. All their captors hold them fast, refusing to release them.

Psalm 137:9
Blessed is he who seizes your infants and dashes them against the rocks.

Isaiah 13:18
Their bows will dash young men to pieces; they will have no mercy on the fruit of the womb; they will not look with pity on the children.

Matthew 2:16-18
When Herod saw that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was filled with rage. Sending orders, he put to death all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, according to the time he had learned from the Magi. / Then what was spoken through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled: / “A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.”

Revelation 18:8
Therefore her plagues will come in one day—death and grief and famine—and she will be consumed by fire, for mighty is the Lord God who judges her.”

Luke 19:44
They will level you to the ground—you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of your visitation from God.”

Revelation 18:21
Then a mighty angel picked up a stone the size of a great millstone and cast it into the sea, saying: “With such violence the great city of Babylon will be cast down, never to be seen again.

2 Thessalonians 1:9
They will suffer the penalty of eternal destruction, separated from the presence of the Lord and the glory of His might,


Treasury of Scripture

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 honorable men, and all her great men were bound in chains.

she carried.

Psalm 33:16,17
There is no king saved by the multitude of an host: a mighty man is not delivered by much strength…

Isaiah 20:4
So shall the king of Assyria lead away the Egyptians prisoners, and the Ethiopians captives, young and old, naked and barefoot, even with their buttocks uncovered, to the shame of Egypt.

her young.

2 Kings 8:12
And Hazael said, Why weepeth my lord? And he answered, Because I know the evil that thou wilt do unto the children of Israel: their strong holds wilt thou set on fire, and their young men wilt thou slay with the sword, and wilt dash their children, and rip up their women with child.

Psalm 137:8
O daughter of Babylon, who art to be destroyed; happy shall he be, that rewardeth thee as thou hast served us.

Isaiah 13:6
Howl ye; for the day of the LORD is at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty.

at.

Lamentations 2:19
Arise, cry out in the night: in the beginning of the watches pour out thine heart like water before the face of the Lord: lift up thy hands toward him for the life of thy young children, that faint for hunger in the top of every street.

Lamentations 4:1
How is the gold become dim! how is the most fine gold changed! the stones of the sanctuary are poured out in the top of every street.

cast.

Joel 3:3
And they have cast lots for my people; and have given a boy for an harlot, and sold a girl for wine, that they might drink.

Obadiah 1:11
In the day that thou stoodest on the other side, in the day that the strangers carried away captive his forces, and foreigners entered into his gates, and cast lots upon Jerusalem, even thou wast as one of them.

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Bound Captivity Carried Cast Chains Children Dashed Exile Great Head Honorable Honourable Lots Pieces Small Streets Top Young
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Bound Captivity Carried Cast Chains Children Dashed Exile Great Head Honorable Honourable Lots Pieces Small Streets Top Young
Nahum 3
1. The destruction of Nineveh.














Yet she became an exile
The phrase "became an exile" refers to the fate of Thebes, a powerful city that was conquered and its people displaced. The Hebrew root for "exile" is "gālah," which means to uncover or remove. This conveys the idea of being stripped away from one's homeland and identity. Historically, exile was a common consequence of conquest, serving as a tool for subjugation and control. Thebes' fall serves as a warning to Nineveh, illustrating that even the mightiest can be brought low.

she went into captivity
The term "captivity" is derived from the Hebrew "šāḇâ," meaning to take captive or imprison. This emphasizes the totality of Thebes' defeat, where the inhabitants were not only exiled but also subjected to bondage. Captivity in the ancient world often involved forced labor and loss of freedom, symbolizing the complete subjugation of a people. This serves as a sobering reminder of the consequences of pride and rebellion against God.

Her infants were dashed to pieces
This phrase is a graphic depiction of the brutality of ancient warfare. The Hebrew word "rāṭaṣ" means to dash or shatter, highlighting the merciless nature of Thebes' conquerors. The killing of infants was a tactic to instill fear and ensure the eradication of future generations. This horrific image underscores the severity of divine judgment and the depths of human depravity when nations turn away from God.

at the head of every street
The "head of every street" signifies the public and widespread nature of the atrocities committed. Streets, being central to city life, represent the heart of the community. The destruction occurring in such visible places indicates the totality of the city's downfall and serves as a public testament to its defeat. This imagery reinforces the message that no place is safe from judgment when a nation defies God.

They cast lots for her nobles
Casting lots was an ancient practice used to make decisions or divide spoils. The Hebrew "gôrāl" refers to a lot or portion. This phrase indicates the dehumanization and commodification of Thebes' leaders, who were reduced to mere objects of chance. The casting of lots for nobles symbolizes the complete reversal of their status and power, serving as a humbling reminder of the fleeting nature of earthly authority.

all her great men were bound in chains
The binding of "great men" in chains signifies the total subjugation and humiliation of Thebes' leaders. The Hebrew "ʾāsar" means to bind or imprison, illustrating the loss of freedom and dignity. Chains are a powerful symbol of captivity and powerlessness, emphasizing that no human strength can withstand divine judgment. This serves as a cautionary tale for those who place their trust in worldly power rather than in God.

Verse 10. - Yet was she carried away. In spite of her strong position and infinite resources, Thebes was captured and despoiled; and shall Nineveh fare better? Surely not. This capture of Thebes took place B.C. 664, and must have been in men's minds when Nahum wrote his prophecy. The Assyrians twice took Thebes in the days of Assurbanipal. The first time it is merely recorded that the soldiers, under the commander of the satraps, made a slaughter in the city. The second capture is thus described in the monarch's own tablet (Brugsch, 'Egypt,' 1:272-275, Eng. transl.): "Urdamaneh fled alone, and entered Thebes, the city of his kingdom... I directed my march in pursuit of him. I came to Thebes. He saw the strength of my army, and left Thebes, and fled to the city of Kipkip. Of that whole city (Thebes), with thanksgiving to Asur and Istar, my hands took the complete possession. Silver, gold, metals, stones, all the treasures of its palace whatsoever, dyed garments of before and linen, great horses [elephants?] men and women, great and small, works of zakah [basalt?] and marble, their kelal and manzas, the gates of their palace... I tare away and carried to Assyria. I made spoil of the animals of the land without number, and carried them forth in the midst out of Thebes I caused a catalogue to be made of the spoil. I returned in safety to Nineveh" (see a different version in O. Smith, 'Assurbanipal,' p. 52, etc.). Were dashed in pieces. The prophet describes the usual treatment of captured cities (comp. 2 Kings 8:12; Psalm 137:9; Isaiah 13:16). At the top of all the streets. In the most public places, where many streets converge (Lamentations 2:19). Cast lots. The victors divided the nobles among themselves by lot (see note on Obadiah 1:11). Were bound in chains. We find in the Assyrian monuments delineations of captives with their arms bound together by a rope held by a soldier, sometimes men, sometimes women and children; the women are tearing their hair in despair (see Bonomi, 'Nineveh and its Palaces,' pp. 226, 277). In a bas-relief at Khorsabad captives were led by a rope fastened to a ring in the lip (comp. 2 Kings 19:28; see Rawlinson, 'Ant. Men.,' 1:904; Layard, 'Nineveh,' fig. 60, and col. 1. p. 376).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Yet
גַּם־ (gam-)
Conjunction
Strong's 1571: Assemblage, also, even, yea, though, both, and

she
הִ֗יא (hî)
Pronoun - third person feminine singular
Strong's 1931: He, self, the same, this, that, as, are

became an exile;
לַגֹּלָה֙ (lag·gō·lāh)
Preposition-l, Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 1473: Exile, exiles

she went
הָלְכָ֣ה (hā·lə·ḵāh)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 1980: To go, come, walk

into captivity.
בַשֶּׁ֔בִי (ḇaš·še·ḇî)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 7628: Exiled, captured, exile, booty

Her infants
עֹלָלֶ֛יהָ (‘ō·lā·le·hā)
Noun - masculine plural construct | third person feminine singular
Strong's 5768: A suckling

were dashed to pieces
יְרֻטְּשׁ֖וּ (yə·ruṭ·ṭə·šū)
Verb - Pual - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 7376: To dash in pieces

at the head
בְּרֹ֣אשׁ (bə·rōš)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 7218: The head

of every
כָּל־ (kāl-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

street.
חוּצ֑וֹת (ḥū·ṣō·wṯ)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 2351: Separate by a, wall, outside, outdoors

They cast
יַדּ֣וּ (yad·dū)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 3032: To handle, to throw, lots

lots
גוֹרָ֔ל (ḡō·w·rāl)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1486: Lot -- a lot (for casting)

for
וְעַל־ (wə·‘al-)
Conjunctive waw | Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

her dignitaries,
נִכְבַּדֶּ֙יהָ֙ (niḵ·bad·de·hā)
Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine plural construct | third person feminine singular
Strong's 3513: To be heavy, weighty, or burdensome

and all
וְכָל־ (wə·ḵāl)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

her nobles
גְּדוֹלֶ֖יהָ (gə·ḏō·w·le·hā)
Adjective - masculine plural construct | third person feminine singular
Strong's 1419: Great, older, insolent

were bound
רֻתְּק֥וּ (rut·tə·qū)
Verb - Pual - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 7576: To fasten

in chains.
בַזִּקִּֽים׃ (ḇaz·ziq·qîm)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 2131: What leaps forth, flash of fire, a burning arrow, a bond


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OT Prophets: Nahum 3:10 Yet was she carried away (Nah. Na)
Nahum 3:9
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