Nahum 3:13
New International Version
Look at your troops— they are all weaklings. The gates of your land are wide open to your enemies; fire has consumed the bars of your gates.

New Living Translation
Your troops will be as weak and helpless as women. The gates of your land will be opened wide to the enemy and set on fire and burned.

English Standard Version
Behold, your troops are women in your midst. The gates of your land are wide open to your enemies; fire has devoured your bars.

Berean Standard Bible
Look at your troops—they are like your women! The gates of your land are wide open to your enemies; fire consumes their bars.

King James Bible
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.

New King James Version
Surely, your people in your midst are women! The gates of your land are wide open for your enemies; Fire shall devour the bars of your gates.

New American Standard Bible
Behold, your people are women in your midst! The gates of your land are opened wide to your enemies; Fire consumes your gate bars.

NASB 1995
Behold, your people are women in your midst! The gates of your land are opened wide to your enemies; Fire consumes your gate bars.

NASB 1977
Behold, your people are women in your midst! The gates of your land are opened wide to your enemies; Fire consumes your gate bars.

Legacy Standard Bible
Behold, your people are women in your midst! The gates of your land are opened wide to your enemies; Fire consumes your gate bars.

Amplified Bible
Behold, your people are [as weak and helpless as] women in your midst! The gates of your land are opened wide to your enemies; Fire consumes the bars across your gates.

Christian Standard Bible
Look, your troops are like women among you; your land’s city gates are wide open to your enemies. Fire will devour the bars of your gates.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Look, your troops are like women among you; the gates of your land are wide open to your enemies. Fire will devour the bars of your gates.

American Standard Version
Behold, thy people in the midst of thee are women; the gates of thy land are set wide open unto thine enemies: the fire hath devoured thy bars.

Contemporary English Version
Your army is weak. Fire has destroyed the crossbars on your city gates; now they stand wide open to your enemy.

English Revised Version
Behold, thy people in the midst of thee are women; the gates of thy land are set wide open unto thine enemies: the fire hath devoured thy bars.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Look at your soldiers; they're women! The gates of your country are wide open to your enemies. Fire has destroyed the bars of your gates.

Good News Translation
Your soldiers are helpless, and your country stands defenseless before your enemies. Fire will destroy the bars across your gates.

International Standard Version
Look at your people— they are women! Your borders stand wide open to your enemies, while fire consumes the bars of your gates."

Majority Standard Bible
Look at your troops?they are like your women! The gates of your land are wide open to your enemies; fire consumes their bars.

NET Bible
Your warriors will be like women in your midst; the gates of your land will be wide open to your enemies; fire will consume the bars of your gates.

New Heart English Bible
Look, your troops in your midst are women. The gates of your land are set wide open to your enemies. The fire has devoured your bars.

Webster's Bible Translation
Behold, thy people in the midst of thee are women: the gates of thy land shall be set wide open to thy enemies: the fire shall devour thy bars.

World English Bible
Behold, your troops among you are women. The gates of your land are set wide open to your enemies. The fire has devoured your bars.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
Behold, your people [are] women in your midst, "" To your enemies thoroughly opened "" Have been the gates of your land, "" Fire has consumed your bars.

Young's Literal Translation
Lo, thy people are women in thy midst, To thine enemies thoroughly opened Have been the gates of thy land, Consumed hath fire thy bars.

Smith's Literal Translation
Behold, thy people women in the midst of thee: the gates of thy land being opened were opened to thine enemies: a fire devoured thy bars.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Behold thy people in the midst of thee are women: the gates of thy land shall be set wide open to thy enemies, the fire shall devour thy bars.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Behold, women are at the center of your people. The gates of your land will be opened wide for your enemies; fire will devour your bars.

New American Bible
Indeed your troops are women in your midst; To your foes are open wide the gates of your land, fire has consumed their bars.

New Revised Standard Version
Look at your troops: they are women in your midst. The gates of your land are wide open to your foes; fire has devoured the bars of your gates.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Behold, your people in the midst of you are cowards; they will open the gates of your land to your enemies; the fire shall devour your bars.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And your people within you are like women; the gates of your land shall be opened to your enemies, and fire will devour your bars
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Behold, thy people in the midst of thee are women; The gates of thy land are set wide open unto thine enemies; The fire hath devoured thy bars.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Behold, thy people within thee are as women: the gates of thy land shall surely be opened to thine enemies: the fire shall devour thy bars.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Judgment Against Nineveh
12All your fortresses are fig trees with the first ripe figs; when shaken, they fall into the mouth of the eater! 13Look at your troops— they are like your women! The gates of your land are wide open to your enemies; fire consumes their bars. 14Draw your water for the siege; strengthen your fortresses. Work the clay and tread the mortar; repair the brick kiln!…

Cross References
Isaiah 19:16
In that day the Egyptians will be like women. They will tremble with fear beneath the uplifted hand of the LORD of Hosts, when He brandishes it against them.

Jeremiah 50:37
A sword is against her horses and chariots and against all the foreigners in her midst, and they will become like women. A sword is against her treasuries, and they will be plundered.

Jeremiah 51:30
The warriors of Babylon have stopped fighting; they sit in their strongholds. Their strength is exhausted; they have become like women. Babylon’s homes have been set ablaze, the bars of her gates are broken.

Isaiah 13:7-8
Therefore all hands will fall limp, and every man’s heart will melt. / Terror, pain, and anguish will seize them; they will writhe like a woman in labor. They will look at one another, their faces flushed with fear.

Ezekiel 21:7
And when they ask, ‘Why are you groaning?’ you are to say, ‘Because of the news that is coming. Every heart will melt, and every hand will go limp. Every spirit will faint, and every knee will turn to water.’ Yes, it is coming and it will surely happen, declares the Lord GOD.”

Isaiah 19:1
This is the burden against Egypt: Behold, the LORD rides on a swift cloud; He is coming to Egypt. The idols of Egypt will tremble before Him, and the hearts of the Egyptians will melt within them.

Jeremiah 46:15
Why have your warriors been laid low? They cannot stand, for the LORD has thrust them down.

Isaiah 10:18
The splendor of its forests and orchards, both soul and body, it will completely destroy, as a sickness consumes a man.

Isaiah 3:1-3
For behold, the Lord GOD of Hosts is about to remove from Jerusalem and Judah both supply and support: the whole supply of food and water, / the mighty man and the warrior, the judge and the prophet, the soothsayer and the elder, / the commander of fifty and the dignitary, the counselor, the cunning magician, and the clever enchanter.

Isaiah 14:6
It struck the peoples in anger with unceasing blows; it subdued the nations in rage with relentless persecution.

Isaiah 33:14
The sinners in Zion are afraid; trembling grips the ungodly: “Who of us can dwell with a consuming fire? Who of us can dwell with everlasting flames?”

Isaiah 13:15-16
Whoever is caught will be stabbed, and whoever is captured will die by the sword. / Their infants will be dashed to pieces before their eyes, their houses will be looted, and their wives will be ravished.

Jeremiah 6:24
We have heard the report; our hands hang limp. Anguish has gripped us, pain like that of a woman in labor.

Ezekiel 22:14
Will your courage endure or your hands be strong in the day I deal with you? I, the LORD, have spoken, and I will act.

Isaiah 21:3-4
Therefore my body is filled with anguish. Pain grips me, like the pains of a woman in labor. I am bewildered to hear, I am dismayed to see. / My heart falters; fear makes me tremble. The twilight I desired has turned to horror.


Treasury of Scripture

Behold, your people in the middle of you are women: the gates of your land shall be set wide open to your enemies: the fire shall devour your bars.

thy people.

Isaiah 19:16
In that day shall Egypt be like unto women: and it shall be afraid and fear because of the shaking of the hand of the LORD of hosts, which he shaketh over it.

Jeremiah 50:37
A sword is upon their horses, and upon their chariots, and upon all the mingled people that are in the midst of her; and they shall become as women: a sword is upon her treasures; and they shall be robbed.

Jeremiah 51:30
The mighty men of Babylon have forborn to fight, they have remained in their holds: their might hath failed; they became as women: they have burned her dwellingplaces; her bars are broken.

the gates.

Nahum 2:6
The gates of the rivers shall be opened, and the palace shall be dissolved.

Psalm 107:16
For he hath broken the gates of brass, and cut the bars of iron in sunder.

Isaiah 45:1,2
Thus saith the LORD to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him; and I will loose the loins of kings, to open before him the two leaved gates; and the gates shall not be shut; …

thy bars.

Psalm 147:13
For he hath strengthened the bars of thy gates; he hath blessed thy children within thee.

Jeremiah 51:30
The mighty men of Babylon have forborn to fight, they have remained in their holds: their might hath failed; they became as women: they have burned her dwellingplaces; her bars are broken.

Jump to Previous
Attackers Bars Burned Consumed Consumes Devour Devoured Devoureth Doors Doorways Enemies Fire Foes Gate Gates Locks Midst Open Opened Thoroughly Troops Wide Women
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Attackers Bars Burned Consumed Consumes Devour Devoured Devoureth Doors Doorways Enemies Fire Foes Gate Gates Locks Midst Open Opened Thoroughly Troops Wide Women
Nahum 3
1. The destruction of Nineveh.














Look at your troops
The phrase calls for attention and inspection, suggesting a critical evaluation of the military forces of Nineveh. In the Hebrew text, the word for "troops" can also imply warriors or soldiers, indicating those who are expected to defend the city. Historically, Nineveh was known for its formidable army, yet here, the prophet Nahum is highlighting their vulnerability. This serves as a reminder that human strength and military might are ultimately insufficient without divine support.

they are like your women!
This comparison is not meant to demean women but rather to emphasize the perceived weakness of Nineveh's troops in the face of impending judgment. In the ancient Near Eastern context, women were typically not warriors, and this metaphor underscores the unexpected frailty of what was once a mighty force. It reflects the reversal of roles and the humiliation that comes with divine judgment, as the once powerful are rendered powerless.

The gates of your land
Gates in ancient cities were crucial for defense and control, often heavily fortified and guarded. The mention of "gates" symbolizes the entry points to the heart of the nation, both physically and metaphorically. In the context of Nineveh, the gates being "wide open" signifies a breach in security and an invitation to the enemy, highlighting the city's vulnerability and the inevitability of its downfall.

are wide open to your enemies
This phrase indicates a complete lack of defense and preparedness. The openness to enemies suggests not only physical exposure but also a spiritual and moral decline that has left the city defenseless. Historically, this reflects the actual fall of Nineveh, which was besieged and conquered by the Babylonians and Medes. Spiritually, it serves as a warning against complacency and the consequences of turning away from God.

fire consumes their bars
Fire is often a symbol of destruction and purification in the Bible. The "bars" refer to the metal or wooden beams used to secure the gates, representing the last line of defense. The imagery of fire consuming these bars signifies total destruction and the futility of relying on physical barriers for protection. This serves as a powerful reminder of the consuming nature of God's judgment against sin and the ultimate triumph of His justice.

(13) Thy people . . . are women, not in their notoriously effeminate and luxurious habits (see Layard, p. 360), but with reference to their panic-stricken condition at the time of the catastrophe. They are fearful as women (comp. Jeremiah 50:37; Jeremiah 51:30), because they find avenues laid open to the enemy, and the remaining defences consuming in the flames.

Verse 13. - The reason why the fortresses are so readily taken is now given. Are women. The Assyrians were essentially a brave nation, but they should be now no more able to resist the enemy than if they were women (comp. Isaiah 19:16; Jeremiah 1:37; 51:30). The gates of thy land. The various approaches and passes which lead into Assyria (comp. Jeremiah 15:7; Micah 5:6). So Strabo (11:12. 13) speaks of certain mountain passes as "the Caspian gates" and Xenophon ('Anab.' 1:4. 4) mentions "the gates of Cilicia and Syria." The famous defile that led into Greece was called Thermopylae The fire shall devour thy bars. Hitzig, Keil, and others take the "bars" metaphorically, meaning the forts and castles which defend the passes; but the literal sense is the most natural, as in the parallel passage, Jeremiah 51:30 (see note on Amos 1:5). It was the Assyrians' custom to set fire to the gates of any city that they attacked (see Bonomi, 'Nineveh and its Palaces,' pp. 178, 185, 192). "It is incontestable," says Bonomi, in another place, "that, during the excavations, a considerable quantity of charcoal, and even pieces of wood either half burnt or in a perfect state of preservation, were found in many places. The lining of the chambers also bears certain marks of the action of fire. All these things can be explained only by supposing the fall of a burning roof, which calcined the slabs of gypsum, and converted them into dust .... It must have been a violent and prolonged fire to be able to calcine not only a few places, but every part of these slabs, which were ten feet high and several inches thick. So complete a decomposition can be attributed but to intense heat" (ibid., p. 213).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Behold,
הִנֵּ֨ה (hin·nêh)
Interjection
Strong's 2009: Lo! behold!

your troops
עַמֵּ֤ךְ (‘am·mêḵ)
Noun - masculine singular construct | second person feminine singular
Strong's 5971: A people, a tribe, troops, attendants, a flock

are like your women;
נָשִׁים֙ (nā·šîm)
Noun - feminine plural
Strong's 802: Woman, wife, female

the gates
שַׁעֲרֵ֣י (ša·‘ă·rê)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 8179: An opening, door, gate

of your land
אַרְצֵ֑ךְ (’ar·ṣêḵ)
Noun - feminine singular construct | second person feminine singular
Strong's 776: Earth, land

are wide open
פָּת֥וֹחַ (pā·ṯō·w·aḥ)
Verb - Qal - Infinitive absolute
Strong's 6605: To open wide, to loosen, begin, plough, carve

to your enemies;
לְאֹ֣יְבַ֔יִךְ (lə·’ō·yə·ḇa·yiḵ)
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct | second person feminine singular
Strong's 341: Hating, an adversary

fire
אֵ֖שׁ (’êš)
Noun - common singular
Strong's 784: A fire

consumes
אָכְלָ֥ה (’ā·ḵə·lāh)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 398: To eat

their bars.
בְּרִיחָֽיִך׃‪‬ (bə·rî·ḥā·yiḵ)
Noun - masculine plural construct | second person feminine singular
Strong's 1280: A bolt


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OT Prophets: Nahum 3:13 Behold your troops in your midst (Nah. Na)
Nahum 3:12
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