Woe to the bloody city, all full of lies and rapine; the horseman charging, the flashing sword, the multitude of the slain. 'Are you better than No-amon, that sat by the rivers?' Your shepherds slumber, your people are scattered upon the mountains — and all that hear the report of you clap their hands over you.
Tap any Hebrew word to reveal its root, value, and meanings.
Woe to the bloody city! It is all full of lies and rapine; The prey departs not.
verse value 1914
Insights
Verse structure: 10 words, 32 letters. The shortest word is "not" (לֹ֥א, 2 letters) and the longest is "blood" (דָּמִ֑ים, 4 letters). 7 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Nahum. Unique to this verse in Nahum (hapax): "ah!" (ה֖וֹי), "city·of" (עִ֣יר), "blood" (דָּמִ֑ים). 10 unique roots are used. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'blood', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 7 words. Full calculation: ה֖וֹי [ah!] (21) + עִ֣יר [city·of] (280) + דָּמִ֑ים [blood] (94) + כֻּלָּ֗הּ [her·them] (55) + כַּ֤חַשׁ [lies] (328) + פֶּ֙רֶק֙ [plunder] (380) + מְלֵאָ֔ה [full·of] (76) + לֹ֥א [not] (31) + יָמִ֖ישׁ [would·depart] (360) + טָֽרֶף [prey] (289) = 1914.
Rashi
"Plunder." Stolen goods that are seized from the hand of their owner:
"Killing does not depart." From within it, continually.
Ibn Ezra
"Hoy" – Some say: it is like "woe" [oy], or "hoy" is a word of exclamation/address, as in "Hoy Zion, escape!" [Zechariah 2:11].
"Kulah" [all of it] – in every crossroads, a place where the roads [meet], in its streets it is full of deceit. And the word "yamish" is a transitive verb, and it refers back to "deceit" – it is so full of deceit as to deceive the world; each one of them does not depart from the prey.
Radak
"Woe to the city of blood." "Hoy" is an expression of calling out, or it is like "Oy," and Targum [Yonatan] renders: "Vai."
"Kachash" [deceit]. [Meaning] that they deny and deceive one another. And likewise "perek," in [the phrase] "full of perek," is like robbery — for he tears a thing away from another's hand. And so too "and you shall break off (u-farakta) his yoke"; [and so too] "tearing (porek), with none to save" [Psalms 7:3].
"Prey does not depart." – Prey does not depart from within it, for on every single day they prey [anew].
Metzudat David
"Woe, city of blood!" Woe to you, O Nineveh, city that sheds blood! The whole of it is a congregation of falsehood, and full of plunder, to crush the people; and the prey does not depart from her mouth, for she continually kills and destroys the nations.
Metzudat Zion
"Hoy" is like "Oy."
Kachash. Falsehood:
Perek. The meaning is breaking [rupture], as in "and He will tear off their hooves" (Zechariah 11:16):
Yamish. The meaning of "removal" is like "the pillar of cloud did not move" (Exodus 13:22):
Malbim
Alas! Now begins the future prophecy that he foresaw concerning the Second Destruction of Nineveh, which was destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar at the beginning of his reign, when the entire city was demolished and remained a desolation forever. That is why it says, "The book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite": "Alas, city of blood"—which sheds blood; "she is all treachery"—they were all treacherous to God and to His existence; "full of plunder"—although it is full of the flesh of prey, nevertheless "prey does not depart"—they constantly renew their predation, to murder and destroy souls.
Hark! the whip, and hark! the rattling of the wheels; And prancing horses, and bounding chariots;
verse value 2263
Insights
Verse structure: 9 words, 35 letters. The shortest word is "voice" (ק֣וֹל, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·chariot" (וּמֶרְכָּבָ֖ה, 6 letters). 8 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Nahum. Unique to this verse in Nahum (hapax): "whip" (שׁ֔וֹט), "and·voice·of" (וְק֖וֹל), "quaking" (רַ֣עַשׁ). The root קול appears 2 times in this verse. 7 unique roots are used. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'wheel', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 4 words. Full calculation: ק֣וֹל [voice] (136) + שׁ֔וֹט [whip] (315) + וְק֖וֹל [and·voice·of] (142) + רַ֣עַשׁ [quaking] (570) + אוֹפָ֑ן [wheel] (137) + וְס֣וּס [and·horse] (132) + דֹּהֵ֔ר [rushing] (209) + וּמֶרְכָּבָ֖ה [and·chariot] (273) + מְרַקֵּדָֽה [bounding] (349) = 2263.
Rashi
The sound of the whip. The sound of striking horses was always heard in it.
And the voice of a tumult. The wheels of the chariots:
"And a galloping horse." [It] leaps and bounds. And similarly, "from the gallopings, the gallopings of his mighty steeds" (Judges 5:22):
Ibn Ezra
"And behold, a voice of a whip shall come to her" – to spur the horse. And the correct view in my eyes is: "a whip" to strike a type of sound-producing instrument which the Philistines would make, similar to our "tambour," which is wide and large, and soldiers, ten or more, would gather around it, striking it with whips to make it sound and to terrify.
The noise of the wheel – the chariot.
"And a galloping horse" – this is like: "from the prancings, the prancings of his mighty steeds" [Judges 5:22].
Radak
The sound of a whip. And now they will hear from the enemies coming upon them the sound of a whip, as the cavalry strike their horses to make them run.
And the voice of the noise of the wheel. That they hasten to go to enter the city:
"Doher" [galloping]. Like "the galloping of his stallions" [Judges 5:22], and it refers to when the horse strikes the ground with force with its legs.
"Merakedah" [dancing]. From the abundance of its running, as if it were dancing.
Metzudat David
The sound of a whip. They would make the sound of a whip to strike the horses:
"And the voice of tumult." The wheels of the chariots were intended to terrify the people.
“And a galloping horse.” The horse that drew the chariot would leap and bound, and the chariot would dance vigorously due to its great speed, to terrify those who saw it.
Metzudat Zion
A whip. A rod and a scepter, like a whip for a horse (Proverbs 26:3):
Ophan. The wheel of the chariot:
Dohar. So too, the term refers to the leaping and galloping of the horse, as in "with the galloping, galloping of his mighty steeds" (Judges 5:22).
“Merakkedah.” From the language of dancing and leaping:
Malbim
"Voice" [kol]: a) It depicts the noise of the city, wherein the sound of whips and the clamor of wheels are constantly heard; b) It depicts the danger present in the city, wherein horses are always galloping and chariots are rattling.
The horseman charging, And the flashing sword, and the glittering spear; And a multitude of slain, and a heap of carcases; And there is no end of the corpses, and they stumble upon their corpses;
verse value 3850
Insights
Verse structure: 16 words, 63 letters. Verse gematria: 3850 is divisible by 50, the years to the Jubilee (yovel). The shortest word is "horseman" (פָּרָ֣שׁ, 3 letters) and the longest is "a·body" (בִּגְוִיָּתָֽם, 6 letters). 12 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Nahum. Unique to this verse in Nahum (hapax): "horseman" (פָּרָ֣שׁ), "ascent" (מַעֲלֶ֗ה), "and·flame" (וְלַ֤הַב). The root גויה appears 2 times in this verse. 14 unique roots are used. First appearance of the root כבד ("and·heavy") in Nahum. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'corpse', dividing the verse into phrases of 10 and 6 words.
Rashi
"And the blade of the sword." "Rolimel" in the vernacular, for a knife and a sword are called "lahav" [blade], as (ibid., 4): "And the haft went in after the blade."
"And the spear flashed." The spear was polished and gleaming, with light emanating from it; in the vernacular, it is called "flandor."
"And the weight of the carcass." They multiplied carcasses, and there was no reckoning of the bodies of her corpses that were thrown in it, until the passersby would stumble over the bodies of the carcasses.
Ibn Ezra
"Horseman" and "there is no end" – [these refer] to the slain of Nineveh.
Radak
"The horseman charging." The meaning of "ma'aleh" (charging) is connected to "lahav cherev" (the blade of the sword); the vav of "ve-lahav" is used like the vav of "and Abraham lifted up his eyes." And Targum Yonatan, in an elliptical rendering, [has]: "the kindling of a flame, and the flash of swords, and the polish of spears."
"And the multitude of the slain." That the horsemen would cause:
"And heaps of corpses." Like "many slain," this is a matter of duplication in different words, for "heavy" is a term of multitude, like "this numerous people of yours" and the like; and "corpse" is like "slain," for the body is not called a "corpse" except when it is dead.
"And there is no end to the body; they shall stumble over their bodies." The enemies shall stumble over the bodies of the slain; but the term "geviyah" (body) also comes to refer to a living body.
Metzudat David
"Charging horseman." The horseman would raise himself upward by the leaping of the horse, with a sword blade in his hand and the flash of a spear, and he would make many corpses and many dead bodies.
And there is no end to the corpses. There was no end to the corpses of the slain that were thrown on the ground, until people stumbled over the corpses of the slain, for they found no free space to walk.
Metzudat Zion
"Parash." This is what one accustomed to riding a horse is called.
And the flame. So it is called "the iron of the sword," for when it is polished, it gleams like the flame of fire. And likewise, "and the flame of his spear" (1 Samuel 17:7).
And lightning. So is called the iron of the spear, because it shines like lightning when it is polished. And likewise, "the lightning of my sword" (Deuteronomy 32:41).
And the heavy. The matter is one of multiplication, as in "a heavy people" (Numbers 20:20).
Pager. Thus is called the body of the slain:
To the body. [Meaning] to the body, as in "the body of Saul" (1 Samuel 31).
Malbim
“Rider on high” – in the place of the ascent of the mountains, where the chariots and horses cannot come, there is found a rider, and the flame of the sword, and the lightning of the spear, for there the men of war will stand. And therefore there is found “much slaughter,” for people will be killed in the streets; and “heavy corpses,” for the corpses are swept up with brooms, just as one sweeps rubbish heaps. And despite all this, there is no end to the corpses, for it is impossible to remove all the corpses until those who walk will stumble over their dead bodies.
Because of the multitude of the harlotries of the well-favoured harlot, The mistress of witchcrafts, That sells nations through her harlotries, And families through her witchcrafts.
verse value 3971
Insights
Verse structure: 12 words, 56 letters. The shortest word is "favour" (חֵ֖ן, 2 letters) and the longest is "through·her·harlotries" (בִּזְנוּנֶ֔יהָ, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 417: fair·of, through·her·witchcrafts. 11 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Nahum. Unique to this verse in Nahum (hapax): "from·the·multitude·of" (מֵרֹב֙), "harlotries·of" (זְנוּנֵ֣י), "harlot" (זוֹנָ֔ה). The root זנון appears 2 times in this verse. 9 unique roots are used. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'witchcrafts', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 5 words. Full calculation: מֵרֹב֙ [from·the·multitude·of] (242) + זְנוּנֵ֣י [harlotries·of] (123) + זוֹנָ֔ה [harlot] (68) + ט֥וֹבַת [fair·of] (417) + חֵ֖ן [favour] (58) + בַּעֲלַ֣ת [mistress·of] (502) + כְּשָׁפִ֑ים [witchcrafts] (450) + הַמֹּכֶ֤רֶת [that·sells] (665) + גּוֹיִם֙ [nations] (59) + בִּזְנוּנֶ֔יהָ [through·her·harlotries] (130) + וּמִשְׁפָּח֖וֹת [and·clans] (840) + בִּכְשָׁפֶֽיהָ [through·her·witchcrafts] (417) = 3971.
Rashi
“From the multitude of her harlotries, a harlot.” From the multitude of her flatteries, a city that knew how to seduce the hearts of the kings of the land to join with them, and in the end they would subdue them under her.
Ibn Ezra
"From the abundance" – by way of a metaphor, that she deceived everyone.
Radak
"From her many harlotries, a harlot." All of this came to her because of the many evils that she committed, and she is compared to a harlot, for a harlot acts thus: she sells those who pursue her through her sorcery and her beauty before them, and she does with them as she pleases. So too did she act toward the nations of the lands.
Metzudat David
"From the multitude of her harlotries, a harlot." This means that all this slaughter was done because she was characterized by a preponderance of the conduct of a harlot, being pleasant in appearance and skilled in sorcery, who then would sell the nations for herself, to have them bound to her because of her harlotry, and she subdued the families of the nations with her sorcery. For such was the way of Assyria: to seduce the nations with flattering words in order to join with her, and they revealed their hidden secrets to them. Afterward, they fought against them and overpowered them, killing and destroying them in great numbers, without finding any escape.
Malbim
“Because of the multitude,” and the meaning is that the gathering of the great multitude there is because of the abundance of the harlotries of the harlot found there, who is of fair appearance and also a sorceress, ensnaring souls through sorcery, to the extent that she sells nations through harlotry, and the noble families, so that they not be seduced by the harlotries, she sells them through her sorcery, for sorcery is beyond nature and can dominate even distinguished families. In the allegorical sense, the nations are seduced to gather there because of the abundance of her wealth and commerce, which is likened to the wages of a harlot (as stated in Isaiah 23), and the families are seduced through sorcery and cunning that blind their eyes, causing them to become enslaved to her.
Behold, I am against you, says Hashem of hosts, And I will uncover your skirts upon your face, And I will show the nations your nakedness, And the kingdoms your shame.
verse value 3646
Insights
Verse structure: 13 words, 64 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֣ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "utterance" (נְאֻם֙, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·I·will·show" (וְהַרְאֵיתִ֤י, 7 letters). 6 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Nahum. Unique to this verse in Nahum (hapax): "and·I·will·uncover" (וְגִלֵּיתִ֥י), "skirt" (שׁוּלַ֖יִךְ), "and·I·will·show" (וְהַרְאֵיתִ֤י). 12 unique roots are used. First appearance of the root ראה ("and·I·will·show") in Nahum. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'upon·your·face', dividing the verse into phrases of 8 and 5 words. Full calculation: הִנְנִ֣י [they] (115) + אֵלַ֗יִךְ [to·you] (61) + נְאֻם֙ [utterance] (91) + יְהֹוָ֣ה [Hashem] (26) + צְבָא֔וֹת [hosts] (499) + וְגִלֵּיתִ֥י [and·I·will·uncover] (459) + שׁוּלַ֖יִךְ [skirt] (366) + עַל־פָּנָ֑יִךְ [upon·your·face] (260) + וְהַרְאֵיתִ֤י [and·I·will·show] (632) + גוֹיִם֙ [nations] (59) + מַעְרֵ֔ךְ [your·nakedness] (330) + וּמַמְלָכ֖וֹת [and·kingdoms] (542) + קְלוֹנֵֽךְ [your·shame] (206) = 3646.
Rashi
"Shulayich" [your skirts]. They are the hems of a woman's garments.
"Ma'arech." [Meaning] your nakedness, as in (Micah 1:11) "naked, in shame."
Ibn Ezra
"Hineni," "ma'arekh" [your nakedness] – like "the nakedness [me'ar] of a man," and it is similar to: "your nakedness" [ervatekh] and "your nakedness" [ma'arekh], like: "your appearance" [mar'ekh].
Radak
“Behold, I am against you.” Since He compared her to a harlot, He compared her destruction to the disgrace of a harlot.
"מערך" – like "ערותך" (your nakedness). And it is from [the same form as] "כמער איש" (the uncovering of a man).
Metzudat David
"Behold, I am against you." "Behold, I will fight against you."
“And I have uncovered your skirts.” Since the verse employs a simile comparing her to a harlot, it uses language of disgrace: a harlot’s tunic is stripped off and turned inside out from bottom to top as an act of humiliation, thereby exposing the hem of the tunic by lifting it upward over her face.
And I will show. I will cause all the nations to see your nakedness, and the kingdoms to see your disgrace and shame.
Metzudat Zion
And I will reveal. From the root of "revealed":
"שוליך" – this refers to the lower hem of the garment, as in the phrase "upon the hem of the mantle" (Exodus 25).
"מַעְרֵךְ" – [meaning] your nakedness. And likewise: "nakedness, shame" (Micah 1).
"Your disgrace." From the language of disgrace and humiliation.
Malbim
“Behold, I am against you,” and I will uncover your skirts – I will uncover the skirts of the soiled garments upon your face. And I will show the nations that were seduced through harlotry – I will show them your ma’arekh [מַעְרֵךְ], which is your nakedness; and the kingdoms that were seduced through sorcery – I will show them your shame.
And I will cast detestable things upon you, and make you vile, And will make you as dung.
verse value 2966
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 33 letters. The shortest word is "upon·you" (עָלַ֛יִךְ, 4 letters) and the longest is "and·I·will·cast" (וְהִשְׁלַכְתִּ֥י, 7 letters). 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Nahum. Unique to this verse in Nahum (hapax): "and·I·will·cast" (וְהִשְׁלַכְתִּ֥י), "detestable·things" (שִׁקֻּצִ֖ים), "and·I·will·disgrace·you" (וְנִבַּלְתִּ֑יךְ). 6 unique roots are used. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·I·will·disgrace·you', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 2 words. Full calculation: וְהִשְׁלַכְתִּ֥י [and·I·will·cast] (771) + עָלַ֛יִךְ [upon·you] (130) + שִׁקֻּצִ֖ים [detestable·things] (540) + וְנִבַּלְתִּ֑יךְ [and·I·will·disgrace·you] (518) + וְשַׂמְתִּ֖יךְ [and·I·will·make·you] (776) + כְּרֹֽאִי [as·dung] (231) = 2966.
Rashi
“Loathsome garments.” Garments of filth that make you abhorrent, in accordance with the matter that the Scripture likened her to a harlot.
"Karei." Like "dung," as in "and he shall remove its crop with its feathers" (Leviticus 1:16).
Ibn Ezra
"And I will cast," "like a spectacle" [ke-ro'i] – like filth, and similar to it: "Ah, filthy [city]" [Zephaniah 3:1], and likewise: "and he shall remove its crop" [Leviticus 1:16].
Radak
“And I will cast out”: Abominations, words of detestation and filth, in order to defile your beauty and to make you loathsome to the entire world.
"And I will make you like a dungheap." Like dung, as in [Leviticus 1:16], "and he shall remove its crop," and Jonathan [ben Uzziel] rendered in the Targum: "And I will make you repulsive in the eyes of all who see you."
Metzudat David
And I will cast. I will cast upon you abominable things, and I will disgrace you, and I will make you like a filthy and defiled thing; that is to say, the enemy who comes will kill you and lead you away into captivity with great disgrace.
Metzudat Zion
"Abominations." From the language of "abomination" and "detestable":
"And I will disgrace you." The meaning is ugliness and repulsiveness, like "I will uncover her shame" (Hosea 2:12).
כראי. The meaning is filth and dirtiness, and likewise "filthy and defiled" (Zephaniah 3).
Malbim
And I will cast abominations upon you, to defile your beauty, until I make you a spectacle and a filthy thing.
And it shall come to pass, that all they that look upon you Shall flee from you, And say: ‘Nineveh is laid waste; Who will bemoan her? Whence shall I seek comforters for you?’
verse value 2009
Insights
Verse structure: 14 words, 54 letters. Notable word values: "and·it·shall·be" (וְהָיָ֤ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "who?" (מִ֖י, 2 letters) and the longest is "all·who·see·you" (כׇל־רֹאַ֙יִךְ֙, 6 letters). Words sharing gematria 50: who?, for·you. 10 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Nahum. Unique to this verse in Nahum (hapax): "and·it·shall·be" (וְהָיָ֤ה), "all·who·see·you" (כׇל־רֹאַ֙יִךְ֙), "will·retreat" (יִדּ֣וֹד). 14 unique roots are used. First appearance of the root היה ("and·it·shall·be") in Nahum. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·her', dividing the verse into phrases of 10 and 4 words. Full calculation: וְהָיָ֤ה [and·it·shall·be] (26) + כׇל־רֹאַ֙יִךְ֙ [all·who·see·you] (281) + יִדּ֣וֹד [will·retreat] (24) + מִמֵּ֔ךְ [from·you] (100) + וְאָמַר֙ [and·will·say] (247) + שׇׁדְּדָ֣ה [was·dealt·violently·with] (313) + נִֽינְוֵ֔ה [Nineveh] (121) + מִ֖י [who?] (50) + יָנ֣וּד [will·shake] (70) + לָ֑הּ [to·her] (35) + מֵאַ֛יִן [from·where] (101) + אֲבַקֵּ֥שׁ [will·I·seek] (403) + מְנַחֲמִ֖ים [comforters] (188) + לָֽךְ [for·you] (50) = 2009.
Rashi
"Shall flee from you." [Meaning:] it shall become distant from you.
Ibn Ezra
"And it shall be, Yidod" – like "yigof," and the meaning is "it shall distance."
"Who will console (her)?" – like: "to come to console him" [Job 2:11].
From where shall I seek? Thus shall all who see you say:
Radak
"And all those who see you will flee from you." Each one of them will flee and distance himself from you because of the magnitude of your disgrace. And it says, "Nineveh has been laid waste," Nineveh, which used to rule over the nations, is now laid waste. And the shin is pronounced with a short kamats [kamats katan].
Who will console her? From where shall I seek comforters for you, for they are all rejoicing at your downfall because of the evils you have done to them.
Metzudat David
All who see you. All who see you in your lowliness and disgrace will recoil to distance themselves from you, just as one distances oneself from a repulsive thing.
"And it says." He who sees your disgrace will say, "Behold, Nineveh has been ravaged; who will shake his head for her," in the manner of comforters — as if to say, "Surely she has no lovers," for she did evil to all the nations.
From where. From what place shall I seek comforters for you? And this is a repetition of the matter already stated.
Metzudat Zion
Yidud. From the language of nadid, meaning wandering:
She was plundered. The meaning is oppression:
ינוד. From the language of wandering and movement:
“From where.” From which place:
Malbim
“And it shall be, until every one who sees you shall flee from you and keep far away from you, and shall say, ‘Nineveh has been plundered’”—this means: since Nineveh has constantly plundered the entire world, who then would console her, seeing that everyone hates her? Now the spokesman turns his face toward Nineveh, saying to her: “From where shall I seek comforters for you? To whom has such a calamity befallen, such that I could comfort you by saying, ‘Such a thing also happened to so-and-so’?”
Are you better than No-amon, That was situate among the rivers, That had the waters round about her; Whose rampart was the sea, and of the sea her wall?
verse value 2556
Insights
Verse structure: 12 words, 49 letters. Verse gematria: 2556 is divisible by 18, the value of chai ('life'). The shortest word is "to·her" (לָ֑הּ, 2 letters) and the longest is "are·you·better" (הֲתֵֽיטְבִי֙, 6 letters). Words sharing gematria 90: water, from·sea. 8 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Nahum. Unique to this verse in Nahum (hapax): "are·you·better" (הֲתֵֽיטְבִי֙), "than·No" (מִנֹּ֣א), "Amon" (אָמ֔וֹן). The root ים appears 2 times in this verse. 11 unique roots are used. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·her', dividing the verse into phrases of 8 and 4 words. Full calculation: הֲתֵֽיטְבִי֙ [are·you·better] (436) + מִנֹּ֣א [than·No] (91) + אָמ֔וֹן [Amon] (97) + הַיֹּֽשְׁבָה֙ [that·dwells] (322) + בַּיְאֹרִ֔ים [among·the·rivers] (263) + מַ֖יִם [water] (90) + סָבִ֣יב [around] (74) + לָ֑הּ [to·her] (35) + אֲשֶׁר־חֵ֣יל [which·rampart·of] (549) + יָ֔ם [sea] (50) + מִיָּ֖ם [from·sea] (90) + חוֹמָתָֽהּ [her·wall] (459) = 2556.
Rashi
"Will you fare better than No-amon?" And what do you trust in—your wealth and your might? Are you greater than No? It is Alexandria of Egypt. "Amon" is a term for a tutor; No was the great [city] that served as nursemaid to the kings of Egypt, for their royalty was raised there.
"Whose rampart is the sea." That the sea was for her a rampart and a wall: a wall and its outwork [shura u-var shura].
Ibn Ezra
"Are you better?" – will the good [fortune] be [yours]?
"No-amon" – the name of a city in the land of Egypt, which the king of the Chaldeans captured on his way to Nineveh.
"Whose strength is the sea" – and its power comes from the sea, for it has no need of a wall; this is either the Sea of Reeds or the Sea of Spain, which is called the Great Sea, opposite the seas of the Land of Israel.
Radak
"Be thou fairer than No-Ammon." He said: How were you trusting in your greatness and your pride, and in being a fortified city with rivers surrounding you, as it is said, "The gates of the rivers are opened"? And are you [really] better than No-Amon? And it [No-Amon] is Alexandria of Egypt. And so did Jonathan translate: "Art thou fairer than great Alexandria?"
"Who dwells among the rivers": She dwelt among the rivers, which are around her, and they also enter the city underground, so that she had no fear of a siege. Therefore it says "among the rivers," and the waters of the sea surrounded her with waters. And the explanation of "whose rampart is the sea" is that the sea served as her walls. And the matter is repeated to strengthen it, and it says "waters are her walls." Nevertheless, Nebuchadnezzar captured her when he conquered the land of Egypt.
Metzudat David
"Are you better than No-amon?" Is [Nineveh] indeed better than No, which is a city great with a multitude of people, as it says, "the multitude of No" (Ezekiel 30:15).
"She who dwells." Which dwells among the rivers, and the waters surround her, and they serve as strength for her.
"Whose rampart is the sea" etc. This means that the sea serves as her rampart, and furthermore, her wall is also from the sea; that is to say, the sea serves as her fortification, taking the place of both rampart and wall.
Metzudat Zion
"Are you better?" From the language of tov, [good].
Menoa. Noa is Alexandria, so too Targum Yonatan [renders it].
Amon. Like *hamon*, and it is the matter of a great multitude, and likewise, "and the rest of the *amon*" (Jeremiah 22:).
"בַּיְאֹרִים" [In the canals]. Thus are called the excavations that draw water:
ḥayil. It is the low wall that stands before the high one; likewise, "and He caused rampart and wall to mourn" (Lamentations 2:8).
Malbim
“Be comforted,” He answers, saying, “Behold, I can comfort you by saying: Be comforted.” From where [do we know this]? From No-Amon, which was also destroyed like you, and which was also similar to you in the days of its greatness, for No-Amon was a great city among the peoples. And just as you sit by the River Tigris, so too did it; it sat among the canals, with waters surrounding it on all sides. Moreover, the sea encircled it, so that the sea served for it as a rampart and a wall. This is what is meant by the phrase “whose rampart was the sea.” And from the sea came its wall, for its great wall, and its rampart, which is the smaller wall, was the sea.
Ethiopia and Egypt were your strength, and it was infinite; Put and Lubim were your helpers.
verse value 2088
Insights
Verse structure: 9 words, 38 letters. Verse gematria: 2088 is divisible by 18, the value of chai ('life'). The shortest word is "Cush" (כּ֥וּשׁ, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·Egypt" (וּמִצְרַ֖יִם, 6 letters). 7 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Nahum. Unique to this verse in Nahum (hapax): "Cush" (כּ֥וּשׁ), "her·strength" (עׇצְמָ֛ה), "and·Egypt" (וּמִצְרַ֖יִם). 9 unique roots are used. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'end', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 4 words. Full calculation: כּ֥וּשׁ [Cush] (326) + עׇצְמָ֛ה [her·strength] (205) + וּמִצְרַ֖יִם [and·Egypt] (386) + וְאֵ֣ין [and·nothing] (67) + קֵ֑צֶה [end] (195) + פּ֣וּט [Put] (95) + וְלוּבִ֔ים [and·the·Lubim] (94) + הָי֖וּ [were] (21) + בְּעֶזְרָתֵֽךְ [in·your·help] (699) = 2088.
Rashi
"Cush was her might." Cushites were a strength for her.
"Put and the Libyans were your help." And Put and the Libyans, who were your help—they too were part of her army.
Ibn Ezra
Cush—Egypt also assisted you, along with Put and the Libyans, who were at your aid but were of no avail.
Radak
"Cush, her strength." The ayin is pronounced with a short kamats [kamats katan], just as in the phrase "her strength shall increase," which the verse states; and likewise, Cush, who had strength.
And Egypt, which has no end. Likewise, Egypt, for there is no end to the people within it; and likewise Put and the Libyans, who were all within your aid—now she has fallen into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar.
Metzudat David
“Cush was her strength.” Cush was her strength, for they came to her aid, and also the men of Egypt came to their assistance; and there is no end to those who come to her aid.
"Put and Luvim." That is to say: Put and Luvim, too, who were your helpers, O Nineveh — they were also her [No-Amon's] helpers.
Metzudat Zion
Its strength. The matter of strength:
Poot and Lovim. Names of nations:
Malbim
Cush, and moreover, she had strength and the support of mighty warriors more than you, for Cush itself was a mighty support to her; and also Egypt itself had no end to her people, who were exceedingly numerous; and also Put and the Libyans, who were in your support and had aided Nineveh, they too were then in support of Egypt.
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.
verse value 3712
Insights
Verse structure: 15 words, 74 letters. The shortest word is "also" (גַּ֧ם, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·upon·her·honored·ones" (וְעַל־נִכְבַּדֶּ֙יהָ֙, 9 letters). 15 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Nahum. Unique to this verse in Nahum (hapax): "also·she" (גַּם־הִ֗יא), "to·the·captivity" (לַגֹּלָה֙), "went" (הָלְכָ֣ה). 15 unique roots are used. First appearance of the root גם ("also") in Nahum. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'every·street', dividing the verse into phrases of 9 and 6 words.
Rashi
She too went into exile. Nevertheless, her greatness did not stand before Nebuchadnezzar.
"Chained." They were bound. The term is derived from "chains of silver" (Isaiah 40:19), "Make the chain" (Ezekiel 7:23)—chains.
“Bazikim.” Chains:
Ibn Ezra
“Also” – refers back to Egypt, for it went into exile like No-Amon.
“Ratku” – like: “Make the chain” and “chains of silver.”
Radak
"Even she." No-Amon, and Cush, and Egypt — each one of them went into exile; likewise, you too will go into exile like them, for you are not better than them. And it says "in exile" and it says "in captivity," repeating the matter as stated in order to strengthen the matter.
"They cast [ידו] a lot." Its root is ידד (yadad), by the pattern of "they are more (רבו) than the hairs of my head" [Psalms 69:5] [and] "his words were smoother (רכו) than oil" [Psalms 55:22], and its meaning is "they cast/threw." So wrote Rabbi Yehudah and Rabbi Yonah, of blessed memory. And my lord father, of blessed memory, wrote that its root is ידה, and it is [the yod of] the אית"ן [the formative prefix-letters of the imperfect], of the hifil binyan, like "and they cast (וידו) a stone at me" [Lamentations 3:53], and their pattern is "yiddu"/"vayaddu" — the written yod is the אית"ן [formative] yod, and the yod that is the first letter of the root is absorbed with a dagesh.
"They were bound with chains." From [the words] "Make the chain" [Ezekiel 7:23] and "chains of silver" [Isaiah 40:19], it is explained [that רתקו means] "they were bound with chains," for zikim are chains, and they [too] are chains (retukot). And when it says "they were bound with chains," this is an additional clarification, for "they were bound" alone would have sufficed. And so too are its likes: "to gain gain," "they oppressed with oppression," "commit a trespass," "and David fasted a fast," and those like them.
Metzudat David
"Even she." Despite all her strength and support, she went into exile in captivity by the hand of the Chaldeans; and her infants were dashed in pieces at the head of every street; and for her honored ones they cast lots to divide them among themselves; and all her great ones were bound in chains.
Metzudat Zion
“Her little ones.” The small children:
"Yerutashu" [they shall be dashed to pieces]. The matter is one of breaking, as it is said: "and their bows shall dash the young men to pieces" (Isaiah 13:18).
"Yaddu" [they cast]. The matter is one of casting, as in, "and for my people they cast lots" (Joel 4:3):
"Ratku" [they were bound]. The matter is one of chains, like "Make the chain" (Ezekiel 7:23), and the meaning is: they were bound with chains.
"Bazakim." This too is a matter of chains, like "to bind their kings with chains" (Psalms 149:8). And although it said "ratku" [to fetter], it also said "bazikim" [with shackles] to add further clarification. And similarly, "lops off the bough" (Isaiah 10).
Malbim
She too went into exile like you, and her infants were also dashed to pieces, as happened to you, and upon her nobles a lot was cast to take them as slaves, according to the lot.
You also shall be drunken, You shall swoon; You also shall seek a refuge Because of the enemy.
verse value 3422
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 35 letters. The shortest word is "let·it·be" (תְּהִ֖י, 3 letters) and the longest is "you·shall·be·drunk" (תִּשְׁכְּרִ֔י, 5 letters). Words sharing gematria 444: also·you, also·you. 6 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Nahum. Unique to this verse in Nahum (hapax): "you·shall·be·drunk" (תִּשְׁכְּרִ֔י), "let·it·be" (תְּהִ֖י), "concealed" (נַעֲלָמָ֑ה). The root גם appears 2 times in this verse. 7 unique roots are used. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'concealed', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 4 words. Full calculation: גַּם־אַ֣תְּ [also·you] (444) + תִּשְׁכְּרִ֔י [you·shall·be·drunk] (930) + תְּהִ֖י [let·it·be] (415) + נַעֲלָמָ֑ה [concealed] (195) + גַּם־אַ֛תְּ [also·you] (444) + תְּבַקְשִׁ֥י [you·will·seek] (812) + מָע֖וֹז [stronghold] (123) + מֵאוֹיֵֽב [from·enemy] (59) = 3422.
Rashi
"Also you." Even according to your greatness, you will become drunk like her with the cup of intoxication, and you will be hidden.
Ibn Ezra
"GAM" – [this] speaks to Nineveh.
Tehi – like tihyi.
And the meaning of "was hidden" is as if she had not been, in the manner of [the verse] "they shall drink and swallow, and be as though they had never been" [Obadiah 1:16], for the drunkard's mind departs as if he were not.
Radak
"Even you shall be drunk." Even you, like No[-Amon] and Egypt, shall drink the cup of reeling and become drunk from it.
"Let her be hidden." This means: as if you had not existed, following the pattern of "they shall drink and swallow, and be as if they had not been" [Obadiah 1:16]. תהי is like [the second-person] "תהיי," or it is [grammatically] in the third person, for it is the way of Scripture to speak both in the second person and not in the second person [i.e. third person] within a single verse.
"Also you shall seek refuge from an enemy." From fear of the enemy you shall seek a stronghold and fortress in which to be safe.
Metzudat David
“Even you.” Even you, Nineveh, shall not be better than her, for you shall become drunk. This means that on account of the magnitude of the distress, you shall be confused in your mind, like a drunkard.
"And you shall be hidden." You shall be hidden from the world, as if you had never existed.
"Also you," etc. Just as No [Amon] sought help and refuge to be saved from the enemy, so too shall you seek [it]. And it is as if it says, "Behold, you will not find [it]," just as No [Amon] did not find [it].
Metzudat Zion
"נעלמה" (ne'elamah) – from the term "he'elem" (ה.ע.ל.ם), meaning "to hide" or "to conceal."
Maoz. The meaning is strength:
Malbim
Also you, meaning: with this I will comfort you, for such a thing has happened or will happen to a great city like yours. And he depicts that with this you will drink the cup of consolation, as is the custom of the mourner at the time of consolation, and you will be intoxicated from the cup, and with this you will be hidden, you will be concealed from the eye, as if you are no longer in the world. Also you (i.e., as with "you shall be drunk")—you, who now seek refuge from an enemy and think to exalt yourself in a fortress and to be saved—this will not avail you, for...
All your fortresses shall be like fig-trees with the first-ripe figs: If they be shaken, they fall into the mouth of the eater.
verse value 1903
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 41 letters. The shortest word is "upon·peh" (עַל־פִּ֥י, 4 letters) and the longest is "all·your·fortifications" (כׇּ֨ל־מִבְצָרַ֔יִךְ, 8 letters). 7 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Nahum. Unique to this verse in Nahum (hapax): "all·your·fortifications" (כׇּ֨ל־מִבְצָרַ֔יִךְ), "fig·trees" (תְּאֵנִ֖ים), "with·first-fruits" (עִם־בִּכּוּרִ֑ים). 7 unique roots are used. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'with·first-fruits', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 4 words. Full calculation: כׇּ֨ל־מִבְצָרַ֔יִךְ [all·your·fortifications] (412) + תְּאֵנִ֖ים [fig·trees] (501) + עִם־בִּכּוּרִ֑ים [with·first-fruits] (388) + אִם־יִנּ֕וֹעוּ [if·they·are·shaken] (183) + וְנָפְל֖וּ [and·they·shall·fall] (172) + עַל־פִּ֥י [upon·peh] (190) + אוֹכֵֽל [eater] (57) = 1903.
Rashi
All your fortresses are fig trees with firstfruits. All the fortified cities shall be easy to conquer and plunder, so that what is within them is like fig trees. And when they are with firstfruits, they are ripe within them, so that when one shakes the tree, the firstfruits fall into the mouths of the eaters.
Figs. Fig trees:
"If they are moved." That is, if they are moved by a person's hand with force.
Ibn Ezra
All – the reason is that they will fall and be captured by themselves.
Radak
"All your fortresses." And what good will your fortresses do you? For they will all be easy to capture, like ripe figs, for with a slight shaking that a person gives to the tree, they will fall.
"Into the mouth of the eater." As the one who shakes them [causes the figs to fall into the eater's mouth], so will your fortresses fall into the hand of the enemy.
"with firstfruits." This is like the phrase "and firstfruits," and similarly, "ruddy with fair eyes" is like "and fair." The verse compares the fortresses to figs, which a person desires, and even more so when they are firstfruits, for which a person awaits and desires them more. So too, the enemy awaits your fortresses to conquer them. And the Targum translates: "All your cities, etc."
Metzudat David
"All your fortified cities." Your fortified cities will be easy to conquer, as if they were figs that are fully ripe; for then, if one shakes the tree, they fall by themselves for the one who wishes to eat them. So too, Nebuchadnezzar will easily conquer the cities of your fortresses.
Metzudat Zion
With the firstfruits. Just as it says, “and the firstfruits,” so too [the phrase] “ruddy, with fair eyes” (1 Samuel 15) means: and [he was] fair-eyed.
Bikkurim. The matter of the completion of ripening is like [the verse] “My soul longs for the firstfruits” (Micah 7:1):
They shall be moved. The verbal form is from the root of "movement" and "shaking."
Malbim
All your fortresses are fig trees with first-ripe fruit: with a slight shaking, if they are shaken, they fall from the tree into the mouth of the eater, and the first-ripe figs fall more easily than the figs that have not yet ripened; so too the fortresses that ripen now will be more easily conquered.
Behold, your people in the midst of you are women; The gates of your land are set wide open to your enemies; The fire has devoured your bars.
verse value 3523
Insights
Verse structure: 12 words, 50 letters. Verse gematria: 3523 is divisible by 13, the value of echad ('one') and ahavah ('love'). The shortest word is "fire" (אֵ֖שׁ, 2 letters) and the longest is "to·your·enemies" (לְאֹ֣יְבַ֔יִךְ, 6 letters). 7 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Nahum. Unique to this verse in Nahum (hapax): "women" (נָשִׁים֙), "in·your·midst" (בְּקִרְבֵּ֔ךְ), "to·your·enemies" (לְאֹ֣יְבַ֔יִךְ). The root פתח appears 2 times in this verse. 11 unique roots are used. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'your·land', dividing the verse into phrases of 9 and 3 words. Full calculation: הִנֵּ֨ה [they] (60) + עַמֵּ֤ךְ [your·people] (130) + נָשִׁים֙ [women] (400) + בְּקִרְבֵּ֔ךְ [in·your·midst] (324) + לְאֹ֣יְבַ֔יִךְ [to·your·enemies] (73) + פָּת֥וֹחַ [surely] (494) + נִפְתְּח֖וּ [they·were·opened] (544) + שַׁעֲרֵ֣י [gates·of] (580) + אַרְצֵ֑ךְ [your·land] (311) + אָכְלָ֥ה [has·devoured] (56) + אֵ֖שׁ [fire] (301) + בְּרִיחָֽיִךְ [your·bars] (250) = 3523.
Ibn Ezra
Behold—because your people were like women, therefore the gates of your land were opened.
Radak
"Behold, your people, women are among you." Like women who do not have the strength to fight.
"פתוח נפתחו" – that is to say, it appears as though they opened of themselves, for they are easily and quickly broken, and the enemies opened them, and it is as though fire consumed your gate bars.
Metzudat David
“Women among you.” “As if there were women among you”—meaning, they were unable to prevent the enemy’s entry, as if they were women and not valiant warriors.
"To your enemies." To your enemies, as if the gates of your land opened by themselves, and as if fire burned the door-bolts of the gates; that is to say, with great ease the enemy will conquer it.
Metzudat Zion
Your bars: like a staff to lock the gates by means of them.
Malbim
Behold, for there is no one to fight on behalf of the fortresses, since your people are like women who are not warriors; therefore, the gates of your land have been opened.
Draw you water for the siege, Strengthen your fortresses; Go into the clay, and tread the mortar, Lay hold of the brickmould.
verse value 2107
Insights
Verse structure: 11 words, 48 letters. Notable word values: "go·in" (בֹּ֧אִי) = 13, the value of echad ('one') and ahavah ('love'). The shortest word is "water·of" (מֵ֤י, 2 letters) and the longest is "draw·for·yourself" (שַֽׁאֲבִי־לָ֔ךְ, 6 letters). 10 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Nahum. Unique to this verse in Nahum (hapax): "siege" (מָצוֹר֙), "draw·for·yourself" (שַֽׁאֲבִי־לָ֔ךְ), "strengthen" (חַזְּקִ֖י). The root חזק appears 2 times in this verse. 10 unique roots are used. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'your·strongholds', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 6 words. Full calculation: מֵ֤י [water·of] (50) + מָצוֹר֙ [siege] (336) + שַֽׁאֲבִי־לָ֔ךְ [draw·for·yourself] (363) + חַזְּקִ֖י [strengthen] (125) + מִבְצָרָ֑יִךְ [your·strongholds] (362) + בֹּ֧אִי [go·in] (13) + בַטִּ֛יט [in·the·mud] (30) + וְרִמְסִ֥י [and·trample] (316) + בַחֹ֖מֶר [in·the·clay] (250) + הַחֲזִ֥יקִי [take·hold·of] (140) + מַלְבֵּֽן [brick mold] (122) = 2107.
Rashi
“Water of the siege, draw for yourself.” A city that people come to besiege — the people of the city gather for themselves much water into it, in casks, to drink during the days of the siege, when there are no cisterns within it.
“Go into the mud and trample [it].” [Trample] it, to make bricks from it, in order to strengthen with them the breaches of the walls.
“Hold the brick-mold.” Grasp in your hand the brick-mold, which is made for molding bricks, in order to shape bricks within it.
Ibn Ezra
"Mei" [waters] – the prophet mocks her, [saying] "Draw water for yourself," before the Chaldeans come, so that you may find it while you are under siege.
And the meaning of "levanah" or "melvan" is: a place where bricks are made.
Radak
"Draw water for the siege." That is to say: Do for yourself everything that you are able to do, for it will not avail you.
“Come into the mud.” To trample it, to make bricks from it. And the matter is repeated in what is stated: “And He said, ‘Trample in the clay.’”
"Grasp the brick-mold [malben]." Like a brick kiln in which they [the bricks] are burned.
Metzudat David
"Waters of the siege, draw for yourself." Draw for yourself water, so that it may be ready for you to drink during the days of the siege, for you will not be able to go outside the city at that time to drink water, for the enemy will kill you.
"Strengthen your fortresses." So that you may be safe within them from the enemy.
"Come into the clay," etc. – To plaster the construction of the wall.
"Take hold of the brick mold." [I.e.,] take hold of the craft of bricks, to repair with them the breaches of the wall.
Metzudat Zion
"Matzor." So is the city called at the time that the armies are besieging it:
She’avi. Just as “She’avi” denotes the drawing of water, as in “and she drew for all his camels” (Genesis 24:20):
And "ramasi": the word is derived from "remisah" (trampling) and "drikah" (treading).
"Concerning the clay." It is the mud, and the matter is repeated in what is stated:
“Hachaziki.” The matter of holding fast:
"Malben" [mold]. The term is derived from the word for "brick" (levenah) — [referring to] the bricks that were standing for the construction of the wall.
Malbim
"Waters of a siege" — he mocks their preoccupation with strengthening their fortifications and securing themselves within them, saying: one who wishes to shut himself up in a siege must have siege-canals so that water will be prepared for him in abundance. But you have no water prepared, only "waters of a siege, draw for yourself"—like one who draws water in vessels that are few, and moreover they will not last many days, for they will spoil. "Strengthen your fortresses"—for they are not strong. And regarding this he said, in a way of mockery: "Come into the mud and trample in the clay," for mud is not suitable to make bricks from, as bricks are made from clay, not from mud that is trampled by human feet, for bricks made from mud will crumble and become like dust. And you, who have no clay to make bricks from, "come into the mud and trample in the clay"—you will trample the mud as if by the trampling it will become strong like clay. And I say to you: "Grasp the mold"—you need to hold the mold well so that the brick will not crumble into fragments, for indeed it is made from mud.
There shall the fire devour you; The sword shall cut you off, It shall devour you like the canker-worm; Make thyself many as the canker-worm, Make thyself many as the locusts.
verse value 4263
Insights
Verse structure: 11 words, 47 letters. The shortest word is "there" (שָׁ֚ם, 2 letters) and the longest is "will·cut·you·off" (תַּכְרִיתֵ֣ךְ, 6 letters). Words sharing gematria 471: will·eat·you, will·eat·you. 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Nahum. Unique to this verse in Nahum (hapax): "will·cut·you·off" (תַּכְרִיתֵ֣ךְ), "make·yourself·many" (הִתְכַּבֵּ֣ד), "make·yourself·many" (הִֽתְכַּבְּדִ֖י). The root אכל appears 2 times in this verse. 8 unique roots are used. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'like·the·young·locust', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 4 words. Full calculation: שָׁ֚ם [there] (340) + תֹּאכְלֵ֣ךְ [will·eat·you] (471) + אֵ֔שׁ [fire] (301) + תַּכְרִיתֵ֣ךְ [will·cut·you·off] (1050) + חֶ֔רֶב [sword] (210) + תֹּאכְלֵ֖ךְ [will·eat·you] (471) + כַּיָּ֑לֶק [like·the·young·locust] (160) + הִתְכַּבֵּ֣ד [make·yourself·many] (431) + כַּיֶּ֔לֶק [like·the·young·locust] (160) + הִֽתְכַּבְּדִ֖י [make·yourself·many] (441) + כָּאַרְבֶּֽה [as·the·locust] (228) = 4263.
Rashi
“Be increased.” [An expression of sweeping away —] like a broom of destruction.
"Like the locust." [Meaning] the one that finishes off and consumes all the vegetation of the field. And some interpret "increase yourself" (הִתְכַּבֵּד), like the locust, [to mean] you shall be covered with a multitude of troops, like the locust; and "increase yourself" (וְהִתְכַּבְּדִי, feminine) is an expression for a numerous people.
Ibn Ezra
There, "hitkabbed" [multiply/be numerous] – the infinitive form is "hitkabbedi," which you are to connect with [the sense of] "heavy" [i.e., numerous], without number.
Radak
"There." Your fortresses:
"Fire shall devour you." The enemy:
“it shall devour you like a locust.” Just as the locust devours the grain until it is entirely consumed.
"Be increased like the yelek." "Hitkabbed" is the infinitive, "hitkabbedi" is the imperative, addressed to Nineveh, and they denote a matter of increase — that is to say, what will it benefit you if you multiply into a numerous people? For they will not profit, nor will they save. And some explain: "hitkabbed" [as related to] "ha-mekhabed" [one who sweeps] — from the words of our Sages, of blessed memory: "They sweep between the couches with brooms of palm branches" — for the yelek and the arbeh sweep the field clean of the grain. And Targum Yonatan: "They will cover you like the locust; they will finish you off like the locust swarm."
Metzudat David
"There," etc. He means to say: but it will not be of any avail in this matter, for there, in your fortified places, the fire shall devour you, and the sword shall cut you off and consume you like the grub that eats up the grass of the field, leaving nothing behind.
"Be swept away like the grub." You will be swept with a broom, like the grub that consumes all the greenery.
"Be swept away like the locust." The repetition of the matter is for the sake of emphasizing the point.
Metzudat Zion
"Kailek." A type of locust:
"Hitkabbed" [Let it be swept]. The matter is sweeping and raking, to clean; and in the words of our Sages, of blessed memory: 'they sweep the house' (Berakhot 55); and likewise, 'sweep every precious vessel' (above, chapter 2).
Malbim
"There"—but there, even as you trample in the mud to strengthen your fortresses, the fire of the enemy will consume you, and the sword will cut you off, and it will consume you like the grub that eats the grass of the field. "Be multiplied like the grub"—the grub is a species among the species of locust which, when it emerges, is a worm, and after a time it wraps itself in a cocoon (as most creeping things wrap themselves in a covering) and rests there for a limited time, and afterward it emerges from the cocoon and becomes a winged creature, and then it is of the locust family and flies. According to this he likens the multitude of merchants and peoples that were found in the city of Nineveh to a grub while it is still a worm crawling on the ground and unable to fly, but after the city of Nineveh was conquered, they emerged from the cocoon and grew wings and became like locusts that have wings and fly from the ground. And this is what it says: you wish to be multiplied like a grub through the merchants crawling in your city like a crawling grub, but you will be multiplied like a locust, for soon they will have wings to fly from the ground.
You have multiplied your merchants Above the stars of heaven; The canker-worm spreads itself, and flies away.
verse value 2085
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 31 letters. The shortest word is "canker-worm" (יֶ֥לֶק, 3 letters) and the longest is "from·stars·of" (מִכּוֹכְבֵ֖י, 6 letters). 7 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Nahum. Unique to this verse in Nahum (hapax): "be or become great" (הִרְבֵּית֙), "your·merchants" (רֹכְלַ֔יִךְ), "from·stars·of" (מִכּוֹכְבֵ֖י). 7 unique roots are used. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'heaven', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 3 words. Full calculation: הִרְבֵּית֙ [be or become great] (617) + רֹכְלַ֔יִךְ [your·merchants] (280) + מִכּוֹכְבֵ֖י [from·stars·of] (98) + הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם [heaven] (395) + יֶ֥לֶק [canker-worm] (140) + פָּשַׁ֖ט [stripped] (389) + וַיָּעֹֽף [and·he·flew] (166) = 2085.
Rashi
“The grub strips [off its skin] and flies away.” They [the traders] shall be swift to go out with merchandise, like the grub that strips [off its skin] and flies away.
Ibn Ezra
"הרבית" [You increased] – until now you increased your merchants (rochelayich), like [the word] socharayich [your traders], and close to it is [the verse] "You shall not go about as a talebearer" [Leviticus 19:16], and all of them will be like the yelek [locust] that has spread over the land.
"And it flew away" – and was no longer seen.
Radak
“You have multiplied.” What good will your merchants do you, since you have multiplied within you like the stars of the heavens? Just as locusts swarm upon the earth and then fly away swiftly and lightly, so too they flew away and perished, and their wealth did not benefit them.
Metzudat David
"You multiplied." From the time that you multiplied your merchants, more than the stars of the heavens, and now they are like the grub that spreads its wings and flies; that is to say, behold, they have fled and gone into captivity.
Metzudat Zion
“Hirbeit.” The word is from the root of multiplication (rabuy):
"Your merchants" – your traders. And similarly: 'he set it in a city of merchants' (Ezekiel 17:4).
"Pashat" [it spread]. The matter of spreading:
And it flew. The language of fluttering and flitting:
Malbim
"You increased"—this explains what was said, "be multiplied like the grub," for you increased your traders (who are the small merchants selling goods to individuals) more than the stars of the heavens, and there was within you, like a grub creeping from place to place, one that does not leave the border of the country—that is where it stays. But now you will be multiplied like a locust, for "the grub cast off [its skin]"—this grub cast off its covering and came out of its wrapping, and it is a winged locust, and it flies to another land; that is to say, now they have all abandoned you.
Your crowned are as the locusts, And your marshals as the swarms of grasshoppers, Which camp in the walls in the cold day, But when the sun arises they flee away, And their place is not known where they are.
verse value 3423
Insights
Verse structure: 15 words, 71 letters. The shortest word is "locusts" (גֹּבָ֑י, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·your·marshals" (וְטַפְסְרַ֖יִךְ, 7 letters). 13 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Nahum. Unique to this verse in Nahum (hapax): "your·crowned" (מִנְּזָרַ֙יִךְ֙), "and·your·marshals" (וְטַפְסְרַ֖יִךְ), "as·a·swarm·of" (כְּג֣וֹב). The root גוב appears 2 times in this verse. 14 unique roots are used. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'locusts', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 10 words.
Rashi
“Your minazrayikh.” Your princes/nobles. And the Mem is a foundational letter, part of the root of the word, like the Mem of “mishmartekh” (your watch), “mishma‘atekh” (those obedient to you), and “man‘alayikh” (your locks). And sometimes it falls away from the word, as in “nezir echav” [the prince among his brothers] (Genesis 49), and likewise “nezireha sareha” [her nobles, her princes] (Lamentations 4).
"And your officials." Your appointed officials:
“Like a swarm of locusts.” Like the armies of locusts, govai — in Old French, comme langouste [“like a locust”].
“Those who encamp in the fences on a cold day.” So is the way of the locust, the fly, the chasil, and the yelek: in the time of cold they cling to the walls, and when the heat comes they wander away from there and go their own way. So too all your people shall go into exile.
"And he shall wander." And he shall move about:
And their location is not known—namely, where they are and whither they have gone.
Ibn Ezra
"Minzarayich" [Your ...] – the dagesh in the nun, we do not know the reason for it, and it is from the pattern of "nezer" [crown]; the bearers of your crown were as numerous as locusts.
And your marshals – like your officers (sarayich), and the word is quadriliteral, without a cognate.
"Like a swarm, a swarm of them" [כגוב גובי] – like "יוצר גֹּבַי" ("forming a swarm of locusts," Amos 7:1) [where גֹּבַי likewise means locusts]; like [the doubled-construct form] "holy of holies."
“The sun has risen” – as the heat of the day.
"ונודד" – like "חוללתי" in "באין תהומות חוללתי" ("When there were no depths, I was brought forth," Proverbs 8:24), it is one of the words that are doubled at the end [i.e., a geminate root].
“Mekom” – one of their places, for thus is the manner of the locust: on a cold day they gather together in great numbers and surround the city, lodging in the fences, which are the walls of the city; and when the sun shines hot upon them, they wander away and go, not one of them remaining, and it is not known where their place is, as if they had never been.
Radak
"Your crowned ones." "Your great ones and your officials": [the word] is from the matter of "nezer" [crown], and the nun has a dagesh for the beauty of the reading, and there are many like it.
"Your marshals." Like "your princes" or "your nobles." And similarly, "Let them appoint a marshal (tifsar) against her" (Jeremiah 51:27), where the word tifsar has a hiriq under the tet, and here it has a patach under the tet, yet it is one and the same in its pattern. And he compared them to locusts, for the custom of the locust is that they encamp and cling to the walls on a cold day, and when the day grows hot they depart, and not one remains, and its place is not known on the walls — 'ayam' [where are they] — nor is it recognized in the fences where they encamped, nor is it also known where they are, that is to say, where they went, for they flew away swiftly and quickly. He said 'mekomo' [his place] regarding each one of them, and he said 'ayam' [their place] regarding all of them. So too the princes of Nineveh and her nobles, who were dwelling in tranquility; and when the enemy came upon them, their wealth and greatness did not avail them. Whoever fled, fled; whoever was slain, was slain; it was not known who was the great one and who was the officer.
"Kegov govai." [I.e., govai is] like govim. And so too, "and he tore for him *chaloni*" is like *chalonim*.
"And those similar to it." And the Targum [renders] "arbeh" [as] "govaim." And as for what it says, "ke-gov gobai" — that is to say, the largest species among the species of locust, like [the construction] "melekh melakhim" [king of kings].
Regarding "Gederot": These are the walls of gardens and vineyards, and it is a plural form derived from [the phrase] "the inhabitants of Netaim and Gederah" [1 Chronicles 4:23].
"And he fled." It is from the geminate verbs, of a conjugation resembling the quadriliteral pattern, since it has a patach, like "asher olel li" [which He has done to me]. But "noded" is an intransitive verb. So wrote Rabbi Yonah [ibn Janah]. And my father and teacher, of blessed memory, wrote that its infinitive form is not attested; it belongs among the hollow verbs [with a weak middle radical], like "be-ein tehomot cholalti" [when there were no depths, I was brought forth] (Proverbs 8:24). And its meaning is one of movement, like "nadedu mimeni" [they have fled from me], "va-tidad shenati me'einai" [and my sleep fled from my eyes] (Genesis 31:40), "yadud mimcha" [it will flee from you].
Metzudat David
"Your princes." The princes, the crowned ones, were like locusts, and your marshals were like the largest kind of locust that, on a cold day, lodge in the fences; and when the sun rises and it becomes warm for them, each one of them wanders off to go, and it is not discernible where he lodged or where he went. So too shall the princes of Nineveh be: it will not be discernible whether they were ever there, nor will it be known where they are, for some of them were slain and some of them went into captivity.
Metzudat Zion
"Minzarayich" [your crowned ones]. The term is derived from the word for "crown" (nezer) or "diadem" (atarah), as in the phrase "the crown" (II Kings 11).
And your governors. The term "governance" is similar to [the verse]: "Appoint over her a governor" (Jeremiah 51:27).
"Like a swarm of locusts." This is a species of locust; and so [in the phrase] "forming locusts" (Amos 7:1) — that is to say, the largest kind of locust. Its parallel is [the phrase] "the finest of ornaments" (Ezekiel 16:7), which means the finest and most beautiful of ornaments.
Regarding "b'gederot" (in the walls). The word is derived from "gader" (fence) and "kotel" (wall):
Koreh. In the sense of "qor" (cold) and "tzinah" (chill):
"Noded." From the word "nedidah" (wandering).
Aim. Where are they:
Malbim
"Your crowned ones"—even the governors and prefects whom you dressed with a diadem and a crown, resembled a locust flying off to another place; so too they rebelled against you and flew off to take shelter under the shadow of Nebuchadnezzar, who was conquering you. And "your marshals," who are those appointed over the army of war, resembled "a heap of locusts"—like a gathering of the various kinds of locusts, whose custom is to encamp in the hedges on a cold day; then they are sunk in the hedges and asleep all the days of winter, and at the time when the sun shines, then it flees—each one flees alone, and its place is not known, where it is. So too, all the days of the war they hid in the hedges and in holes and slept and did nothing, and when the gates of the city were opened, each fled for his own life.
Your shepherds slumber, O king of Assyria, Your worthies are at rest; Your people are scattered upon the mountains, And there is none to gather them.
verse value 2849
Insights
Verse structure: 11 words, 47 letters. The shortest word is "slumbered" (נָמ֤וּ, 3 letters) and the longest is "upon·the·mountains" (עַל־הֶהָרִ֖ים, 7 letters). 8 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Nahum. Unique to this verse in Nahum (hapax): "slumbered" (נָמ֤וּ), "your·herders" (רֹעֶ֙יךָ֙), "king" (מֶ֣לֶךְ). 11 unique roots are used. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'nobles·of', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 5 words. Full calculation: נָמ֤וּ [slumbered] (96) + רֹעֶ֙יךָ֙ [your·herders] (300) + מֶ֣לֶךְ [king] (90) + אַשּׁ֔וּר [Assyria] (507) + יִשְׁכְּנ֖וּ [they·will·settle·down] (386) + אַדִּירֶ֑יךָ [nobles·of] (245) + נָפֹ֧שׁוּ [were·scattered] (436) + עַמְּךָ֛ [your·people] (130) + עַל־הֶהָרִ֖ים [upon·the·mountains] (360) + וְאֵ֥ין [and·nothing] (67) + מְקַבֵּֽץ [gathering] (232) = 2849.
Rashi
"Your shepherds slumber." The term denotes a light nap:
They shall lie inert. They are unable to arise:
"Nefoshu" – like "nefutzu." And all letters that emerge from the same point of articulation are interchangeable with one another: Zayin, Shin, Samekh, and Tsadi – all of them emerge from the tip of the tongue and the edges of the teeth.
Ibn Ezra
Nemu – like: "He shall not slumber."
"Yishkonu" – like "yishketu," meaning they shall be still and not move.
"Nefoshu" – they were scattered, and similarly: "u-fashu parashav" ("and his horsemen spread out," Habakkuk 1:8). And the meaning is: like "niphshetu" (they spread out), and similarly: "vi-yetzatem u-fashtem" ("and you shall go forth and gambol/spread out," Malachi 3:20).
Radak
"Your shepherds sleep" – The king’s leaders and his advisors; now they will have no power to save you from the hand of the enemy, and they are as if they were asleep.
"Your mighty ones shall dwell [in the grave]." It is as though they had dwelt in the grave and died, for they are of no benefit and cannot save. And likewise, "my soul would dwell in silence" [Psalm 94:17].
"Your people are scattered." Like "nafotzu" [they are scattered], according to the opinion of [Targum] Yonatan, who translated it "yitbadru" [they shall be dispersed]. And it is possible that it denotes a matter of increase, like "u-fashu parashav" [and his horsemen increased/spread out] (Habakkuk 1:8), as it is said, "ki tafushu ke-eglah dashah" [for you gambol like a heifer treading out grain] (Jeremiah 50:11). And the interpretation is: your people have increased, in that they are scattered upon the mountains, and there is none to gather them. And since he called the leaders "shepherds," he said concerning the people that they are scattered upon the mountains, that is, like sheep that have no shepherd, and there is none to gather them.
Metzudat David
"Your shepherds have slumbered." [I.e.,] the leaders of the war, as if they had dozed off in sleep, abandoned the conduct of the war.
"Your mighty ones shall dwell therein": The warriors dwell in their place and do not go out to war against the enemy.
"Your people rested." The multitude of the people found rest and tranquility on the mountains, and there was no one to gather them to descend for battle.
Metzudat Zion
Nemu. The word is related to the terms for a nap and sleep.
Your shepherds. Your leaders:
Your nobles. Your warriors:
Naphoshu. It is the language of repose and tranquility, like [the verse] "He rested and was refreshed" (Exodus 31:17):
Malbim
"They slumbered"—this explains that so "your shepherds slumbered," that is, the leaders whom you appointed over the army, slumbered in sleep; and therefore "your mighty ones shall dwell"—your warriors dwelt in their dwellings and did not go out to fight. Likewise "your people rested"—all the people of war ceased and were refreshed, and did not fight. And now they are on the mountains, and there is none to gather them; this is the correlate of "the sun rose and it fled"—they are scattered on the mountains, and there is none to gather them.
There is no assuaging of your hurt, Your wound is grievous; All that hear the report of you Clap the hands over you; For upon whom has not your wickedness passed continually?
verse value 4554
Insights
Verse structure: 15 words, 59 letters. Verse gematria: 4554 is divisible by 18, the value of chai ('life'). The shortest word is "all" (כֹּ֣ל, 2 letters) and the longest is "nothing·dim" (אֵין־כֵּהָ֣ה, 6 letters). 13 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Nahum. Unique to this verse in Nahum (hapax): "nothing·dim" (אֵין־כֵּהָ֣ה), "to·your·breaking" (לְשִׁבְרֶ֔ךָ), "toward·the·Wadi·of" (נַחְלָ֖ה). The root שמע appears 2 times in this verse. 13 unique roots are used. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'your·blow', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 11 words.
Rashi
"There is no dimming for your ruin." There is no one distressed over your ruin, for all rejoice; "dim" is a term denoting something faint and obscure.
"They clap hands." To rejoice:
Ibn Ezra
"ayn kahah" – from the root of "vatekha'en einav" (and his eyes became dim), meaning that the affliction does not spread, the opposite of "pashah" (spread). When this occurs, it begins to heal. And some say: it is like "cheshkhah" (darkness), and the word "nachalah" [used of a grievous wound] is from the nifal binyan, from the root of "choli" (illness), and the verb is in the past tense; or it is an adjective, and the word "hi" (it) is omitted, for the elderly person, due to the skin wrinkling around the eye, and likewise the pupil does not spread, as stated, "vatekha'en einav" (and his eyes became dim), and so too with the affliction: when it is "kahah" (dim), meaning the skin of the affliction is wrinkled and has not spread, then it begins to heal.
Radak
"There is no healing [kehah] for your breaking." "Kehah" refers to the matter of healing, as in "the affliction has faded [kehah]," and it denotes the concept of wrinkling and closing up, for when an affliction or a break is near to healing, the skin around it wrinkles. "For your breaking" is stated in opposition to the king of Assyria, who was mentioned.
"Your wound is grievous [nachlah]." And he speaks of the blow as passive, even though it is [in fact] active, for the person is the one afflicted, and the blow is the sickness, according to the secondary cause; for although the primary cause is what brings it about, nevertheless, due to the multitude of diseases that are in that blow, it is acted upon by those diseases, meaning it is filled with them. And so too, "for it is a full end, and one that is decreed," "for it is a full end, yet a sudden one" — in this manner.
"Tiqqu kaf" – "Clap your hands." [This is done] over it, as an expression of joy, as it is said, "And they clapped their hands and said, 'Long live the king,'" and "All the trees of the field shall clap their hands."
Metzudat David
“Not darkened.” There is no one who grieves over your breaking, so that his face should be darkened and gloomy, even though your wound is grievous and your pain exceedingly severe.
“Your report.” The report of your downfall.
“Clap their hands over you.” This means: they will still rejoice, and at your downfall they will clap their hands together in a gesture of joy.
"For upon whom..." He means to say: Who is there upon whom Your evil has not always befallen? For all have suffered evils, and therefore all will rejoice at Your downfall.
Metzudat Zion
Kehah. The matter of cloudiness and darkness is like the phrase "kehah" in the context of a skin affliction (Leviticus 13).
Nachlah. In the sense of illness (choli):
“Clap your hands.” The meaning of “clapping hand to hand” is for joy, and similarly, “all the peoples clap their hands” (Psalms 47:2).
Malbim
"There is no (spirit) darkened over your breaking," meaning that no man will be found whose spirit is darkened over you, nor will he grieve over your breaking; "(and no spirit) is sick over your smiting," meaning that even regarding the smiting that follows the breaking, no one is ill or distressed on your account. On the contrary, everyone who hears your report—meaning the report of your breaking—claps hands over you as a sign of joy, for upon whom has your evil not always passed? Since you have done evil to many nations, therefore they all rejoiced over your downfall.
Rashi
Ibn Ezra
Radak
Metzudat David
Metzudat Zion
Malbim