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.
NAHUM 3:10KJVWhat does Nahum 3:10 mean?
Nahum 3:10 describes how a once-powerful city was completely defeated: its people were taken away as captives, its children were killed in public places, its respected leaders were divided up by lot, and its important men were put in chains. The verse paints a picture of total humiliation and destruction for this city.
The prophet Nahum is speaking to the people of Nineveh, reminding them of what happened to the city of No (Thebes) in Egypt. Nahum uses this example to warn Nineveh that, despite its strength, it too can fall just as completely. The verse emphasizes the thoroughness of the defeat—no one was spared, from children to the most honored leaders.
The Hebrew behind Nahum 3:10
- The word for "captivity" (שְׁבִי, shevi, H7628) refers to being taken as prisoners of war. This highlights the total loss of freedom and dignity for the city’s people.
- "Cast lots" (יָדָה, yadah, H3032) means dividing people or things by chance, as if the leaders were just property to be distributed among the conquerors. This shows how little value was placed on even the most important citizens.
- The term for "chains" (זִיקִים, ziqqim, H2131) refers to iron shackles or fetters, underlining the harsh treatment and humiliation of the city’s great men.
Why Nahum 3:10 matters
- Nahum 3:10 warns that no city, no matter how strong, is immune to downfall if it opposes God’s justice. The fate of Thebes is used as a sobering example for Nineveh.
- The verse emphasizes the complete nature of the defeat: not just military loss, but public humiliation, loss of leadership, and suffering for all ages.
- By recalling a well-known historical event, Nahum makes his warning to Nineveh more vivid and credible, showing that history can repeat itself.