Nahum 3:16 (KJV)

What does Nahum 3:16 mean?

Nahum 3:16 describes how Nineveh, the capital of Assyria, had increased its merchants to an extraordinary number, more than the stars in the sky, but these merchants would be quickly scattered and lost, like cankerworms (locusts) that consume and then fly away. The verse uses this image to show how Nineveh’s wealth and business connections would vanish suddenly and completely.

The prophet Nahum is speaking to the people of Nineveh, warning them of the coming downfall of their city. In this verse, Nahum points out that even though Nineveh had become a center of trade and prosperity, all of its economic strength would disappear in the face of judgment. The picture of the cankerworm highlights how quickly and thoroughly this loss would happen.

The Hebrew behind Nahum 3:16

• "multiplied" (רָבָה, rabah): This word means to become many or increase greatly. Here, it emphasizes just how much Nineveh’s merchants had grown in number, suggesting a sense of pride in their abundance.
• "merchants" (רֹכֵל, rokel): This word refers to traders or those who travel to buy and sell goods. The focus is on Nineveh’s role as a commercial hub, filled with people seeking profit.
• "cankerworm" (יֶלֶק, yeleq): This is a type of locust or destructive insect. The image is of something that consumes and then quickly leaves, stressing how Nineveh’s prosperity would be eaten up and then gone.
• "spoileth" (פָּשַׁט, pashat): This word means to strip off or plunder. It strengthens the idea that the merchants (or the wealth they represent) would not just leave, but would strip the city bare as they go.

Why Nahum 3:16 matters

• Nahum 3:16 clears up any idea that Nineveh’s wealth and influence could protect it from disaster; even the most prosperous city can lose everything overnight.
• The verse connects to the wider passage by showing that Nineveh’s judgment would not just be military defeat, but total economic collapse, affecting everyone who benefited from its trade.
• The use of the cankerworm image helps the reader see how quickly and completely Nineveh’s fortunes would change, making the warning more vivid and memorable.