Nahum 3:3
New International Version
Charging cavalry, flashing swords and glittering spears! Many casualties, piles of dead, bodies without number, people stumbling over the corpses—

New Living Translation
See the flashing swords and glittering spears as the charioteers charge past! There are countless casualties, heaps of bodies— so many bodies that people stumble over them.

English Standard Version
Horsemen charging, flashing sword and glittering spear, hosts of slain, heaps of corpses, dead bodies without end— they stumble over the bodies!

Berean Standard Bible
Charging horseman, flashing sword, shining spear; heaps of slain, mounds of corpses, dead bodies without end—they stumble over their dead—

King James Bible
The horseman lifteth up both the bright sword and the glittering spear: and there is a multitude of slain, and a great number of carcases; and there is none end of their corpses; they stumble upon their corpses:

New King James Version
Horsemen charge with bright sword and glittering spear. There is a multitude of slain, A great number of bodies, Countless corpses— They stumble over the corpses—

New American Standard Bible
Horsemen charging, Swords flashing, spears gleaming, Many killed, a mass of corpses, And there is no end to the dead bodies— They stumble over the dead bodies!

NASB 1995
Horsemen charging, Swords flashing, spears gleaming, Many slain, a mass of corpses, And countless dead bodies— They stumble over the dead bodies!

NASB 1977
Horsemen charging, Swords flashing, spears gleaming, Many slain, a mass of corpses, And countless dead bodies— They stumble over the dead bodies!

Legacy Standard Bible
Horsemen charging, And swords flaming, and spears flashing, Many slain, a mass of corpses, And there is no end to dead bodies— They stumble over the dead bodies!

Amplified Bible
Horsemen charging, Swords flashing, spears gleaming, Many slain, a mass of corpses, No end of corpses— The horsemen stumble over the corpses!

Christian Standard Bible
Charging horseman, flashing sword, shining spear; heaps of slain, mounds of corpses, dead bodies without end — they stumble over their dead.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Charging horseman, flashing sword, shining spear; heaps of slain, mounds of corpses, dead bodies without end— they stumble over their dead.

American Standard Version
the horseman mounting, and the flashing sword, and the glittering spear, and a multitude of slain, and a great heap of corpses, and there is no end of the bodies; they stumble upon their bodies;—

Contemporary English Version
cavalry attacking, swords and spears flashing; soldiers stumbling over piles of dead bodies.

English Revised Version
the horseman mounting, and the flashing sword, and the glittering spear; and a multitude of slain, and a great heap of carcases: and there is none end of the corpses; they stumble upon their corpses:

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Horses charge! Swords flash! Spears glitter! Many are killed! Dead bodies pile up! There is no end to the corpses! People trip over corpses

Good News Translation
Cavalry troops charge, swords flash, spears gleam! Corpses are piled high, dead bodies without number--men stumble over them!

International Standard Version
The cavalry attacks— the flashing sword and the glittering spear! Many are the slain— so many casualties!— No end to bodies, and the soldiers trip over the corpses.

Majority Standard Bible
Charging horseman, flashing sword, shining spear; heaps of slain, mounds of corpses, dead bodies without end—they stumble over their dead—

NET Bible
The charioteers will charge ahead; their swords will flash and their spears will glimmer! There will be many people slain; there will be piles of the dead, and countless casualties--so many that people will stumble over the corpses.

New Heart English Bible
the horseman mounting, and the flashing sword, the glittering spear, and a multitude of slain, and a great heap of corpses, and there is no end of the bodies. They stumble on their bodies,

Webster's Bible Translation
The horseman lifteth up both the bright sword, and the glittering spear: and there is a multitude of slain, and a great number of carcasses; and there is no end of their corpses; they stumble upon their corpses:

World English Bible
the horseman charging, and the flashing sword, the glittering spear, and a multitude of slain, and a great heap of corpses, and there is no end of the bodies. They stumble on their bodies
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And the flame of a sword, and the lightning of a spear, "" And the abundance of the wounded, "" And the weight of carcasses, "" Indeed, there is no end to the bodies, "" They stumble over their bodies.

Young's Literal Translation
And the flame of a sword, and the lightning of a spear, And the abundance of the wounded, And the weight of carcases, Yea, there is no end to the bodies, They stumble over their bodies.

Smith's Literal Translation
The horsemen also lifting up the flame of the sword, and the lightning of the spear: and a multitude of wounded, and the heavy carcass; and no end to the corpses; they shall stumble upon their dead bodies.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And of the shining sword, and of the glittering spear, and of a multitude slain, and of a grievous destruction: and there is no end of carcasses, and they shall fall down on their dead bodies.

Catholic Public Domain Version
and of the flashing sword and the shining spear, and of a multitude executed and a grievous ruination. Neither is there an end to the dead bodies, and they will fall down upon their dead bodies.

New American Bible
Cavalry charging, the flash of the sword, the gleam of the spear; A multitude of slain, a mass of corpses, Endless bodies to stumble upon!

New Revised Standard Version
Horsemen charging, flashing sword and glittering spear, piles of dead, heaps of corpses, dead bodies without end— they stumble over the bodies!
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
The horseman driving, with the flash of the sword and the glittering spear! And there is a multitude of slain, and a great number of corpses; there is no end to corpses; they stumble over their corpses.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
The horseman who is driving and the sword that flashes and the javelin that shines and the multitude of the slain and the abundance of the corpses, and there is no end to the corpses; they will stumble on them among their corpses
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
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;

Brenton Septuagint Translation
and of the mounting rider, and of the glittering sword, and of the gleaming arms, and of a multitude of slain, and of heavy falling: and there was no end to her nations, but they shall be weak in their bodies

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Judgment Against Nineveh
2The crack of the whip, the rumble of the wheel, galloping horse and bounding chariot! 3Charging horseman, flashing sword, shining spear; heaps of slain, mounds of corpses, dead bodies without end— they stumble over their dead— 4because of the many harlotries of the harlot, the seductive mistress of sorcery, who betrays nations by her prostitution and clans by her witchcraft.…

Cross References
Isaiah 13:15-18
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. / Behold, I will stir up against them the Medes, who have no regard for silver and no desire for gold. ...

Jeremiah 50:27
Kill all her young bulls; let them go down to the slaughter. Woe to them, for their day has come—the time of their punishment.

Ezekiel 26:7-11
For this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Behold, I will bring against Tyre from the north Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, king of kings, with horses and chariots, with cavalry and a great company of troops. / He will slaughter the villages of your mainland with the sword; he will set up siege works against you, build a ramp to your walls, and raise his shields against you. / He will direct the blows of his battering rams against your walls and tear down your towers with his axes. ...

Habakkuk 2:12
Woe to him who builds a city with bloodshed and establishes a town by iniquity!

Zephaniah 1:17
I will bring such distress on mankind that they will walk like the blind, because they have sinned against the LORD. Their blood will be poured out like dust and their flesh like dung.

Isaiah 34:3
Their slain will be left unburied, and the stench of their corpses will rise; the mountains will flow with their blood.

Jeremiah 46:10
For that day belongs to the Lord GOD of Hosts, a day of vengeance against His foes. The sword will devour until it is satisfied, until it is quenched with their blood. For the Lord GOD of Hosts will hold a sacrifice in the land of the north by the River Euphrates.

Ezekiel 21:14-15
‘So then, son of man, prophesy and strike your hands together. Let the sword strike two times, even three. It is a sword that slays, a sword of great slaughter closing in on every side! / So that their hearts may melt and many may stumble, I have appointed at all their gates a sword for slaughter. Yes, it is ready to flash like lightning; it is drawn for slaughter.

Joel 2:8
They do not jostle one another; each proceeds in his path. They burst through the defenses, never breaking ranks.

Isaiah 66:16
For by fire and by His sword, the LORD will execute judgment on all flesh, and many will be slain by the LORD.

Revelation 14:20
And the winepress was trodden outside the city, and the blood that flowed from it rose as high as the bridles of the horses for a distance of 1,600 stadia.

Revelation 19:17-18
Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and he cried out in a loud voice to all the birds flying overhead, “Come, gather together for the great supper of God, / so that you may eat the flesh of kings and commanders and mighty men, of horses and riders, of everyone slave and free, small and great.”

Matthew 24:28
Wherever there is a carcass, there the vultures will gather.

Luke 17:37
“Where, Lord?” they asked. Jesus answered, “Wherever there is a carcass, there the vultures will gather.”

Revelation 6:4
Then another horse went forth. It was bright red, and its rider was granted permission to take away peace from the earth and to make men slay one another. And he was given a great sword.


Treasury of Scripture

The horseman lifts up both the bright sword and the glittering spear: and there is a multitude of slain, and a great number of carcasses; and there is none end of their corpses; they stumble on their corpses:

bright sword and the glittering spear.

Nahum 2:4
The chariots shall rage in the streets, they shall justle one against another in the broad ways: they shall seem like torches, they shall run like the lightnings.

Genesis 3:24
So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.

Habakkuk 3:11
The sun and moon stood still in their habitation: at the light of thine arrows they went, and at the shining of thy glittering spear.

and there.

Isaiah 37:36
Then the angel of the LORD went forth, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians a hundred and fourscore and five thousand: and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses.

Ezekiel 31:3-13
Behold, the Assyrian was a cedar in Lebanon with fair branches, and with a shadowing shroud, and of an high stature; and his top was among the thick boughs…

Ezekiel 39:4
Thou shalt fall upon the mountains of Israel, thou, and all thy bands, and the people that is with thee: I will give thee unto the ravenous birds of every sort, and to the beasts of the field to be devoured.

Jump to Previous
Bodies Bright Carcases Carcasses Casualties Cavalry Charging Corpses Countless Dead Driving End Flash Flashing Forward Gleaming Glitter Glittering Great Heap Heaps Horseman Horsemen Hosts Lifteth Mass Mounting Multitude Piles Shining Slain Spear Spears Springing Stumble Sword Swords Wounded
Jump to Next
Bodies Bright Carcases Carcasses Casualties Cavalry Charging Corpses Countless Dead Driving End Flash Flashing Forward Gleaming Glitter Glittering Great Heap Heaps Horseman Horsemen Hosts Lifteth Mass Mounting Multitude Piles Shining Slain Spear Spears Springing Stumble Sword Swords Wounded
Nahum 3
1. The destruction of Nineveh.














Charging horseman
The image of a "charging horseman" evokes the power and speed of ancient cavalry, a formidable force in warfare. In the Hebrew context, the horseman represents swift judgment and the unstoppable advance of divine retribution. Historically, cavalry units were crucial in Assyrian military campaigns, symbolizing their might and dominance. Here, Nahum uses this imagery to convey the impending doom and the relentless nature of God's judgment against Nineveh.

Flashing sword
The "flashing sword" signifies the deadly and precise nature of the attack. In Hebrew, the sword often symbolizes divine judgment and the execution of justice. The brilliance of the sword reflects the clarity and inevitability of God's righteous decree. This imagery would resonate with the audience familiar with the terror and finality of a sword in battle, emphasizing the thoroughness of the coming destruction.

Glittering spear
The "glittering spear" complements the sword, adding to the vivid portrayal of the battle scene. The spear, a common weapon in ancient warfare, represents the reach and penetration of God's judgment. The glittering aspect suggests both the beauty and the deadly effectiveness of divine intervention. This phrase underscores the comprehensive nature of the assault on Nineveh, leaving no room for escape or resistance.

Heaps of slain
The "heaps of slain" paints a grim picture of the aftermath of divine judgment. In the Hebrew context, this phrase indicates the totality and overwhelming nature of the destruction. The sheer number of casualties serves as a testament to the severity of God's wrath against sin and injustice. It is a sobering reminder of the consequences of defying God's will.

A mass of corpses
The "mass of corpses" further emphasizes the scale of the devastation. This phrase suggests an uncountable number of dead, highlighting the futility of opposing God's power. Historically, such scenes were not uncommon in the aftermath of Assyrian conquests, making this prophecy particularly poignant for its original audience. It serves as a warning of the ultimate fate awaiting those who persist in wickedness.

Dead bodies without end
The phrase "dead bodies without end" conveys the idea of an unending, overwhelming judgment. In the Hebrew tradition, the concept of endlessness often relates to the eternal nature of God's decrees. This imagery reinforces the notion that the consequences of sin are far-reaching and inescapable. It is a call to repentance and a reminder of the enduring nature of divine justice.

They stumble over the dead
The final phrase, "they stumble over the dead," illustrates the chaos and disarray following the divine judgment. The stumbling suggests confusion and helplessness in the face of God's overwhelming power. In the historical context, it reflects the disintegration of societal order and the collapse of once-mighty powers. This serves as a powerful metaphor for the ultimate downfall of those who oppose God's will, urging the faithful to remain steadfast in their devotion.

(3) The horseman lifteth up.--Better, There is the rearing horseman and the flaming sword, and the glittering lance, and a multitude of wounded, and a mass of corpses . . .

Verse 3. - The horseman lifteth up. The Hebrew is more vivid, the words standing in pairs, as if describing the successive onsets of the enemy. So Pusey. It is best to render, "horsemen making to rear;" or as Septuagint. ἱππέως ἀναβαίνοντος, "horseman mounting;" so the Vulgate; Henderson. Horsemen are seen in the most ancient sculptures of Nimroud, and in the bas-reliefs of Kouyunjik (comp. Judith 2:15; Ezekiel 23:6; Layard, ' Nineveh,' 2:356). Both the bright sword; better, and the flaming sword (Genesis 3:24); literally, the flame of the sword. And the glittering spear; literally, the lightning flash of the spear (Habakkuk 3:11). These are the arms of the foot soldiers. A multitude of slain. The effect of the assault is described. So numerous are the corpses that one cannot help stumbling over them; the invaders themselves are impeded by the heaps of dead bodies which they have to mount. The LXX. connects this verse with the following, thus. "They shall grow weak in their bodies by reason of the multitude of their fornications."

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Charging
מַעֲלֶ֗ה (ma·‘ă·leh)
Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 5927: To ascend, in, actively

horseman,
פָּרָ֣שׁ (pā·rāš)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 6571: A steed, a driver, cavalry

flashing
וְלַ֤הַב (wə·la·haḇ)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3851: A flash, a sharply polished blade, point of a, weapon

sword,
חֶ֙רֶב֙ (ḥe·reḇ)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 2719: Drought, a cutting instrument, as a, knife, sword

shining
וּבְרַ֣ק (ū·ḇə·raq)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1300: Lightning, a gleam, a flashing sword

spear;
חֲנִ֔ית (ḥă·nîṯ)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 2595: A lance

heaps
וְרֹ֥ב (wə·rōḇ)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 7230: Multitude, abundance, greatness

of slain,
חָלָ֖ל (ḥā·lāl)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 2491: Pierced, polluted

mounds
וְכֹ֣בֶד (wə·ḵō·ḇeḏ)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3514: Weight, multitude, vehemence

of corpses,
פָּ֑גֶר (pā·ḡer)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 6297: A carcase, an idolatrous image

dead bodies
לַגְּוִיָּ֔ה (lag·gə·wî·yāh)
Preposition-l, Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 1472: A body, corpse

without
וְאֵ֥ין (wə·’ên)
Conjunctive waw | Adverb
Strong's 369: A non-entity, a negative particle

end—
קֵ֙צֶה֙ (qê·ṣeh)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 7097: End, extremity

they stumble
וְכָשְׁל֖וּ (wə·ḵā·šə·lū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 3782: To totter, waver, to falter, stumble, faint, fall

over their dead—
בִּגְוִיָּתָֽם׃ (biḡ·wî·yā·ṯām)
Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 1472: A body, corpse


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OT Prophets: Nahum 3:3 The horseman mounting and the flashing sword (Nah. Na)
Nahum 3:2
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