God’s Word Translation
Nahum 2:3
3The shields of his warriors are painted red. His soldiers have red uniforms. The metal on his chariots flashes fiery red, so do the spears when they are waved on the day he prepares for battle.
Nahum 2:3 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)The shield of his mighty men is made red, the valiant men are in scarlet: the chariots shall be with flaming torches in the day of his preparation, and the fir trees shall be terribly shaken.
- New International Version (NIV)The shields of the soldiers are red; the warriors are clad in scarlet. The metal on the chariots flashes on the day they are made ready; the spears of juniper are brandished.
- English Standard Version (ESV)The shield of his mighty men is red; his soldiers are clothed in scarlet. The chariots come with flashing metal on the day he musters them; the cypress spears are brandished.
- New King James Version (NKJV)The shields of his mighty men are made red, The valiant men are in scarlet. The chariots come with flaming torches In the day of his preparation, And the spears are brandished.
Context of Nahum 2:3
1The one who will scatter you is coming to attack you. Guard your fortress! Keep a lookout on the road! Prepare for battle! Be very courageous! 2The Lord will restore Jacob’s glory like Israel’s glory, although enemies have looted it and have destroyed its vines. The shields of his warriors are painted red. His soldiers have red uniforms. The metal on his chariots flashes fiery red, so do the spears when they are waved on the day he prepares for battle. 4Chariots are racing madly through the streets, rushing this way and that in the city squares. They look like torches, like lightning, as they dart about. 5He remembers his best fighting men. They stumble over themselves as they march. They hurry to Nineveh’s wall. The shield has been set up for the battering ram.
Read all of Nahum 2Nahum 2:3 word by word
מָגֵ֨ן גִּבֹּרֵ֜יהוּ מְאָדָּ֗ם אַנְשֵׁי־חַ֙יִל֙ מְתֻלָּעִ֔ים בְּאֵשׁ־פְּלָד֥וֹת הָרֶ֖כֶב בְּי֣וֹם הֲכִינ֑וֹ וְהַבְּרֹשִׁ֖ים הָרְעָֽלוּ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- The shieldמָגֵןmâgên meginnâh · shieldH4043
- of his mighty menגִּבּוֹרgibbôr gibbôr · mighty manH1368
- is made redאָדֹם'âdam · to reddenH119
- the valiantחַ֫יִלchayil · armyH2428
- menאֱנוֹשׁ'ĕnôsh · humanH582
- in scarletתָּלַעtâla‛ · to clothe in scarletH8529
- the chariotsרֶ֫כֶבrekeb · chariotH7393
- with flamingאֵשׁ'êsh · fireH784
- torchesפְּלָדָהpelâdâh · ironH6393
- in the dayיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
- of his preparationכּוּןkûn · to establish: prepareH3559
- and the fir treesבְּרוֹשׁberôsh · cypressH1265
- shall be terribly shakenרָעַלrâ‛al · to quiverH7477
Cross-references for Nahum 2:3
- Isaiah 63:1Who is this coming from Bozrah in Edom with his clothes stained bright red? Who is this dressed in splendor, going forward with great strength? “It is I, the Lord. I am coming to announce my victory. I am powerful enough to save ⌞you⌟.”
- Zechariah 1:8During that night I saw a man riding on a red horse. He was standing among the myrtle trees in a ravine. Behind him were red, chestnut, and white horses.
- Zechariah 6:2The first chariot had red horses. The second had black horses.
- Revelation 6:4A second horse went out. It was fiery red. Its rider was given the power to take peace away from the earth and to make people slaughter one another. So he was given a large sword.
- Revelation 12:3Another sign appeared in the sky: a huge fiery red serpent with seven heads, ten horns, and seven crowns on its heads.
- Isaiah 14:8Even the cypresses rejoice over you. The cedars of Lebanon say, “Since you have fallen, no lumberjack has come to attack us.”
- Zechariah 11:2Cry, cypress trees, because the cedars have fallen and the stately trees have been destroyed. Cry, oak trees of Bashan, because your dense forest has fallen down.
Commentaries on Nahum 2:3
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3The shield of his mighty men is made red - These things may refer to the war-like preparations made by the Ninevites: they had red shields, and scarlet or purple clothing; their chariots were finely decorated, and proceeded with amazing rapidity. The fir trees shall be terribly shaken - This may refer to the darts, arrows, and javelins, flung with destructive power.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3Army is arrayed against army; the armies, thus far, of God against the army of His enemy; all without is order; all within, confusion. The assailing army, from its compactness and unity, is spoken of, both as many and one. The might is of many; the order and singleness of purpose is as of one. The shield, collectively, not shields. “His mighty men;” He, who was last spoken of, was Almighty God, as He says in Isaiah; “I have commanded My consecrated ones…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 33. his mighty men--the Medo-Babylonian general's mighty men attacking Nineveh. made red--The ancients dyed their bull's-hide shields red, partly to strike terror into the enemy, chiefly lest the blood from wounds which they might receive should be perceived and give confidence to the foe [Calvin]. G. V. Smith conjectures that the reference is to the red reflection of the sun's rays from shields of bronze or copper, such as are found among the Assyrian…Read the comment
Topics related to Nahum 2:3
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Nahum 2
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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