New International Version
Nahum 3:4
4all because of the wanton lust of a prostitute, alluring, the mistress of sorceries, who enslaved nations by her prostitution and peoples by her witchcraft.
Nahum 3:4 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Because of the multitude of the whoredoms of the wellfavoured harlot, the mistress of witchcrafts, that selleth nations through her whoredoms, and families through her witchcrafts.
- English Standard Version (ESV)And all for the countless whorings of the prostitute, graceful and of deadly charms, who betrays nations with her whorings, and peoples with her charms.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Because of the multitude of harlotries of the seductive harlot, The mistress of sorceries, Who sells nations through her harlotries, And families through her sorceries.
- New Living Translation (NLT)All this because Nineveh, the beautiful and faithless city, mistress of deadly charms, enticed the nations with her beauty. She taught them all her magic, enchanting people everywhere.
Context of Nahum 3:4
2The crack of whips, the clatter of wheels, galloping horses and jolting chariots! 3Charging cavalry, flashing swords and glittering spears! Many casualties, piles of dead, bodies without number, people stumbling over the corpses— all because of the wanton lust of a prostitute, alluring, the mistress of sorceries, who enslaved nations by her prostitution and peoples by her witchcraft. 5“I am against you,” declares the Lord Almighty. “I will lift your skirts over your face. I will show the nations your nakedness and the kingdoms your shame. 6I will pelt you with filth, I will treat you with contempt and make you a spectacle.
Read all of Nahum 3Nahum 3:4 word by word
מֵרֹב֙ זְנוּנֵ֣י זוֹנָ֔ה ט֥וֹבַת חֵ֖ן בַּעֲלַ֣ת כְּשָׁפִ֑ים הַמֹּכֶ֤רֶת גּוֹיִם֙ בִּזְנוּנֶ֔יהָ וּמִשְׁפָּח֖וֹת בִּכְשָׁפֶֽיהָ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Because of the multitudeרֹבrôb · abundanceH7230
- of the whoredomsזְנוּנִיםzânûn · fornicationH2183
- of the wellfavouredחֵןchên · favorH2580
- of the wellfavouredטוֹבţôb · pleasantH2896
- harlotזָנָהzânâh · to fornicateH2181
- the mistressבַּעֲלָהba‛ălâh · mistressH1172
- of witchcraftsכֶּ֫שֶׁףkesheph · sorceryH3785
- that sellethמָכַרmâkar · to sellH4376
- nationsגּוֹיgôy gôy · nationH1471
- and familiesמִשְׁפָּחָהmishpâchâh · familyH4940
Cross-references for Nahum 3:4
- Isaiah 23:15At that time Tyre will be forgotten for seventy years, the span of a king’s life. But at the end of these seventy years, it will happen to Tyre as in the song of the prostitute:
- Isaiah 47:9Both of these will overtake you in a moment, on a single day: loss of children and widowhood. They will come upon you in full measure, in spite of your many sorceries and all your potent spells.
- Revelation 17:1One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the punishment of the great prostitute, who sits by many waters.
- Revelation 18:2With a mighty voice he shouted: “ ‘Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great!’ She has become a dwelling for demons and a haunt for every impure spirit, a haunt for every unclean bird, a haunt for every unclean and detestable animal.
Commentaries on Nahum 3:4
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4Because of the multitude of the whoredoms - Above, the Ninevites were represented under the emblem of a lion tearing all to pieces; here they are represented under the emblem of a beautiful harlot or public prostitute, enticing all men to her, inducing the nations to become idolatrous, and, by thus perverting them, rendering them also objects of the Divine wrath. Mistress of witchcrafts, that selleth nations through her whoredoms - Using every means to…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4Because of the multitude of the whoredoms of the well-favored harlot - There are “multitudes of slain” because of the “multitude of whoredoms” and love of the creature instead of the Creator. So to Babylon Isaiah saith, “they (loss of children and widowhood) shall come upon thee in their perfection for the multitude of thy sorceries, for the great abundance of thine enchantments” Isaiah 47:9. The actual use of “enchantments,” for which Babylon was so…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4mistress of sorcery: The Assyrians attracted other nations with wealth and promises of safety and prosperity. However, they then exploited them through military power and economic control. Therefore, their punishment was a fair consequence for their actions (see Proverbs 24:12; Joel 3:4–8; Revelation 18:6; 20:12).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. Because of the multitude of the whoredoms--This assigns the reason for Nineveh's destruction. of the well-favoured harlot--As Assyria was not a worshipper of the true God, "whoredoms" cannot mean, as in the case of Israel, apostasy to the worship of false gods; but, her harlot-like artifices whereby she allured neighboring states so as to subject them to herself. As the unwary are allured by the "well-favored harlot's" looks, so Israel, Judah (for…Read the comment
Topics related to Nahum 3:4
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Nahum 3
- 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
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