New Living Translation
Nahum 2:3
3Shields flash red in the sunlight! See the scarlet uniforms of the valiant troops! Watch as their glittering chariots move into position, with a forest of spears waving above them.
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
1Your enemy is coming to crush you, Nineveh. Man the ramparts! Watch the roads! Prepare your defenses! Call out your forces! 2Even though the destroyer has destroyed Judah, the Lord will restore its honor. Israel’s vine has been stripped of branches, but he will restore its splendor. Shields flash red in the sunlight! See the scarlet uniforms of the valiant troops! Watch as their glittering chariots move into position, with a forest of spears waving above them. 4The chariots race recklessly along the streets and rush wildly through the squares. They flash like firelight and move as swiftly as lightning. 5The king shouts to his officers; they stumble in their haste, rushing to the walls to set up their defenses.
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 who comes from Edom, from the city of Bozrah, with his clothing stained red? Who is this in royal robes, marching in his great strength? “It is I, the Lord, announcing your salvation! It is I, the Lord, who has the power to save!”
- Zechariah 1:8In a vision during the night, I saw a man sitting on a red horse that was standing among some myrtle trees in a small valley. Behind him were riders on red, brown, and white horses.
- Zechariah 6:2The first chariot was pulled by red horses, the second by black horses,
- Revelation 6:4Then another horse appeared, a red one. Its rider was given a mighty sword and the authority to take peace from the earth. And there was war and slaughter everywhere.
- Revelation 12:3Then I witnessed in heaven another significant event. I saw a large red dragon with seven heads and ten horns, with seven crowns on his heads.
- Isaiah 14:8Even the trees of the forest— the cypress trees and the cedars of Lebanon— sing out this joyous song: ‘Since you have been cut down, no one will come now to cut us down!’
- Zechariah 11:2Weep, you cypress trees, for all the ruined cedars; the most majestic ones have fallen. Weep, you oaks of Bashan, for the thick forests have been cut 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
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