Nahum 3:4
What does Nahum 3:4 mean?
A plain-English look at Nahum 3:4 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Nahum 3:4 means
Here the spiritual root of Nineveh’s ruin is exposed: she is likened to a beautiful harlot, skilled in sorcery, who seduces and ensnares entire nations. The language of whoredom points to idolatry and political manipulation—alliances and dominion gained by deceitful charm and occult practices. “Selling” nations and families captures the predatory way Assyria used power to enslave peoples for its own gain. God is not judging Nineveh only for outward violence, but for the corrupt heart that weaponized seduction, idolatry, and dark arts to dominate. Her collapse is not random; it is the just end of a system that traded in souls and trampled covenantal order.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000because of the multitude of the whoredoms of the well-favored harlot, the mistress of witchcrafts, that selleth nations through her whoredoms, and families through her witchcrafts.
KJV
King James Version · 1611Because 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.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901because of the multitude of the whoredoms of the well-favored harlot, the mistress of witchcrafts, that selleth nations through her whoredoms, and families through her witchcrafts.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949Because of all the false ways of the loose woman, expert in attraction and wise in secret arts, who takes nations in the net of her false ways, and families through her secret arts.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862Because of the abundance of the fornications of an harlot, The goodness of the grace of the lady of witchcrafts, Who is selling nations by her fornications, And families by her witchcrafts.
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752Because of the multitude of the fornications of the harlot that was beautiful and agreeable, and that made use of witchcraft, that sold nations through her fornications, and families through her witchcrafts.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890— Because of the multitude of the fornications of the well-favoured harlot, mistress of sorceries, that selleth nations through her fornications, and families through her sorceries,
Context
After the battle imagery of verses 2–3, verse 4 provides the moral explanation for such severe judgment. The chapter now moves from effect back to cause. This prepares for verses 5–7, where God personally declares His opposition and the shame He will inflict. Understanding verse 4’s diagnosis keeps the reader from seeing the fall as purely political; it is a theological reckoning against empire as spiritual prostitution and sorcery.
v.3the 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;—
v.4This passage
v.5Behold, I am against thee, saith Jehovah of hosts, and I will uncover thy skirts upon thy face; and I will show the nations thy nakedness, and the kingdoms thy shame.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Revelation 18:9
And the kings of the earth, who committed fornication and lived wantonly with her, shall weep and wail over her, when they look upon the smoke of her burning,
- Revelation 18:2
And he cried with a mighty voice, saying, Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, and is become a habitation of demons, and a hold of every unclean spirit, and a hold of every unclean and hateful bird.
- Isaiah 23:15
And it shall come to pass in that day, that Tyre shall be forgotten seventy years, according to the days of one king: after the end of seventy years it shall be unto Tyre as in the song of the harlot.
- Revelation 18:23
and the light of a lamp shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee: for thy merchants were the princes of the earth; for with thy sorcery were all the nations deceived.
- Isaiah 47:12
Stand now with thine enchantments, and with the multitude of thy sorceries, wherein thou hast labored from thy youth; if so be thou shalt be able to profit, if so be thou mayest prevail.
- Revelation 17:1
And there came one of the seven angels that had the seven bowls, and spake with me, saying, Come hither, I will show thee the judgment of the great harlot that sitteth upon many waters;
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