Nahum 3:10
Yet was she carried away, she went into captivity: her young children also were dashed in pieces at the top of all the streets: and they cast lots for her honourable men, and all her great men were bound in chains.
Original Language Analysis
גַּם
H1571
גַּם
Strong's:
H1571
Word #:
1 of 19
properly, assemblage; used only adverbially also, even, yea, though; often repeated as correl. both...and
הִ֗יא
H1931
הִ֗יא
Strong's:
H1931
Word #:
2 of 19
he (she or it); only expressed when emphatic or without a verb; also (intensively) self, or (especially with the article) the same; sometimes (as demo
לַגֹּלָה֙
Yet was she carried away
H1473
לַגֹּלָה֙
Yet was she carried away
Strong's:
H1473
Word #:
3 of 19
exile; concretely and collectively exiles
הָלְכָ֣ה
she went
H1980
הָלְכָ֣ה
she went
Strong's:
H1980
Word #:
4 of 19
to walk (in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively)
בַשֶּׁ֔בִי
into captivity
H7628
בַשֶּׁ֔בִי
into captivity
Strong's:
H7628
Word #:
5 of 19
exiled; captured; as noun, exile (abstractly or concretely and collectively); by extension, booty
גַּ֧ם
H1571
גַּ֧ם
Strong's:
H1571
Word #:
6 of 19
properly, assemblage; used only adverbially also, even, yea, though; often repeated as correl. both...and
בְּרֹ֣אשׁ
at the top
H7218
בְּרֹ֣אשׁ
at the top
Strong's:
H7218
Word #:
9 of 19
the head (as most easily shaken), whether literal or figurative (in many applications, of place, time, rank, itc.)
כָּל
H3605
כָּל
Strong's:
H3605
Word #:
10 of 19
properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)
חוּצ֑וֹת
of all the streets
H2351
חוּצ֑וֹת
of all the streets
Strong's:
H2351
Word #:
11 of 19
properly, separate by a wall, i.e., outside, outdoors
וְעַל
H5921
וְעַל
Strong's:
H5921
Word #:
12 of 19
above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications
נִכְבַּדֶּ֙יהָ֙
for her honourable men
H3513
נִכְבַּדֶּ֙יהָ֙
for her honourable men
Strong's:
H3513
Word #:
13 of 19
to be heavy, i.e., in a bad sense (burdensome, severe, dull) or in a good sense (numerous, rich, honorable); causatively, to make weighty (in the same
יַדּ֣וּ
and they cast
H3032
יַדּ֣וּ
and they cast
Strong's:
H3032
Word #:
14 of 19
properly, to handle, i.e., to throw, e.g., lots
גוֹרָ֔ל
lots
H1486
גוֹרָ֔ל
lots
Strong's:
H1486
Word #:
15 of 19
properly, a pebble, i.e., a lot (small stones being used for that purpose); figuratively, a portion or destiny (as if determined by lot)
וְכָל
H3605
וְכָל
Strong's:
H3605
Word #:
16 of 19
properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)
Cross References
Isaiah 20:4So shall the king of Assyria lead away the Egyptians prisoners, and the Ethiopians captives, young and old, naked and barefoot, even with their buttocks uncovered, to the shame of Egypt.Joel 3:3And they have cast lots for my people; and have given a boy for an harlot, and sold a girl for wine, that they might drink.Hosea 13:16Samaria shall become desolate; for she hath rebelled against her God: they shall fall by the sword: their infants shall be dashed in pieces, and their women with child shall be ripped up.Obadiah 1:11In the day that thou stoodest on the other side, in the day that the strangers carried away captive his forces, and foreigners entered into his gates, and cast lots upon Jerusalem, even thou wast as one of them.Isaiah 13:16Their children also shall be dashed to pieces before their eyes; their houses shall be spoiled, and their wives ravished.Lamentations 2:19Arise, cry out in the night: in the beginning of the watches pour out thine heart like water before the face of the Lord: lift up thy hands toward him for the life of thy young children, that faint for hunger in the top of every street.
Historical Context
Assyrian warfare included systematic atrocities. Their own annals describe dashing children against stones, enslaving populations, dividing nobles as spoils, and binding leaders in chains for public humiliation. When Ashurbanipal conquered Thebes in 663 BC, these horrors were inflicted on Egypt's ancient capital. The city never fully recovered. Nahum's prophecy announces Nineveh will experience identical treatment—and history confirms it. In 612 BC, Babylon showed Nineveh the same mercy Assyria had shown others: none. The principle Jesus later taught was demonstrated: 'With what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again' (Matthew 7:2). Assyria measured out cruelty; cruelty was measured back.
Questions for Reflection
- How does the graphic detail about children being killed demonstrate the full horror of warfare and sin's consequences?
- What does the principle of measure-for-measure judgment teach about God's justice and moral governance of history?
- How should Christians balance the justice of God's retribution with grief over human suffering and the call to show mercy?
Analysis & Commentary
Yet was she carried away, she went into captivity (gam-hi lagolah halekah bashevi)—despite all advantages and allies, Thebes went into exile (golah, גֹּלָה) and captivity (shevi, שֶׁבִי). Her young children also were dashed in pieces at the top of all the streets (gam olaleyha yeruttechu berosh kol-chutzot)—even infants were dashed (ratash, רָטַשׁ) at street corners. This horrific detail describes Assyria's own brutal warfare tactics, now recalled to demonstrate what awaits Nineveh.
And they cast lots for her honourable men, and all her great men were bound in chains (ve'al-nikhbadeyha yaddû goral vekhol-gedoleyha rattqu baziqim)—nobles (nikbad, נִכְבָּד) were divided by lot (goral, גּוֹרָל) like property, and great men (gadol, גָּדוֹל) were bound in chains (ziqqim, זִקִּים). This was Thebes' fate at Assyria's hands. The implied warning: Nineveh will suffer identically. The nation that showed no mercy in conquest will receive none. Divine justice operates on the principle: as you did, so shall be done to you.