Nahum 3:17
Thy crowned are as the locusts, and thy captains as the great grasshoppers, which camp in the hedges in the cold day, but when the sun ariseth they flee away, and their place is not known where they are.
Original Language Analysis
Cross References
Historical Context
Locusts were dreaded in the ancient Near East, capable of devastating crops in hours. Their swarms darkened the sky, yet they could vanish as quickly as they arrived. Nahum uses this familiar image to describe Assyrian leadership and military forces. When Nineveh fell in 612 BC, historical accounts describe exactly this phenomenon—defenders and officials fleeing in panic, leadership dissolving, what seemed like overwhelming force simply evaporating. The Assyrian Empire, which had dominated for over two centuries, collapsed so completely and rapidly that within a generation its very language was dying out. The locust imagery proved prophetically accurate—Nineveh's might scattered and vanished, its place no longer known. Archaeological rediscovery in the 1840s confirmed how thoroughly the city had been forgotten, buried under centuries of sand.
Questions for Reflection
- How does the locust imagery warn against trusting in numerical superiority, impressive organization, or apparent strength?
- What does this passage teach about the transient nature of human glory and power compared to God's eternal kingdom?
- How should Christians maintain eternal perspective when earthly powers seem overwhelming or permanent?
Analysis & Commentary
Nahum uses locust imagery: 'Thy crowned are as the locusts, and thy captains as the great grasshoppers, which camp in the hedges in the cold day, but when the sun ariseth they flee away, and their place is not known where they are' (minzarayik katarbeh vetiphsarayik kegov govay hachonim bagederoth beyom qarah shemesh zarachah venodad velo-noda meqomo ayyam). Assyrian officials and military leaders, numerous as locusts, will disappear when judgment arrives like morning sun dispersing insects. Locusts gather in huge swarms but scatter and vanish quickly when conditions change. Similarly, Nineveh's apparently mighty forces will dissolve and flee when conquest comes. The simile emphasizes both temporary nature of power and cowardly flight of those who seemed strong. Those who terrorized others will themselves flee in panic. This demonstrates that human glory is transient, easily dispersed when God acts. What appears formidable—vast armies, numerous officials, impressive organization—proves ephemeral when divine judgment strikes.