Nahum 3:11
A focused desk for reading, commentary, cross-references, original language notes, and your own observations.
Nahum 3:11
11 Thou also shalt be drunken: thou shalt be hid, thou also shalt seek strength because of the enemy.
Chapter Context
Nahum 3 is a prophetic oracle chapter in the Old Testament that explores themes of grace, judgment, obedience. Written during shortly before Nineveh's fall (c. 630-610 BCE), this chapter should be understood within its historical context: Nineveh's anticipated fall would end a century of Assyrian oppression.
The chapter can be divided into several sections:
- Verses 1-5: Introduction and setting the context
- Verses 6-12: Development of key themes
- Verses 13-19: Central message and teachings
This chapter is significant because it addresses timeless questions about faith, suffering, and divine purpose. When studying this passage, it's important to consider both its immediate context within Nahum and its broader place in the scriptural canon.
Verse Study
Nahum 3:11
11 Thou also shalt be drunken: thou shalt be hid, thou also shalt seek strength because of the enemy.
Analysis
Thou also shalt be drunken (gam-at tishkeri, גַּם־אַתְּ תִּשְׁכְּרִי)—after describing Thebes' fate, Nahum turns directly to Nineveh: 'you also' will be drunk. Drunkenness here symbolizes divine judgment—the cup of God's wrath. Isaiah, Jeremiah, and other prophets use this metaphor: nations 'drink' judgment until they stagger and collapse. The comparison is devastating: just as Thebes fell, so will Nineveh.
Thou shalt be hid (tihyi ne'alamah)—you will be hidden or obscure (alam, עָלַם). This could mean hiding in fear during attack, or being hidden by destruction—buried and forgotten. History fulfilled both meanings: Nineveh's defenders hid during the siege, and afterward the city was so thoroughly destroyed it was literally hidden under earth for millennia. Thou also shalt seek strength because of the enemy (gam-at tevaqeshi ma'oz me'oyev)—you will desperately seek refuge from the enemy, but find none. When God's judgment comes, no stronghold provides security.
Historical Context
The metaphor of drinking God's cup of wrath appears throughout Scripture (Psalm 75:8, Isaiah 51:17, Jeremiah 25:15-28, Habakkuk 2:16). Nations that persist in evil eventually 'drink' judgment until they stagger and fall. Nineveh had forced this cup on others for centuries; now it was their turn. In 612 BC, the prophecy was fulfilled precisely. Nineveh sought refuge in its massive fortifications but found no security. The city fell, and its destruction was so complete that it was literally 'hidden'—buried under sand and earth. When archaeologists rediscovered Nineveh in the 1840s, they fulfilled Nahum's prophecy by making visible what had been hidden for over 2,000 years.
Reflection
- What does the metaphor of drinking God's cup of wrath teach about the cumulative nature of divine judgment against persistent sin?
- How does Nineveh being 'hidden' by destruction demonstrate the totality and finality of God's judgment?
- What does it mean that no earthly stronghold provides refuge when God's judgment arrives, and where should believers seek true security?
Cross-References
- Parallel theme: Nahum 1:10, Psalms 75:8, Isaiah 2:10, 2:19, 49:26, Jeremiah 4:5