Take ye the spoil of silver, take the spoil of gold: for [there is] none end of the store [and] glory out of all the pleasant furniture.
Take ye the spoil {H962} of silver {H3701}, take the spoil {H962} of gold {H2091}: for there is none end {H7097} of the store {H8498} and glory {H3519} out of all the pleasant {H2532} furniture {H3627}.
Plunder the silver! Plunder the gold! There is no end to the treasure, weighed down with precious things.
“Plunder the silver! Plunder the gold!” There is no end to the treasure, an abundance of every precious thing.
Take ye the spoil of silver, take the spoil of gold; for there is no end of the store, the glory of all goodly furniture.
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Isaiah 33:4
And your spoil shall be gathered [like] the gathering of the caterpiller: as the running to and fro of locusts shall he run upon them. -
Ezekiel 26:12
And they shall make a spoil of thy riches, and make a prey of thy merchandise: and they shall break down thy walls, and destroy thy pleasant houses: and they shall lay thy stones and thy timber and thy dust in the midst of the water. -
2 Chronicles 36:10
And when the year was expired, king Nebuchadnezzar sent, and brought him to Babylon, with the goodly vessels of the house of the LORD, and made Zedekiah his brother king over Judah and Jerusalem. -
Jeremiah 25:34
Howl, ye shepherds, and cry; and wallow yourselves [in the ashes], ye principal of the flock: for the days of your slaughter and of your dispersions are accomplished; and ye shall fall like a pleasant vessel. -
Daniel 11:8
And shall also carry captives into Egypt their gods, with their princes, [and] with their precious vessels of silver and of gold; and he shall continue [more] years than the king of the north. -
Nahum 2:12
The lion did tear in pieces enough for his whelps, and strangled for his lionesses, and filled his holes with prey, and his dens with ravin. -
Nahum 2:13
Behold, I [am] against thee, saith the LORD of hosts, and I will burn her chariots in the smoke, and the sword shall devour thy young lions: and I will cut off thy prey from the earth, and the voice of thy messengers shall no more be heard.
Nahum 2:9 is a vivid and potent declaration within the prophet Nahum's oracle concerning the impending destruction of Nineveh, the formidable capital of the Assyrian Empire. This verse issues a direct command or invitation to the conquering forces to plunder the immense wealth of the city, highlighting the scale of its downfall.
Context
The book of Nahum is a prophetic book focused entirely on the judgment of God against Nineveh. Assyria, and its capital Nineveh, were notorious for their cruelty, aggression, and vast accumulation of wealth through conquest and tribute. Chapters 1 and 2 describe the Lord's character as a jealous and avenging God, followed by a dramatic portrayal of Nineveh's siege and inevitable ruin. Verse 9 is part of a prophetic taunt or proclamation, addressing the invading armies (historically, the Babylonians and Medes) and declaring the limitless treasures available for plunder, signifying the completeness of Nineveh's defeat and humiliation. This judgment is a direct consequence of Nineveh's long history of violence and oppression, as seen in other passages that describe their wickedness, such as Nahum 3:1.
Meaning of the Verse
The phrase "Take ye the spoil of silver, take the spoil of gold" is a prophetic command, inviting the victors to seize the vast material riches of Nineveh. It emphasizes the absolute nature of the city's impending fall and the transfer of its accumulated wealth. The following clause, "for there is none end of the store and glory out of all the pleasant furniture," explains why the plunder is so immense. The word "store" refers to an inexhaustible quantity of accumulated treasures, while "glory" speaks to the splendor and magnificence of these riches. "Pleasant furniture" (Hebrew: keli chemdah) refers not to everyday household items, but to highly desirable, valuable vessels, artifacts, and costly articles—the finest of Nineveh's possessions, gathered from conquered nations. This verse underscores the vastness of Nineveh's ill-gotten gains and the completeness of its desolation.
Key Themes
Linguistic Insights
The Hebrew word for "spoil" (בַּז, baz) signifies plunder or booty taken in war. The phrase "none end of the store" (אֵין קֵצֶה לַמַּחְסָן, ein ketzeh lamakhsan) literally means "no end to the storehouse/treasury," emphasizing an immeasurable quantity of accumulated wealth. The term "pleasant furniture" (כְּלִי חֶמְדָּה, keli chemdah) refers to "desirable vessels" or "precious articles," indicating items of great value and beauty, collected from various lands as spoils of war and tribute.
Practical Application
Nahum 2:9 serves as a potent reminder that material wealth, no matter how vast or gloriously displayed, is ultimately fleeting and cannot secure a nation or individual from divine judgment. It underscores God's ultimate sovereignty over all earthly powers and possessions. For believers, this verse reinforces the call to lay up treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, rather than focusing on accumulating temporal riches. It also serves as a warning against the dangers of greed, oppression, and relying on worldly security instead of God's provision and justice.