Nahum 3:11

Thou also shalt be drunken: thou shalt be hid, thou also shalt seek strength because of the enemy.

Thou also shalt be drunken {H7937}: thou shalt be hid {H5956}, thou also shalt seek {H1245} strength {H4581} because of the enemy {H341}.

You too, [Ninveh,] will be drunk; your senses completely overcome. You too will seek a refuge from the enemy.

You too will become drunk; you will go into hiding and seek refuge from the enemy.

Thou also shalt be drunken; thou shalt be hid; thou also shalt seek a stronghold because of the enemy.

Nahum 3:11 is a powerful declaration of God's impending judgment upon Nineveh, the formidable capital of the Assyrian Empire. This verse continues the prophetic lament over the city's inevitable downfall, emphasizing its complete humiliation and helplessness in the face of divine wrath.

Context of Nahum 3:11

The Book of Nahum is almost entirely dedicated to prophesying the destruction of Nineveh, a city notorious for its cruelty, idolatry, and oppressive military campaigns. Assyria had been a scourge to many nations, including Judah, and this prophecy served as a message of comfort and assurance to God's people that their oppressor would not go unpunished. Chapters 1 and 2 detail God's character as a jealous and avenging God, and the vivid imagery of Nineveh's siege and collapse. Verse 11, following descriptions of Nineveh's moral depravity and military vulnerability, highlights the city's utter disorientation and desperate search for aid, mirroring the suffering it had inflicted on others.

Key Themes and Messages

  • Divine Retribution: The verse underscores the principle that God's justice will prevail. Nineveh, which had made others "drunken" with violence and oppression, would now experience a similar fate, a clear example of reaping what they had sown.
  • Humiliation and Disgrace: "Thou shalt be hid" signifies not just defeat but utter disgrace and being removed from prominence, a stark reversal for a city that once dominated the ancient world.
  • Futility of Human Strength: Despite Nineveh's military might and fortifications, its "seeking strength because of the enemy" proves futile against the sovereign will of God. This highlights the ultimate inadequacy of human power when it stands against divine judgment.
  • Sovereignty of God: Ultimately, Nahum 3:11 powerfully affirms God's control over the destinies of nations, demonstrating that no empire, however mighty, is beyond His reach or accountability.

Linguistic Insights

The phrase "shalt be drunken" (Hebrew: shikkor - שִׁכּוֹר) is a powerful metaphor. It doesn't imply literal intoxication but rather a state of being overwhelmed, disoriented, and helpless, as if staggering from a potent drink. In prophetic literature, this often refers to drinking the "cup of wrath" or "cup of judgment" from God, symbolizing overwhelming divine punishment, as seen in Jeremiah 25:15 or Revelation 14:10. The term "hid" (Hebrew: ne'lam - נֶעְלַם) implies being concealed, forgotten, or completely removed from public view, emphasizing the total annihilation and disgrace of the once-proud city.

Practical Application

Nahum 3:11 serves as a timeless reminder that:

  • God is just, and He will hold all nations and individuals accountable for their actions, particularly for cruelty and oppression.
  • No amount of human power, wealth, or military strength can ultimately stand against God's purposes.
  • Pride and a reliance on one's own might rather than on God inevitably lead to downfall. This verse encourages humility and a recognition of God's supreme authority in all matters.
Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Isaiah 49:26

    And I will feed them that oppress thee with their own flesh; and they shall be drunken with their own blood, as with sweet wine: and all flesh shall know that I the LORD [am] thy Saviour and thy Redeemer, the mighty One of Jacob.

  • Isaiah 2:10

    ¶ Enter into the rock, and hide thee in the dust, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of his majesty.

  • Psalms 75:8

    For in the hand of the LORD [there is] a cup, and the wine is red; it is full of mixture; and he poureth out of the same: but the dregs thereof, all the wicked of the earth shall wring [them] out, [and] drink [them].

  • Nahum 1:10

    For while [they be] folden together [as] thorns, and while they are drunken [as] drunkards, they shall be devoured as stubble fully dry.

  • Isaiah 2:19

    And they shall go into the holes of the rocks, and into the caves of the earth, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth.

  • Luke 23:30

    Then shall they begin to say to the mountains, Fall on us; and to the hills, Cover us.

  • Revelation 6:15

    And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains;

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