Nahum 1 · Verse 12

Nahum 1:12

Thus saith the Lord; Though they be quiet, and likewise many, yet thus shall they be cut down, when he shall pass through. Though I have afflicted thee, I will afflict thee no more.
Nahum 1:12, King James Version

Nahum 1:12 in other translations

BSBThis is what the LORD says: “Though they are allied and numerous, yet they will be cut down and pass away. Though I have afflicted you, O Judah, I will afflict you no longer.
WEBThe LORD says: “Though they are in full strength and likewise many, even so they will be cut down and pass away. Though I have afflicted you, I will afflict you no more.
ASVThus saith Jehovah: Though they be in full strength, and likewise many, even so shall they be cut down, and he shall pass away. Though I have afflicted thee, I will afflict thee no more.
YLTThus said Jehovah: Though complete, and thus many, Yet thus they have been cut off, And he hath passed away. And I afflicted thee, I afflict thee no more.
DARBYThus saith Jehovah: Though they be complete in number, and many as they be, even so shall they be cut down, and he shall pass away; and though I have afflicted thee, I will afflict thee no more.
BBEThis is what the Lord has said: The days of my cause against you are ended; they are cut off and past. Though I have sent trouble on you, you will no longer be troubled.
WebsterThus saith the LORD; Though they are quiet, and likewise many, yet thus shall they be cut down, when he shall pass through. Though I have afflicted thee, I will afflict thee no more.

What does Nahum 1:12 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Nahum 1:12-14
12-14. The same truths repeated as in Na 1:9-11, Jehovah here being the speaker. He addresses Judah, prophesying good to it, and evil to the Assyrian. Though they be quiet--that is, without fear, and tranquilly secure. So Chaldee and Calvin. Or, "entire," "complete"; "Though their power be unbroken [Maurer], and though they be so many, yet even so they shall be cut down" (literally, "shorn"; as hair shaved off closely by a razor, Is 7:20). As the Assyrian was a razor shaving others, so shall he be shaven himself. Retribution in kind. In the height of their pride and power, they shall be clean cut off. The same Hebrew stands for "likewise" and "yet thus." So many as they are, so many shall they perish. when he shall pass through--or, "and he shall pass away," namely, "the wicked counsellor" (Na 1:11), Sennacherib. The change of number to the singular distinguishes him from his host. They shall be cut down, he shall pass away home (2Ki 19:35, 36) [Henderson]. English Version is better, "they shall be cut down, "when" He (Jehovah) shall pass through," destroying by one stroke the Assyrian host. This gives the reason why they with all their numbers and power are to be so utterly cut off. Compare "pass through," that is, in destroying power (Eze 12:12, 23; Is 8:8; Da 11:10). Though I have afflicted thee--Judah, "I will afflict thee no more" (Is 40:1, 2; 52:1, 2). The contrast is between "they," the Assyrians, and "thee," Judah. Their punishment is fatal and final. Judah's was temporary and corrective.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 12 Though they be - many - Sennacherib invaded Judea with an army of nearly two hundred thousand men. Thus shall they be cut down - The angel of the Lord (a suffocating wind) slew of them in one night one hundred and eighty-five thousand 2Kgs 19:35.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Nahum 1:9-15

There is a great deal plotted against the Lord by the gates of hell, and against his kingdom in the world; but it will prove in vain. With some sinners God makes quick despatch; and one way or other, he will make an utter end of all his enemies. Though they are quiet, and many very secure, and not in fear, they shall be cut down as grass and corn, when the destroying angel passes through. God would hereby work great…

Read the full comment on Nahum 1:9-15 →

Nahum 1:12 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

כֹּ֣ה\׀kohthusH3541
אָמַ֣ר'a.Marhe saysH559
יְהוָ֗הYah.wehYahwehH3068
אִם\־'im-thoughH518
שְׁלֵמִים֙she.le.MimcompleteH8003
וְכֵ֣ןve.Khenand thusH3651
רַבִּ֔יםra.BimnumerousH7227
וְכֵ֥ןve.Khenand thusH3651
נָגֹ֖זּוּna.Go.zuthey will be cut downH1494
וְעָבָ֑רve.'a.Varand he will pass awayH5674
וְעִ֨נִּתִ֔ךְve.'I.ni.Tikhand I have afflicted youH6031
לֹ֥אlo'notH3808
אֲעַנֵּ֖ךְ'a.'a.NekhI will afflict youH6031
עֽוֹד\׃odagainH5750

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Nahum 1:12

  • Joel 2:19

    Yea, the Lord will answer and say unto his people, Behold, I will send you corn, and wine, and oil, and ye shall be satisfied therewith: and I will no more make you a reproach among the heathen:

  • Isaiah 30:19

    For the people shall dwell in Zion at Jerusalem: thou shalt weep no more: he will be very gracious unto thee at the voice of thy cry; when he shall hear it, he will answer thee.

  • Isaiah 17:14

    And behold at eveningtide trouble; and before the morning he is not. This is the portion of them that spoil us, and the lot of them that rob us.

  • Isaiah 7:20

    In the same day shall the Lord shave with a razor that is hired, namely, by them beyond the river, by the king of Assyria, the head, and the hair of the feet: and it shall also consume the beard.

  • Isaiah 37:36

    Then the angel of the Lord went forth, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians a hundred and fourscore and five thousand: and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses.

  • Isaiah 31:8

    Then shall the Assyrian fall with the sword, not of a mighty man; and the sword, not of a mean man, shall devour him: but he shall flee from the sword, and his young men shall be discomfited.

  • Isaiah 8:8

    And he shall pass through Judah; he shall overflow and go over, he shall reach even to the neck; and the stretching out of his wings shall fill the breadth of thy land, O Immanuel.

  • Daniel 11:10

    But his sons shall be stirred up, and shall assemble a multitude of great forces: and one shall certainly come, and overflow, and pass through: then shall he return, and be stirred up, even to his fortress.

  • Isaiah 14:24-27

    The Lord of hosts hath sworn, saying, Surely as I have thought, so shall it come to pass; and as I have purposed, so shall it stand: That I will break the Assyrian in my land, and upon my mountains tread him under foot: then shall his yoke depart from off them, and his burden depart from off their shoulders. This is the purpose that is purposed upon the whole earth: and this is the hand that is stretched out upon all the nations. For the Lord of hosts hath purposed, and who shall disannul it? and his hand is stretched out, and who shall turn it back?

  • Revelation 7:16

    They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat.

  • Nahum 1:15

    Behold upon the mountains the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace! O Judah, keep thy solemn feasts, perform thy vows: for the wicked shall no more pass through thee; he is utterly cut off.

  • Isaiah 10:32-34

    As yet shall he remain at Nob that day: he shall shake his hand against the mount of the daughter of Zion, the hill of Jerusalem. Behold, the Lord, the Lord of hosts, shall lop the bough with terror: and the high ones of stature shall be hewn down, and the haughty shall be humbled. And he shall cut down the thickets of the forest with iron, and Lebanon shall fall by a mighty one.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Through, etc. or, If they would have been at peace, so shouldthey have been many, and so should they have been shorn, and he should have passed away. yet.
2Ki 19:35,37; Isa 10:32-34; 14:24-27; 17:14; 30:28-33; 31:8; 37:36
cut down. Heb. shorn.
Isa 7:20
pass.
15; Ex 12:12; Isa 8:8; Da 11:10
I will.
Isa 30:19; 51:22; 60:18-20; Joe 2:19; Re 7:16

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Nahum 1:11

    There is one come out of thee, that imagineth evil against the Lord, a wicked counsellor.

  • Nahum 1:12

    Thus saith the Lord; Though they be quiet, and likewise many, yet thus shall they be cut down, when he shall pass through. Though I have afflicted thee, I will afflict thee no more.

  • Nahum 1:13

    For now will I break his yoke from off thee, and will burst thy bonds in sunder.

Read all of Nahum 1

Nahum 1:12 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Así ha dicho Jehová: Aunque reposo tengan, y sean tantos, así serán talados, y él pasará. Bien que te he afligido, no más te afligiré.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Ainsi dit l’ Éternel: Qu’ ils soient intacts, et ainsi nombreux, ils seront retranchés et ne seront plus. Et si je t’ai affligé, je ne t’affligerai plus.
German
Elberfelder 1871
So spricht Jehova: Wenn sie gleich unversehrt und noch so zahlreich sind, auch so sollen sie weggemäht werden; und er wird dahin sein. -Und habe ich dich auch niedergebeugt, ich werde dich nicht mehr niederbeugen;
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Hæc dicit Dominus: Si perfecti fuerint, et ita plures, sic quoque attondentur, et pertransibit: afflixi te, et non affligam te ultra.