Nahum 2 · Verse 12

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 2:12, King James Version

Nahum 2:12 in other translations

BSB	The lion mauled enough for its cubs and strangled prey for the lioness. It filled its dens with the kill, and its lairs with mauled prey.
WEB	The lion tore in pieces enough for his cubs, and strangled prey for his lionesses, and filled his caves with the kill and his dens with prey.
ASV	The lion did tear in pieces enough for his whelps, and strangled for his lionesses, and filled his caves with prey, and his dens with ravin.
YLT	The lion is tearing parts for his whelps, And is strangling for his lionesses, And he doth fill with prey his holes, And his habitations with rapine.
DARBY	The lion tore in pieces enough for his whelps, and strangled for his lionesses, and filled his holes with prey, and his dens with ravin.
BBE	Food enough for his young and for his she-lions was pulled down by the lion; his hole was full of flesh and his resting-place stored with meat.
Webster	The lion tore in pieces enough for his whelps, and strangled for his lionesses, and filled his holes with prey, and his dens with ravin.

What does Nahum 2:12 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

12. prey ... ravin--different kinds of prey. Compare Is 3:1, "the stay and the staff."

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 12 The lion did tear - This verse gives us a striking picture of the manner in which the Assyrian conquests and depredations were carried on. How many people were spoiled to enrich his whelps - his sons, princes, and nobles! How many women were stripped and slain, whose spoils went to decorate his lionesses - his queen, concubines, and mistresses. And they had even more than they could assume; their holes and dens - treasure-houses, palaces, and wardrobes - were filled with ravin, the riches which they got by the plunder of towns, families, and individuals. This is a very fine allegory, and admirably well supported.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Nahum 2:11-13

The kings of Assyria had long been terrible and cruel to their neighbours, but the Lord would destroy their power. Many plead as an excuse for rapine and fraud, that they have families to provide for; but what is thus obtained will never do them any good. Those that fear the Lord, and get honestly what they have, shall not want for themselves and theirs. It is just with God to deprive those of children, or of…

Read the full comment on Nahum 2:11-13 →

Nahum 2:12 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.

אַרְיֵ֤ה'ar.Yeh[the] lionH738

טֹרֵף֙to.Ref[was] tearingH2963

בְּדֵ֣יbe.Deifor [the] sufficiency ofH1767

גֹֽרוֹתָ֔יוgo.ro.Tavcubs itsH1484

וּמְחַנֵּ֖קu.me.cha.Nekand [was] stranglingH2614

לְלִבְאֹתָ֑יוle.liv.'o.Tavfor lionesses itsH3833

וַיְמַלֵּא\־vay.ma.le'-and it filledH4390

טֶ֣רֶףTe.refpreyH2964

חֹרָ֔יוcho.Ravhole itsH2356

וּמְעֹֽנֹתָ֖יוu.me.'o.no.Tavand dens itsH4585

טְרֵפָֽה\׃te.re.Fahtorn fleshH2966

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

Cross references for Nahum 2:12

Jeremiah 51:34
Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon hath devoured me, he hath crushed me, he hath made me an empty vessel, he hath swallowed me up like a dragon, he hath filled his belly with my delicates, he hath cast me out.
Isaiah 10:6-14
I will send him against an hypocritical nation, and against the people of my wrath will I give him a charge, to take the spoil, and to take the prey, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets. Howbeit he meaneth not so, neither doth his heart think so; but it is in his heart to destroy and cut off nations not a few. For he saith, Are not my princes altogether kings? Is not Calno as Carchemish? is not Hamath as Arpad? is not Samaria as Damascus? …
Psalms 17:12
Like as a lion that is greedy of his prey, and as it were a young lion lurking in secret places.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

and filled.
Ps 17:12; Isa 10:6-14; Jer 51:34

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

Context

Nahum 2:11
Where is the dwelling of the lions, and the feedingplace of the young lions, where the lion, even the old lion, walked, and the lion’s whelp, and none made them afraid?
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.

Read all of Nahum 2

Nahum 2:12 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	El león arrebataba en abundancia para sus cachorros, y ahogaba para sus leonas, y henchía de presa sus cavernas, y de robo sus moradas.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Où est le repaire des lions, et le lieu où se repaissaient les lionceaux, où se promenaient le lion, la lionne, et le petit du lion, sans que personne les effraie?
German Elberfelder 1871	Der Löwe raubte für den Bedarf seiner Jungen und erwürgte für seine Löwinnen, und er füllte seine Höhlen mit Raub und seine Wohnungen mit Geraubtem.
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Leo cepit sufficienter catulis suis, et necavit leænis suis, et implevit præda speluncas suas, et cubile suum rapina.