Nahum 2 · Verse 5

Nahum 2:5

He shall recount his worthies: they shall stumble in their walk; they shall make haste to the wall thereof, and the defence shall be prepared.
Nahum 2:5, King James Version

Nahum 2:5 in other translations

BSBHe summons his nobles; they stumble as they advance. They race to its wall; the protective shield is set in place.
WEBHe summons his picked troops. They stumble on their way. They dash to its wall, and the protective shield is put in place.
ASVHe remembereth his nobles: they stumble in their march; they make haste to the wall thereof, and the mantelet is prepared.
YLTHe doth remember his honourable ones, They stumble in their goings, They hasten to its wall, and prepared is the covering.
DARBYHe bethinketh him of his nobles: they stumble in their march; they make haste to the wall thereof, and the shelter is prepared.
BBEHe takes the record of his great men: they go falling on their way; they go quickly to the wall, the cover is made ready.
WebsterHe shall recount his worthies: they shall stumble in their walk; they shall make haste to the wall thereof, and the defense shall be prepared.

What does Nahum 2:5 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
5. The Assyrian preparations for defense. He--the Assyrian king. shall recount his worthies--(Na 3:18). Review, or count over in his mind, his nobles, choosing out the bravest to hasten to the walls and repel the attack. But in vain; for they shall stumble in their walk--"they shall stumble in their advance" through fear and hurry. the defence shall be prepared--rather, the covering machine used by besiegers to protect themselves in advancing to the wall. Such sudden transitions, as here from the besieged to the besiegers, are frequent (compare Eze 4:2), [Maurer]. Or, used by the besieged Assyrians [Calvin].

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 5 He shall recount his worthies - Muster up his most renowned warriors and heroes. Shall make haste to the wall - Where they see the enemies making their most powerful attacks, in order to get possession of the city.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Nahum 2:1-10

Nineveh shall not put aside this judgment; there is no counsel or strength against the Lord. God looks upon proud cities, and brings them down. Particular account is given of the terrors wherein the invading enemy shall appear against Nineveh. The empire of Assyria is represented as a queen, about to be led captive to Babylon. Guilt in the conscience fills men with terror in an evil day; and what will treasures or…

Read the full comment on Nahum 2:1-10 →

Nahum 2:5 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.

יִזְכֹּר֙yiz.Korhe remembersH2142
אַדִּירָ֔יו'a.di.Ravnobles hisH117
יִכָּשְׁל֖וּyi.ka.she.Luthey stumbleH3782
בַּהֲלִֽיכָתָ֑םva.ha.li.kho.tamon journey theirH1979
יְמַֽהֲרוּ֙ye.ma.ha.Ruthey hurryH4116
חֽוֹמָתָ֔הּcho.ma.Tahwall itsH2346
וְהֻכַ֖ןve.hu.Khanand it is preparedH3559
הַסֹּכֵֽךְ\׃ha.so.Khekhthe coverH5526

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

Cross references for Nahum 2:5

  • Jeremiah 46:12

    The nations have heard of thy shame, and thy cry hath filled the land: for the mighty man hath stumbled against the mighty, and they are fallen both together.

  • Jeremiah 51:27-28

    Set ye up a standard in the land, blow the trumpet among the nations, prepare the nations against her, call together against her the kingdoms of Ararat, Minni, and Ashchenaz; appoint a captain against her; cause the horses to come up as the rough caterpillers. Prepare against her the nations with the kings of the Medes, the captains thereof, and all the rulers thereof, and all the land of his dominion.

  • Isaiah 21:5

    Prepare the table, watch in the watchtower, eat, drink: arise, ye princes, and anoint the shield.

  • Jeremiah 50:29

    Call together the archers against Babylon: all ye that bend the bow, camp against it round about; let none thereof escape: recompense her according to her work; according to all that she hath done, do unto her: for she hath been proud against the Lord, against the Holy One of Israel.

  • Isaiah 5:27

    None shall be weary nor stumble among them; none shall slumber nor sleep; neither shall the girdle of their loins be loosed, nor the latchet of their shoes be broken:

  • Nahum 3:3

    The horseman lifteth up both the bright sword and the glittering spear: and there is a multitude of slain, and a great number of carcases; and there is none end of their corpses; they stumble upon their corpses:

  • Nahum 3:18

    Thy shepherds slumber, O king of Assyria: thy nobles shall dwell in the dust: thy people is scattered upon the mountains, and no man gathereth them.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
recount.
Isa 21:5; Jer 50:29; 51:27,28
worthies. or, gallants. they shall stumble.
3:3; Isa 5:27; Jer 46:12
defence. or, covering, or, coverer.

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

Context

  • Nahum 2:4

    The chariots shall rage in the streets, they shall justle one against another in the broad ways: they shall seem like torches, they shall run like the lightnings.

  • Nahum 2:5

    He shall recount his worthies: they shall stumble in their walk; they shall make haste to the wall thereof, and the defence shall be prepared.

  • Nahum 2:6

    The gates of the rivers shall be opened, and the palace shall be dissolved.

Read all of Nahum 2

Nahum 2:5 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Acordaráse él de sus valientes; andando tropezarán; se apresurarán á su muro, y la cubierta se aparejará.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Les chars s’élancent avec furie dans les rues, ils se précipitent sur les places; leur apparence est comme des torches, ils courent comme des éclairs. –
German
Elberfelder 1871		Er gedenkt seiner Edlen: sie straucheln auf ihren Wegen, sie eilen zu ihrer Mauer, und das Schutzdach wird aufgerichtet.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Recordabitur fortium suorum; ruent in itineribus suis: velociter ascendent muros ejus, et præparabitur umbraculum.