Nahum 3 · Verse 5

Nahum 3:5

Behold, I am against thee, saith the Lord of hosts; and I will discover thy skirts upon thy face, and I will shew the nations thy nakedness, and the kingdoms thy shame.
Nahum 3:5, King James Version

Nahum 3:5 in other translations

BSB“Behold, I am against you,” declares the LORD of Hosts. “I will lift your skirts over your face. I will show your nakedness to the nations and your shame to the kingdoms.
WEB“Behold, I am against you,” says the LORD of Armies, “and I will lift your skirts over your face. I will show the nations your nakedness, and the kingdoms your shame.
ASVBehold, I am against thee, saith Jehovah of hosts, and I will uncover thy skirts upon thy face; and I will show the nations thy nakedness, and the kingdoms thy shame.
YLTLo, I am against thee, An affirmation of Jehovah of Hosts, And have removed thy skirts before thy face, And have shewed nations thy nakedness, And kingdoms thy shame,
DARBYbehold, I am against thee, saith Jehovah of hosts; and I will uncover thy skirts upon thy face, and I will shew the nations thy nakedness, and the kingdoms thy shame.
BBESee, I am against you, says the Lord of armies, and I will have your skirts pulled over your face, and let the nations see you unclothed, and the kingdoms your shame.
WebsterBehold, I am against thee, saith the LORD of hosts; and I will remove thy skirts upon thy face, and I will show the nations thy nakedness, and the kingdoms thy shame.

What does Nahum 3:5 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
5. I will discover thy skirts upon thy face--that is, discover thy nakedness by throwing up thy skirts upon thy face (the greatest possible insult), pulling them up as as high as thy head (Jr 13:22; Eze 16:37-41). I will treat thee not as a matron, but as a harlot whose shame is exposed; her gaudy finery being lifted up off her (Is 47:2, 3). So Nineveh shall be stripped of all her glory and defenses on which she prides herself.

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 5 I will discover thy skirts upon thy face - It was an ancient, though not a laudable custom, to strip prostitutes naked, or throw their clothes over their heads, and expose them to public view, and public execration. This verse alludes to such a custom.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Nahum 3:1-7

When proud sinners are brought down, others should learn not to lift themselves up. The fall of this great city should be a lesson to private persons, who increase wealth by fraud and oppression. They are preparing enemies for themselves; and if the Lord sees good to punish them in this world, they will have none to pity them. Every man who seeks his own prosperity, safety, and peace, should not only act in an…

Read the full comment on Nahum 3:1-7 →

Nahum 3:5 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.

הִנְנִ֣יhi.Nihere IH2005
אֵלַ֗יִךְ'e.La.yikh[am] against youH413
נְאֻם֙ne.'Um[the] utterance ofH5002
יְהוָ֣הYah.wehYahwehH3068
צְבָא֔וֹתtze.va.'otof hostsH6635
וְגִלֵּיתִ֥יve.gi.lei.Tiand I will uncoverH1540
שׁוּלַ֖יִךְshu.La.yikhskirts yourH7757
עַל\־'al-onH5921
פָּנָ֑יִךְpa.Na.yikhface yourH6440
וְהַרְאֵיתִ֤יve.har.'ei.Tiand I will showH7200
גוֹיִם֙go.YimnationsH1471
מַעְרֵ֔ךְma'.Rekhnakedness yourH4626
וּמַמְלָכ֖וֹתu.mam.la.Khotand kingdomsH4467
קְלוֹנֵֽךְ\׃ke.lo.Nekhshame yourH7036

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

Cross references for Nahum 3:5

  • Jeremiah 13:26

    Therefore will I discover thy skirts upon thy face, that thy shame may appear.

  • Jeremiah 13:22

    And if thou say in thine heart, Wherefore come these things upon me? For the greatness of thine iniquity are thy skirts discovered, and thy heels made bare.

  • Ezekiel 23:29

    And they shall deal with thee hatefully, and shall take away all thy labour, and shall leave thee naked and bare: and the nakedness of thy whoredoms shall be discovered, both thy lewdness and thy whoredoms.

  • 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.

  • Isaiah 47:2-3

    Take the millstones, and grind meal: uncover thy locks, make bare the leg, uncover the thigh, pass over the rivers. Thy nakedness shall be uncovered, yea, thy shame shall be seen: I will take vengeance, and I will not meet thee as a man.

  • Ezekiel 16:37

    Behold, therefore I will gather all thy lovers, with whom thou hast taken pleasure, and all them that thou hast loved, with all them that thou hast hated; I will even gather them round about against thee, and will discover thy nakedness unto them, that they may see all thy nakedness.

  • Habakkuk 2:16

    Thou art filled with shame for glory: drink thou also, and let thy foreskin be uncovered: the cup of the Lord’s right hand shall be turned unto thee, and shameful spewing shall be on thy glory.

  • Ezekiel 23:25

    And I will set my jealousy against thee, and they shall deal furiously with thee: they shall take away thy nose and thine ears; and thy remnant shall fall by the sword: they shall take thy sons and thy daughters; and thy residue shall be devoured by the fire.

  • Micah 1:11

    Pass ye away, thou inhabitant of Saphir, having thy shame naked: the inhabitant of Zaanan came not forth in the mourning of Beth–ezel; he shall receive of you his standing.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
I am. See on ch.
2:13; Eze 23:25
I will discover.
Isa 47:2,3; Jer 13:22,26; Eze 16:37; 23:29; Mic 1:11; Hab 2:16

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

Context

  • Nahum 3:4

    Because of the multitude of the whoredoms of the wellfavoured harlot, the mistress of witchcrafts, that selleth nations through her whoredoms, and families through her witchcrafts.

  • Nahum 3:5

    Behold, I am against thee, saith the Lord of hosts; and I will discover thy skirts upon thy face, and I will shew the nations thy nakedness, and the kingdoms thy shame.

  • Nahum 3:6

    And I will cast abominable filth upon thee, and make thee vile, and will set thee as a gazingstock.

Read all of Nahum 3

Nahum 3:5 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Heme aquí contra ti, dice Jehová de los ejércitos, y descubriré tus faldas en tu cara, y mostraré á las gentes tu desnudez, y á los reinos tu vergüenza.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		voici, j’en veux à toi, dit l’ Éternel des armées, et je relèverai les pans de ta robe sur ton visage, et je montrerai aux nations ta nudité, et aux royaumes ta honte.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Siehe, ich will an dich, spricht Jehova der Heerscharen; und ich werde deine Säume aufdecken über dein Angesicht, und die Nationen deine Blöße sehen lassen und die Königreiche deine Schande.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Ecce ego ad te, dicit Dominus exercituum, et revelabo pudenda tua in facie tua; et ostendam gentibus nuditatem tuam, et regnis ignominiam tuam.