The Meaning of Nahum 3:14 Explained

Nahum 3:14

KJV: Draw thee waters for the siege, fortify thy strong holds: go into clay, and tread the morter, make strong the brickkiln.

YLT: Waters of a siege draw for thyself, Strengthen thy fortresses, Enter into mire, and tread on clay, Make strong a brick-kiln.

Darby: Draw thee water for the siege, strengthen thy fortresses; go into the clay, and tread the mortar, make strong the brick-kiln.

ASV: Draw thee water for the siege; strengthen thy fortresses; go into the clay, and tread the mortar; make strong the brickkiln.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Draw  thee waters  for the siege,  fortify  thy strong holds:  go  into clay,  and tread  the morter,  make strong  the brickkiln. 

What does Nahum 3:14 Mean?

Verse Meaning

In irony (cf. Nahum 2:1) Nahum urged the Ninevites to draw plenty of water so they would have enough to drink and so they could extinguish the fires that would burn their gates and city. They should strengthen their fortifications and make more bricks to build their walls and battlements higher and stronger and to fill in the holes the enemy would punch in them.
"Nineveh"s ruins include traces of a counter-wall built by the inhabitants to defend the city near places where the enemy had broken down some of the city"s defenses." [1]

Context Summary

Nahum 3:1-19 - Deserved Doom
This terrible chapter pictures the doom of Nineveh. She had used infamous methods in bringing surrounding nations under her power, and now her shame was to be discovered and exposed. It seemed incredible that so great a city should become desolate, but she is reminded of the populous Thebes especially dedicated to Ammon, the Egyptian Jupiter. As this great city had been overwhelmed by Assyria, so would Nineveh be by the Chaldeans. In spite of her Nile and her tributary nations, Thebes fell, and Nineveh would drink of the same cup. Her fall would be as easy as the plucking of ripe figs. The centuries that have passed since the prophet spoke only lend emphasis to his words. The silence of death still reigns over the desolate mounds that mark the site of the cherished capital. In Revelation 19:1-10 the saints and martyrs celebrate the fall of Babylon the Great. Let us see to it that we are heirs of that Kingdom which cannot be shaken, Hebrews 12:28 [source]

Chapter Summary: Nahum 3

1  The destruction of Nineveh

What do the individual words in Nahum 3:14 mean?

Water for the siege Draw your Fortify your strongholds go into the clay and tread the mortar Make strong the brick [kiln]
מֵ֤י מָצוֹר֙ שַֽׁאֲבִי־ לָ֔ךְ חַזְּקִ֖י ! מִבְצָרָ֑יִךְ בֹּ֧אִי בַטִּ֛יט וְרִמְסִ֥י בַחֹ֖מֶר הַחֲזִ֥יקִי מַלְבֵּֽן

מֵ֤י  Water 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: מַיִם  
Sense: water, waters.
מָצוֹר֙  for  the  siege 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: מָצֹור 
Sense: siege-enclosure, siege, entrenchment, siege works.
שַֽׁאֲבִי־  Draw 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, feminine singular
Root: שָׁאַב  
Sense: to draw (water).
לָ֔ךְ  your 
Parse: Preposition, second person feminine singular
חַזְּקִ֖י  Fortify 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperative, feminine singular
Root: חָזַק  
Sense: to strengthen, prevail, harden, be strong, become strong, be courageous, be firm, grow firm, be resolute, be sore.
! מִבְצָרָ֑יִךְ  your  strongholds 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, second person feminine singular
Root: מִבְצָר 
Sense: fortification, fortress, fortified city, stronghold.
בֹּ֧אִי  go 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, feminine singular
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
בַטִּ֛יט  into  the  clay 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: טִיט  
Sense: mud, clay, mire, damp dirt.
וְרִמְסִ֥י  and  tread 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Imperative, feminine singular
Root: רָמַס  
Sense: to trample.
בַחֹ֖מֶר  the  mortar 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: חֹמֶר 
Sense: cement, mortar, clay.
הַחֲזִ֥יקִי  Make  strong 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperative, feminine singular
Root: חָזַק  
Sense: to strengthen, prevail, harden, be strong, become strong, be courageous, be firm, grow firm, be resolute, be sore.
מַלְבֵּֽן  the  brick  [kiln] 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: מַלְבֵּן 
Sense: brick mold, brick kiln, quadrangle.