The Meaning of Nahum 3:18 Explained

Nahum 3:18

KJV: 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.

YLT: Slumbered have thy friends, king of Asshur, Rest do thine honourable ones, Scattered have been thy people on the mountains, And there is none gathering.

Darby: Thy shepherds slumber, O king of Assyria; thy nobles lie still; thy people are scattered upon the mountains, and no man gathereth them.

ASV: Thy shepherds slumber, O king of Assyria; thy nobles are at rest; thy people are scattered upon the mountains, and there is none to gather them.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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]. 

What does Nahum 3:18 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Nahum addressed the king of Assyria who would rule after Nineveh"s downfall (in612 B.C.). This turned out to be Ashur-uballit who tried for three years to hold the empire together from the city of Haran. The prophet told the king that Assyria"s shepherds (leaders) and nobles were not providing leadership for their people. They were lying down on the Job , asleep at the switch (cf. Isaiah 5:26-27). The ordinary citizens were scattered all over rather than being under the direction of the leaders, like sheep without shepherds. No one was available to Revelation -gather them into the imperial fold.

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 3:18 mean?

Slumber Your shepherds king of Assyria rest [in the dust] Your nobles are scattered Your people on the mountains and no one gathers them
נָמ֤וּ רֹעֶ֙יךָ֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ אַשּׁ֔וּר יִשְׁכְּנ֖וּ אַדִּירֶ֑יךָ נָפֹ֧שׁוּ עַמְּךָ֛ עַל־ הֶהָרִ֖ים וְאֵ֥ין מְקַבֵּֽץ

נָמ֤וּ  Slumber 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: נוּם  
Sense: to be drowsy, slumber, sleep.
רֹעֶ֙יךָ֙  Your  shepherds 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural construct, second person masculine singular
Root: רָעָה 
Sense: to pasture, tend, graze, feed.
מֶ֣לֶךְ  king 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
אַשּׁ֔וּר  of  Assyria 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: אַשּׁוּר  
Sense: the second son of Shem, eponymous ancestor of the Assyrians.
יִשְׁכְּנ֖וּ  rest  [in  the  dust] 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: שָׁכַן  
Sense: to settle down, abide, dwell, tabernacle, reside.
אַדִּירֶ֑יךָ  Your  nobles 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine singular
Root: אַדִּיר  
Sense: great, majestic.
נָפֹ֧שׁוּ  are  scattered 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: פּוּשׁ 
Sense: to spring about.
עַמְּךָ֛  Your  people 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
הֶהָרִ֖ים  the  mountains 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: הַר  
Sense: hill, mountain, hill country, mount.
וְאֵ֥ין  and  no  one 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb
Root: אַיִן 
Sense: nothing, not, nought n.
מְקַבֵּֽץ  gathers  them 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Participle, masculine singular
Root: קָבַץ  
Sense: to gather, assemble.