The Meaning of Nahum 3:4 Explained

Nahum 3:4

KJV: 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.

YLT: Because of the abundance of the fornications of an harlot, The goodness of the grace of the lady of witchcrafts, Who is selling nations by her fornications, And families by her witchcrafts.

Darby: Because of the multitude of the fornications of the well-favoured harlot, mistress of sorceries, that selleth nations through her fornications, and families through her sorceries,

ASV: because of the multitude of the whoredoms of the well-favored harlot, the mistress of witchcrafts, that selleth nations through her whoredoms, and families through her witchcrafts.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Nahum 3:4 Mean?

Verse Meaning

This devastation was coming on Nineveh because of her wickedness. She had played the harlot often by luring unsuspecting nations and then harming them. For example, King Ahaz had been attracted to Assyria and had appealed for her to come help Judah ( 2 Kings 16:7-18), but when she did, years later, she came to destroy rather than assist (cf. Isaiah 36:16-17). The Ninevites were also practitioners of sorcery; they appealed to the spirit world for power to determine and control their destiny and that of their victims. The pagan worship of the Assyrians involved occultism, sexual perversion, and human degradation. Assyria had lured other nations, then, with immoral attractions and magical arts. These practices resulted in the enslavement of many nations and people groups; Nineveh sold them into slavery.

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 3:4 mean?

because of the multitude of harlotries of the harlot of the well favored seductive the mistress of sorceries who sells nations through her harlotries and families through her sorceries
מֵרֹב֙ זְנוּנֵ֣י זוֹנָ֔ה ט֥וֹבַת חֵ֖ן בַּעֲלַ֣ת כְּשָׁפִ֑ים הַמֹּכֶ֤רֶת גּוֹיִם֙ בִּזְנוּנֶ֔יהָ וּמִשְׁפָּח֖וֹת בִּכְשָׁפֶֽיהָ

מֵרֹב֙  because  of  the  multitude 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: רֹב  
Sense: multitude, abundance, greatness.
זְנוּנֵ֣י  of  harlotries 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: זָנָה 
Sense: to commit fornication, be a harlot, play the harlot.
זוֹנָ֔ה  of  the  harlot 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: זָנָה 
Sense: to commit fornication, be a harlot, play the harlot.
ט֥וֹבַת  of  the  well  favored 
Parse: Adjective, feminine singular construct
Root: טָבַב 
Sense: good, pleasant, agreeable.
חֵ֖ן  seductive 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: חֵן  
Sense: favour, grace, charm.
בַּעֲלַ֣ת  the  mistress 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: בַּעֲלָה  
Sense: mistress, female owner.
כְּשָׁפִ֑ים  of  sorceries 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: כֶּשֶׁף  
Sense: sorcery, witchcraft.
הַמֹּכֶ֤רֶת  who  sells 
Parse: Article, Verb, Qal, Participle, feminine singular
Root: מָכַר  
Sense: to sell.
גּוֹיִם֙  nations 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: גֹּוי 
Sense: nation, people.
בִּזְנוּנֶ֔יהָ  through  her  harlotries 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine plural construct, third person feminine singular
Root: זְנוּנִים  
Sense: adultery, fornication, prostitution.
וּמִשְׁפָּח֖וֹת  and  families 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine plural
Root: מִשְׁפָּחָה  
Sense: clan, family.
בִּכְשָׁפֶֽיהָ  through  her  sorceries 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine plural construct, third person feminine singular
Root: כֶּשֶׁף  
Sense: sorcery, witchcraft.