Cush and Egypt were her boundless strength; Put and Libya were her allies.
Parallel translations
- WEB Cush and Egypt were her boundless strength. Put and Libya were her helpers.
- KJV Ethiopia and Egypt were her strength, and it was infinite; Put and Lubim were thy helpers.
- NKJV Ethiopia and Egypt were her strength, And it was boundless; Put and Lubim were your helpers.
- NASB Ethiopia was her might, Egypt too, without limits. Put and Lubim were among her helpers.
- NLT Ethiopia and the land of Egypt gave unlimited assistance. The nations of Put and Libya were among her allies.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Thebes had the immense strength of Cush and Egypt, with Put and Libya as allies, yet still fell. Even powerful alliances could not save her.
Overview
The catalog of mighty nations and allies emphasizes how formidable Thebes truly was. Despite this strength, the city was conquered, proving that human alliances cannot withstand God's purposes. The point presses home that Nineveh's allies and resources will likewise fail her.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 8
- Ezek 27:10Men of Persia, Lydia, and Put served as warriors in your army. They hung their shields and helmets on your walls; they gave you splendor.
- Ezek 30:5Cush, Put, and Lud, and all the various peoples, as well as Libya and the men of the covenant land, will fall with Egypt by the sword.
- Gen 10:6The sons of Ham: Cush, Mizraim, Put, and Canaan.
- Isa 20:5Those who made Cush their hope and Egypt their boast will be dismayed and ashamed.
- Jer 46:9Advance, O horses! Race furiously, O chariots! Let the warriors come forth—Cush and Put carrying their shields, men of Lydia drawing the bow.
- Ezek 38:5Persia, Cush, and Put will accompany them, all with shields and helmets,
- 2 Chr 12:3with 1,200 chariots, 60,000 horsemen, and countless troops who came with him out of Egypt—Libyans, Sukkites, and Cushites.
- 1 Chr 1:8The sons of Ham: Cush, Mizraim, Put, and Canaan.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
The certain judgment on Nineveh and the comfort that 'the LORD is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble' point to Christ, who is both the refuge of his people and the judge of their enemies.
How Nahum 3:9 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.