Ethiopia and Egypt were her strength, and it was infinite; Put and Lubim were thy helpers.
Parallel translations
- WEB Cush and Egypt were her boundless strength. Put and Libya were her helpers.
- BSB Cush and Egypt were her boundless strength; Put and Libya were her allies.
- 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 27:10They of Persia and of Lud and of Phut were in thine army, thy men of war: they hanged the shield and helmet in thee; they set forth thy comeliness.
- Ezek 30:5Ethiopia, and Libya, and Lydia, and all the mingled people, and Chub, and the men of the land that is in league, shall fall with them by the sword.
- Gen 10:6And the sons of Ham; Cush, and Mizraim, and Phut, and Canaan.
- Isa 20:5And they shall be afraid and ashamed of Ethiopia their expectation, and of Egypt their glory.
- Jer 46:9Come up, ye horses; and rage, ye chariots; and let the mighty men come forth; the Ethiopians and the Libyans, that handle the shield; and the Lydians, that handle and bend the bow.
- Ezek 38:5Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya with them; all of them with shield and helmet:
- 2 Chr 12:3With twelve hundred chariots, and threescore thousand horsemen: and the people were without number that came with him out of Egypt; the Lubims, the Sukkiims, and the Ethiopians.
- 1 Chr 1:8The sons of Ham; Cush, and Mizraim, Put, and Canaan.
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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
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