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12 All your fortifications are (A)fig trees with [a](B)ripe fruit—
When shaken, they fall into the eater’s mouth.
13 Behold, your people are (C)women in your midst!
The gates of your land are (D)opened wide to your enemies;
Fire consumes your gate bars.
14 (E)Draw for yourself water for the siege!
(F)Strengthen your fortifications!
Go into the clay and tread the mortar!
[b]Take hold of the brick mold!

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Footnotes

  1. Nahum 3:12 Lit first fruits
  2. Nahum 3:14 Or strengthen, cf. 3:14a

12 All your defenses are like fig trees with ripe early fruit—
    when shaken, it falls right into the devourer’s mouth.
13 Look at your people—[a]
    they are women!
Your borders stand wide open to your enemies,
    while fire consumes the bars of your gates.”

The Futility of Avoiding God’s Judgment

14 “Draw water, because a siege is coming![b]
    Strengthen your fortresses!
Make the clay good and strong!
    Mix the mortar!
        Go get your brick molds![c]

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Footnotes

  1. Nahum 3:13 I.e. Nineveh’s army
  2. Nahum 3:14 The Heb. lacks coming
  3. Nahum 3:14 I.e. this verse appears to be affirming the uselessness of constructing a defense against God’s coming judgment.