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Read the Bible

King James Version

Nahum 2:8

But Nineveh is of old like a pool of water: yet they shall flee away. Stand, stand, shall they cry; but none shall look back.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Torrey's Topical Textbook - Pools and Ponds;  

Dictionaries:

- Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Nineveh;   Tigris;   War;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Nineveh;   Prophecy;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Nineveh;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Nahum;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Assyria;   Nineveh;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Na'hum;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Nahum, the Book of;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Nineveh has been like a pool of waterfrom her first days,but they are fleeing.“Stop! Stop!” they cry,but no one turns back.
Hebrew Names Version
But Nineveh has been from of old like a pool of water, yet they flee away. "Stop! Stop!" they cry, but no one looks back.
King James Version (1611)
But Nineueh is of olde like a poole of water: yet they shall flee away. Stand, stand shall they cry: but none shal looke backe.
English Standard Version
Nineveh is like a pool whose waters run away. "Halt! Halt!" they cry, but none turns back.
New American Standard Bible
Though Nineveh was like a pool of water throughout her days, Yet they are fleeing; "Stop, stop," But no one turns back.
New Century Version
Nineveh is like a pool, and now its water is draining away. "Stop! Stop!" the people yell, but no one turns back.
Amplified Bible
Though Nineveh was like a pool of water throughout her days, Now her inhabitants are fleeing; "Stop! Stop!" [a few cry,] But no one turns back.
Geneva Bible (1587)
But Nineueh is of olde like a poole of water: yet they shall flee away. Stande, stande, shall they crie: but none shall looke backe.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Though Nineveh was like a pool of water throughout her days, Now they are fleeing; "Stop, stop," But no one turns back.
Legacy Standard Bible
Though Nineveh was like a pool of water throughout her days,Now they are fleeing;"Stand! Stand!"But no one turns back.
Berean Standard Bible
Nineveh has been like a pool of water throughout her days, but now it is draining away. "Stop! Stop!" they cry, but no one turns back.
Contemporary English Version
Nineveh is like a pond with leaking water. Shouts of "Stop! Don't go!" can be heard everywhere. But everyone is leaving.
Complete Jewish Bible
Its mistress is stripped and carried away; her handmaids moan, they sound like doves, as they beat their breasts.
Darby Translation
Nineveh hath been like a pool of water, since the day she existed, yet they flee away. … Stand! Stand! But none looketh back.
Easy-to-Read Version
Nineveh is like a pool whose water is draining away. People yell, "Stop! Stop running away!" But it does not do any good.
George Lamsa Translation
And Nineveh is like a lake, and she is situated by the waters; her warriors flee away. Make a stand, make a stand, their officers cry; but none turns back.
Good News Translation
Like water from a broken dam the people rush from Nineveh! "Stop! Stop!" the cry rings out— but no one turns back.
Lexham English Bible
Nineveh is like a pool of water without its water. As they flee, she cries, "Stop! Stop!" But there is no one who turns back.
Literal Translation
And Nineveh is like a pool of water from her days; yet they are fleeing. They cry , Stand! Stand! But no one turns himself.
American Standard Version
But Nineveh hath been from of old like a pool of water: yet they flee away. Stand, stand, they cry; but none looketh back.
Bible in Basic English
But Nineveh is like a pool of water whose waters are flowing away; Keep your place, they say; but no one is turning back.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And the queen is uncovered, she is carried away, and her handmaids moan as with the voice of doves, tabering upon their breasts.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Yea many a day Niniue was as a ponde full of water, yet [now] they flee, Stand ye, stande ye, and no man loketh backe.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And as for Nineve, her waters shall be as a pool of water: and they fled, and staid not, and there was none to look back.
English Revised Version
But Nineveh hath been from of old like a pool of water: yet they flee away; Stand, stand, they cry; but none looketh back.
World English Bible
But Nineveh has been from of old like a pool of water, yet they flee away. "Stop! Stop!" they cry, but no one looks back.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And Nynyue, as a cisterne of watris the watris therof; forsothe thei fledden; stonde ye, stonde ye, and there is not that schal turne ayen.
Update Bible Version
But Nineveh has been from of old like a pool of water: yet they flee away. Stand, stand, [they cry]; but none looks back.
Webster's Bible Translation
But Nineveh [is] of old like a pool of water: yet they shall flee away. Stand, stand, [shall they cry]; but none shall look back.
New English Translation
Nineveh was like a pool of water throughout her days, but now her people are running away; she cries out: "Stop! Stop!"— but no one turns back.
New King James Version
Though Nineveh of old was like a pool of water, Now they flee away. "Halt! Halt!" they cry; But no one turns back.
New Living Translation
Nineveh is like a leaking water reservoir! The people are slipping away. "Stop, stop!" someone shouts, but no one even looks back.
New Life Bible
Nineveh is like a pool, where water runs away. "Stop! Stop!" they cry. But no one turns back.
New Revised Standard
Nineveh is like a pool whose waters run away. "Halt! Halt!"— but no one turns back.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Yet, as for Nineveh, like a reservoir of waters, are her waters, - but, those men, are in flight! Stand! stand but no one is turning.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And as for Ninive, her waters are like a great pool: but the men flee away. They cry: Stand, stand, but there is none that will return back.
Revised Standard Version
Nin'eveh is like a pool whose waters run away. "Halt! Halt!" they cry; but none turns back.
Young's Literal Translation
And Nineveh [is] as a pool of waters, From of old it [is] -- and they are fleeing! `Stand ye, stand;' and none is turning!
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Niniue is like a pole full of water, but then shal they be fayne to fle. Stonde, stode, (shal they crie) & there shal not one turne backe.

Contextual Overview

1 He that dasheth in pieces is come up before thy face: keep the munition, watch the way, make thy loins strong, fortify thy power mightily. 2 For the Lord hath turned away the excellency of Jacob, as the excellency of Israel: for the emptiers have emptied them out, and marred their vine branches. 3 The shield of his mighty men is made red, the valiant men are in scarlet: the chariots shall be with flaming torches in the day of his preparation, and the fir trees shall be terribly shaken. 4 The chariots shall rage in the streets, they shall justle one against another in the broad ways: they shall seem like torches, they shall run like the lightnings. 5 He shall recount his worthies: they shall stumble in their walk; they shall make haste to the wall thereof, and the defence shall be prepared. 6 The gates of the rivers shall be opened, and the palace shall be dissolved. 7 And Huzzab shall be led away captive, she shall be brought up, and her maids shall lead her as with the voice of doves, tabering upon their breasts. 8 But Nineveh is of old like a pool of water: yet they shall flee away. Stand, stand, shall they cry; but none shall look back. 9 Take ye the spoil of silver, take the spoil of gold: for there is none end of the store and glory out of all the pleasant furniture. 10 She is empty, and void, and waste: and the heart melteth, and the knees smite together, and much pain is in all loins, and the faces of them all gather blackness.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

of old: or, from the days that she hath been, Genesis 10:11

like: Jeremiah 51:13, Revelation 17:1, Revelation 17:15

Stand: Nahum 3:17, Isaiah 13:14, Isaiah 47:13, Isaiah 48:20, Jeremiah 50:16, Jeremiah 51:30

look back: or, cause them to turn

Reciprocal: 2 Kings 19:36 - Nineveh Jeremiah 46:5 - fled apace Jeremiah 50:36 - her mighty Ezekiel 31:15 - I caused a Nahum 1:8 - the place

Cross-References

Genesis 2:8
And the Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed.
Genesis 2:9
And out of the ground made the Lord God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.
Genesis 3:24
So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.
Genesis 4:16
And Cain went out from the presence of the Lord , and dwelt in the land of Nod, on the east of Eden.
Genesis 13:10
And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the Lord , like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar.
2 Kings 19:12
Have the gods of the nations delivered them which my fathers have destroyed; as Gozan, and Haran, and Rezeph, and the children of Eden which were in Thelasar?
Isaiah 51:3
For the Lord shall comfort Zion: he will comfort all her waste places; and he will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the Lord ; joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving, and the voice of melody.
Ezekiel 27:23
Haran, and Canneh, and Eden, the merchants of Sheba, Asshur, and Chilmad, were thy merchants.
Ezekiel 28:13
Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created.
Ezekiel 31:16
I made the nations to shake at the sound of his fall, when I cast him down to hell with them that descend into the pit: and all the trees of Eden, the choice and best of Lebanon, all that drink water, shall be comforted in the nether parts of the earth.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

But Nineveh [is] of old like a pool of water,.... This was a very ancient city, built by Nimrod, as some say; or rather by Ashur, as appears from Genesis 10:10 and it was like fish pool, full of people, as it was in the times of Jonah, who for their number may be compared both to water and to fish; and likewise full of wealth and riches, which for their instability may be signified by water also; and moreover, like a pool of standing water, had never been liable to any commotions and disturbances, but had remained from the beginning in a tranquil and prosperous state; besides, some regard may be had in a literal sense to its situation, being watered by the river Tigris, and which was for its profit and defence: so some copies of the Septuagint read the words,

"Nineveh is like a pool of water, the waters are her walls:''

and the Syriac version is,

"Nineveh is as a lake of water, and is among the waters;''

see Nahum 1:6:

yet they shall flee away; the waters out of the pool, the sluices being opened, or the banks broken down; or the people out of the city, breaches being made in its walls, or its gates opened, and the enemy entering; when everyone would flee for his life, and make his escape in the best manner he could:

stand, stand, [shall they cry]; either the generals and officers of the king of Assyria's army, to the soldiers running away; or the more courageous inhabitants of the city, to those that were timorous and seized with a panic, fleeing in the utmost consternation; or the enemy, as Kimchi, who shall call to them to stop, promising to spare their lives upon a surrender of them to them:

but none shall look back; and stand to hear what is said unto them, but make the best of their way, and flee with all their might and main.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

But Nineveh is of old like a pool of water - that is, of many peoples Revelation 17:1, gathered from all quarters and settled there, her multitudes being like the countless drops, full, untroubled, with no ebb or flow, fenced in, “from the days that she hath been,” yet even therefore stagnant and corrupted (see Jeremiah 48:11), not “a fountain of living waters,” during 600 years of unbroken empire; even lately it had been assailed in vain ; now its hour was come, the sluices were broken; the waters poured out. It was full not of citizens only, but of other nations poured into it. An old historian says , “The chief and most powerful of those whom Ninus settled there, were the Assyrians, but also, of other nations, whoever willed.” Thus, the pool was filled; but at the rebuke of the Lord they flee. “Stand, stand,” the prophet speaks in the name of the widowed city; “shut the gates, go up on the walls, resist the enemy, gather yourselves together, form a band to withstand,” “but none shalt look back” to the mother-city which calls them; all is forgotten, except their fear; parents, wives, children, the wealth which is plundered, home, worldly repute. So will men leave all things, for the life of this world. “All that a man hath, will he give for his life” Job 2:4. Why not for the life to come?

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 8. But Nineveh is of old like a pool of water — מימי mimey, from days. Bp. Newcome translates the line thus: "And the waters of Nineveh are a pool of waters." There may be reference here to the fact given in the preceding note, the overflowing of the river by which the city was primarily destroyed.

Stand, stand — Consternation shall be at its utmost height, the people shall flee in all directions; and though quarter is offered, and they are assured of safety it they remain, yet not one looketh back.


 
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