Woe to the Bloody City Nahum 3:1

Nahum the prophet shared how the LORD was “against” the city of Nineveh, and how He would “burn her chariots in the smoke, and the sword shall devour” their “young lions”. Nahum further declared how the LORD would “cut of “ their “prey from the earth, and the voice of” their “messengers shall mo more be heard”, and in chapter three and verse one of his prophesy, Nahum shared a warning of “woe” to the city where we read:

Woe to the bloody city! it is all full of lies and robbery; the prey departs not;

The verse begins, “Woe to the bloody city!” Nahum began with the word, “Woe” which means “ah, alas, ha and ho” “to the bloody city” which refers to “the town and guarded place of waking which is blood-guilty and blood thirsty”. Nahum's warning is one of exclamation purposeful utterance as he declare the city as both “blood-guilty” and “bloodthirsty”.

The verse goes on to say, “it is all full of lies and robbery; the prey departs not;” Nahum continued, “It is all full” or “totally filled” “of lies” which means “deception, leanness and failure” “and robbery” or “breaking in upon, plunder, crossroads and parting of ways”; “the prey” which means “food, meat, leaves and spoil” “departs not” or “is not removed, taken away, gone back or ceased”. Not only was Nineveh filled with “bloodthirstiness”, but they also were abundant with “lies, theft” and “spoiling” one another and others.

When we think through these words of Nahum, we can imagine the summation and warning given to the nearly judged city of Nineveh. God's wrath was about to be poured upon them, and their demise was imminent. They were “bloodthirsty” or eager to shed blood. They constantly lied, and stole from one another, and when they could take advantage of one another, they did. This is much like the world around us today, and lest there be a major turning to Jesus Christ as Savior and LORD, we too might find ourselves as a city and place of warning and “woe”.

Next time Nahum shares concerning “the noise of whips” and “rattling wheels”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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