Nahum 3:12

KJV1611 – Modern English

All your strongholds shall be like fig trees with the first-ripe figs: if they are shaken, they shall even fall into the mouth of the eater.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

כָּל־מִבְצָרַיִךְ תְּאֵנִים עִם־בִּכּוּרִים אִם־יִנּוֹעוּ וְנָפְלוּ עַל־פִּי אוֹכֵל׃

Transliteration

kol-mibṣārayik tĕʾēnîm ʿim-bikkûrîm ʾim-yinnôʿû wĕ-nāp̄lû ʿal-pî ʾôkēl

Grammar Details

• *kol-mibṣārayik*: noun, masculine, singular construct + noun, masculine, plural + 2nd feminine singular suffix - all your fortresses
• *tĕʾēnîm*: noun, feminine, plural - fig trees
• *ʿim-bikkûrîm*: preposition + noun, masculine, plural - with early/first-ripe fruit
• *ʾim-yinnôʿû*: conjunction + verb, Niphal imperfect, 3rd masculine plural - if they are shaken
• *wĕ-nāp̄lû*: conjunction + verb, Qal perfect, 3rd plural - then they fall
• *ʿal-pî*: preposition + noun, masculine, singular construct - upon mouth of
• *ʾôkēl*: verb, Qal participle, masculine singular - eater

Word Meanings

• *mibṣārayik*: fortresses/strongholds/fortified places
• *tĕʾēnîm*: fig trees/figs
• *bikkûrîm*: first-ripe fruit/early figs
• *yinnôʿû*: shaken/swayed/moved
• *nāp̄lû*: fall/drop/be cast down
• *pî*: mouth/opening
• *ʾôkēl*: eater/one who eats

Other Translations

• Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

  All your fortresses are like fig trees with the first ripe fruit; when they are shaken, they fall into the mouth of the eater.

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  All thy strong holds shall be like fig trees with the firstripe figs: if they be shaken, they shall even fall into the mouth of the eater.

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  All thy fortresses{H4013} shall be like fig-trees{H8384} with the first-ripe figs:{H1061} if they be shaken,{H5128} they fall{H5307} into the mouth{H6310} of the eater.{H398}

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  All thy strong holds{H4013} shall be like fig trees{H8384} with the firstripe figs{H1061}: if they be shaken{H5128}{(H8735)}, they shall even fall{H5307}{(H8804)} into the mouth{H6310} of the eater{H398}{(H8802)}.

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  All thy stronge cities shal be like fyge trees wt rype fyges: which whe a ma shaketh, they fall in to the mouth of the eater.

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  All thy strong cities shall be like figtrees with the first ripe figs: for if they be shaken, they fall into the mouth of the eater.

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  All thy strong aydes are as figge trees with the first ripe figges: if they be stirred, they fal into the mouth of the eater.

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  All thy strong holds [shall be like] fig trees with the firstripe figs: if they be shaken, they shall even fall into the mouth of the eater.

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  All your fortresses will be like fig trees with the first-ripe figs: if they are shaken, they fall into the mouth of the eater.

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  All thy fortresses `are' fig-trees with first-fruits, If they are shaken, They have fallen into the mouth of the eater.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  All thy fortresses shall be `like' fig-trees with the first-ripe figs: if they be shaken, they fall into the mouth of the eater.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  All thy fortresses shall be [like] fig-trees with the first-ripe figs: if they be shaken, they fall into the mouth of the eater.

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  All your walled places will be like fig-trees and your people like the first figs, falling at a shake into the mouth which is open for them.

• World English Bible (2000)

  All your fortresses will be like fig trees with the first-ripe figs: if they are shaken, they fall into the mouth of the eater.

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  The Assyrian Defenses Will Fail All your fortifications will be like fig trees with first-ripe fruit: If they are shaken, their figs will fall into the mouth of the eater!

Referenced Verses

• Rev 6:13 : 13 And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casts her untimely figs when she is shaken by a mighty wind.
• Isa 28:4 : 4 And the glorious beauty, which is on the head of the fertile valley, shall be a fading flower, and like the early fruit before the summer; which when he who looks upon it sees, while it is yet in his hand he eats it up.
• Hab 1:10 : 10 They scoff at kings, and the princes are scorned by them; they deride every stronghold, for they heap up dust and take it.