OET interlinear NAH 3:12

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

(Occurrence 0) All your fortresses

(Some words not found in UHB: all/each/any/every fortresses,your fig_trees with first-ripe_figs if shaken and,fall on/upon/above/on_account_of//he/it_went_in mouth eater )

Here, the word fortresses could mean: (1) it refers to Nineveh’s fortifications, such as the wall that surrounded the city Alternate translation: “All of your fortifications” or “All of your defenses” or (2) it refers to the fortified cities that were situated along Assyria’s borders and prevented enemy armies from attacking Nineveh. Alternate translation: “All of your fortified cities”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / simile

(Occurrence 0) All your fortresses will be like fig trees with the earliest ripe figs: if they are shaken, they fall into the mouth of the eater

(Some words not found in UHB: all/each/any/every fortresses,your fig_trees with first-ripe_figs if shaken and,fall on/upon/above/on_account_of//he/it_went_in mouth eater )

Nahum compares the ease with which the attackers will conquer Nineveh with the ease with which a person can cause ripe figs to fall from a tree. Alternate translation: “Your enemies will destroy your fortresses as easily as a person can shake a fig tree and eat the first ripe figs that fall”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

(Occurrence 0) the earliest ripe figs

(Some words not found in UHB: all/each/any/every fortresses,your fig_trees with first-ripe_figs if shaken and,fall on/upon/above/on_account_of//he/it_went_in mouth eater )

This refers to the figs that would ripen first on the tree. These figs fell from the tree easily, so that a person only had to shake the tree to make them fall. Figs that ripened later would require a person to climb the tree and pick them by hand.

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive

(Occurrence 0) if they are shaken

(Some words not found in UHB: all/each/any/every fortresses,your fig_trees with first-ripe_figs if shaken and,fall on/upon/above/on_account_of//he/it_went_in mouth eater )

“if the trees are shaken.” If your language does not use the passive form in this way, you can state this in active form or in another way that is natural in your language. Alternate translation: “if a person shakes the trees”

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / hyperbole

(Occurrence 0) they fall into the mouth of the eater

(Some words not found in UHB: all/each/any/every fortresses,your fig_trees with first-ripe_figs if shaken and,fall on/upon/above/on_account_of//he/it_went_in mouth eater )

“the figs fall into the mouth of the eater.” This is an exaggeration. By saying that the figs fall from the tree into the mouth of the one who eats it, Nahum emphasizes that the figs are ready to eat immediately. Alternate translation: “a person can eat the fig immediately”