· Translation: KJV

Nahum 3:19There is no healing your wound, for your injury is fatal. All who hear the report of you clap their hands over you; for who hasn't felt your endless cruelty?

The setting

612 BC, final oracle against Assyria. Nahum declares their wound fatal as news spreads across the ancient Near East in modern-day Middle East.

The emotion here: fierce satisfaction at seeing justice after generations of cruelty

The original word

kehâ (כֵהָה) — grows dim, becomes faint, the wound that cannot heal or close

Why it matters

When Assyria fell, vassal nations literally clapped and celebrated because they had tortured captives for sport

Read with care

What most readers miss in Nahum 3:19

The clapping hands aren't just celebration - it's the ancient gesture of mockery and scorn

Common misconceptionChristians think they should never feel glad when evil is punished, but even heaven rejoices when justice is served - the key is not seeking personal revenge.

Bible Genome reading

Nahum 3:19 — Bible Genome reading

SpeakerNahum
EraDivided Kingdom
Primary emotionangry
Literary typeprophecy
MarkProphecy

Emotional genome

Comfort power20%
Quotability40%
Memorability60%
Crisis relevance50%
Standalone60%
Themes:divine judgmentirreversible consequenceuniversal relief

In context

No verse stands alone.

Read the conversation around it.

Open Nahum 3

Nahum 3:19 comes from the book of Nahum, written during the Divided Kingdom period. These words are attributed to Nahum. The dominant emotion in this verse is angry, with a comfort power of 20% and a tone that is prophetic. It belongs to the prophecy genre of biblical literature. Key themes include divine judgment, irreversible consequence, universal relief. Notable phrases: no healing your wound; injury is fatal; all who hear clap hands. This verse contains prophecy.

Your reflection

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