Here a new metaphor begins in which the city of Nineveh is compared to a prostitute, or woman who receives payment for allowing men to have sexual relations with her. This metaphor extends over verses 4-7. In the Old Testament, prostitution is often used as a picture of unfaithfulness to the LORD. In this meaning it is of course applied to the LORD’s own people, who are linked to him in a covenant relationship as a wife is to her husband (compare, for instance, Ezek 16; Hos 2). Assyria was a pagan nation and could not really be accused of unfaithfulness to the LORD in the same way. The comparison of Nineveh with a prostitute is not therefore to be understood as speaking primarily of her idolatrous religion. Rather it speaks of the way in which her power attracted other nations, who became subject to her and who later regretted their association with her. In the same way, a prostitute presents an attractive outward appearance in order to lure men to their ruin. In some languages one may need to change the metaphor to a simile and say “Nineveh is like….”

One of the nations which had fallen under the power of Assyria’s false charms was Judah. King Ahaz, despite the warnings given by the prophet Isaiah (Isa 7.1–8.8), had asked for the help of the Assyrians against his enemies (2 Kgs 16.7-9). The help was given, but Judah became subject to Assyria and even followed the pattern of Assyrian idolatry (2 Kgs 16.10-16).

There is also another sense in which the comparison of Nineveh with a prostitute is very apt. The chief deity of Nineveh was the goddess Ishtar, in whose worship sacred prostitution played a large part. Some of her own worshipers even referred to her as a prostitute. Insofar as the city reflected the characteristics of its goddess, it is appropriate that Nahum should liken it to a prostitute.

The picture of the enemies of God’s people as a prostitute is also found elsewhere in Scripture, especially in Revelation 17–18 (compare Isa 47).

And all for the countless harlotries of the harlot: the words And all for refer back to the destruction of the city and the death of its inhabitants as described in verses 1-3. The expression means that all that punishment is coming upon Nineveh because of its past conduct. Good News Translation makes this more explicit by saying “Nineveh the whore is being punished.” This clause can also be translated “Because Nineveh is a prostitute, she is being punished” or “Because Nineveh is a prostitute, God is punishing her.”

There are numerous terms in English to speak of a prostitute. The word “prostitute” itself is probably the most general, and its emotional effect is rather neutral and colorless. The term harlot used in Revised Standard Version (compare New American Bible, New International Version, New Jerusalem Bible) is a somewhat stronger term but sounds rather old fashioned. The word “whore” used by Good News Translation and Jerusalem Bible is also a stronger word and is still in use today. It carries overtones of scorn and disgust, but it is not out of place in a formal setting such as a Scripture translation. Many languages will have a lot of terms covering this area of meaning, and if possible, translators should choose here some term which carries a strong emotive force, but which is not offensive in polite conversation. If no such term can be found, then it will be best to use a neutral term equivalent to the English “prostitute,” rather than a stronger word which may cause offense during the public reading of Scripture.

Graceful and of deadly charms: this is literally “fair and charming, a mistress of witchcraft” (New American Bible). In this case “witchcraft” refers to spells, potions, and even secret objects which were thought to arouse the sexual instinct in the men who went to a prostitute. Good News Translation translates in plain language as “Attractive and full of deadly charms.” Deadly charms may also be rendered “charms which lead to death,” or even more explicitly, “magic charms which lead to death.”

The third and fourth lines in Hebrew repeat keywords from the first and second lines. This pattern can be seen in the literal translation of Revised Standard Version, who betrays nations with her harlotries, and peoples with her charms. Good News Translation runs these two lines into one and says “she enchanted nations and enslaved them.” The term translated betrays or “enslaved” is literally “sold” (compare King James Version, Revised Version). Several modern English versions take this to imply “sold into slavery” and translate in a way similar to Good News Translation (Jerusalem Bible, New American Bible, New International Version). Others, like Revised Standard Version, interpret the word in the sense of “deceived,” and this possibility is shown in the footnote of Good News Translation, “seduced” (compare New English Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, Moffatt). Both meanings fit the context very well.

Another translation model for this verse is:

• Because Nineveh is a prostitute, God is punishing her.
She is attractive and full of magic charms which lead (people) to death.
So she used her charms to attract nations to her and made them her slaves.

Quoted with permission from Clark, David J. & Hatton, Howard A . A Handbook on the Book of Nahum. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1989. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .