How we cite our quotes:
Quote #7
Because of the countless debaucheries of the prostitute, gracefully alluring, mistress of sorcery, who enslaves nations through her debaucheries, and peoples through her sorcery, I am against you, says the LORD of hosts, and will lift up your skirts over your face; and I will let nations look on your nakedness and kingdoms on your shame. (NRSV Nahum 3:4-5)
Because of the multitude of the whoredoms of the well-favoured harlot, the mistress of witchcrafts, that selleth nations through her whoredoms, and families through her witchcrafts. Behold, I am against thee, saith the LORD of hosts; and I will discover thy skirts upon thy face, and I will shew the nations thy nakedness, and the kingdoms thy shame. (KJV Nahum 3:4-5)
This is a common image throughout the major and minor prophets. Is the implication here that it’s easier to shame a woman than a man?
Quote #8
Look at your troops: they are women in your midst. The gates of your land are wide open to your foes; fire has devoured the bars of your gates. (NRSV Nahum 3:13)
Behold, thy people in the midst of thee are women: the gates of thy land shall be set wide open unto thine enemies: the fire shall devour thy bars. (KJV Nahum 3:13)
Is God saying that Nineveh’s soldiers fight like girls? Probably not, though that kind of gender-bending would indeed be considered an insult. This is more likely an insult directed at the men, who skipped town and left the women to fend for themselves.
Quote #9
For I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem to battle, and the city shall be taken and the houses looted and the women raped; half the city shall go into exile, but the rest of the people shall not be cut off from the city. (NRSV Zechariah 14:2)
For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the
residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city. (KJV Zechariah 14:2)
This is another divine insult, this time directed at the men of Judah. Treaties back in the day of the Lord were, shall we say, a tad more colorful than treaties today. The penalties imposed on a ruler who breaks a treaty include such emasculating experiences as watching his country’s women get raped and his citizens carried off as slaves. Forget about the women and children--pity the poor ruler for being humiliated like this.