Nahum 3:16 Meaning: Merchants like Grasshoppers, Here and Gone
You have increased your merchants more than the stars of the skies. The grasshopper strips and flees away.
Thou hast multiplied thy merchants above the stars of heaven: the cankerworm spoileth, and flieth away.
Thou hast multiplied thy merchants above the stars of heaven: the canker-worm ravageth, and fleeth away.
Multiply thy merchants above the stars of the heavens, The cankerworm hath stripped off, and doth flee away.
Thou hast multiplied thy merchants more than the stars of the heavens; the cankerworm spreadeth himself out and flieth away.
Meaning in one sentence
Why does Nahum compare Nineveh's merchants to grasshoppers that strip and flee? The verse shows how quickly wealth and power can disappear under God's judgment.
Context
Nahum 3:16 comes near the end of the prophecy against Nineveh. The chapter has described the siege and the futile preparations of the city. Now the prophet turns to the merchants, the source of Nineveh's wealth. He acknowledges their great number, but then compares them to locusts: they strip the land and then fly away. The point is clear, all that commerce, all that power, can vanish in a moment. The rest of the chapter shows the leaders also disappearing, and the city left fatally wounded.
Key Words
Two images carry the weight of this verse. First, the 'merchants', Nineveh was known for its trade routes and wealthy market. The verse says they were multiplied 'more than the stars of the skies,' a phrase used elsewhere for God's covenant blessings. Here it is twisted: the blessing becomes a warning. Second, the 'grasshopper', or locust. Commentators note that the locust 'strips' itself, or sheds its skin, and flies away. Gill describes it as a caterpillar that disrobes and becomes a butterfly, then disappears. The merchants who plundered others will themselves be stripped and scatter. Calvin emphasizes the suddenness: the swarm is here, then gone. Warmly, this verse invites us to ask what we trust in that could disappear as quickly.
How Christians Read This Verse
Commentators have read this verse in different ways. Calvin sees it as a rebuke of the Assyrians' foolish confidence in their numbers. The merchants are like locusts in their plundering, but they will be scattered just as quickly. Matthew Henry takes it as a lesson that no human strength can stand against God. Barnes notes the historical greatness of Nineveh's trade and its sudden collapse, while Jamieson-Fausset-Brown suggests the locust represents the Medo-Babylonian invaders who would strip the city. These readings converge on one point: the wealth of Nineveh was real but temporary. Christians from every tradition agree that the verse warns against trusting in what perishes, though they may differ on the details of the historical fulfillment.
A common misunderstanding
A common misreading is to think the verse simply says that Nineveh had many merchants and then, separately, that a grasshopper strips and flies away. In fact, the grasshopper is a metaphor for the merchants themselves. They lived like locusts, taking wealth from others, but now they themselves will be stripped of everything and flee. The comparison is not about an insect plague; it is about the sudden, complete collapse of human power.
Living This Out
For someone reading this verse today, the question might be: what do I count on that could vanish like a locust? It could be a job, a savings account, a reputation, or a network of connections. None of these are evil in themselves, but if they become the foundation of our security, we set ourselves up for a shock. The same God who scattered Nineveh's merchants is the One who promises never to leave His own. This week, you might take a quiet inventory: where do I really place my trust? If that thing were gone tomorrow, would I still have a footing?
Main takeaway: All human strength and wealth can vanish like locusts, but God remains a lasting refuge.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
Imagine a grasshopper that eats all the plants and then hops away. That is what Nineveh was like, they took everything, but when God said it was time, they all ran away and were gone. We should trust God, not things that can disappear.
For ages 9, 12
Nineveh was a rich city with many merchants, but the prophet Nahum said they were like a swarm of locusts. Locusts strip a field bare and then move on. The merchants had taken wealth from others, but now they themselves would be stripped of everything and scatter. All that money and power could not save them. It is a reminder that trusting in riches alone is not smart. Only God is a safe foundation that will never fail.
Questions People Ask
What does the grasshopper represent in Nahum 3:16?
The grasshopper (or locust) is a metaphor for the merchants of Nineveh. They were numerous and destructive, plundering other nations. But just as locusts strip a field and then fly away, the merchants would be stripped of their wealth and scatter when judgment came.
Why does Nahum compare the merchants to the stars?
The phrase 'more than the stars of the skies' is an expression of huge number. It echoes God's promise to Abraham in Genesis, but here it is used ironically: the great numbers will not help Nineveh escape destruction.
What does 'the grasshopper strips and flies away' mean?
The verb 'strips' can mean to strip off clothing or to plunder. Commentators suggest the locust sheds its skin and flies away, or the locust strips the land bare and then departs. Either way, the picture is of sudden disappearance, the merchants will be gone in a moment.
How does Nahum 3:16 fit into the overall prophecy?
Nahum 3 describes the siege and fall of Nineveh. This verse shows that even the city's commercial strength, which seemed so solid, would vanish. It is part of the prophet's argument that no human resource, fortifications, armies, or wealth, can stand against God's judgment.
What is the main lesson for Christians today?
The verse warns against putting ultimate trust in material wealth or human numbers. These can disappear in an instant. Instead, believers are called to trust in God, who is faithful and unchanging.
For pastors & researchers
Hebrew interlinear, 8 commentaries & word study