King James Version

Nahum 2:4

The chariots shall rage in the streets, they shall justle one against another in the broad ways: they shall seem like torches, they shall run like the lightnings.

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Hebrew

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In the Hebrew text this line is Nahum 2:5.

בַּֽחוּצוֹת֙bachutsotin abroadחוּץpreposition, with the article, noun, common, masculine, plural, absolute — “in abroad”, the ordinary formH2351properly, separate by awall, i.e. outside, outdoorsabroad, field, forth, highway, more, out(-side, -ward), street, without.יִתְהוֹלְל֣וּyitholelvboastהָלַלverb, hithpolel, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “boast”, an unfinished actionH1984to be clear (orig. of sound, but usually of color); to shine; hence, to make ashow, to boast; and thus to be (clamorously) foolish; to rave; causatively, to celebrate; also to stultify(make) boast (self), celebrate, commend, (deal, make), fool(-ish, -ly), glory, give (light), be (make, feign self) mad (against), give in marriage, (sing, be worthy of) praise, rage, renowned, shine.הָרֶ֔כֶבharekhevthe millstoneרֶכֶבdefinite article, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “the millstone”, the ordinary formH7393a vehicle; by implication, a team; by extension, cavalry; by analogy a rider, i.e. the upper millstonechariot, (upper) millstone, multitude (from the margin), wagon.יִֽשְׁתַּקְשְׁק֖וּןyishtaqshequnhave appetiteשָׁקַקverb, hithpalpel, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, plural, paragogic nun — “have appetite”, an unfinished actionH8264to course (like a beast of prey); by implication, to seek greedilyhave appetite, justle one against another, long, range, run (to and fro).בָּרְחֹב֑וֹתbarechovotin broad placeרְחֹבpreposition, with the article, noun, common, feminine, plural, absolute — “in broad place”, the ordinary formH7339a width, i.e. (concretely) avenue or areabroad place (way), street. See also H1050 (בֵּית רְחוֹב).מַרְאֵיהֶן֙mareyhenvisionמַרְאֶהnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, feminine, plural — “vision”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH4758a view (the act of seeing); also an appearance (the thing seen), whether (real) a shape (especially if handsome, comeliness; often plural the looks), or (mental) a vision[idiom] apparently, appearance(-reth), [idiom] as soon as beautiful(-ly), countenance, fair, favoured, form, goodly, to look (up) on (to), look(-eth), pattern, to see, seem, sight, visage, vision.כַּלַּפִּידִ֔םkalapidimas lampלַפִּידpreposition, with the article, noun, common, masculine, plural, absolute — “as lamp”, the ordinary formH3940a flambeau, lamp or flame(fire-) brand, (burning) lamp, lightning, torch.כַּבְּרָקִ֖יםkabraqimas lightningבָּרָקpreposition, with the article, noun, common, masculine, plural, absolute — “as lightning”, the ordinary formH1300lightning; by analogy, a gleam; concretely, a flashing swordbright, glitter(-ing sword), lightning.יְרוֹצֵֽצוּyerotsetsvrunרוּץverb, polel, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “run”, an unfinished actionH7323to run (for whatever reason, especially to rush)break down, divide speedily, footman, guard, bring hastily, (make) run (away, through), post.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

(2-5) The chariots rush madly in the streets, they jostle one against another in the broad places; the appearance of them is like torches, they run to and fro like the lightnings.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

The King James Version remains the text of this page and the canonical URL.

American Standard Version (1901)

The chariots rage in the streets; they rush to and fro in the broad ways: the appearance of them is like torches; they run like the lightnings.

Young’s Literal Translation

In out-places shine do the chariots, They go to and fro in broad places, Their appearances [are] like torches, As lightnings they run.

World English Bible

The chariots rage in the streets. They rush back and forth in the wide ways. Their appearance is like torches. They run like the lightnings.

Darby Translation

The chariots rush madly in the streets, they justle one against another in the broad ways: the appearance of them is like torches, they run like lightnings.

Douay-Rheims

They are in confusion in the ways, the chariots jostle one against another in the streets: their looks are like torches, like lightning running to and fro.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

(2-5) The chariots rush madly in the streets, they jostle one against another in the broad places; the appearance of them is like torches, they run to and fro like the lightnings.

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

in the ways, and the chariots shall clash together, and shall be entangled in each other in the broad ways: their appearance is as lamps of fire, and as gleaming lightnings.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

ἐν ταῖς ὁδοῖς, καὶ συγχυθήσονται τὰ ἅρματα, καὶ συμπλακήσονται ἐν ταῖς πλατείαις· ἡ ὅρασις αὐτῶν ὡς λαμπάδες πυρὸς, καὶ ὡς ἀστραπαὶ διατρέχουσαι.