Translations
Modern
Are you better than Thebes, stationed by the Nile with water around her, whose rampart was the sea, whose wall was the water?
Traditional
Art thou better than populous No, that was situate among the rivers, that had the waters round about it, whose rampart was the sea, and her wall was from the sea?
Literal
Are you better than Thebes, the city setting by the River, with the waters around her, whose rampart was the sea, and the sea her wall?
Latin
Numquid melior es Alexandria populorum, quæ habitat in fluminibus? aquæ in circuitu ejus; cujus divitiæ, mare; aquæ, muri ejus.
Original
Hebrew
English
Are you better than Thebes, stationed by the Nile with water around her, whose rampart was the sea, whose wall was the water?
Notes
Thebes was a historic capital of Egypt. The city stood on both sides of the Nile River in Upper Egypt.
Thebes became most famous during Egypt’s New Kingdom period, from 1550 to 1069 BC. During this time, it served as the main political, religious, and cultural center of the nation.
By the 600s BC, Thebes was no longer Egypt’s capital. Even so, it remained a large and active city.
Theme notes and profiles
Events
- Prophecies of Nahumc. 663 BC
People
Amon: Egyptian god; city in Nahum, probably Thebes
Places
Nile: The major river of Egypt, mentioned in various contexts Thebes: Ancient Egyptian city, known for its wealth and power
Glossary
Topics
Cities: Densely Inhabited No: A City on the Nile River The Sea: Commercial Nations: Often Built Cities on the Borders of