Contradiction with Proverbs 30:25
Proverbs 30:25 describes ants as a people not strong, yet they prepare their food in the summer, showing industriousness and preparedness, in contrast to the locusts in Nahum 3:17 described as leaving when the sun arises, implying lack of permanence and foresight.
Proverbs 30:25: The ants [are] a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer;
Contradiction with Joel 2:25
Joel 2:25 presents locusts as God's army that He sent among the people, serving His purposes, whereas in Nahum 3:17, they are seen as a fleeting symbol of collapse, suggesting lack of divine purpose.
Joel 2:25: And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpiller, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you.
Contradiction with Proverbs 6:6-8
Proverbs 6:6-8 advises looking to the ant for wisdom in storing provisions for the future, contrasting with the transient locusts of Nahum 3:17 who do not seem to prepare or stay.
Proverbs 6:6-8: Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise:
Contradiction with Exodus 10:4-6
Exodus 10:4-6 depicts locusts as a devastating force sent as a plague by God, implying strength and power, while Nahum 3:17 portrays them as dispersing quickly and ineffectual when faced with sunlight.
Exodus 10:4-6: Else, if thou refuse to let my people go, behold, to morrow will I bring the locusts into thy coast:
Contradiction with Amos 7:1
In Amos 7:1, locusts are created by God as a part of judgment, indicating purpose and order, whereas Nahum 3:17 illustrates them as leaderless and temporary.
Amos 7:1: Thus hath the Lord GOD shewed unto me; and, behold, he formed grasshoppers in the beginning of the shooting up of the latter growth; and, lo, [it was] the latter growth after the king's mowings. [grasshoppers: or, green worms]
Paradox #1
Nahum 3:17, like many verses in prophetic books, uses vivid imagery to describe the downfall of a city, in this case, Nineveh. A potential contradiction or inconsistency could lie in the portrayal of the event's immediacy or totality, which might not align perfectly with historical records or archaeological findings about Nineveh's actual fall. However, this can also be understood as symbolic language common in prophetic literature, not strictly a historical account. Thus, apparent contradictions might stem from different interpretations of ancient texts rather than outright historical conflict.