In Nahum 3:15–17 Nahum uses the imagery of swarms of locusts in different ways. Swarms of locusts are often used in Scripture to describe a powerful army overrunning its enemy. At first, Nahum uses the image to describe how Babylon will overrun Nineveh. They will devour Nineveh the way a swarm of locusts eats everything in its path.
15 There will the fire devour you; the sword will cut you off. It will devour you like the locust. Multiply yourselves like the locust; multiply like the grasshopper!