HolyStudy
Bible IndexRead BibleNotesChurchesMissionPrivacyTermsContact
© 2026 HolyStudy
HomeRead BibleBible NotesChurchesSign in
HolyStudy
HomeRead BibleBible NotesChurches
Sign in

Nahum 1

1

The burden of Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite.

2
2

God is jealous, and the Lord revengeth; the Lord revengeth, and is furious; the Lord will take vengeance on his adversaries, and he reserveth wrath for his enemies.

1
3

The Lord is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked: the Lord hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet.

2
4

He rebuketh the sea, and maketh it dry, and drieth up all the rivers: Bashan languisheth, and Carmel, and the flower of Lebanon languisheth.

4
5

The mountains quake at him, and the hills melt, and the earth is burned at his presence, yea, the world, and all that dwell therein.

1
2
6

Who can stand before his indignation? and who can abide in the fierceness of his anger? his fury is poured out like fire, and the rocks are thrown down by him.

1
7

The Lord is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him.

3
8

But with an overrunning flood he will make an utter end of the place thereof, and darkness shall pursue his enemies.

1
9

What do ye imagine against the Lord? he will make an utter end: affliction shall not rise up the second time.

10

For while they be folden together as thorns, and while they are drunken as drunkards, they shall be devoured as stubble fully dry.

11

There is one come out of thee, that imagineth evil against the Lord, a wicked counsellor.

2
12

Thus saith the Lord; Though they be quiet, and likewise many, yet thus shall they be cut down, when he shall pass through. Though I have afflicted thee, I will afflict thee no more.

1
13

For now will I break his yoke from off thee, and will burst thy bonds in sunder.

2
14

And the Lord hath given a commandment concerning thee, that no more of thy name be sown: out of the house of thy gods will I cut off the graven image and the molten image: I will make thy grave; for thou art vile.

1
15

Behold upon the mountains the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace! O Judah, keep thy solemn feasts, perform thy vows: for the wicked shall no more pass through thee; he is utterly cut off.

1
← Previous ChapterNext Chapter →

Nahum 1

Nahum opens with a proclamation that the Lord is a jealous God who avenges Himself against His adversaries and maintains wrath against His enemies, establishing that divine retribution against Nineveh is not arbitrary cruelty but righteous judgment rooted in God's holiness. The prophet employs majestic theophanic imagery—the Lord riding upon storm clouds, mountains quaking, and the earth trembling—to convey the irresistible power of God moving against the Assyrian empire. Yet Nahum also emphasizes that the Lord's patience is profound and His power great; He is slow to anger even toward those who persistently rebel and afflict His covenant people. The chapter pivots from cosmic judgment to direct address of Judah, assuring the beleaguered southern kingdom that the yoke of Assyrian oppression shall be broken and their bonds cast off, promising that good news of deliverance will soon come upon the mountains. Nahum establishes that the fall of Nineveh, though executed by human armies, is ultimately the Lord's judgment upon a city that has rejected His sovereignty and exploited the nations through violence and rapine. The chapter's theological significance lies in demonstrating that empires rise and fall according to divine purpose, not human destiny, and that those who afflict God's people will ultimately face His wrath. In redemptive history, Nahum's prophecy of Nineveh's destruction provides confidence that even the mightiest earthly powers cannot forever resist the Lord's purposes of judgment and deliverance.

Nahum 1:15

Behold, upon the mountains the feet of him who brings good tidings, who proclaims peace—a messianic announcement assuring Judah that deliverance is at hand and a herald of good news approaches. This verse, while addressing the historical deliverance from Assyria, carries typological resonance pointing to the ultimate herald of peace in the gospel. It calls Judah to observe the feast and vow vows, responding to salvation with covenant faithfulness and thanksgiving.

Nahum 1:13

Now I will break Assyria's yoke from your neck and burst your bonds asunder—a dramatic promise of liberation employing the imagery of slavery and captivity. God pledges to sever the political and economic chains binding Judah to Assyrian vassalage, restoring independence and dignity to His covenant people. This deliverance prefigures the greater liberation to come through the Messiah.

Nahum 1:14

The LORD has commanded concerning Nineveh: no more of your name shall be sown; I will cut off the carved image and the cast image; I will make your grave, for you are vile—a pronouncement of utter annihilation including desecration of idols. This verse assures complete erasure: not only military defeat but cultural and religious obliteration, including destruction of the false gods Nineveh served. The vow to make Nineveh's grave emphasizes finality and the reversal of all that the city represented.

Nahum 1:1

The burden (oracle) of Nineveh revealed to the prophet Nahum establishes the prophetic vision against Assyria's capital, the city that had threatened God's people for generations. This superscription anchors the entire prophecy in divine revelation, signaling that what follows is not human conjecture but the word of the LORD pronounced with absolute authority. The 'burden' designates a grave pronouncement of judgment, setting the theological tone for Nineveh's inevitable destruction.

Nahum 1:2

The LORD is revealed as a God of jealousy and vengeance, whose wrath burns against those who oppose Him and His people. This verse establishes the retributive justice underlying the prophecy: God does not passively tolerate rebellion but actively avenges injustice and defends His covenant people. The parallel structure emphasizing both jealousy and vengeance underscores that God's character integrates passionate covenant love with righteous judgment.

Nahum 1:3

Though 'slow to anger and great in power,' the LORD will not acquit the wicked—a profound theological statement balancing God's patience with His ultimate justice. This verse invokes the covenant formula (Exodus 34:6) while darkly reversing its conclusion: God's slowness to anger is not weakness but mercy extended until the cup of iniquity overflows. The declaration that He will not acquit (leave unpunished) means Nineveh's long-practiced evil finally exhausts divine forbearance.

Nahum 1:4

The LORD's majestic power over creation—rebuking the sea, drying up rivers, withering Bashan and Carmel, and causing Lebanon to wither—demonstrates divine sovereignty over nature itself as prelude to His sovereignty over nations. The natural world trembles before His presence, establishing that the coming judgment on Nineveh flows from the same power that sustains creation. This cosmic imagery elevates the prophecy beyond mere political commentary to eschatological significance.

Nahum 1:5

Mountains quake and hills melt before the LORD's face; the earth heaves at His presence, and the world and all inhabitants tremble at His coming. This verse employs theophanic language (divine manifestation) common to psalms and prophetic visions, suggesting that Nineveh's fall will be attended by cosmic upheaval reflecting God's active presence in judgment. The trembling creation symbolizes that no earthly power can withstand the God of hosts.

Nahum 1:6

The rhetorical question 'Who can stand before His anger? Who can endure the heat of His wrath?' emphasizes the irresistible nature of divine judgment and the helplessness of those opposed to God. Nineveh, despite its military might and boasted fortifications, stands defenseless before the wrath of the Almighty. This verse invokes the theme of human futility in the face of divine judgment, drawing the reader toward the conclusion that Nineveh's fall is both inevitable and deserved.

Nahum 1:7

The LORD is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble, and He knows (cares for, protects) those who take refuge in Him—a stunning pivot from judgment to mercy. This verse reveals that while God's vengeance falls on the wicked, His goodness shelters the righteous, establishing the dual theme of the prophecy: Nineveh's destruction serves to vindicate God's protection of His covenant people. The 'stronghold' becomes both metaphorical refuge and practical promise for Judah.

Nahum 1:8

With an overflowing flood, the LORD will make a full end of Nineveh's place; darkness pursues His enemies, suggesting that divine judgment is not merely destructive but absolute and final. The flood imagery recalls the deluge of judgment and parallels the waters that destroyed the Egyptian army, connecting Nineveh's fate to the pattern of God's salvation-through-judgment throughout redemptive history. The relentless pursuit into darkness conveys the totality of judgment.

Nahum 1:9

What do those plotting against the LORD imagine they can accomplish? He will make a complete end; trouble will not rise a second time, assuring Judah that Nineveh's threat, once removed, will not resurface. This verse challenges the false confidence of those who dare scheme against God, exposing their counsel as futile and their city as doomed to permanent destruction. The promise of finality provides eschatological assurance that evil's greatest human instrument will be utterly eradicated.

Nahum 1:10

Though Nineveh be thorny and drunken, they will be consumed like dry stubble—the vivid imagery of the wicked as useless vegetation emphasizes Nineveh's liability to judgment despite appearances of strength. The thorns suggest pain and trouble inflicted by Nineveh; the drunkenness implies moral stupor and delusion about coming judgment. Both images render Nineveh combustible, ready for the fire of divine wrath.

Nahum 1:11

From Nineveh has come forth one who plots evil against the LORD, counseling wickedness—likely referencing the Assyrian king's rebellion against God and His people. This verse personalizes the judgment: Nineveh's leadership actively conspires against the Almighty, and such cosmic treason cannot go unpunished. The historical dimension (Assyrian threats to Judah) merges with the theological reality that opposition to God's purposes invites inevitable retribution.

Nahum 1:12

Though they are full and many, they shall be cut down and pass away; though I have afflicted you, I will afflict you no more, promising deliverance to Judah from Assyrian oppression. This verse shifts address to Judah, offering reassurance that God's judgment on Nineveh means an end to Judah's suffering under Assyrian domination. The promise reflects the covenant mercies: judgment on the oppressor translates to relief for the oppressed people of God.