The majesty of God, his goodness to his people, and severity to his
enemies.
1:1. The burden of Ninive. The book of the vision of Nahum, the
Elcesite.
1:2. The Lord is a jealous God, and a revenger: the Lord is a revenger,
and hath wrath: the Lord taketh vengeance on his adversaries, and he is
angry with his enemies.
1:3. The Lord is patient, and great in power, and will not cleanse and
acquit the guilty. The Lord's ways are in a tempest, and a whirlwind,
and clouds are the dust of his feet.
1:4. He rebuketh the sea and drieth it up: and bringeth all the rivers
to be a desert. Basan languisheth and Carmel: and the flower of Libanus
fadeth away.
1:5. The mountains tremble at him, and the hills are made desolate: and
the earth hath quaked at his presence, and the world, and all that
dwell therein.
1:6. Who can stand before the face of his indignation? and who shall
resist in the fierceness of his anger? his indignation is poured out
like fire: and the rocks are melted by him.
1:7. The Lord is good, and giveth strength in the day of trouble: and
knoweth them that hope in him.
1:8. But with a flood that passeth by, he will make an utter end of the
place thereof: and darkness shall pursue his enemies.
Of the place thereof. . .Viz., of Ninive.
1:9. What do ye devise against the Lord? he will make an utter end:
there shall not rise a double affliction.
1:10. For as thorns embrace one another: so while they are feasting and
drinking together, they shall be consumed as stubble that is fully dry.
1:11. Out of thee shall come forth one that imagineth evil against the
Lord, contriving treachery in his mind.
Shall come forth one, etc. . .Some understand this of Sennacherib. But
as his attempt against the people seems to have been prior to the
prophecy of Nahum, we may better understand it of Holofernes.
1:12. Thus saith the Lord: Though they were perfect: and many of them
so, yet thus shall they be cut off, and he shall pass: I have afflicted
thee, and I will afflict thee no more.
Though they were perfect, etc. . .That is, however strong or numerous
their forces may be, they shall be cut off; and their prince or leader
shall pass away and disappear.
1:13. And now I will break in pieces his rod with which he struck thy
back, and I will burst thy bonds asunder.
1:14. And the Lord will give a commandment concerning thee, that no
more of thy name shall be sown: I will destroy the graven and molten
thing out of the house of thy God, I will make it thy grave, for thou
art disgraced.
Will give a commandment. . .That is, a decree, concerning thee, O king
of Ninive, thy seed shall fail, etc.
1:15. Behold upon the mountains the feet of him that bringeth good
tidings, and that preacheth peace: O Juda, keep thy festivals, and pay
thy vows: for Belial shall no more pass through thee again, he is
utterly cut off.
Belial. . .The wicked one, viz., the Assyrian.