{"id":160529,"date":"2025-11-11T13:42:52","date_gmt":"2025-11-11T11:42:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lifechangingtruth.org\/lctc\/?p=160529"},"modified":"2025-11-11T13:42:52","modified_gmt":"2025-11-11T11:42:52","slug":"bible-commentary-by-david-guzik-nahum","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lifechangingtruth.org\/lctc\/bible-commentary-by-david-guzik-nahum\/","title":{"rendered":"Bible Commentary by David Guzik \u2013 NAHUM"},"content":{"rendered":"

Nah 1:1<\/a>
\nIntroduction
\nThe oracle against Nineveh;1
\nthe book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite:2
\n(Guzik)
\nNah 1:1-15<\/a>
\nNAHUM 1 – COMING JUDGMENT ON NINEVEH
\nA. The character of the God who brings judgment.
\n1. (Nah_1:1) The burden of Nahum.
\nThe burden against Nineveh. The book of the vision of
\nNahum the Elkoshite.
\na. The burden: In the prophets, a burden is a \u201cheavy\u201d
\nmessage of weighty importance, heavy in the sense that it
\nproduces sorrow or grief.
\ni. \u201cMassa comes from the verb \u2018to lift up\u2019 ( nasa), and so it
\ncan mean \u2018to carry\u2019 or \u2018to lift up the voice.\u2019 From the first
\nmeaning comes the translation \u2018burden,\u2019 or \u2018load\u2019; and from
\nthe second meaning we get the translation \u2018oracle,\u2019 or
\n\u2018utterance.\u2019\u201c (Wolf, in his commentary on Isaiah)
\nGrammatically, we may be able to say \u201coracle,\u201d but since
\nthese are heavy oracles, we are justified in calling them
\nburdens.
\nii. \u201cMassa not only signifies a burden, but also a thing lifted
\nup, pronounced, or proclaimed; also a message. It is used by
\nthe prophets to signify the revelation which they have
\nreceived from God to deliver to any particular people.\u201d
\n(Clarke) b. Against Nineveh: The capital of the Assyrian
\nEmpire was Nineveh, the city that heard the preaching of
\nJonah a hundred years before and repented. Nahum will
\naddress a city that has slipped back into sin, and is again
\nripe for judgment.
\ni. Among other things, the Prophecy of Nahum shows us that
\nGod not only deals with individuals as individuals, He also
\ndeals with nations as nations. \u201cThis is the prophecy which
\nsets forth, more clearly than any other, the truth concerning
\nthe wrath of God, in its national application.\u201d (Morgan)
\nNations will be held to account by God.
\nii. Nineveh was an ancient, famous city. It was founded by
\nthe first world dictator, Nimrod (Gen_10:11) \u201cFrom Nineveh\u2019s
\nwalls, temples, palaces, inscriptions, and reliefs, mute yet
\nelaborate witness is given to a city that flourished up to its
\ndestruction in 612 B.C. Accordingly, the magnificent
\nbuildings, artistic designs, and water-supply projects of
\nNineveh have resulted in its being likened to ancient
\nVersailles.\u201d ( Major Cities of the Biblical World) c. The book
\nof the vision: This was more than a message
\ncommunicated to Nahum in words or phrases from God.
\nBecause this is a vision, in some way Nahum saw it. When
\nwe see the vivid, descriptive way Nahum writes we
\nunderstand that the book records what he saw in his
\nvision.
\ni. Isa_2:1 says: The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw
\nconcerning Judah and Jerusalem. Isaiah saw a word, and in
\nsome sense Nahum also did.
\nd. Nahum the Elkoshite: We don\u2019t know anything else
\nabout Nahum or the city of Elkosh. The name Nahum is an
\nabbreviated form of the name Nehemiah, which means
\n\u201cComfort of Yahweh.\u201d It may be that Elkosh was in the region
\nof Galilee, because the city of Capernaum (Mat_4:13,
\nMar_9:33, Joh_2:12) was named after Nahum ( Kephar-
\nNahum, \u201cCity of Nahum\u201d).
\ni. We don\u2019t know exactly when Nahum gave this prophecy.
\nHe mentions the destruction of the Egyptian city No Amon
\n(Thebes) in Nah_3:8 and Thebes fell to the Assyrians in 663
\nB.C., so Nahum must have been written after that. Nineveh
\nwas destroyed 50 years after No Amon (612 B.C.).
\nii. It is likely that Nahum was written during the height of
\nNineveh\u2019s power. \u201cIt was concerned with Nineveh, and was
\ndelivered almost certainly when she was at the height of her
\npower.\u201d (Morgan) 2. (Nah_1:2-8) The judgments of a merciful
\nGod.
\nGod is jealous, and the LORD avenges; the LORD avenges
\nand is furious. The LORD will take vengeance on His
\nadversaries, and He reserves wrath for His enemies; the
\nLORD is slow to anger and great in power, and will not at all
\nacquit the wicked. The LORD
\nhas His way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the
\nclouds are the dust of His feet. He rebukes the sea and
\nmakes it dry, and dries up all the rivers. Bashan and Carmel
\nwither, and the flower of Lebanon wilts. The mountains
\nquake before Him, the hills melt, and the earth heaves at His
\npresence, yes, the world and all who dwell in it. Who can
\nstand before His indignation? And who can endure the
\nfierceness of His anger? His fury is poured out like fire, and
\nthe rocks are thrown down by Him. The LORD is good, a
\nstronghold in the day of trouble; and He knows those who
\ntrust in Him. But with an overflowing flood He will make an
\nutter end of its place, and darkness will pursue His enemies.
\na. The LORD is slow to anger and great in power, and
\nwill not at all acquit the wicked: Nahum begins his
\nprophecy by considering the character of the God who
\nbrings judgment.
\n\u00b7
\nGod is jealous: How can it be said that God is jealous?
\n\u201cGod\u2019s jealousy is love in action. He refuses to share the
\nhuman heart with any rival, not because He is selfish and
\nwants us all for Himself, but because He knows that upon
\nthat loyalty to Him depends our very moral life . . . God is
\nnot jealous of us: He is jealous for us.\u201d (Redpath in Law and
\nLiberty) \u00b7
\nThe LORD will take vengeance on His adversaries:
\nMan needs to understand that he can\u2019t fight against God
\nand hope to prevail. Everyone who sets themselves against
\nGod will end up receiving His vengeance.
\n\u00b7
\nThe LORD is slow to anger: God is far more patient than
\nman. Though there is a time and place where He does
\ndisplay His anger, it doesn\u2019t come quickly or capriciously.
\n\u201cGod\u2019s sword of justice is in its scabbard: not rusted in it – it
\ncan be easily withdrawn – but held there by that hand that
\npresses it back into its sheath, crying, \u2018Sleep, O
\nsword, sleep; for I will have mercy upon sinners, and will
\nforgive their transgressions.\u2019\u201c (Spurgeon) \u00b7
\nAnd great in power: Knowing God\u2019s power should make us
\ntrust in His help (because He is able to help) and to fear His
\njudgment (knowing that He judges with power).
\n\u00b7
\nWill not at all acquit the wicked: God is not like an
\nunjust judge who simply lets the guilty go out of a false
\nsense of compassion. We can\u2019t just figure that God will say,
\n\u201cLet\u2019s let bygones be bygones\u201d when we get to heaven.
\nSin must be accounted for, because He will not acquit the
\nwicked. Every sin will be paid for – either in hell or at the
\ncross – but God will not acquit the wicked. \u201cNever once
\nhas he pardoned an unpunished sin; not in all the years of
\nthe Most High, not in all the days of his right hand, has he
\nonce blotted out sin without punishment.\u201d
\n(Spurgeon)
\n\u00b7
\nThe LORD has His way in the whirlwind and in the
\nstorm: God\u2019s power is so great that it controls the mightiest
\nforces known to man. A huge whirlwind or storm is nothing
\nto God, because He has His way in them.
\n\u00b7
\nHis fury is poured out like fire: When God is resisted
\nlong enough and rejected strongly enough, eventually His
\njudgment comes. He is slow to anger, but when it does
\ncome His fury is poured out like fire.
\nUnderstanding this should make man quick to repent and
\nwary of presuming on God\u2019s patience.
\n\u00b7
\nThe LORD is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble:
\nThose who love Him and trust Him see the goodness of God,
\nand find protection in His stronghold – which is the LORD
\nHimself. \u201cRemember that it is only a day; it is not a week,
\nnor a month, and God will not permit the devil to add an
\nextra hour to that day; it is a \u2018day of trouble.\u2019
\nThere is an end to all our griefs.\u201d (Spurgeon)
\n\u00b7
\nHe knows those who trust in Him: Not only does He
\nknow them in the sense of identification, but also in the
\nsense of relationship. Trust implies relationship, and God
\nknows those who trust in Him. \u201cOnce more, dear friends,
\nthis word \u2018know\u2019 here means loving communion . . . God
\nknows us; he knows our prayers and tears, he knows our
\nwishes, he knows that we are not what we want to be, but he
\nknows what we do desire to be. He knows our aspirations,
\nour sighs, our groans, our secret longings, our own
\nchastenings of spirit when we fail; he has entered into it all.
\nHe says, \u2018Yes, dear child, I know all about you; I have been
\nwith you when you thought you were alone. I have read
\nwhat you could not read, the secrets of your own heart that
\nyou could not decipher I have known them all, and I still
\nknow them.\u2019\u201c (Spurgeon) b. How important it is to know that
\nthe LORD is good!
\n\u00b7 God is good in His very being – it is His very nature to be
\ngood \u00b7 God is good independently – no one must help Him be
\ngood \u00b7 God is eternally and unchangeably good
\n\u00b7 God is good in each one of His Divine Persons
\n\u00b7 God is good in all His acts of grace
\n\u00b7 God is good in all His plans and purposes for our life
\nc. With an overflowing flood He will make an utter
\nend of its place: Taking into account the character of God,
\nthough His slow to anger and good, He cannot forever
\noverlook the sin and rebellion of the Assyrians. Their end in
\njudgment will come like an overflowing flood.
\ni. The overflowing flood was fulfilled both figuratively and
\nliterally. \u201cAccording to secular accounts, during the final
\nsiege of Nineveh by a rebel army of Persians, Medes,
\nArabians, and Babylonians, unusually heavy rains caused
\nthe rivers to flood and to undermine the city\u2019s walls, which
\nthen collapsed . . . the invading armies entered the city
\nthrough this breach in its defenses.\u201d (Boice) ii. The utter
\nend of its place was also literally fulfilled. \u201cNot only were
\nthese people lost from history, even the city was lost until it
\nwas discovered by archaeologists, beginning in the 1840\u2019s.\u201d
\n(Boice) iii. \u201cThe author is not expressing some personal
\nfeeling of vindication over some hurt by the oppressor, nor
\neven a nationalistic chauvinism that pagan nations must be
\npunished. Rather, Yahweh is applying his universal standard
\nagainst evil, no matter who is responsible.\u201d (Baker)
\nB. Nineveh destroyed, Judah delivered.
\n1. (Nah_1:9-11) The destruction of Nineveh.
\nWhat do you conspire against the LORD? He will make an
\nutter end of it. Affliction will not rise up a second time. For
\nwhile tangled like thorns, and while drunken like drunkards,
\nthey shall be devoured like stubble fully dried. From you
\ncomes forth one who plots evil against the LORD, a wicked
\ncounselor.
\na. He will make an utter end of it: Nineveh was ripe for a
\ndevastating judgment. This was not a harsh chastening; this
\nwas utter destruction to come upon the city. The promise
\n\u201cAffliction will not rise up a second time\u201d sounds
\nencouraging, until we realize that it will not rise up a
\nsecond time because the judgment will be so severe the
\nfirst time.
\nb. They shall be devoured like stubble fully dried: The
\ndry leftover stalks of grass are ready to be devoured by the
\nsmallest flame. This is how ripe Nineveh is for judgment, and
\nhow complete the fire of judgment will be when it comes.
\n2. (Nah_1:12-13) The deliverance of Zion.
\nThus says the LORD: \u201cThough they are safe, and likewise
\nmany, yet in this manner they will be cut down when he
\npasses through.
\nThough I have afflicted you, I will afflict you no more; for now
\nI will break off his yoke from you, and burst your bonds
\napart.\u201d
\na. Though they are safe: The enemies of Zion looked
\nmighty; they were safe and many. Yet they will be
\ndevastated by the judgment that the LORD promised.
\nb. Though I have afflicted you, I will afflict you no
\nmore: God\u2019s people looked weak and afflicted; yet God
\npromises that they will be strengthened and restored. The
\npower of their oppressors will be broken (I will break off
\nhis yoke from you).
\ni. Could not the believer today, who is trapped or oppressed
\nby sin, ask God to break the yoke of sin? It must be done
\nwith a complete willingness to walk in the freedom God
\ngives, but only God can break off the power of the things
\nthat bind us.
\n3. (Nah_1:14) The end of the wicked in Assyria.
\nThe LORD has given a command concerning you: \u201cYour
\nname shall be perpetuated no longer. Out of the house of
\nyour gods I will cut off the carved image and the molded
\nimage. I will dig your grave, for you are vile.\u201d
\na. Your name shall be perpetuated no longer: The city
\nof Nineveh was once instantly recognized as one of the great
\n\u201cpower cities\u201d of the world. God promises to bring this
\nwicked city so low that they lose their legacy and name
\namong the nations.
\nb. I will dig your grave, for you are vile: In this vivid –
\nalmost extreme – imagery, God warns Nineveh of its coming
\njudgment and destruction.
\n4. (Nah_1:15) Blessing in Judah.
\nBehold, on the mountains the feet of him who brings good
\ntidings, who proclaims peace! O Judah, keep your appointed
\nfeasts, perform your vows. For the wicked one shall no more
\npass through you; he is utterly cut off.
\na. Behold, on the mountains the feet of him who
\nbrings good tidings, who proclaims peace! The
\ncontrast between the fate of the godly and wicked is nothing
\nbut good news to Nahum and the people of God.
\ni. Isa_52:7 uses a similar expression, but Isaiah marvels at
\nthe beauty of the feet of him who brings good news.
\nNahum would certainly agree, because those who bring
\ngood tidings have beautiful feet; they partner with God for
\nthe salvation of men. The feet speak of activity, motion, and
\nprogress, and those who are active and moving in the work
\nof preaching the gospel have beautiful feet.
\nii. In Isaiah, the good news is the coming of the Messiah. In
\nNahum, the good news is the defeat of the enemies of God\u2019s
\npeople. Revelation 17<\/a>, 18 describe the fall of Babylon,
\nrepresenting the world system and all of its support
\nstructure. Rev_18:9-19 shows how the kings and merchants
\nof the earth mourned the fall of Babylon, but Rev_18:20
\nthrough 19:6 shows how heaven rejoiced over the fall of the
\nworld system. What was mourned on earth was applauded in
\nheaven, and the same principle applies in Nahum\u2019s
\nprophecy of Nineveh\u2019s fall.
\niii. \u201cRejoicing is not in this context gleeful gloating at the
\nmisfortune of others . . . Rather it is pleasure at the
\nvindication of God and his promises.\u201d (Baker) b. O Judah,
\nkeep your appointed feasts, perform your vows:
\nKnowing the grace and mercy of God to His people should
\nnot make the believer careless in obedience, it should make
\nthe believer more careful to obey every word of the LORD.
\nNah 1:2<\/a> God Takes Vengeance against His Enemies
\nThe LORD is a zealous3 and avenging4 God;
\nthe LORD is avenging and very angry.5
\nThe LORD takes vengeance6 against his foes;
\nhe sustains his rage7 against his enemies.
\nNah 1:3<\/a> The LORD is slow to anger8 but great in power;9
\nthe LORD will certainly not10 allow the wicked11 to go
\nunpunished.
\nThe Divine Warrior Destroys His Enemies but Protects
\nHis People
\nHe marches out12 in the whirlwind and the raging storm;
\ndark storm clouds billow like dust13 under his feet.14
\nNah 1:4<\/a> He shouts a battle cry15 against the sea16 and
\nmakes it dry up;17
\nhe makes all the rivers18 run dry.
\nBashan and Carmel wither;19
\nthe blossom of Lebanon withers.
\nNah 1:5<\/a> The mountains tremble before him,20
\nthe hills convulse;21
\nthe earth is laid waste22 before him,
\nthe world and all its inhabitants23 are laid waste.24
\nNah 1:6<\/a> No one can withstand25 his indignation!26
\nNo one can resist27 his fierce anger!28
\nHis wrath is poured out like volcanic fire,
\nboulders are broken up29 as he approaches.30
\nNah 1:7<\/a> The LORD is good31 \u2014
\nindeed,32 he is a fortress33 in time of distress,34
\nand he protects35 those who seek refuge36 in him.
\nNah 1:8<\/a> But with an overwhelming flood37
\nhe will make a complete end of Nineveh;38
\nhe will drive39 his enemies into darkness.
\nNah 1:9<\/a> Denunciation and Destruction of Nineveh
\nWhatever40 you plot41 against the LORD, he will
\ncompletely destroy!42
\nDistress43 will not arise44 a second time.
\nNah 1:10<\/a> Surely they will be totally consumed45
\nlike46 entangled thorn bushes,47
\nlike the drink of drunkards,48
\nlike very49 dry stubble.
\nNah 1:11<\/a> From you, O Nineveh,50 one has marched forth
\nwho plots evil against the LORD,
\na wicked military strategist.51
\nNah 1:12<\/a> Oracle of Deliverance to Judah
\nThis is what the LORD says:52
\n“Even though53 they are powerful54 \u2014
\nand what is more,55 even though their army is numerous56
\n\u2014
\nnevertheless,57 they will be destroyed58 and trickle
\naway!59
\nAlthough I afflicted you,
\nI will afflict you no more.60
\nNah 1:13<\/a> And now,61 I will break Assyria’s62 yoke bar63
\nfrom your neck;64
\nI will tear apart the shackles65 that are on you.”66
\nNah 1:14<\/a> Oracle of Judgment against the King of
\nNineveh
\nThe LORD has issued a decree against you:67
\n“Your dynasty will come to an end.68
\nI will destroy the idols and images in the temples of your
\ngods.
\nI will desecrate69 your grave \u2014 because you are
\naccursed!”70
\nNah 1:15<\/a> Proclamation of the Deliverance of Judah
\n(2:1)71 Look! A herald is running72 on the mountains!
\nA messenger is proclaiming deliverance:73
\n“Celebrate your sacred festivals, O Judah!
\nFulfill your sacred vows to praise God!74
\nFor never again75 will the wicked76 Assyrians77 invade78
\nyou,
\nthey79 have been completely destroyed.”80
\nNah 2:1<\/a> Proclamation of the Destruction of Nineveh
\n(2:2) The watchmen of Nineveh shout:1
\n“An enemy who will scatter you2 is marching out3 to attack
\nyou!”4
\n“Guard5 the rampart!6
\nWatch the road!
\nPrepare yourselves for battle!7
\nMuster your mighty strength!”8
\n(Guzik)
\nNah 2:1-13<\/a>
\nNAHUM 2 – NINEVEH CONQUERED
\n\u201cThis chapter is a masterpiece of ancient literature,
\nunsurpassed for its graphic portrayal of a military assault.\u201d
\n(James Montgomery Boice) A. The battle of Nineveh.
\n1. (Nah_2:1-2) A call to battle.
\nHe who scatters has come up before your face. Man the fort!
\nWatch the road! Strengthen your flanks! Fortify your power
\nmightily.
\nFor the LORD will restore the excellence of Jacob like the
\nexcellence of Israel, for the emptiers have emptied them out
\nand ruined their vine branches.
\na. He who scatters: In his vision (Nah_1:1), now the
\nprophet sees a mighty army coming against the city of
\nNineveh.
\nb. For the LORD will restore the excellence of Jacob:
\nIn this case, part of God\u2019s restoration for His people is
\nconnected to judgment and destruction on their enemies,
\nthose who have emptied them out and ruined their
\nvine branches. They now will face destruction from he
\nwho scatters.
\n2. (Nah_2:3-7) The battle decided
\nThe shields of his mighty men are made red, the valiant men
\nare in scarlet. The chariots come with flaming torches in the
\nday of his preparation, and the spears are brandished. The
\nchariots rage in the streets, they jostle one another in the
\nbroad roads; they seem like torches, they run like lightning.
\nHe remembers his nobles; they stumble in their walk; they
\nmake haste to her walls, and the defense is prepared. The
\ngates of the rivers are opened, and the palace is dissolved. It
\nis decreed: she shall be led away captive, she shall be
\nbrought up; and her maidservants shall lead her as with the
\nvoice of doves, beating their breasts.
\na. The chariots come with flaming torches: Nahum can
\nsee it all in his vision. The battle for Nineveh is fierce and
\nbloody, and though the defense is prepared they will be
\nconquered.
\ni. The chariots rage in the streets, they jostle one
\nanother in the broad roads; they seem like torches,
\nthey run like lightning: Chuck Smith notes that some
\nhave taken this – erroneously – as a prophecy of the
\nautomobile and traffic congestion.
\nb. She shall be led away captive: The prophet not only
\nsees the battle, he sees the outcome – Nineveh will fall
\nbefore this mighty army, and she will be humbled and led
\naway captive even as the Assyrians led other nations in
\ncaptivity.
\nB. Nineveh in defeat.
\n1. (Nah_2:8-12) Nineveh brought low and spoiled.
\nThough Nineveh of old was like a pool of water, now they
\nflee away. \u201cHalt! Halt!\u201d they cry; but no one turns back. Take
\nspoil of silver! Take spoil of gold! There is no end of treasure,
\nor wealth of every desirable prize. She is empty, desolate,
\nand waste! The heart melts, and the knees shake; much pain
\nis in every side, and all their faces are drained of color.
\nWhere is the dwelling of the lions, and the feeding place of
\nthe young lions, where the lion walked, the lioness and lion\u2019s
\ncub, and no one made them afraid?
\nThe lion tore in pieces enough for his cubs, killed for his
\nlionesses, filled his caves with prey, and his dens with flesh.
\na. Nineveh of old was like a pool of water: Nahum says
\nthe troops defending Nineveh are like a pool of water that
\ndrains away to no use. They are useless in defending the
\ncity.
\nb. Take spoil of silver! Take spoil of gold! \u201cAn
\nimpressive confirmation of this prophecy is that nothing of
\nall this gold and silver has been discovered in the ruins of
\nNineveh by archaeologists. Nineveh was indeed stripped
\nbare.\u201d (Boice) c. Where is the dwelling of the lions: The
\nlion was one of the national emblems of the Assyrian
\nEmpire, and they crushed and plundered other nations like
\nlions destroying prey. Now Nahum asks, \u201cWhere is the
\ndwelling of the lions?\u201d God has brought them low, who
\nonce were so mighty.
\n2. (Nah_2:13) The LORD vows to conquer Nineveh.
\n\u201cBehold, I am against you,\u201d says the LORD of hosts, \u201cI will
\nburn your chariots in smoke, and the sword shall devour
\nyour young lions; I will cut off your prey from the earth, and
\nthe voice of your messengers shall be heard no more.\u201d
\na. Behold, I am against you: What a terrible thing to hear
\nfrom God! The principle of Rom_8:31 is true for the believer:
\nIf God is for us, who can be against us? Accordingly, the
\nopposite is also true – if God is against you, then who can
\nbe for you?
\ni. Says the LORD of hosts: It is bad when God is against
\nyou; it is even worse when the LORD of hosts is against
\nyou. This title refers to God\u2019s place as Commander in Chief
\nover all the armies of heaven.
\nb. The voice of your messengers shall be heard no
\nmore: Nineveh enjoyed its status as a power-center of the
\nworld, and relished the fact that the voice of her
\nmessengers commanded attention in palaces all over the
\nworld. That day would come to an end under the judgment
\nof God.
\nNah 2:2<\/a> For the LORD will restore9 the majesty10 of Jacob,
\nas well as11 the majesty of Israel,
\nthough12 their enemies have plundered them13
\nand have destroyed their fields.14
\nNah 2:3<\/a> Prophetic Vision of the Fall of Nineveh
\nThe shields of his warriors are dyed red;15
\nthe mighty soldiers are dressed in scarlet garments.16
\nThe metal fittings17 of the chariots18 shine
\nlike19 fire20 on the day of battle;21
\nthe soldiers brandish22 their spears.23
\nNah 2:4<\/a> The chariots24 race madly25 through the streets,
\nthey rush back and forth26 in the broad plazas;
\nthey look27 like lightning bolts,28
\nthey dash here and there29 like flashes of lightning.30
\nNah 2:5<\/a> The commander31 orders32 his officers;
\nthey stumble33 as they advance;34
\nthey rush to the city wall35
\nand they set up36 the covered siege tower.37
\nNah 2:6<\/a> The sluice gates38 are opened;
\nthe royal palace is deluged39 and dissolves.40
\nNah 2:7<\/a> Nineveh41 is taken into exile42 and is led
\naway;43
\nher slave girls moan44 like doves45 while they beat46 their
\nbreasts.47
\nNah 2:8<\/a> Nineveh was like a pool48 of water49 throughout
\nher days,50
\nbut now51 her people52 are running away;53
\nshe cries out:54 “Stop! Stop!” \u2014
\nbut no one turns back.55
\nNah 2:9<\/a> Her conquerors cry out:56
\n“Plunder the silver! Plunder the gold!”
\nThere is no end to the treasure;
\nriches of every kind of precious thing.
\nNah 2:10<\/a> Destruction, devastation, and desolation!57
\nTheir hearts faint,58
\ntheir knees tremble,59
\neach stomach churns,60 each face61 turns62 pale!63
\nNah 2:11<\/a> Taunt against the Once-Mighty Lion
\nWhere now is the den of the lions,64
\nthe feeding place65 of the young lions,
\nwhere66 the lion, lioness,67 and lion cub once prowled68
\nand no one disturbed them?69
\nNah 2:12<\/a> The lion tore apart as much prey as his cubs
\nneeded70
\nand strangled prey to provide food71 for his lionesses;
\nhe filled72 his lairs with prey
\nand his dens with torn flesh.
\nNah 2:13<\/a> Battle Cry of the Divine Warrior
\n“I am against you!” declares73 the LORD who commands
\narmies:74
\n“I will burn your chariots75 with fire;76
\nthe sword will devour your young lions;77
\nyou will no longer prey upon the land;78
\nthe voices of your messengers79 will no longer be heard.”
\nNah 3:1<\/a> Reason for Judgment: Sins of Nineveh
\nWoe to the city guilty of bloodshed!1
\nShe is full of lies;2
\nshe is filled with plunder;3
\nshe has hoarded her spoil!4
\n(Guzik)
\nNah 3:1-19<\/a>
\nNAHUM 3 – NINEVEH, THE WICKED CITY
\nA. The sin within Nineveh.
\n1. (Nah_3:1-4) The violence and immorality in Nineveh.
\nWoe to the bloody city! It is all full of lies and robbery. Its
\nvictim never departs. The noise of a whip and the noise of
\nrattling wheels, of galloping horses, of clattering chariots!
\nHorsemen charge with bright sword and glittering spear.
\nThere is a multitude of slain, a great number of bodies,
\ncountless corpses; they stumble over the corpses; because
\nof the multitude of harlotries of the seductive harlot, the
\nmistress of sorceries, who sells nations through her
\nharlotries, and families through her sorceries.
\na. Woe to the bloody city! In his prophetic vision, Nahum
\ntakes a tour of the city of Nineveh and observes how ripe it
\nis for judgment. He sees it is a busy city, full of the noise of
\na whip and the noise of rattling wheels, of galloping
\nhorses, of clattering chariots. Yet it is busy with
\nviolence, deception, and idolatry.
\ni. Not only where the rulers of Assyria terribly cruel, they
\nboasted of the cruelty on monuments that exist in museums
\nto this day. Boice quotes some of the choice boasts from
\nvarious monuments: \u00b7 \u201cI cut off their heads and formed them
\ninto pillars\u201d
\n\u00b7 \u201cBubo, son of Buba, I flayed in the city of Arbela and I
\nspread his skin upon the city wall\u201d
\n\u00b7 \u201cI flayed all the chief men who had revolted, and I covered
\nthe pillar with their skins\u201d
\n\u00b7 \u201cMany within the border of my own land I flayed, and
\nspread their skins upon the walls\u201d
\n\u00b7 \u201cI cut off the limbs of the officers, the royal officers who had
\nrebelled\u201d
\n\u00b7 \u201c3,000 captives I burned with fire\u201d
\n\u00b7 \u201cTheir corpses I formed into pillars\u201d
\n\u00b7 \u201cFrom son I cut off their hands and their fingers, and from
\nother I cut off their noses, their ears, and their fingers, of
\nmany I put out their eyes\u201d
\n\u00b7 \u201cI made one pillar of the living, and another of heads, I
\nbound their heads to posts round about the city\u201d
\nb. Who sells the nations through her harlotries: It was
\nbad enough that Nineveh indulged in this sin for herself; it
\nwas worse that she led the nations into violence, deception,
\nand idolatry. For this, the judgment of God was coming.
\ni. \u201cThousands of tablets uncovered in the Mesopotamian
\nvalley show abysmal superstition. Hundreds of sorcery
\nincantations have been brought to light.\u201d (Maier, cited in
\nBoice)
\n2. (Nah_3:5-7) The wicked city is humbled.
\n\u201cBehold, I am against you,\u201d says the LORD of hosts; \u201cI will lift
\nyour skirts over your face, I will show the nations your
\nnakedness, and the kingdoms your shame. I will cast
\nabominable filth upon you, make you vile, and make you a
\nspectacle. It shall come to pass that all who look upon you
\nwill flee from you, and say, \u2018Nineveh is laid waste! Who will
\nbemoan her?\u2019 Where shall I seek comforters for you?\u201d
\na. I am against you: Nahum repeats this phrase, first
\nmentioned in Nah_2:13. In the first mention, the emphasis
\nwas on the military defeat of Nineveh. Now, the emphasis is
\non the humbling of city.
\ni. This reminds us the principle of 1Pe_5:5 : Be clothed with
\nhumility, for \u201cGod resists the proud, but gives grace to the
\nhumble.\u201d Nineveh walked in pride, and as a result had the
\nLORD against them. How much better to be humble and
\nreceive the grace of God!
\nb. I will cast abominable filth upon you, make you
\nvile, and make you a spectacle: The strength of the word
\nof the LORD almost surprises us here. He will take the idols
\nof Nineveh (abominable filth, the Hebrew word shiqquts
\noften translated \u201cabomination\u201d) and throw them back in
\ntheir face.
\nc. Make you vile: The idea behind the Hebrew word for vile
\n( nabel) is that something is made weak, foolish, and
\ncontemptible. Nineveh walked high in their pride, but will
\ncertainly be brought low – with no one to comfort them
\n(Where shall I seek comforters for you? ).
\ni. Again, this was literally fulfilled The ancient Greek
\nhistorian Diodorus Siculus wrote of the destruction of
\nNineveh: \u201cSo great was the multitude of the slain that the
\nflowing stream, mingled with their blood, changed its color
\nfor a considerable distance . . . They plundered the spoil of
\nthe city, a quantity beyond counting.\u201d (Boice) ii. Adam
\nClarke, writing before the discovery of the ruins in Nineveh
\nin 1840, quotes an author commenting on the
\ndisappearance of the city: \u201cWhat probability was there that
\nthe capital city of a great kingdom, a city which was sixty
\nmiles in compass, a city which contained so many thousand
\ninhabitants, a city which had walls a hundred feet high . . .
\nAnd yet so totally was it destroyed that the place is hardly
\nknown where it was situated . . . Great as it was formerly, so
\nlittle of it is remaining, that authors are not agreed even
\nabout its situation.\u201d
\nB. Nineveh is ripe for judgment.
\n1. (Nah_3:8-11) Because of the way God judged other cities,
\nNineveh is ripe.
\nAre you better than No Amon that was situated by the River,
\nthat had the waters around her, whose rampart was the sea,
\nwhose wall was the sea? Ethiopia and Egypt were her
\nstrength, and it was boundless; Put and Lubim were your
\nhelpers. Yet she was carried away, she went into captivity;
\nher young children also were dashed to pieces at the head of
\nevery street; they cast lots for her honorable men, and all
\nher great men were bound in chains. You also will be drunk;
\nyou will be hidden; you also will seek refuge from the enemy.
\na. Are you better than No Amon: No Amon is the
\nHebrew name for the Egyptian city of Thebes. Thebes was
\nanother wealthy, mighty city that was destroyed completely.
\nThe Assyrians in Nineveh knew this well, because it was
\ntheir armies that destroyed Thebes. Nahum says,
\n\u201cRemember what you did to No Amon? The same is coming
\non you.\u201d
\nb. You also: We are like the Ninevites. We see empires and
\nnations judged in our own day and in history, just like the
\nAssyrians saw Thebes destroyed. Yet we, like the Ninevites,
\nsomehow think that we will be spared, despite our sinful
\narrogance and rebellion.
\n2. (Nah_3:12-15) Because of her own weakness, Nineveh is
\nripe.
\nAll your strongholds are fig trees with ripened figs: If they
\nare shaken, they fall into the mouth of the eater. Surely, your
\npeople in your midst are women! The gates of your land are
\nwide open for your enemies; fire shall devour the bars of
\nyour gates. Draw your water for the siege! Fortify your
\nstrongholds! Go into the clay and tread the mortar! Make
\nstrong the brick kiln! There the fire will devour you, the
\nsword will cut you off; it will eat you up like a locust. Make
\nyourself many; like the locust! Make yourself many; like the
\nswarming locusts!
\na. Your strongholds are fig trees with ripened figs: As
\neasily as ripe fruit falls from a shaken tree, so will the
\nstrongholds of Nineveh fall before the judgment of God.
\nWe often have our strongholds of sin and pride that we put
\ngreat confidence in, but they are ready to be shaken and fall
\nto the ground.
\nb. Fire shall devour the bars of your gates:
\nArchaeologists document the burning of Nineveh. \u201cThe
\nexcavators of Nineveh have remarked on the large deposits
\nof ash, which are evidence of a gigantic conflagration.\u201d
\n(Boice) c. Draw your water for the siege: Nahum
\npractically mocks the people of Nineveh, cheering them on
\nto do the best they can in light of the coming judgment.
\nThey can prepare as many provisions and people they
\nplease, but it will all come to nothing against the judgment
\nof God.
\n3. (Nah_3:16-19) Because her leaders are weak, Nineveh is
\nripe.
\nYou have multiplied your merchants more than the stars of
\nheaven. The locust plunders and flies away. Your
\ncommanders are like swarming locusts, and your generals
\nlike great grasshoppers, which camp in the hedges on a cold
\nday; when the sun rises they flee away, and the place where
\nthey are is not known. Your shepherds slumber, O king of
\nAssyria; your nobles rest in the dust. Your people are
\nscattered on the mountains, and no one gathers them. Your
\ninjury has no healing, your wound is severe. All who hear
\nnews of you will clap their hands over you, for upon whom
\nhas not your wickedness passed continually?
\na. Merchants . . . commanders . . . generals . . .
\nshepherds . . . nobles: Each of these classes of leaders
\nwere numerous in Nineveh, but they all would be ineffective
\nand come to nothing in the day of judgment. Despite their
\nnumbers, still your people are scattered on the
\nmountains, and no one gathers them. The sinful and
\nrebellious leadership of Nineveh will be powerless against
\nthe judgment of God.
\nb. All who hear news of you will clap their hands over
\nyou: Nahum ends his prophecy with a view of the righteous
\nand their triumph over the unrighteous. This is something
\nthat the people of God need to be often reminded of,
\nbecause it often goes against present appearances.
\ni. Because Nineveh was so known – even renowned – for its
\nviolence and cruelty, no wonder Nahum sees the nations
\napplauding when the city is judged and destroyed.
\nii. In Psalms 73<\/a>, Asaph dealt with this same problem. It
\nseemed to him that the wicked constantly prospered and
\nlived at ease. It troubled him so much that he doubted his
\nown walk with God, Until I went into the sanctuary of God;
\nthen I understood their end. Surely You set them in slippery
\nplaces; You cast them down to destruction. Oh, how they are
\nbrought to desolation, as in a moment! they are utterly
\nconsumed with terrors. (Psa_73:17-19) iii. For Nahum,
\nAsaph, and for us today, we take comfort in knowing that
\nthe judgments of the LORD are faithful and true. We don\u2019t
\nneed to envy the unrighteous or seek vengeance against
\nthem ourselves. Nahum and Asaph each show us that God is
\nmore than able to take care of them and us, each according
\nto His promise.
\nNah 3:2<\/a> Portrayal of the Destruction of Nineveh
\nThe chariot drivers will crack their whips;5
\nthe chariot wheels will shake the ground;6
\nthe chariot horses7 will gallop;8
\nthe war chariots9 will bolt forward!10
\nNah 3:3<\/a> The charioteers11 will charge ahead;12
\ntheir swords13 will flash14
\nand their spears15 will glimmer!16
\nThere will be many people slain;17
\nthere will be piles of the dead,
\nand countless casualties18 \u2014
\nso many that people19 will stumble over the corpses.
\nNah 3:4<\/a> Taunt against the Harlot City
\n“Because20 you have acted like a wanton prostitute21 \u2014
\na seductive mistress who practices sorcery,22
\nwho23 enslaves24 nations by her harlotry,25
\nand entices peoples by her sorcery26 \u2014
\nNah 3:5<\/a> I am against you,” declares the LORD who
\ncommands armies.27
\n“I will strip off your clothes!28
\nI will show your nakedness to the nations
\nand your shame to the kingdoms;
\nNah 3:6<\/a> I will pelt you with filth;29
\nI will treat you with contempt;
\nI will make you a public spectacle.
\nNah 3:7<\/a> Everyone who sees you will turn away from you in
\ndisgust;
\nthey will say, ‘Nineveh has been devastated!
\nWho will lament for her?’
\nThere will be no one to comfort you!”30
\nNah 3:8<\/a> Nineveh Will Suffer the Same Fate as Thebes
\nYou are no more secure31 than Thebes32 \u2014
\nshe was located on the banks of the Nile;
\nthe waters surrounded her,
\nher33 rampart34 was the sea,
\nthe water35 was her wall.
\nNah 3:9<\/a> Cush36 and Egypt had limitless strength;37
\nPut and the Libyans38 were among39 her40 allies.41
\nNah 3:10<\/a> Yet she went into captivity as an exile;42
\neven her infants were smashed to pieces43 at the head of
\nevery street.
\nThey cast lots44 for her nobility;45
\nall her dignitaries were bound with chains.
\nNah 3:11<\/a> You too will act like drunkards;46
\nyou will go into hiding;47
\nyou too will seek refuge from the enemy.
\nNah 3:12<\/a> The Assyrian Defenses Will Fail
\nAll your fortifications will be like fig trees48 with first-ripe
\nfruit:49
\nIf they are shaken,50 their figs51 will fall52 into the mouth
\nof the eater!53
\nNah 3:13<\/a> Your warriors will be like women in your midst;
\nthe gates of your land will be wide open54 to your enemies;
\nfire will consume55 the bars of your gates.56
\nNah 3:14<\/a> Draw yourselves water for a siege!57
\nStrengthen your fortifications!
\nTrample the mud58 and tread the clay!
\nMake mud bricks to strengthen your walls!59
\nNah 3:15<\/a> There the fire will consume60 you;
\nthe sword will cut you down;
\nit will devour61 you like the young locust would.
\nThe Assyrian Defenders Will Flee
\nMultiply yourself62 like the young locust;
\nmultiply yourself like the flying locust!
\nNah 3:16<\/a> Increase63 your merchants more than the stars
\nof heaven!
\nThey are like64 the young locust which sheds65 its skin and
\nflies away.
\nNah 3:17<\/a> Your courtiers66 are like locusts,
\nyour officials67 are like a swarm of locusts!
\nThey encamp in the walls on a cold day,
\nyet when the sun rises, they68 fly away;69
\nand no one knows where they70 are.71
\nNah 3:18<\/a> Concluding Dirge
\nYour shepherds72 are sleeping, O king of Assyria!
\nYour officers73 are slumbering!74
\nYour people are scattered like sheep75 on the mountains
\nand there is no one to regather them!
\nNah 3:19<\/a> Your destruction is like an incurable wound;76
\nyour demise is like a fatal injury!77
\nAll who hear what has happened to you78 will clap their
\nhands for joy,79
\nfor no one ever escaped your endless cruelty!80<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Nah 1:1 Introduction The oracle against Nineveh;1 the book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite:2 (Guzik) Nah 1:1-15 NAHUM 1 – COMING JUDGMENT ON…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1245,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-160529","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lifechangingtruth.org\/lctc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/160529","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lifechangingtruth.org\/lctc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lifechangingtruth.org\/lctc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lifechangingtruth.org\/lctc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1245"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lifechangingtruth.org\/lctc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=160529"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/lifechangingtruth.org\/lctc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/160529\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":160531,"href":"https:\/\/lifechangingtruth.org\/lctc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/160529\/revisions\/160531"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lifechangingtruth.org\/lctc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=160529"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lifechangingtruth.org\/lctc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=160529"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lifechangingtruth.org\/lctc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=160529"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}