Nahum 1

Notes

Ver. 2, 3. From a zealous regard to what is right and just, God will not always suffer the wicked to escape his terrible judgments. However long he forbear, he will at last display his infinite power and tremendous equity in the punishment of the wicked, by sudden, perplexing, and unavoidable calamities. 4-6. At his pleasure he divides and dries up seas and rivers, blasts fruitful fields and forests into barrenness, shakes and overturns the mountains by earthquakes, and, by droughts or lightnings, burns up the earth and its inhabitants. What persons, cities, or kingdoms, can then stand before the power of his wrath? It is sufficient to destroy the most hardened and obstinate sinners or the best fortified cities. 7, 8. But in infinite kindness he will protect and provide for his people who trust in him; though with overwhelming, confounding, and desolating judgments, he will destroy the wicked, and will render the very place of Nineveh utterly unknown. 9, 10. In vain do you Assyrians plot and combine to defeat his purposes. While ye are assembled in mighty armies, fortified by powerful leagues, and drunk with pride and carnal security, he will at once and for ever irrevocably destroy your empire and city. 11-14. Sennacherib and his generals now plot and threaten destruction to my people, city, and temple; but his victorious army, now fearless of danger and great in numbers, shall be suddenly destroyed, and his family and idols quickly ruined; yea, the whole Assyrian empire shall be reduced, and the people perish on account of their wickedness, and be buried before Jerusalem, or in the rubbish of their own cities. 12, 13, 15. No more shall the Assyrians afflict you, O ye Jews! no more shall they tyrannically oppress you; for I will utterly destroy them, that ye may be invited, and have free access to observe your solemn festivals, as a presage of gospel solemnities.

Ver. 2. Jealous lest his children transfer their affection to the world, their worship to idols, their service to sin, and so bring ruin upon themselves.—Revengeth—not in passion, but in retributive justice; without which he could not be a moral governor. C.

Ver. 5. His presence. This 'presence' does not refer to the omnipresence of God, but to that local presence and manifestation in which he will judge the world. And this 'burning' refers to the same period in which 'the elements shall melt with fervent heat,' and 'the earth also, and the works that are therein, shall be burnt up.' C.

Ver. 7. The Lord is good. The prophet here returns to contemplate the character of God as a moral governor and ever-faithful friend. C.

Ver. 8. Overrunning flood. Supposed by some to be an allusion to the manner in which Nineveh was destroyed. Diodorus Siculus relates that the Euphrates, in a great flood, having swept away a large space of the wall, the king, rendered hopeless and desperate, burned himself, his palace, and all his treasures.—Place thereof. Of Nineveh, whose burden he delivers. C.

Ver. 11. One—most probably Rabshakeh or Sennacherib, 2 Ki. 18. 17; 19. 8-23.—Out of thee—out of Nineveh. C.

Reflections.—It is terrible to have God as our enemy, but infinitely happy to have him as our friend. Great and daring provocations of him, and injuries done to his people, will certainly issue in men's great and irresistible destruction; yea, nothing more plainly presages their ruin than carnal security and self-confidence; and their plots against him but hasten it upon themselves and families. Men's pride always lays them low, and shameful sins bring on shameful punishments; but God's people shall be delivered from all their oppressors at last. And in this, but chiefly in the other world, they shall have blessed opportunities of celebrating the praises and performing the solemn services of Jehovah their gracious deliverer. And great is the mercy to a land when gospel ordinances have free course and are glorified.