A REFUGE AND AN OVERWHELMING FLOOD
Key verse: 7,8a
NIV
1 A prophecy(A) concerning Nineveh.(B) The book of the vision(C) of Nahum the Elkoshite.
The Lord’s Anger Against Nineveh
2 The Lord is a jealous(D) and avenging God;
the Lord takes vengeance(E) and is filled with wrath.
The Lord takes vengeance on his foes
and vents his wrath against his enemies.(F)
3 The Lord is slow to anger(G) but great in power;
the Lord will not leave the guilty unpunished.(H)
His way is in the whirlwind(I) and the storm,(J)
and clouds(K) are the dust of his feet.
4 He rebukes(L) the sea and dries it up;(M)
he makes all the rivers run dry.
Bashan and Carmel(N) wither
and the blossoms of Lebanon fade.
5 The mountains quake(O) before him
and the hills melt away.(P)
The earth trembles(Q) at his presence,
the world and all who live in it.(R)
6 Who can withstand(S) his indignation?
Who can endure(T) his fierce anger?(U)
His wrath is poured out like fire;(V)
the rocks are shattered(W) before him.
7 The Lord is good,(X)
a refuge in times of trouble.(Y)
He cares for(Z) those who trust in him,(AA)
8 but with an overwhelming flood(AB)
he will make an end of Nineveh;
he will pursue his foes into the realm of darkness.
9 Whatever they plot(AC) against the Lord
he will bring[a] to an end;
trouble will not come a second time.
10 They will be entangled among thorns(AD)
and drunk(AE) from their wine;
they will be consumed like dry stubble.[b](AF)
11 From you, Nineveh, has one come forth
who plots evil against the Lord
and devises wicked plans.
12 This is what the Lord says:
“Although they have allies and are numerous,
they will be destroyed(AG) and pass away.
Although I have afflicted you, Judah,
I will afflict you no more.(AH)
13 Now I will break their yoke(AI) from your neck
and tear your shackles away.”(AJ)
Footnotes
- Nahum 1:9 Or What do you foes plot against the Lord? / He will bring it
- Nahum 1:10 The meaning of the Hebrew for this verse is uncertain.
- Nahum 1:15 In Hebrew texts this verse (1:15) is numbered 2:1.
Cross references
- Nahum 1:1 : S Isa 13:1; 19:1; Jer 23:33-34
- Nahum 1:1 : S Ge 10:11; S Jer 50:18; Na 2:8; 3:7
- Nahum 1:1 : S Isa 1:1
- Nahum 1:2 : S Ex 20:5
- Nahum 1:2 : S Ge 4:24; S Dt 32:41; Ps 94:1
- Nahum 1:2 : S Dt 7:10
- Nahum 1:3 : S Ne 9:17
- Nahum 1:3 : S Ex 34:7
- Nahum 1:3 : S Ex 14:21; S 2Ki 2:1
- Nahum 1:3 : S Ps 50:3
- Nahum 1:3 : S 2Sa 22:10; S Ps 104:3
- Nahum 1:4 : S 2Sa 22:16
- Nahum 1:4 : S Ex 14:22
- Nahum 1:4 : S Isa 33:9
- Nahum 1:5 : S Ex 19:18; S Job 9:6
- Nahum 1:5 : S Mic 1:4
- Nahum 1:5 : S Joel 2:10
- Nahum 1:5 : S Eze 38:20
- Nahum 1:6 : S Ps 130:3
- Nahum 1:6 : S Eze 22:14
- Nahum 1:6 : S Ps 76:7
- Nahum 1:6 : S Isa 5:24-25; S 42:25; S Jer 10:10
- Nahum 1:6 : 1Ki 19:11
- Nahum 1:7 : S Jer 33:11
- Nahum 1:7 : S Jer 17:17
- Nahum 1:7 : S Ps 1:6
- Nahum 1:7 : S Ps 22:9
- Nahum 1:8 : S Isa 8:7; S Da 9:26
- Nahum 1:9 : S Hos 7:15
- Nahum 1:10 : S 2Sa 23:6
- Nahum 1:10 : S Isa 49:26
- Nahum 1:10 : S Isa 5:24; Mal 4:1
- Nahum 1:12 : S Isa 10:34
- Nahum 1:12 : Isa 54:6-8; S La 3:31-32
- Nahum 1:13 : S Isa 9:4
- Nahum 1:13 : S Job 12:18; S Ps 107:14
- Nahum 1:14 : S Isa 14:22
- Nahum 1:14 : Mic 5:13
- Nahum 1:14 : S Jer 28:8; Eze 32:22-23
- Nahum 1:15 : Isa 40:9; Ro 10:15
- Nahum 1:15 : S Isa 52:7; Ac 10:36
- Nahum 1:15 : Lev 23:2-4
- Nahum 1:15 : S Isa 52:1
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway
ESV
1 (A)An oracle concerning (B)Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum of Elkosh.
God's Wrath Against Nineveh
2 (C)The Lord is a jealous and avenging God;
the Lord is avenging and wrathful;
(D)the Lord takes vengeance on his adversaries
and (E)keeps wrath for his enemies.
3 (F)The Lord is slow to anger and (G)great in power,
and (H)the Lord will by no means clear the guilty.
(I)His way is in whirlwind and storm,
and the clouds are the dust of his feet.
4 (J)He rebukes the sea and makes it dry;
he dries up all the rivers;
(K)Bashan and (L)Carmel wither;
the bloom of (M)Lebanon withers.
5 (N)The mountains quake before him;
(O)the hills melt;
the earth heaves before him,
(P)the world and all who dwell in it.
6 (Q)Who can stand before his indignation?
Who can endure the heat of his anger?
His wrath (R)is poured out like fire,
and (S)the rocks are broken into pieces by him.
7 (T)The Lord is good,
(U)a stronghold in the day of trouble;
(V)he knows those who take refuge in him.
8 But (W)with an overflowing flood
he will make a complete end of the adversaries,[a]
and (X)will pursue his enemies into darkness.
9 What (Y)do you plot against the Lord?
(Z)He will make a complete end;
trouble will not rise up a second time.
10 For they are (AA)like entangled thorns,
like drunkards as they drink;
(AB)they are consumed like stubble fully dried.
11 From you came one
(AC)who plotted evil against the Lord,
a worthless counselor.
12 Thus says the Lord,
“Though they are at full strength and many,
(AD)they will be cut down and pass away.
(AE)Though I have afflicted you,
I will afflict you no more.
13 And now (AF)I will break his yoke from off you
and will burst your bonds apart.”
14 The Lord has given commandment about you:
(AG)“No more shall your name be perpetuated;
from (AH)the house of your gods I will cut off
the carved image and the metal image.
(AI)I will make your grave, (AJ)for you are vile.”
15 [b] (AK)Behold, upon the mountains, (AL)the feet of him
who brings good news,
who publishes peace!
(AM)Keep your feasts, O Judah;
(AN)fulfill your vows,
(AO)for never again shall the worthless pass through you;
he is utterly cut off.
Footnotes
- Nahum 1:8 Hebrew of her place
- Nahum 1:15 Ch 2:1 in Hebrew
Cross references
- Nahum 1:1 : See Isa. 13:1
- Nahum 1:1 : ch. 2:8; 3:7; See Jonah 1:2
- Nahum 1:2 : See Ex. 20:5
- Nahum 1:2 : [Ps. 92:9]
- Nahum 1:2 : [Ps. 103:9]
- Nahum 1:3 : See Ex. 34:6
- Nahum 1:3 : Job 9:4; Ps. 147:5
- Nahum 1:3 : See Ex. 34:7
- Nahum 1:3 : [Ps. 97:2]; See Ps. 18:9-13
- Nahum 1:4 : Ps. 106:9; [Isa. 50:2]
- Nahum 1:4 : Isa. 33:9
- Nahum 1:4 : See Josh. 19:26
- Nahum 1:4 : Isa. 33:9
- Nahum 1:5 : [Jer. 4:24; Hab. 3:6]
- Nahum 1:5 : Amos 9:13
- Nahum 1:5 : Ps. 98:7
- Nahum 1:6 : [Mal. 3:2]
- Nahum 1:6 : 2 Chr. 34:21; [Ps. 79:6]
- Nahum 1:6 : Ezek. 38:20
- Nahum 1:7 : Jer. 33:11; See Ps. 100:5
- Nahum 1:7 : Ps. 46:1; Isa. 25:4
- Nahum 1:7 : Ps. 1:6; John 10:14, 27; 1 Cor. 8:3; 2 Tim. 2:19
- Nahum 1:8 : [Isa. 30:28]
- Nahum 1:8 : Isa. 8:22
- Nahum 1:9 : [Isa. 10:7]
- Nahum 1:9 : [Jer. 4:27]
- Nahum 1:10 : See Mic. 7:4
- Nahum 1:10 : See Joel 2:5
- Nahum 1:11 : [ver. 9; 2 Kgs. 19:22, 23]
- Nahum 1:12 : Isa. 10:33, 34; [Isa. 37:36]
- Nahum 1:12 : ver. 9; [Isa. 9:1]
- Nahum 1:13 : [Isa. 9:4; 10:27; 14:25]
- Nahum 1:14 : [Ps. 109:13]
- Nahum 1:14 : [2 Kgs. 19:37]
- Nahum 1:14 : [Isa. 30:33]; See Ezek. 32:21-23
- Nahum 1:14 : [ch. 3:6]
- Nahum 1:15 : See Isa. 52:7
- Nahum 1:15 : [Rom. 10:15]
- Nahum 1:15 : [Isa. 30:29]
- Nahum 1:15 : See Num. 30:2
- Nahum 1:15 : [ver. 12]; See Joel 3:17
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway
INTRODUCTION TO NAHUM
This book contains the vision of Nahum (1:1). It was probably written between 663 and 612 B.C. since it prophesizes the fall of Nineveh, the capital of the Assyrian empire, which occurred in 612 B.C.E. The central point of the book is the Lord’s judgment on Nineveh for her oppression, cruelty, idolatry, and wickedness. The book ends with the prophecy of the destruction of the city by the Babylonians and Medes.
God is pictured here as not only kind but also stern. In Nahum, God is not only “slow to anger” (1:3) and “a refuge… for those who trust in him” (1:7), but also one who “will not leave the guilty unpunished” (1:3). God’s righteous and just kingdom will ultimately triumph, for kingdoms built on wickedness and tyranny must eventually fall, as Assyria did.
The book of Nahum declares the universal sovereignty of God. God is Lord of history and of all nations. He is the one who controls their destinies.
Nahum’s prophecy begins with a description of God’s character. He is slow to anger. He wants everyone to repent and come to him and be saved. He is good, and he is our refuge when in times of trouble. But he is also a wrathful judge. His judgement is like an overwhelming flood and a whirlwind. He takes vengeance on his foes. The whole earth trembles in his presence.
This is the kind of wrath he was about to bring on Nineveh, the capital of the Assyrians. They had defeated Israel and dragged her into captivity. They were cruel oppressors. But the Lord would completely destroy them for their wickedness and cruelty. Nothing would be able to save them from the Lord’s judgment.
In punishing Nineveh, the Lord would break the yoke off Israel’s back. He would deliver Israel. More than that, Nahum’s prophecy looks forward to a time when the good news of the gospel would announce the good news of God’s peace to his people. Deliverance from the power of sin through Jesus Christ would be preached!
Prayer: Father, you are good, and you are our refuge in times of trouble. But you are also like an overwhelming flood when you are confronted with sin. Help us to repent and hold on to your good news.
One Word: The Lord is our refuge, but also our Judge
