Nahum Chapter 1

Nahum Chapter 1 chronicles a vision about Nineveh that the prophet Nahum received from God and relayed to the people.

God’s Anger Shows

God began His message in Nahum Chapter 1 by stating He is a jealous and angry God. He said He would take vengeance against those whom He deemed were His enemies.

The Lord stated that He would definitely not allow the guilty to go unpunished and He would take the proper steps to make sure all those who were indignant to His plans would now fear Him. Further, He said that the mountains and the earth would quake once His full wrath was unleashed.

The Goodness of the Lord

Nahum Chapter 1 goes on to say that the Lord is also good and merciful. He proves this by the way He seeks to help those who need His assistance in times of trouble.

The prophet continued by saying that the Lord shows no compassion to his foes and He would take steps to drive them from the land. He had little or no patience for those that plot against Him and His will. The Lord stated that one from Nineveh was guilty of plotting against the Him and God had found out about such treachery.

God Will Free Judah

God said in Nahum Chapter 1 that although the plotters had numerous allies, they would all be destroyed. God noted that He may have afflicted Judah in the past, but He would do so no more. He said He would free Judah from its shackles.

God then made a command of Nineveh: Nineveh will have no descendants. All idols and altars would be destroyed. Nineveh would head to a grave. Judah was then told to look towards the mountains for good news. Judah was to celebrate because the wicked would no longer bring forth any harm to it.

Nahum 1 (King James Version)

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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.