The majesty of God, his goodness to his people, and severity to his enemies.

 1 The burden of Ninive. The book of the vision of Nahum the Elcesite.  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.  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.  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.  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.

 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.  7 The Lord is good and giveth strength in the day of trouble: and knoweth them that hope in him.  8 But with a flood that passeth by, he will make an utter end of the place thereof: and darkness shall pursue his enemies.  9 What do ye devise against the Lord? he will make an utter end: there shall not rise a double affliction.  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.

[8] "Of the place thereof": Viz., of Ninive.

 11 Out of thee shall come forth one that imagineth evil against the Lord, contriving treachery in his mind.  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.  13 And now I will break in pieces his rod with which he struck thy back, and I will burst thy bonds asunder.  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.  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.

[11] "Shall come forth one": 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.

[12] "Though they were perfect": 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.

[14] "Will give a commandment": That is, a decree, concerning thee, O king of Ninive, thy seed shall fail, etc.

[15] "Belial": The wicked one, viz., the Assyrian.