Nahum is the 34th book in both the old testament and in the Holy Bible. The book of Nahum is part 2 and the conclusion to the book of Jonah and the city of Nineveh. We saw in our study on Jonah how Jonah was sent to Nineveh by God to tell them he was going to destroy the city for its wickedness, but the people repented and turned to God so he spared the city for a while until another generation come up that turned from God and back to their old wickedness. Nahum warns that this time God will destroy the city of Nineveh just as he had planned previously. God does destroy Nineveh for good and it is never rebuilt. Such a sad conclusion to the story of Nineveh that ended so well in the book of Jonah! This shows that God will keep his promises and how he will always deal with sin and rebellion even if things start out well. This should even be a warning to Christians and more importantly to the United States of America. God may postpone the destruction of the wicked, but eventually their destruction will come. Nineveh was destroyed by the Medes and Babylonians in 612 BC. Both of these nations were under the control of the Assyrian Empire and had revolted against it. Nineveh was once the world’s largest city located on the Tigris River near modern day Mosel, Iraq. It is believed that Nahum prophesied of the coming destruction of Nineveh about 42-51 years before God destroyed it so Nahum would have probably preached sometime between 663-654 BC, so this would be somewhere between 78-127 years after Jonah went to Nineveh to preach and the Ninevites repented. We do not know the exact timing of Jonah’s preaching or Nineveh’s repentance or of Nahum’s prophesying which accounts for the large time period. Some say Nineveh repented in 760 BC. I would like to think Nineveh’s repentance lasted longer than 78 years and was closer to at least 100 years. But only God knows. Nahum 3:8 mentions the destruction of No which is believed to be the same city as Thebes, Egypt. If this is true, Thebes was destroyed in 663 BC, but came back to power in 654 BC so Nahum most likely preached sometime between these dates. This would also line up with Judah being under the control of the Assyrian Empire during the reign of Manasseh who reigned from 697 to 642 BC. All of these dates may be incorrect as different sources have different dates for various events in history, but they are probably a close estimate to give you some idea of the time period we are talking about. Nineveh was completely destroyed by fire just as Nahum prophesied and was hid just as he prophesied as well (Nahum 3:1). Archeologists only found the city in the 1800’s well after its destruction. What was once the capital of a world power became hidden to the world.
Nahum is considered one of the minor prophets. The book of Nahum consists of three chapters.
Jonah did not want to go to Nineveh to preach repentance to the wicked people, yet it never says Nahum tried to fight against God whose task in many ways was worse than Jonah’s as he preached Nineveh would not be destroyed if the people repented whereas Nahum had the task of telling these same wicked and cruel people that no matter what God was going to destroy Nineveh as he had had enough of their sin. I am sure he was not very popular.
(Nahum 1:1 The burden of Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite.) This verse tells us that Nahum wrote this book after a vision from God and it was about the burden of Nineveh.
(Nahum 1:2 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.) This verse shows that God is jealous and he will bring vengeance and revenge against his enemies, which includes all enemies of Israel with Assyria having been one of Israel’s greatest enemies and therefore one of God’s enemies. The verse says God reserves wrath for his enemies. God will allow the enemies of Israel for a while to try and keep his chosen people on a righteous path and God will allow them to punish his people for a time, but he will ultimately bring about their destruction as God cannot and will not tolerate hatred against his people or sin of any kind by any nation regardless of who they are or how powerful they may think they are. This applies to the United States as well. Scripture says vengeance is of the LORD. Vengeance and revenge belong only to God, not us. Let God destroy our enemies, not us taking matters into our own hands. (Romans 12:19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.) God is jealous of Israel who is his firstborn and will not tolerate harm against them for too long. God is also jealous of those such as Assyria who worship false gods rather than him. One of God’s names is Jealous. (Exodus 4:22 And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD, Israel is my son, even my firstborn:) (Exodus 34:14 For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God:)
(Nahum 1:3 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.) We see in this verse that God is slow to anger, but he will not allow the wicked to get away with their sin. God does not wish that any should perish and this is why he is slow to anger or else we all would deserve to be destroyed by God as we are all sinners and none are righteous in God’s eyes. Since God is a righteous Judge then he must punish the wicked. We sometimes think the wicked get away with their sin, but even if they do here on earth, they will still get their due from God after their death. (Genesis 18:25 That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?) We also see in this verse that God is great in power and how he controls the storms. This verse states a scientific fact that was most likely not known in Nahum’s day. It says the clouds are the dust of his feet. Today we know that clouds form when dust particles are in the air and water condenses on the dust particles and thus forms the visible clouds that we see.
(Nahum 1:4 He rebuketh the sea, and maketh it dry, and drieth up all the rivers: Bashan languisheth, and Carmel, and the flower of Lebanon languisheth.) This verse says God rebuketh the sea. This refers to when God dried up the Red sea so the Israelites could cross over on dry land. God also keeps the sea in place with the sand on the shore so that it cannot cross and flood the earth again. (Jeremiah 5:22 Fear ye not me? saith the LORD: will ye not tremble at my presence, which have placed the sand for the bound of the sea by a perpetual decree, that it cannot pass it: and though the waves thereof toss themselves, yet can they not prevail; though they roar, yet can they not pass over it?) Let Jeremiah 5:22 be a lesson to all of those who teach the false myth of global warming and the sea is going to rise and flood all of the coastal cities so they will be underwater. God says it will not happen so trust him, not atheistic scientists who believe in false science. God is so powerful that he controls the sea to bring great storms as he did when Jonah rebelled and he also rebukes the sea to stop storms such as when Jesus calmed the sea. (Matthew 8:26 And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.) Nothing is out of God’s control.
God drieth up the rivers is probably a reference to the crossing of the Jordan on dry ground just like was done with the Red sea. God also dries up rivers even today as nations are full of sin and God will bring droughts. Out west, many lakes and rivers are drying up due to the severe drought that has been going on for years as God is tired of America’s sins. God will dry up the Euphrates river during the tribulation to allow the 200 million man army to cross over from the east (China and Oriental nations) to confront the antichrist. (Revelation 16:12 And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared.)
The verse mentions Bashan, Carmel, and the flower of Lebanon. These were all places in that day that were lush places on earth, but God was saying that he could just as quickly make these places barren as well if he chooses to. God can and will take areas of plentiful abundance and turn them into dry deserts if a nation continues in their sin such as America.
(Nahum 1:5 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.) This verse continues to show the power of God as even nature obeys God and quakes at his presence. The mountains quake at him. We see this when God came upon Mt. Sinai and the whole mountain quaked. The mountain was full of smoke as well. (Exodus 19:18 And mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the LORD descended upon it in fire: and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly.) The hills melt probably refers to volcanoes and the hot molten lava that flows down them melting everything in its path, and much of the earth burns every year due to wildfires. God can shake the whole earth to get the attention of people. One day during the tribulation all people will shake at his presence.
(Nahum 1:6 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.) God asks who can stand before his indignation (anger). God is saying that no one can escape his wrath no matter how great a nation or individual they are and this includes the once great Assyrian empire and also the United States. The verse says God throws rocks and mentions fire. God did this when he sent fire and brimstone upon Sodom for her sin of sodomy (homosexuality). God will cast down large hailstones weighing 75 pounds or more during the great tribulation. (Revelation 16:21 And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great.) God also cast down great hailstones and fire against Egypt when they refused to let the Israelites go. (Exodus 9:24 So there was hail, and fire mingled with the hail, very grievous, such as there was none like it in all the land of Egypt since it became a nation.) God reminds Nahum that he is quite capable of destroying Nineveh just as he has with other nations who were his enemy.
(Nahum 1:7 The LORD is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him.) This verse shows that the LORD is good and he knows who truly trusts in him and those who pretend to be Christians. God is not mocked or fooled by anyone who professes to be a Christian, but in reality is really not. God is the one we need to rely on when we get into trouble as he is a strong hold in the day we get into trouble. Too often people either rely on themselves or someone else when they should be relying on God. Hezekiah trusted the LORD to protect him when Judah was surrounded by the Assyrians and God knew that Hezekiah was sincere in trusting him so he therefore killed 185,000 Assyrians. (II Kings 19:35 ¶ And it came to pass that night, that the angel of the LORD went out, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians an hundred fourscore and five thousand: and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses.) God wants Nahum to understand that he can once again destroy the Assyrians.
(Nahum 1:8 But with an overrunning flood he will make an utter end of the place thereof, and darkness shall pursue his enemies.) This verse was fulfilled when God destroyed Nineveh. God allow a heavy rain for days which overflowed the Tigris river alongside the city with a huge flood. The flooded river destroyed parts of the rampart wall that protected the city. This allowed the Babylonians to enter who destroyed parts of the city before the Medes came in and utterly destroyed it as it is still today. The city was left in ruins for a long time and was never a great city again. What was once the world’s largest city now lay in ruins. The city was left in darkness as it was destroyed and the people were left in utter darkness as they were cast into hell.
(Nahum 1:9 What do ye imagine against the LORD? he will make an utter end: affliction shall not rise up the second time.) This verse says that the once mighty Assyrian empire will never be again. She will never rise again as she gets conquered by her subjects who rebelled against her, mainly the Babylonians and Medes. God will never allow her to be a threat again to Judah following the death of the 185,000 Assyrians mentioned previously or the Israelites as they were dispersed among the many nations.
(Nahum 1:10 For while they be folden together as thorns, and while they are drunken as drunkards, they shall be devoured as stubble fully dry.) This verse speaks of the pride of the Assyrians and the fact that they had a mighty army folden together like thorns to prick their enemies and the people remained drunk not worried about anyone, but God says they will be devoured like dry stubble. Dry stubble (stalks of grain plants) will burn very easily and with that same ease god will destroy Nineveh and the Assyrians.
(Nahum 1:11 There is one come out of thee, that imagineth evil against the LORD, a wicked counsellor.) This verse speaks of the king of Assyria who had desired to destroy (do evil against) Judah just as Israel was taken captive and dispersed among the nations. This most likely speaks of Sennacherib who was king of Assyria.
(Nahum 1:12 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.) This verse seems to speak of the future when Assyria tried to conquer Judah just as she had Israel and God kills the 185,000 Assyrians as previously mentioned. The king himself would be killed by his own sons when he returned to Nineveh. (II Kings 19:36-37 So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed, and went and returned, and dwelt at Nineveh.
37 And it came to pass, as he was worshipping in the house of Nisroch his god, that Adrammelech and Sharezer his sons smote him with the sword: and they escaped into the land of Armenia. And Esar–haddon his son reigned in his stead.)
(Nahum 1:13 For now will I break his yoke from off thee, and will burst thy bonds in sunder.) This verse speaks of the 185,000 Assyrians being killed by the angel of the LORD (Jesus) and the yoke upon Hezekiah and the siege upon Jerusalem being broken. Assyria would never be able to come after Judah again. The long time enemy had been stopped by God.
(Nahum 1:14 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.) This verse speaks of the destruction not only of the king of Assyria, Sennacherib, but also of Assyria itself. Sennacherib had bragged before Hezekiah that no nation’s gods could defeat Assyria and neither could God, but God showed him by killing 185,000 of his men and then even the king upon his return home. God also says he gives a commandment which means it is guaranteed to happen that just as Assyria destroyed the false gods of the nations they conquered, God will also destroy the false gods and idols of Assyria. God says he “will make thy grave” which speaks of the soon coming death of Sennacherib at the hands of his own sons while the king was worshipping an idol. The death of Sennacherib may have occurred about 100 years before the destruction of Nineveh.
(Nahum 1:15 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.) God tells Judah to rejoice that her enemy Assyria will never pass through her again and that the king is destroyed. Following the death of the 185,000 Assyrians, then most likely messengers were sent out to proclaim the victory by God over the Assyrians. This is referenced by the phrase “the feet of him that bringeth good tidings”. Judah is warned to keep the solemn feasts and to worship the LORD since her enemy has been destroyed. God will always prevail and bring victory. This verse also may apply to the future antichrist who will be destroyed as well. It has been claimed by some theologians that Psalm 126 was written probably by Hezekiah following the destruction of the Assyrian army after the deaths of the 185,000. Some say this verse speaks of the future destruction of Nineveh though I believe it speaks of the time when they came upon Jerusalem.
(Nahum 2:1 He that dasheth in pieces is come up before thy face: keep the munition, watch the way, make thy loins strong, fortify thy power mightily.) Nahum continues in chapter two with more on the destruction of Nineveh. This verse seems to speak of the invading army of the Babylonians, Medes, Scythians, and others that destroyed Nineveh dashing it into pieces as well as the people.
(Nahum 2:2 For the LORD hath turned away the excellency of Jacob, as the excellency of Israel: for the emptiers have emptied them out, and marred their vine branches.) This verse seems to speak of the Assyrians capturing the ten northern tribes of Israel and attempting to capture Judah as well, but failing.
(Nahum 2:3 The shield of his mighty men is made red, the valiant men are in scarlet: the chariots shall be with flaming torches in the day of his preparation, and the fir trees shall be terribly shaken.) This verse is speaking of the future coming of the invading army that destroys Nineveh and the men are red from the blood of the Assyrians whom they will kill. Many of the fir trees will be destroyed due to the fighting.
(Nahum 2:4 The chariots shall rage in the streets, they shall justle one against another in the broad ways: they shall seem like torches, they shall run like the lightnings.) The invading armies chariots will fight over the space in the streets with all of them wanting to be the ones who destroy the Assyrians. They will speed through the streets and be fast like lighting in their attacks.
(Nahum 2:5 He shall recount his worthies: they shall stumble in their walk; they shall make haste to the wall thereof, and the defence shall be prepared.) This verse speaks of the Assyrians making haste to quickly get to the wall that surrounds the city of Nineveh in order to defend the city against the invading army, but to no avail.
(Nahum 2:6 The gates of the rivers shall be opened, and the palace shall be dissolved.) This verse speaks of the flood that God brought to the Tigris river as mentioned in Nahum 1:8 that destroyed the gates of the city allowing the invading army to enter. The last part of the verse says the palace shall be dissolved. This refers to the palace being burnt down and destroyed. History says the king was burned to death in the castle.
(Nahum 2:7 And Huzzab shall be led away captive, she shall be brought up, and her maids shall lead her as with the voice of doves, tabering upon their breasts.) There is dispute over the meaning of Huzzab, but it seems to refer to the Assyrian queen who was able to escape from the burning palace only to be taken captive by the invading army. Tabering means beating and her maids beat upon their breasts as they cried over the events that have happened with Nineveh being destroyed including the kings’ palace and the king himself with the queen being taken captive. Most likely she was not treated kindly.
(Nahum 2:8 But Nineveh is of old like a pool of water: yet they shall flee away. Stand, stand, shall they cry; but none shall look back.) Nineveh is compared to a pool of water and this most likely refers to the mass amount of people who lived there. The sea in scripture is often portrayed as the masses of the people and it seems Nineveh is here as well. The people of the city are fleeing as fast as they can when they see the invading army entering. The political and military leaders are pleading for the people to stand and fight the invading army, yet the people flee as fast as they can and do not even look back. The people lacked any courage to fight for their city, but only cared about their own lives. Most people today are the same way as they only care about themselves. America has become full of people who are not willing to fight for their freedom and this is why it is quickly being taken away. This includes most Christians who will not make a stand for God and what his word says.
(Nahum 2:9 Take ye the spoil of silver, take the spoil of gold: for there is none end of the store and glory out of all the pleasant furniture.) Nahum seems to be speaking about the invading army that God commands to take a spoil of the city and to take all of the gold and silver. History says that very little gold or silver was ever found in Nineveh after its destruction, though some other valuables were found. History also says that much of the cities gold was destroyed in the fire in the palace including supposedly 150 golden beds. The city had great wealth due to the evilness of the Assyrians who looted much from their captives over the years. Now it was payback as God took back from them and gave to their enemies.
(Nahum 2:10 She is empty, and void, and waste: and the heart melteth, and the knees smite together, and much pain is in all loins, and the faces of them all gather blackness.) The city of Nineveh has become empty, void, and waste as her wealth is gone, her people are gone, and the city lies in waste with much of it destroyed and burned. The faces of those left are black due to their sadness at seeing the city destroyed as well as some may have had actual soot on them from the burning city. Their heart melts and their knees strike each other as they mourn over the loss of Nineveh. This same thing will happen during the tribulation as the people mourn over the destruction of Babylon that God destroys due to her wickedness and harlotry. This most likely refers to Rome rather than a rebuilt Babylon. People whether in Nineveh or Babylon just do not want to give up their sinful ways and turn to God and mourn over their loss. Many in the United States are the same. (Revelation 18:9 And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning,)
(Nahum 2:11 Where is the dwelling of the lions, and the feedingplace of the young lions, where the lion, even the old lion, walked, and the lion’s whelp, and none made them afraid?) Nineveh was a world powerhouse and many mighty kings had ruled from here with the whole world fearing Nineveh and her wickedness just as the lion is the king of the jungle. The Assyrians were not afraid of anyone as they got too cocky in thinking they were invincible yet God asks where are they now. Some have said “the old lion” refers to Asshur who was the builder of Nineveh and the founder of the Assyrians. (Genesis 10:11 Out of that land went forth Asshur, and builded Nineveh, and the city Rehoboth, and Calah,) Asshur built the city shortly after the flood so it was an old city. He walked in the city, but he is no more just like the city and the rest of the young lions (the kings of Assyria who resided in Nineveh).
(Nahum 2:12 The lion did tear in pieces enough for his whelps, and strangled for his lionesses, and filled his holes with prey, and his dens with ravin.) The lion was the symbol of Assyria and the third most important god of the Assyrians was Nergal, a god with a lion head. This verse seems to be referring to how Assyria conquered other nations and plundered them filling her dens (Assyria) with the spoiled goods.
(Nahum 2:13 Behold, I am against thee, saith the LORD of hosts, and I will burn her chariots in the smoke, and the sword shall devour thy young lions: and I will cut off thy prey from the earth, and the voice of thy messengers shall no more be heard.) This verse speaks of God destroying the chariots of Assyria with fire as God says he is against Assyria due to her wickedness. God says her young lions (young men and soldiers) will be destroyed when the invading armies destroy Nineveh. God says Assyria will never again be a great power that will prey on the nations of the earth and the voice of the people will no more be heard as he will destroy the nation in the future. Assyria did survive for a few more years after the destruction of Nineveh before the nation no longer existed. Chapter two has 13 verses and I believe it is no coincidence as the number 13 means rebellion and this is what the Assyrians had done in their rebellion against God with their idolatry and wickedness and God had had enough and he destroyed both Nineveh and the nation.
(Nahum 3:1 Woe to the bloody city! it is all full of lies and robbery; the prey departeth not;) God describes Nineveh as a bloody city and he says woe is coming to the city. The Assyrians were well known for their bloodshed and savageness against their enemies including skinning people alive. God warned against shedding innocent blood. The city was full of lies and robbery as the Assyrians deceived people and stole from their captives.
(Nahum 3:2 The noise of a whip, and the noise of the rattling of the wheels, and of the pransing horses, and of the jumping chariots.) This verse speaks of the noises of the coming invading army. The chariot wheels will rattle as they speed towards the city. The noise of the running horses as well as the whip against the horses to go faster will be heard as there will be a great number of chariots in the invading army.
(Nahum 3:3 The horseman lifteth up both the bright sword and the glittering spear: and there is a multitude of slain, and a great number of carcases; and there is none end of their corpses; they stumble upon their corpses:) This verse just like verse 2 continues describing the invading army how the invaders come with bright swords and spears. This verse describes how the invading army had killed many people with the corpses all over with no end and the great number of dead is causing the horses and people to stumble as they try to get over all of the dead people. This well describes the nation of Assyria as a whole that was full of dead corpses that had rejected Jesus. The United States is quickly following suite to become just like Assyria and we too will one day be destroyed by God for our own wickedness.
(Nahum 3:4 Because of the multitude of the whoredoms of the wellfavoured harlot, the mistress of witchcrafts, that selleth nations through her whoredoms, and families through her witchcrafts.) This verse speaks of the great whoredom of idolatry in Assyria and the witchcraft in the nation and how she exported her idolatry and witchcraft around the world when she forced the conquered nations to worship her false gods.
(Nahum 3:5 Behold, I am against thee, saith the LORD of hosts; and I will discover thy skirts upon thy face, and I will shew the nations thy nakedness, and the kingdoms thy shame.) God says he is against Assyria. You never want God against you as this is a sure sign of your doom. You cannot fight against God. God said her nakedness would be shown to the whole world. The whole world would see and know of her destruction and how her false gods could not help her. Her sins would be exposed for all to see and there was nothing she could do to stop any of it. Nineveh would be completely destroyed with everything exposed for the world to see.
(Nahum 3:6 And I will cast abominable filth upon thee, and make thee vile, and will set thee as a gazingstock.) God would cover up the city with filth and make it vile that no one will want a part of it. It will become a gazingstock for all to see how this once mighty city was now destroyed. People in that day would take a whore and strip her and cast filth upon her and this is a description of the city used by God. The city will be covered in filth just like the whore for all the world to see.
(Nahum 3:7 And it shall come to pass, that all they that look upon thee shall flee from thee, and say, Nineveh is laid waste: who will bemoan her? whence shall I seek comforters for thee?) Nineveh will be so greatly destroyed that all will flee from her as it has become a waste and barren city. What was once the largest city in the world was now barren and laid waste. The question is asked who will bemoan her and be comforters for her. The question is self-answered as there will be no one who will mourn over her loss as she was so wicked. People will rejoice upon hearing of her destruction especially since no one ever thought they would see this day come.
(Nahum 3:8 Art thou better than populous No, that was situate among the rivers, that had the waters round about it, whose rampart was the sea, and her wall was from the sea?) Nahum through God asks the question if Nineveh is better than No. I said earlier in the study that No is believed to have been the large city of Thebes in Egypt that was destroyed. It thought it was secure with its wall upon the sea with water all around it yet No was still destroyed by Assyria and God says that Nineveh will be as well as it was no better and in fact Nineveh was even more wicked. No was a populous city just like Nineveh, but that did not protect it and neither will it protect Nineveh.
(Nahum 3:9 Ethiopia and Egypt were her strength, and it was infinite; Put and Lubim were thy helpers.) No had Ethiopia and Egypt for her strength and the neighbors of Put and Lubim to help, but that did not stop Assyria from destroying it. Lubim is probably were modern day Libya is.
(Nahum 3:10 Yet was she carried away, she went into captivity: her young children also were dashed in pieces at the top of all the streets: and they cast lots for her honourable men, and all her great men were bound in chains.) No despite her greatness and protection was still taken captive with the young children being dashed into pieces. The great men were bound with chains and the city destroyed. Nineveh will fare no better. We see in this verse the wickedness of Assyria in chopping the children into pieces.
(Nahum 3:11 Thou also shalt be drunken: thou shalt be hid, thou also shalt seek strength because of the enemy.) The phrase “thou also shalt be drunken” probably refers to the fact that Nineveh will also just as No be drunk with the wrath of God, but many of the people were also probably drunk. The city would be hid Nahum warned. The sands of the desert would cover the city up and the city would only be found by archeologists in the 1800’s. The last phrase in seeking strength may refer to the fact that many people tried to flee the city with some possibly going to get reinforcements, but many were killed in their attempts.
(Nahum 3:12 All thy strong holds shall be like fig trees with the firstripe figs: if they be shaken, they shall even fall into the mouth of the eater.) Nahum warns that those who try to leave the city to make a stronghold or fortification elsewhere for a counterattack will be defeated. Just as the first ripe figs are quickly eaten on a fig tree, so will any new strongholds the Assyrians attempt to make by the invaders. Nineveh cannot escape her destruction as it has been ordained by God. They will fall into the hands of the invaders (mouth of the eater).
(Nahum 3:13 Behold, thy people in the midst of thee are women: the gates of thy land shall be set wide open unto thine enemies: the fire shall devour thy bars.) The gates of the land will be wide open as we saw with the flood from God that destroys the gates. The bars were set on fire by the invading Babylonians. With most of the men being destroyed in the palace and elsewhere, basically there was only woman left who were no match against the invaders. This also seems to refer to the men that were left that were acting like women and running in fear. They never expected that anyone could defeat them.
(Nahum 3:14 Draw thee waters for the siege, fortify thy strong holds: go into clay, and tread the morter, make strong the brickkiln.) Nahum said they will draw water for the siege around the city and will attempt to fortify the strong holds with bricks and morter, but none of it will matter or stop the coming destruction.
(Nahum 3:15 There shall the fire devour thee; the sword shall cut thee off, it shall eat thee up like the cankerworm: make thyself many as the cankerworm, make thyself many as the locusts.) Despite the best efforts of the people, Nineveh will still be destroyed as the people are devoured by fire and the sword. The sword will eat them up like the cankerworm. The cankerworm destroys everything in its path, trees, plants, and fruit. Just as there are many cankerworms and locusts, Assyria had a great army, yet it would not save her. Locusts act as attacking armies in destroying much in their path and the invaders would be many as well.
(Nahum 3:16 Thou hast multiplied thy merchants above the stars of heaven: the cankerworm spoileth, and flieth away.) Nineveh had merchants in number as the stars of heaven which man cannot number. This shows the wealth and power of this once great city, yet none of this would be able to save Nineveh as they would all fly away just like the cankerworm after her spoils are complete. The merchants would take their goods and run.
(Nahum 3:17 Thy crowned are as the locusts, and thy captains as the great grasshoppers, which camp in the hedges in the cold day, but when the sun ariseth they flee away, and their place is not known where they are.) The great leaders of Assyria had once been great and crowned kings but now were just like the locusts and the grasshoppers who camp around the hedges in the cold day, but flee when the sun comes up as they cannot take the heat, and no one knows where they are. The once great leaders will be the same as no one will know where they are as they are destroyed and others have fled. The locusts have no king and neither will Assyria anymore. (Proverbs 30:27 The locusts have no king, yet go they forth all of them by bands;)
(Nahum 3:18 Thy shepherds slumber, O king of Assyria: thy nobles shall dwell in the dust: thy people is scattered upon the mountains, and no man gathereth them.) This verse seems to be speaking of the deaths of the military generals and other leaders who sleep (are dead) as well as the king and nobles who dwell in the dust (are dead). With the leaders gone, the people scatter upon the mountains and they remain scattered as they have no one to gather them together and lead them as all of the leadership is dead. This will be the end of the empire as it no longer has any leaders or any unity.
(Nahum 3:19 There is no healing of thy bruise; thy wound is grievous: all that hear the bruit of thee shall clap the hands over thee: for upon whom hath not thy wickedness passed continually?) Nahum gives one last warning that Assyria has crossed the path of no return as there is no healing of any of her bruises and her wound is grievous and fatal. Assyria and Nineveh can do nothing to stop their coming destruction. God had warned Nineveh through Jonah to repent or be destroyed. Nineveh listened for a while but went right back to her wickedness and God will always do as he says and he destroyed Nineveh just as he said he would do. No matter how mighty Assyria once was, she was no match for God and the same applies to the United States. Assyria’s wickedness had affected much of the world and all that hear of her destruction will clap their hands and rejoice. There will not be any mourning over the death of Assyria.
