TEXT [Commentary]

  I.   The Doom of Nineveh Declared (1:2-15)

A.   First Rhetorical Question (1:2-6)

2 The LORD is a jealous God,

filled with vengeance and rage.

He takes revenge on all who oppose him

and continues to rage against his enemies!

3 The LORD is slow to get angry, but his power is great,

and he never lets the guilty go unpunished.

He displays his power in the whirlwind and the storm.

The billowing clouds are the dust beneath his feet.

4 At his command the oceans dry up,

and the rivers disappear.

The lush pastures of Bashan and Carmel fade,

and the green forests of Lebanon wither.

5 In his presence the mountains quake,

and the hills melt away;

the earth trembles,

and its people are destroyed.

6 Who can stand before his fierce anger?

Who can survive his burning fury?

His rage blazes forth like fire,

and the mountains crumble to dust in his presence.

NOTES

1:2 a jealous God, filled with . . . rage. The English words translate two interesting Hebrew phrases: ’el qanno’ [TH410A/7072, ZH446/7868] and ba‘al khemah [TH1167/2534, ZH1251/2779] (lit., “possessor of wrath”). The names of the Canaanite gods El and Baal are immediately apparent. Cathcart (1973a:38-39) follows the lead of Albright in suggesting that their use here, together with the common characteristic jealousy of the Canaanite deities, may indicate Nahum’s adoption of Canaanite hymnody. As Roberts (1991:43) points out, however, ba‘al [TH1167, ZH1251] is often compounded with other nouns without any necessary connection with deity. In any case, there is no need to see wholesale adoption of a Canaanite composition dedicated to Baal, as some suggest (cf. Gaster 1961:143). At most, Nahum may simply be displaying his literary skill in utilizing old poetic themes to give a veiled attack against the rampant Baalism initiated by King Manasseh (2 Kgs 21:3). Yahweh (not Baal) is the true Lord of the universe (cf. 1:3b-5) and will execute his righteous anger against sin and rebellion.

vengeance . . . revenge. In the Hebrew text “vengeance” occurs three times; twice sandwiched between the words for jealousy and rage and a third time with the thought of taking “revenge” (NLT) on the adversary. This is a key to unlocking the door of understanding to Nahum’s prophecy. In reading of God’s vengeance, however, one must not think of the familiar human vindictiveness condemned in the Scriptures (cf. Deut 32:35 and Prov 25:21-22 with Rom 12:19-20; Lev 19:18 with Matt 19:19). Although God may delegate the operation of vengeance to constituted authority (Num 31:1-2; Josh 10:13; Esth 8:13), it primarily belongs to him (Deut 32:35-43; Heb 10:30-31).

continues to rage. Like the Syriac netar, the underlying Heb. verb here (natar [TH5201A, ZH5757]) means basically to “keep,” “guard,” or “maintain,” and hence has the same semantic range as natsar [TH5341, ZH5915] (cf. Old Aramaic nesar with classical Aramaic netar [TA/ZA10476, S5202]) and also shamar [TH8104, ZH9068] with which it occurs in parallel in Jer 3:5; (cf. Amos 1:11, Syriac). In addition, natar appears to more clearly employ the meaning “be angry” or “bear a grudge” in several contexts (e.g., Lev 19:18; Ps 103:9; Jer 3:5, 12). Thus, some scholars have suggested that both verbs have a second root signifying “rage” (cf. HALOT 2.695). The meaning, however, may be better understood as contextually derived and not as the result of another root.

all who oppose him . . . his enemies! The nouns here (tsar [TH6862A, ZH7640] and ’oyeb [TH341, ZH367]) are recognized poetic parallels (Yoder 1971:475-476).

1:3 The LORD is slow to get angry. Some critical scholars (e.g., J. M. P. Smith) have suggested that v. 3a be treated as a gloss, possibly supplied from Numbers 14:18, so as to soften the force of God’s wrath. However, as Cathcart (1973a:46-47) points out, the essential integrity of vv. 2-3a is supported by the heaping up of the consonants nun and qoph (six times each) and the combination of the ideas of strength/wrath and gentleness/mercy found in extrabiblical literary sources such as the Babylonian Ludlul Bel Nemeqi, in which Marduk is described as one whose “anger is irresistible, his rage is a hurricane, but his heart is merciful, his mind forgiving.” (For the full text of Ludlul Bel Nemeqi, see Lambert 1960:30-62.)

his power. The thought might parallel that of Ps 147:5: “How great is our LORD! His power is absolute!”

whirlwind . . . storm. Both nouns occur in Isa 29:6 in a context of judgment. Watson (1986:196) may be correct in suggesting that the use of the two words for “storm” here is an example of hendiadys. He translates the line, “In the tempestuous whirlwind his road.” Yahweh’s power over the storm could be viewed as a veiled denunciation of both the Canaanite Baal (who was often worshiped in poetic lines of similar sentiment and whose worship was even then rampant in Judah) and Hadad, the Assyrian storm god.

billowing clouds. The image is reminiscent of such phrases as “him who rides the clouds” (e.g., Ps 68:4), “he rides across the heavens” (Deut 33:26), and “riding on a swift cloud” (Isa 19:1). Similarly, the storm god Hadad appears in the Ugaritic literature as “lord of the storm clouds” and in the Atrahasis Epic as the one who “rode on the four winds, (his) asses.” (For the term “the Rider on the Clouds,” see Patterson 1985:37.)

1:4 oceans . . . rivers. “Sea” and “river” are persistent players in the Canaanite mythological texts and appear as parallel pairs in both Ugaritic texts and the OT. (See the full discussion in Cooper 1981:369-383.)

Bashan . . . Carmel . . . Lebanon. The mention of Bashan, Carmel, and Lebanon is reminiscent of Isa 33:9. All three were noted for being places of special fertility. Bashan (south of Mount Hermon on the east side of the Jordan) was fabled for the productivity of its land and therefore its fine cattle (Mic 7:14); Carmel (the promontory along the Mediterranean Sea in central Canaan south of the Bay of Acre) was prized for its beauty and fruitfulness (Song 7:5; Jer 50:19); and Lebanon (home of the lofty mountains of coastal Syria) was famed for its great cedars (1 Kgs 5:14-18; Isa 2:13). The conquering Mesopotamian kings frequently boasted of traveling to the forests of Lebanon. (See Sennacherib’s penetration of this area as recorded in Luckenbill 1926:161-162. Sennacherib’s boast is also noted in 2 Kgs 19:23.) Robertson (1990:67) adds, “In the graciousness of God, Israel was promised that they would experience a return some day to the fruitfulness of Bashan, Carmel, and Lebanon (Isa 33:9-10; 35:2; Jer 50:18-19).”

fade . . . wither. For the unusual word ’umlal [TH535, ZH581] (wither), which occurs twice in this verse, see Isa 24:4. Roberts (1991:44) suggests emending to some form of the verb dalal [TH1809, ZH1937] (become little) so as to restore the missing daleth of the acrostic (cf. Isa 19:6). Such an emendation could be justified for one of the occurrences since the ancient versions uniformly use two different words in translating the Hebrew text. However, the scroll of the Minor Prophets from Wadi Murabba‘at supports the MT. Moreover, Joel uses ’umlal together with yabesh [TH3001, ZH3312] (“dry up”; Joel 1:10, 12). Nahum may be adopting Joel’s language here. If scholars argue for an acrostic in vv. 2-10 (see Introduction, endnote 2), they must settle for a broken one at best and one whose succeeding letter does not always occur in the initial position in its line. Such a broken alphabetic acrostic occurs in Pss 9–10, where the letter daleth is likewise missing.

1:5 mountains quake . . . hills melt away. For the NLT’s “melt away,” the NEB reads “swell,” and the NJB “reel.” Support for such renderings comes not only from the parallel with the quaking mountains but from the ancient versions: LXX esaleuthēsan [TG4531, ZG4888] (are shaken, sway) and Peshitta ’etparaq (be rent, be broken). Possible etymological support may also be found in Arabic maja (surge). This thought is supported further by such thematic parallels as Ps 18:7; Jer 4:24; Hab 3:6. Conversely, the more usual translation of mug [TH4127, ZH4570] as “melt” is favored by a comparison with Ps 97:5; Mic 1:4.

its people are destroyed. The NLT thus renders the emphasis of the verbless second clause of the original text. The Hebrew for the full line reads, “The earth quakes before him, even the world and all who dwell in it” (my translation). The parallel nouns ’erets [TH776, ZH824] (earth) and tebel [TH8398, ZH9315] (world) appear together elsewhere (cf. 1 Sam 2:8; Isa 18:3; 24:4; 26:9, 18; 34:1). Another proposal comes from Moran (1965:71, 83), who links the we- [TH2050.1, ZH2256] (and) of the form wekol- [TH3605, ZH3972] (and all) with tebel and repoints it as a verb tebalu (from ’abal [TH56, ZH61], thus viewing it as a remnant of an ancient taqtulu[na] form): “all its inhabitants mourned.” However, the MT is sufficiently clear as it stands.

1:6 fury. The figure of wrath is continued in this verse. It is a wrath that burns so intensely that even usually impenetrable rocks are broken up before it (cf. Deut 32:22; 1 Kgs 19:11; Jer 4:26; 23:29; 51:26; Mic 1:4). The Hebrew word khemah [TH2534, ZH2779] that occurs here forms an inclusio with 1:2, thus bracketing 1:2-6 together.

COMMENTARY [Text]

Nahum began his prophetic oracles with a poem featuring two themes. Verses 2-6 are formed largely from texts commemorating the Exodus, while verses 7-10 are built around declarations that the Lord is a sovereign and righteous God who deals justly with all people. After giving his opening thesis (1:2), each section begins with a statement concerning the Lord, cast as a verbless sentence: (1) “The LORD is slow to get angry” (1:3a) and (2) “The LORD is good” (1:7a), which is followed by several descriptive assertions (1:3b-5, 7b-8) and a rhetorical question and closing declaration (1:6, 9-10). The whole poem proceeds around a general description of the Lord’s sovereign power toward both the faithful and those who oppose him. Nahum wanted to underscore two truths: (1) Although the Lord is long-suffering, he will assuredly judge the guilty with all the force that a sovereign God can muster (1:3-6); and (2) although the Lord is good and tenderly cares for the righteous (particularly in times of affliction), he will destroy those who plot against him (1:7-10). The full poem provides the basis for Nahum’s subsequent oracles.

Nahum initially declares (1:2-3) that God is a God of justice who will not allow his person or power to be impugned. He will deal justly with the ungodly. The theme of judgment is balanced by the knowledge that God is “slow to get angry.” His judicial wrath is not always immediate. At times, he holds back his wrath against his foes until the proper occasion. God’s government, including his judicial processes, is on schedule, even though to a waiting humanity his timing may seem to lag.

Indeed, his justice may be “slow” in coming, for he is a God of infinite patience who has an overriding concern for the souls of people (cf. 2 Pet 3:9-15). Far from being an omnipotent sovereign who executes justice with rigid disinterest, God is a God of truth and love who, because he longs to bring people into a relationship with himself, abounds in forbearance toward those who deserve only judgment.

Despite his abundant patience, a God of truth and justice (Pss 9:9; 31:5) will not acquit the guilty but must ultimately confront unrepented sin so that justice triumphs in the punishment of the guilty (Exod 34:7; Num 14:17-18; Deut 28:58-68; Joel 3:4-8, 19). Moreover, as an omnipotent sovereign he has the inherent strength to effect his justice: He is “great in power.” The theophany portrayed in the metaphor of verse 3b is a familiar one in the Old Testament: Yahweh is the God of the storm. The figure is often utilized for contexts dealing with judgment (e.g., Isa 29:6; 66:15; Zech 9:14). In contrast to the impotent pagan storm gods, the Lord is in control of the natural world, as well as the affairs of mankind (Job 37:1–42:6; Ps 104; Acts 17:24-28).

Nahum’s description of God’s omnipotence and sovereignty is in harmony with mainstream Hebrew orthodoxy and is phrased in familiar imagery: God is in the whirlwind and the storm (Ps 83:15 [16]; Isa 29:6); he treads the lofty clouds under his feet (cf. Exod 19:16-19; Pss 68:4 [5]; 97:2; 104:3; Matt 24:30; 26:64; 1 Thess 4:17; Rev 1:7); he controls the rivers and seas (cf. Exod 14:21-22; 15:8; Pss 66:6; 77:16; Hab 3:15); he can make desolate the most luxurious of lands (e.g., Bashan and Carmel); the mountains and earth quake and collapse at his presence (cf. Hab 3:6, 10) so that the world and its inhabitants are helpless before him—even the most impenetrable of rocks lies shattered before his fiery wrath.

Nahum thus gives a graphic picture of the limitless and invincible power of God. Accordingly, he can ask whether any could stand in the face of such an almighty one when he executes his wrath. The answer is “No one, no one at all!” By implication, this response anticipates the subject of his prophecy: Not even mighty Nineveh, home of the Assyrian world empire, would be able to withstand the sovereign God of all nature. The creator, controller, and consummator of this world and its history is the same one who will not leave the guilty unpunished.