11 The [1] oracle of Nineveh . The book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite .
2 A jealous and avenging God is the Lord ; The Lord is avenging and [2]wrathful e . The Lord takes vengeance on His adversaries , And He reserves wrath for His enemies . 3 The Lord is slow to anger and great in power , And the Lord will by no means leave the guilty unpunished . In whirlwind and storm is His way , And clouds are the dust beneath His feet . 4 He rebukes the sea and makes it dry ; He dries up all the rivers . Bashan and Carmel wither ; The blossoms of Lebanon wither . 5 Mountains quake because of Him And the hills dissolve ; Indeed the earth is upheaved by His presence , The world and all the inhabitants in it. 6 Who can stand before His indignation ? Who can endure the burning of His anger ? His wrath is poured out like fire And the rocks are broken up by Him. 7 The Lord is good , A stronghold in the day of trouble , And He knows those who take refuge in Him. 8 But with an overflowing flood He will make a complete end of [3]its site , And will pursue His enemies into darkness .
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Nahum 1:1-8
Commentary on Nahum 1:1-8
(Read Nahum 1:1-8)
About a hundred years before, at Jonah's preaching, the Ninevites repented, and were spared, yet, soon after, they became worse than ever. Nineveh knows not that God who contends with her, but is told what a God he is. It is good for all to mix faith with what is here said concerning Him, which speaks great terror to the wicked, and comfort to believers. Let each take his portion from it: let sinners read it and tremble; and let saints read it and triumph. The anger of the Lord is contrasted with his goodness to his people. Perhaps they are obscure and little regarded in the world, but the Lord knows them. The Scripture character of Jehovah agrees not with the views of proud reasoners. The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ is slow to wrath and ready to forgive, but he will by no means acquit the wicked; and there is tribulation and anguish for every soul that doeth evil: but who duly regards the power of his wrath?