Nahum 1:11. There is one come out, &c.— Wherefore comes there out from thee him who meditated evil against the Lord, and used wicked counsels? Pointing out Sennacherib, who reproached the living God in the epistle which he sent to Hezekiah. See Houbigant. read more
Nahum 1:12. Thus saith the Lord, &c.— Thus saith the Lord to those who rule over many waters: as the waters are many, so shall they be carried away, and passed through. I will so afflict thee, as to afflict thee no more. The prophet calls the people waters, as is usual in the prophetic style, and because these waters had lately overflowed Judaea and the neighbouring countries. Houbigant. read more
Nahum 1:13. For now will I break his yoke, &c.— I am about to break the yoke which thou didst impose, and to burst the bonds which thou didst bind. The prophet addresses himself to the king of the Assyrians, as is plain from what goes before, and what follows. Houbigant. read more
11. The cause of Nineveh's overthrow: Sennacherib's plots against Judah. come out of thee—O Nineveh. From thyself shall arise the source of thy own ruin. Thou shalt have only thyself to blame for it. imagineth evil—Sennacherib carried out the imaginations of his countrymen ( :-) against the Lord and His people (2 Kings 19:22; 2 Kings 19:23). a wicked counsellor—literally, "a counsellor of Belial." Belial means "without profit," worthless, and so bad (1 Samuel 25:25; 2 Corinthians 6:15). read more
12-14. The same truths repeated as in Nahum 1:9-11, Jehovah here being the speaker. He addresses Judah, prophesying good to it, and evil to the Assyrian. Though they be quiet—that is, without fear, and tranquilly secure. So Chaldee and CALVIN. Or, "entire," "complete"; "Though their power be unbroken [MAURER], and though they be so many, yet even so they shall be cut down" (literally, "shorn"; as hair shaved off closely by a razor, Isaiah 7:20). As the Assyrian was a razor shaving others, so... read more
13. will I break his yoke—the Assyrian's yoke, namely, the tribute imposed by Sennacherib on Hezekiah (2 Kings 18:14). from off thee—O Judah (Isaiah 10:27). read more
II. NINEVEH’S DESTRUCTION DECLARED 1:2-14The rest of chapter 1 declares Nineveh’s destruction in rather hymnic style, and chapters 2 and 3 describe its destruction. Each of these major parts of the book opens with a revelation of Yahweh. read more
1. The consumption of Nineveh 1:9-11 read more
B. Yahweh’s plans for Nineveh and Judah 1:9-14Whereas the previous section assured Nineveh’s doom, the primary focus of attention in it was the character of Yahweh and His ability to destroy His enemies. Now the focus shifts more directly to Nineveh. Three sections reveal Yahweh’s plans for Nineveh (Nahum 1:1-11; Nahum 1:14) and Judah (Nahum 1:12-13) in chiastic form. read more
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Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Nahum 1:13
"And now will I break his yoke from off thee, and will burst thy bonds in sunder."This is a continuation of the promise of deliverance to Judah promised in Nahum 1:9, and again in Nahum 1:12. Graham's criticism that Nahum possessed an inferior attitude in all this is groundless."Nationalistic prejudice has led him to assume in Jehovah a special, unmoral interest in his own people. Sympathy with his people had led him to conclude that Assyria's downfall meant Judah's happiness."[20]Apparently... read more