Nahum 1:1

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Nahum 1:1

This title directs us to consider, 1. The great city against which the word of the Lord is here delivered; it is the burden of Nineveh, not only a prophecy, and a weighty one, but a burdensome prophecy, a dead weight to Nineveh, a mill-stone hanged about its neck. Nineveh was the place concerned, and the Assyrian monarchy, which that was the royal seat of. About 100 years before this Jonah had, in God's name, foretold the speedy overthrow of this great city; but then the Ninevites repented and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Nahum 1:1

The burden of Nineveh ,.... Of the city of Nineveh, and the greatness of it; see Gill on Jonah 1:2 ; See Gill on Jonah 3:3 ; Jonah was sent to this city to threaten it with ruin for its sins; at that time the king and all his people humbled themselves and repented, and the threatened destruction was averted; but they relapsing to their former iniquities, this prophet foretells what would be their certain fate; very rightly therefore the Targum, and some other Jewish writings F13 ... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Nahum 1:1

The burden of Nineveh - משא massa not only signifies a burden, but also a thing lifted up, pronounced, or proclaimed; also a message. It is used by the prophets to signify the revelation which they have received from God to deliver to any particular people: the oracle - the prophecy. Here it signifies the declaration from God relative to the overthrow of Nineveh, and the commission of the prophet to deliver it. As the Assyrians under Pul, Tiglath-pileser, and Shalmaneser, three of... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Nahum 1:1

Verse 1 Though a part of what is here delivered belongs to the Israelites and to the Jews, he yet calls his Book by what it principally contains; he calls its the burden of Nineveh Of this word משא, mesha, we have spoken elsewhere. Thus the Prophets call their prediction, whenever they denounce any grievous and dreadful vengeance of God: and as they often threatened the Jews, it hence happened, that they called, by way of ridicule, all prophecies by this name משא, mesha, a burden. (206) But yet... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Nahum 1:1

§ 1. The heading of the book. The book has a double title, the first giving the object of the prophecy, which otherwise would not be evident; the second, its author, added to give confidence in its contents. The burden; massa ( Habakkuk 1:1 )—a term generally used of a weighty, threatening prophecy ( Isaiah 13:1 ), though translated by the LXX . λῆμμα here, and elsewhere ὄρασις , and ῥῆμα . Some prefer to render it "utterance," or "oracle." The word is capable of either... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Nahum 1:1

A vision and a burden. I. THE VISION OF NAHUM . 1. The person of the prophet. II. THE BURDEN OF NINEVEH . 1 . The city. Nineveh; in Assyrian Ninua, or Nina, equivalent to "Station," "Dwelling," if the word be of Semitic origin; equivalent to "Fish house" if derived from the Accadian (Delitzsch). A city remarkable for: 2 . The burden. This, which refers to Nahum's oracle concerning Nineveh, appropriately describes: LESSONS . 1 . The argument... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Nahum 1:1

The messenger of judgment. Notice here - I. THE MESSENGER : HIS PERSONALITY . "Nahum the Elkoshite." 1 . His name. "Nahum," signifying "Consolation;" and whilst this scarcely accords with the character of his mission as the proclaimer of Divine judgments, yet, interspersed with the heavy tidings concerning Nineveh, we have here very tender and consolatory words addressed by him to his own afflicted nation (verses 7, 12, 13-15). 2 . His birthplace. He was "the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Nahum 1:1-2

Great sins bringing great ruin. "The burden of Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum the Etkoshite. 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." But little is known of Nahum, whose name signifies "Comfort." He was a native of Elkosh; generally supposed to be a Galilaean village. He lived probably in or about the year B.C. 650. The burden of his prophecy is the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Nahum 1:1-15

Part I. THE JUDGMENT UPON NINEVEH DECREED BY GOD . read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Nahum 1:1

The burden - Jerome: “The word משׂא mas's'â', ‘burden’ is never placed in the title, except when the vision is heavy and full of burden and toil.”Of Nineveh - The prophecy of Nahum again is very stern and awful. Nineveh, after having “repented at the preaching of Jonah,” again fell back into the sins whereof it had repented, and added this, that, being employed by God to chasten Israel, it set itself, not to inflict the measure of God’s displeasure, but to uproot the chosen people, in whom was... read more

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