Nahum 1:2 - Exposition

God is jealous, and the Lord revengeth; better, Jehovah is a jealous and avenging God, as Exodus 20:5 ; Deuteronomy 4:24 ; Joshua 24:19 . The threefold repetition of the name of Jehovah and the attribute "avenging" gives a wonderful force to this sublime description of the Divine character. God is here called jealous anthropopothically, as ready to defend his honour against all who oppose him, as One who loves his people and punishes their oppressors. Is furious; literally, master of fury, as Genesis 37:19 , "master of dreams." The Lord is full of wrath (comp. Proverbs 10:12 :24; Proverbs 29:22 ). The word used implies a permanent feeling, Hire the Greek μῆνις . He reserveth wrath. The Hebrew is simply "watching," "observing" for punishment. Septuagint, ἐξαίρων αὐτὸς τοὺς ἐχθροὺς αὐτοῦ , "himself cutting off his enemies;" Vulgate, irascens ipse inimicis ejus . God withholds his hand for a time, but does not forget. All this description of God's attributes is intended to show that the destruction of Assyria is his doing, and that its accomplishment is certain.