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Nahum.1:1. Prophecy (λημμα) about Nineveh: the book of the vision of Nahum the son of Elkashite. The grace of the Holy Spirit, acting in various ways in the wonderful Prophets, arranged that others saw something, like the godly Isaiah, Micah, Daniel, Ezekiel, and Zechariah; and to others, through a voice, it was communicated whatever was pleasing to the Spirit, and it seemed to them that they heard Someone talking to them; others prophesied by inspiration, and whatever was pleasing to the Spirit was spoken by their tongue. For prophetic grace, suddenly embracing their minds and separating them from everything human, made them capable of becoming instruments and ministers for speaking prophetic words. This, namely the rapture of the mind, and the cessation of everything human, the Prophet called prophecy (λῆμμα). My mind, says the Prophet, enraptured by the Spirit of God, foresaw what would happen to Nineveh. Nahum.1:2. God is jealous, and the Lord takes revenge on His companions, and He Himself consumes His enemies. Because, rushing with fury towards Jerusalem, they uttered blasphemous words about the God of all; then the Prophet rightly calls them adversaries and enemies, and threatens them with death. “Jealousy” is what he called just anger. For this is what God says in the law: “Thou shalt not make any likeness to yourself, every tree in the heavens, and every tree on the earth below, and every tree in the waters under the earth” (Ex. 20:4). I am “The Lord thy God, a jealous God, consumeth fire” (Deut. 4:24). So the great Elijah says: “I am jealous of the Lord Almighty,” the God of Israel (1 Kings 19:10), that is, I am indignant at those who wickedly before God. Nahum.1:3. The Lord is patient and great is His strength, and he who cleanses will not cleanse He does not suddenly or instantly impose punishments, but maintains great long-suffering. Witnesses of this are you, the Ninevites, who resorted to repentance and found salvation for yourself, but again indulged in even greater vices, and to this day have not suffered punishment for them. But he who endures human iniquities for so long knows how to impose punishment on those who do not repent. For the Prophet expressed this when he said: “he who cleanses will not cleanse,” that is, whose sins are worthy of punishment, he will not be freed from execution. Lord, His path is in death and cowardice, God will no longer show you any kindness, but will subject you to destruction. This is similar to what is said in the psalm: “all the ways of the Lord are mercy and truth” (Psalm 24:10), because truth requires not only love for mankind, but also fair punishment. Therefore, by the word “way”, both here and there, we must understand deeds. Very opportunely, the Prophet also added “dust” to the path: he wants to say that now he will no longer show long-suffering, but will subject them to destruction, covering them with a cloud of disasters from everywhere. And letting you know how conveniently God does everything that pleases Him, the Prophet added: Nahum.1:4. Forbid the sea and dry it up and devastate all the rivers If he deigns to turn all the water in the sea and rivers into nothing; then in an instant he can do it. And as evidence of this, the Prophet presented what had already happened. Basanitis, and Carmel, and all prosperous Lebanon fell into decline. Wanting to punish those living in Basanitis, Carmel and Lebanon, he handed them over to you; and you, having devastated their fields, plundered their cities and enslaved their inhabitants, abandoned them to complete desolation. Nahum.1:5. The mountains shook at Him, and the hills were shaken: and the earth was terrified at His presence, the world and all that dwell on it. Since others believed that He is the God of the Jews only, the Prophet, not without reason, teaches that He shakes with one wave the mountains and hills, and the whole earth with its inhabitants. The words: “the earth was horrified” Aquila translated: “numb,” and Symmachus: “moved.” Nahum.1:6. Who can stand against His wrath? And who can resist His fury in anger? His wrath will melt away the power, and the stone will be shaken off from Him. If those who exalt themselves in their power and think of themselves that they have the strength of stones, without any difficulty crushes and erases; who is able to resist the punishment sent from Him? But just as he easily overthrows the proud, so Nahum.1:7. The Lord is good to those who endure Him in the day of trouble, and He knows those who fear Him. Having shown how well-disposed he is to those who endure the punishments imposed on them and do not utter anything ungodly, he again talks about punishing the wicked. Nahum.1:8. And in the flood of the path he will create the end: darkness will wed those who rise up and His enemies. He will give over to final destruction and everlasting darkness those who dare against the Lord; because the Prophet called the final destruction “flood” and “death.” Then he puts the speech in the form of a question: Nahum.1:9. “What are your thoughts against the Lord?” What is His power, but in your opinion? He will create the end himself, he will not take revenge twice in sorrow: That is, the decisive one will punish you, and there will be no need to repeat the blow. Nahum.1:10. They will be frozen to their very foundations, and like the entwined blue they will be eaten, and like a reed full of dryness. Just as dry straw is conveniently destroyed by fire, and grass growing near fences, especially intertwined with thorny plants, does not allow them to bloom, and itself withers over time, so you, who destroyed the kingdoms of others, will be deprived of your kingdom and put to death. And showing the justice of the punishment, the Prophet added: Nahum.1:11. An evil thought will come out of you against the Lord, contemplating opposition. You will endure this for the insane creations of your mind, about which both the Fourth Book of Kings and the godly Isaiah inform us. For in those books Sennacherib is depicted as spewing out such blasphemy against the God of all: “Cry out to Hezekiah: This saith the great king, the king of Assyria” (Is. 36:4): “Let not your God deceive you; in Him” you have trusted (Is. 37:10), “for God will deliver Jerusalem out of my hand” (Is. 36:20) ) and other similar things. Pointing to this pride, God said through the Prophet: “I will attack the great mind, the king of Assyria” (Is. 10:12). This reveals the pride of his thoughts. Nahum.1:12. This says the Lord: Possess many waters, and they will part, The Prophet calls the multitude of waters the multitude of Babylonians who took up arms against Nineveh, who, like the waters, divided into detachments and began to besiege the city. After this, the Prophet says: and your hearing will not be heard by anyone. You will be consigned to complete oblivion. Nahum.1:13. And now I will break his rod from you, and will break your bonds. I will take away from you the power that I gave you before: and I will break your dominion, breaking its bonds. For God calls power a rod: and this makes it clear to us through the Prophet Isaiah: “Woe to the Assyrians, the rod of My wrath, and My wrath is in their hand” (Is. 10:5). Nahum.1:14. And the Lord commands about you, Because by My command you will endure it. No one will be scattered because of your name: Your name will no longer be given to your subjects; because it is customary to call the subordinates by the name of the rulers; So, from Babylon - the Babylonians, from the Persian Cyrus - the Persians, and subsequently from the Macedonians - the Macedonians, and now from Rome - the Romans. From the house of your god I will consume sculptured and fused pieces and lay your coffin, for you are dishonest. Your man-made gods will also participate with you in your destruction, which you will hide in the ground and bury, as in some coffins, so that they do not become the prey of enemies. Nahum.1:15. Behold, the feet of him who brings good news are swift on the mountains, and he who proclaims peace: When this happens to you; many will flow to those living in Judea, bringing good news of peace. Celebrate your feasts, Judas; repay your vows to God; they will not be added to the promise of someone who died and was cast out. And you, says the Prophet, having heard about the overthrow of the enemies, perform the celebrations legalized by God and make the usual sacrifices; because he who took up arms against you many times suffered final destruction and will no longer undertake the intention of exterminating and ruining you.