The Burden against Nineveh 1 The oracle of Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite.
Jerome · AD 420 (Chapter I—Verse 1.) God, zealous and avenging Lord. The voice of the prophet praising God for avenging the injury done to his people by the Assyrians. Or, in a deeper understanding, that he hears the groaning of his saints and will make his adversaries feel punishment at the end of the world.
Theodore of Mopsuestia · AD 428 Something of this kind is the meaning of the word oracle: in his wish to give the prophets an insight often productive of rapture, God caused a sudden transformation of their mind so that while in this condition they might receive the knowledge of the future with deeper fear.
Cyril of Alexandria · AD 444 The burden of Nineveh, the book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite. First, he defines the purpose of the prophecy, and usefully clarifies what and where it looks to; then he makes clear who is speaking and from where.
2 A jealous and avenging God is the LORD; the LORD is avenging and a master of wrath. The LORD is avenging toward his adversaries, and he keeps wrath for his enemies.
Jerome · AD 420 (Vers. 2.) The Lord is patient and of great strength, and cleansing, He will not make the innocent. The more significant translation in Greek is: καὶ ἀθωῶν οὐκ ἀθωώσει ((Al. καὶ ἀθοῶν οὐκ ἀθοώσει)).
Cyril of Alexandria · AD 444 God is jealous and the Lord avenges; the Lord avenges with wrath; the Lord avenges his adversaries, and he cuts off his enemies. The Lord is long-suffering and his strength is great, and he will by no means clear the guilty. The saying is profound, and not easy to grasp, except only for those who are willing to examine closely the things in it.
3 The LORD is slow to anger and great in power, and by no means leaving unpunished. The LORD — in the whirlwind and in the storm is his way, and cloud is the dust of his feet.
Jerome · AD 420 (Verse 3) The Lord is in the storm and the whirlwind of his life, and the clouds are the dust of his feet. For the storm and the whirlwind, the Septuagint translated it as consummation and commotion: although in the place where we have positioned ourselves, it is written in Hebrew as Basupha (), which can also be understood as commotion.
Cyril of Alexandria · AD 444 The Lord's way is in destruction and in shaking, and clouds are the dust of his feet. As the Prophet is about to proclaim beforehand the capture of Nineveh for the comfort of those who have suffered, and to make clear to the wronged that it will be shaken down by God, he usefully recounts first the all-powerful nature of the divine, and that for it, when it chooses to accomplis…
Theodoret of Cyrus · AD 458 "The Lord is longsuffering, great is his power, and he will certainly not clear the guilty." He does not suddenly and all at once inflict punishment, but only after exercising extreme longsuffering. You Ninevites are witnesses to this, practicing repentance and finding salvation, and then guilty of extreme wickedness and for a time not paying the penalty for it.
4 He rebukes the sea and dries it up, and all the rivers he makes waste. Bashan and Carmel languish, and the blossom of Lebanon languishes.
Tertullian · AD 220 If it is [Marcion's] Christ that is meant, he will not be stronger than the servants of the Creator. I would have been content with the examples I have shown you without adding anything further. But here a prediction of [Christ] walking on the water precedes his advent as well. The words of the psalm are, in fact, accomplished by Christ's crossing over the lake.
Jerome · AD 420 (Verse 4) Rebuking the sea, and drying it up, and leading all the rivers to the desert. It is described according to the power of God, who will avenge Israel's adversaries, showing that it is not difficult for Him to destroy the Assyrians, whose majesty even includes the ability to change the elements.
Philoxenus of Mabbug · AD 523 And the Prophet said, "He rebuketh the sea, and maketh it dry, and drieth up all the rivers;" and again, "He looketh on the earth and it trembleth; He rebuketh the mountains, and they smoke." And again the prophet Isaiah saith, "All the nations are accounted as nothing by Him." Now these things the Spirit of God spake concerning the power of God, that those things which were no…
5 Mountains quake because of him and the hills melt away; and the earth lifts up before his face, the world and all who dwell in it.
Jerome · AD 420 (Version 5.) The mountains were moved by him, and the hills were made desolate, and the earth trembled before him, and the world, and all that dwell therein. LXX: The mountains were moved by him, and the hills were shaken, and the earth was contracted before his face, the whole universe and all who dwell in it.
6 Before his indignation who can stand? And who can rise up in the burning of his anger? His wrath is poured out like fire, and the rocks are broken down before him.
Jerome · AD 420 (Verse 6) Who can stand before the face of His anger, and who can endure the fury of His wrath? LXX translation: Who can withstand the face of His anger, and who can resist in the fury of His wrath? Symmachus has interpreted it more clearly: Who can endure the wrath of His fury? Therefore, it is rare or nonexistent to find anyone who is not worthy of being seized by anger.
7 The LORD is good, a stronghold in the day of distress; and he knows those taking refuge in him.
Jerome · AD 420 (Verse 7) The Lord is good and strengthening in the day of tribulation, and He knows those who hope in Him. Septuagint: The Lord is sweet to those who wait for Him in the day of tribulation, and He knows those who fear Him.
8 And with an overflowing flood he will make a full end of her place, and darkness will pursue his enemies.
Jerome · AD 420 (Verse 8.) And in the passing flood, he will bring about its destruction, and darkness will pursue his enemies. LXX: And in the passing flood, he will bring about its destruction: those who rise up against him and his enemies will be pursued by darkness.
9 What are you devising against the LORD? He is making a full end; distress will not rise up a second time.
Origen of Alexandria · AD 253 This, that according to the law, for example, the "adulterer or adulteress" was punished with present death: on account of this very thing, that he bore the penalty of his sin and paid the worthy punishments of the crime committed, what will there be after this that threatens vengeance to their souls, if they have transgressed in nothing else, if there is no other sin which con…
Jerome · AD 420 (Verse 9) What are you planning against the Lord? He himself will bring about the consummation: there will not arise a double tribulation. LXX: What are you planning against the Lord? He himself will bring about the consummation: he did not avenge twice on the same in tribulation.
10 For while they are entangled like thorns and drunk as with their drink, they are consumed like stubble, fully dry.
Jerome · AD 420 (Verse 10.) Because just as thorns embrace each other, so their feast will be consumed by those who drink together, like straw full of dryness. Septuagint: Because they will be reduced to thorns down to their foundations, and will be eaten like a rolling wheel surrounded, and like straw full of dryness.
11 From you came out one devising evil against the LORD, a counselor of worthlessness.
Jerome · AD 420 (Verse 11) For from you will come forth a wicked thought, thinking against the Lord, pondering rebellion. LXX: From you will come forth the worst thought, thinking opposing thoughts against the Lord. Truly from heretics will come forth a hostile thought against the Lord.
12 Thus says the LORD: Though they are whole and so many, even so they will be sheared away and pass on. And I have afflicted you; I will afflict you no more.
Jerome · AD 420 (Verse 12) Thus says the Lord, if they are perfect, and so they will be many: thus also they will be trimmed and will pass through: I will affix you, and I will not afflict you anymore. LXX: Thus says the Lord who rules over many waters, and thus they will be divided, and your hearing will not be heard anymore.
13 And now I will break his yoke from off you, and I will tear off your bonds.
Jerome · AD 420 (Verse 13) And now I will break his rod from your back, and I will break your chains. LXX: And now I will break his rod from you: and I will break his chains.
14 And the LORD has commanded concerning you: none of your name will be sown again. From the house of your gods I will cut off carved image and cast image; I will make your grave, for you are light.
Athanasius of Alexandria · AD 373 Once again, dear friends, God has brought us to the Easter season. By his lovingkindness we are once more about to assemble for it.
Jerome · AD 420 (Verse 14) And the Lord will command against you, your name will no longer be sown: I will destroy the carved and cast images from the house of your God: I will make your grave, for you are dishonored.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 The prophet Nahum (or, better, God speaking through him) says, "I will destroy the graven and molten thing; I will make it your grave. Behold upon the mountains the feet of him that brings peace. O Judah, keep your festivals and pay your vows, for it shall no longer be that they may pass into disuse. It is completed, it is consumed, it is taken away.
15 See, on the mountains the feet of the herald of good news, making peace heard! Celebrate your festivals, Judah, fulfill your vows; for the worthless one will no longer pass through you — he is completely cut off.
Jerome · AD 420 (Verse 15.) Behold, upon the mountains are the feet of the messenger of good news and of the announcer of peace. Celebrate, O Judah, your festivals, and fulfill your vows, for Belial will no longer pass through you; everything has perished.
Cosmas Indicopleustes · AD 550 This is Nahum the eighth in order who was also privileged to prophesy concerning the resurrection of the Lord Christ, and he says: Feast, O Judah, keep thy feasts, perform thy vows, for they shall add to pass through thee no more. It has been consummated, it has been taken away. He went up breathing upon thy face, delivering thee from affliction.