The Bible, King James version, Book 34: Nahum — Reading Companion

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Authors: Anonymous Digital Source: Project Gutenberg Gutenberg Release Year: 2005 First Publication Year: Not confirmed

Key Word: Bible. Nahum Target Reader: Readers of public-domain and historical texts

Book Edition: Project Gutenberg digital edition Book Language: en

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Words 4,405

Reading time 20 min

Text sections 1

For The Bible, King James version, Book 34: Nahum — Reading Companion, the stored edition analysis reports 4,405 words, 20 min estimated reading time, and 1 detected text section.

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Source: Project Gutenberg record #8034

This editorial note examines the structure, recurring imagery, and scene shifts in the biblical book of Nahum, focusing on its depiction of divine vengeance and the fall of Nineveh through vivid natural and military metaphors.

Editorial Edition Score 4.3/5

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File: pg8034

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This eBook was produced by David Widger with the help of Derek Andrew's text from January 1992 and the work of Bryan Taylor in November 2002.

34:001:001 The burden of Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite.

34:001:002 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.

34:001:003 The LORD is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked: the LORD hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet.

34:001:004 He rebuketh the sea, and maketh it dry, and drieth up all the rivers: Bashan languisheth, and Carmel, and the flower of Lebanon languisheth.

34:001:005 The mountains quake at him, and the hills melt, and the earth is burned at his presence, yea, the world, and all that dwell therein.

34:001:006 Who can stand before his indignation? and who can abide in the fierceness of his anger? his fury is poured out like fire, and the rocks are thrown down by him.

34:001:007 The LORD is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him.

34:001:008 But with an overrunning flood he will make an utter end of the place thereof, and darkness shall pursue his enemies.

34:001:009 What do ye imagine against the LORD? he will make an utter end: affliction shall not rise up the second time.

34:001:010 For while they be folden together as thorns, and while they are drunken as drunkards, they shall be devoured as stubble fully dry.

34:001:011 There is one come out of thee, that imagineth evil against the LORD, a wicked counsellor.

34:001:012 Thus saith the LORD; Though they be quiet, and likewise many, yet thus shall they be cut down, when he shall pass through. Though I have afflicted thee, I will afflict thee no more.

34:001:013 For now will I break his yoke from off thee, and will burst thy bonds in sunder.

34:001:014 And the LORD hath given a commandment concerning thee, that no more of thy name be sown: out of the house of thy gods will I cut off the graven image and the molten image: I will make thy grave; for thou art vile.

34:001:015 Behold upon the mountains the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace! O Judah, keep thy solemn feasts, perform thy vows: for the wicked shall no more pass through thee; he is utterly cut off.

34:002:001 He that dasheth in pieces is come up before thy face: keep the munition, watch the way, make thy loins strong, fortify thy power mightily.

34:002:002 For the LORD hath turned away the excellency of Jacob, as the excellency of Israel: for the emptiers have emptied them out, and marred their vine branches.

34:002:003 The shield of his mighty men is made red, the valiant men are in scarlet: the chariots shall be with flaming torches in the day of his preparation, and the fir trees shall be terribly shaken.

34:002:004 The chariots shall rage in the streets, they shall justle one against another in the broad ways: they shall seem like torches, they shall run like the lightnings.

34:002:005 He shall recount his worthies: they shall stumble in their walk; they shall make haste to the wall thereof, and the defence shall be prepared.

34:002:006 The gates of the rivers shall be opened, and the palace shall be dissolved.

34:002:007 And Huzzab shall be led away captive, she shall be brought up, and her maids shall lead her as with the voice of doves, tabering upon their breasts.

34:002:008 But Nineveh is of old like a pool of water: yet they shall flee away. Stand, stand, shall they cry; but none shall look back.

34:002:009 Take ye the spoil of silver, take the spoil of gold: for there is none end of the store and glory out of all the pleasant furniture.

34:002:010 She is empty, and void, and waste: and the heart melteth, and the knees smite together, and much pain is in all loins, and the faces of them all gather blackness.

34:002:011 Where is the dwelling of the lions, and the feedingplace of the young lions, where the lion, even the old lion, walked, and the lion's whelp, and none made them afraid?

34:002:012 The lion did tear in pieces enough for his whelps, and strangled for his lionesses, and filled his holes with prey, and his dens with ravin.

34:002:013 Behold, I am against thee, saith the LORD of hosts, and I will burn her chariots in the smoke, and the sword shall devour thy young lions: and I will cut off thy prey from the earth, and the voice of thy messengers shall no more be heard.

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The book of Nahum opens with a superscription identifying it as "the burden of Nineveh" and "the book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite." This dual framing—both a prophetic oracle against a specific city and a written vision—establishes a tension between spoken pronouncement and textual record. The text immediately launches into a theophanic description of the Lord as a jealous and avenging deity, whose power is manifested in natural phenomena: whirlwind, storm, clouds, and the drying up of seas and rivers. The mountains quake and hills melt at his presence, setting a tone of cosmic upheaval that recurs throughout the brief work.

Structure and Movement

Nahum is divided into three chapters, but its structure is not strictly linear. The first chapter alternates between declarations of God's wrath and assurances of protection for Judah. Verses 2–8 depict God's fury in elemental terms, while verse 7 offers a respite: "The LORD is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble." This oscillation between judgment and refuge creates a rhythmic pattern. Chapter 2 shifts to a vivid military siege scene, with commands to "keep the munition, watch the way" and imagery of shields made red and valiant men in scarlet. The perspective moves from divine action to human response, as the besieged city is urged to fortify itself. Chapter 3 returns to oracles of doom, using metaphors of harlotry and violence to describe Nineveh's downfall. The movement from cosmic to urban to personal scales gives the book a layered texture.

Recurring Images of Destruction

Several images recur across the chapters, reinforcing the theme of total annihilation. Fire appears repeatedly: God's fury is "poured out like fire" (1:6), and the wicked are "devoured as stubble fully dry" (1:10). The flood metaphor in 1:8—"with an overrunning flood he will make an utter end"—returns in 2:6 as "the gates of the rivers shall be opened, and the palace shall be dissolved." Water, both destructive and cleansing, is a constant presence. Another recurring image is that of cutting off: God will "cut off the graven image" (1:14), and the enemy is "utterly cut off" (1:15). The vine branches are "marred" (2:2), and the city's name will "no more be sown" (1:14). These agricultural and horticultural metaphors emphasize the completeness of the destruction.

Shifts in Address and Perspective

Nahum employs rapid shifts in addressee and voice, creating a dynamic reading experience. The first chapter addresses both the Lord's enemies and Judah directly: "Behold upon the mountains the feet of him that bringeth good tidings" (1:15) speaks comfort to Judah, while earlier verses threaten Nineveh. In chapter 2, the prophet addresses the city itself: "He that dasheth in pieces is come up before thy face" (2:1). This direct address makes the siege immediate. Chapter 3 shifts to a rhetorical question: "Woe to the bloody city! it is all full of lies and robbery" (3:1), then moves to a taunt song comparing Nineveh to No Amon (Thebes), which fell despite its allies. The perspective zooms from divine council to battlefield to historical analogy, keeping the reader off balance.

The Role of Nature in Divine Judgment

Nature is not merely a backdrop but an active participant in God's judgment. In 1:3–5, the Lord's path is marked by whirlwind and storm; the sea is rebuked and rivers dried up. Bashan, Carmel, and Lebanon—symbols of fertility and strength—languish. The mountains quake and hills melt, and the earth is burned at his presence. This cosmic scale elevates the conflict beyond a mere political event. Later, in 2:6, the opening of river gates leads to the palace's dissolution, blending natural and architectural destruction. The final chapter uses natural imagery again: the locust metaphor for the enemy's soldiers (3:15–17) and the comparison of Nineveh's wounds to those of a fig tree shaking its ripe figs (3:12). Nature serves as both instrument and simile, reinforcing the idea that the fall of Nineveh is an act of divine creation undone.

Readers approaching Nahum should attend to its compressed, poetic language and the way it weaves together different registers: hymnic praise, military exhortation, and prophetic taunt. The book's brevity belies its density of imagery and structural complexity. Noting the shifts in speaker and addressee can illuminate how the text builds its case for divine justice. The recurring motifs of fire, flood, and agricultural ruin reward close reading, as they connect the fate of a single city to the broader order of creation.

There’s something almost unbearable in Nahum’s storm-light, how divine wrath falls like a flood yet leaves silence behind. I keep thinking how that old, fierce voice echoes into quieter reckonings—Peter’s gospel, less thunder, more tremor. Strange, the paths the same God takes. The Gospel According to Peter: A Study — Key Ideas to Explore sits on my shelf like a question I’m still learning to ask gently.

Victoria Hill

1 month ago

4 out of 5 (1 User reviews )

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Ronald Glenn - 1 month ago

A straightforward presentation of Nahum's prophecy, this eBook serves its purpose. The lack of extensive commentary might disappoint those seeking deeper analysis, but it's a handy reference. The text is accurate and readable, and the digital format is convenient. Fine for quick reading or devotional use, but don't expect scholarly insights.

Stephanie Cohen - 1 week ago

There's nothing special about this Kindle edition of Nahum. It's a bare-bones text without any supplementary material. The formatting is mediocre, and there are occasional typos. Since the Bible is freely available online, paying for this is questionable. If you need a standalone version, it's fine, but otherwise, stick with a full Bible app.

George Oconnell - 1 week ago

This concise edition of the Book of Nahum is perfect for focused study. The King James Version's poetic language shines through, and the included notes provide helpful context. I appreciate the clean layout and easy navigation, which makes it ideal for Bible study groups. The prophetic imagery is powerful, and this edition does justice to the text. A must-have for any biblical library.