Nahum 1:3

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. THE LORD IS SLOW TO ANGER, AND GREAT IN POWER - i:e., He is slow indeed to anger, but great in power, so as to be able in a moment, if He pleases, to destroy the wicked. His long-suffering is not from want of power to punish (, "The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering ... forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty." To this last clause Nahum's next clause alludes). AND WILL NOT AT ALL ACQUIT THE WICKED - literally, will not acquitting acquit, or treat as innocent. THE LORD HATH HIS WAY IN THE WHIRLWIND. From this to...

The Prophet goes on with the same subject; and still longer is the preface respecting the nature of God, which however is to be applied, as I have said, to the special objects which hereafter he will state. He says here that God is _slow to wrath _Though this saying is taken also from Moses yet the Prophet speaks here for the purpose of anticipating an objection; for he obviates the audacity of the ungodly who daringly derided God, when any evil was denounced on them, — Where is the mercy of God? Can God divest himself of his kindness? He cannot deny himself. Thus profane men, under the pretense of honoring God, cast on him the most atrocious slander, for they deprive him of his own power and office: and there is no doubt but that this was commonly done by many of the ungodly in the age of our Prophet. Hence he anticipates this objection, and concedes that God is slow to wrath. There is...

1-8 About a hundred years before, at Jonah's preaching, the Ninevites repented, and were spared, yet, soon after, they became worse than ever. Nineveh knows not that God who contends with her, but is told what a God he is. It is good for all to mix faith with what is here said concerning Him, which speaks great terror to the wicked, and comfort to believers. Let each take his portion from it: let sinners read it and tremble; and let saints read it and triumph. The anger of the Lord is contrasted with his goodness to his people. Perhaps they are obscure and little regarded in the world, but the Lord knows them. The Scripture character of Jehovah agrees not with the views of proud reasoners. The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ is slow to wrath and ready to forgive, but he will by no means acquit the wicked; and there is tribulation and anguish for every soul that doeth evil: but wh...

Verse Nahum 1:3. _THE LORD IS SLOW TO ANGER_] He exercises much longsuffering towards his enemies, that this may lead them to repentance. And it is because of this longsuffering that vengeance is not speedily executed on every evil work. _GREAT IN POWER_] Able at all times to _save_ or to _destroy_. _THE LORD_ HATH _HIS WAY IN THE WHIRLWIND AND IN THE STORM_] These are the _effects_ of his _power_; and when they appear unusual, they may be considered as the _immediate_ effects of his power: and although he be _in them_ to punish and destroy, he is in them to _direct_ their _course_, to determine their _operations_, and to defend his followers from being injured by their violence. The pestilential wind which slew _one hundred and eighty-five thousand_ of the Assyrians d

THE LORD IS SLOW TO ANGER - Nahum takes up the words of Jonah Jonah 4:2 as he spoke of God’s attributes toward Nineveh, but only to show the opposite side of them. Jonah declares how God is “slow to anger,” giving men time of repentance, and if they do repent, “repenting Him also of the evil;” Nahum, that the long-suffering of God is not “slackness,” that “He is long-suffering to usward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” AND STRONG IN POWER - Divine long-suffering gees along with Divine power. God can be long-suffering, because He can, whenever He sees good, punish. His long-suffering is a token, not of weakness, but of power. He can allow persons the whole extent of trial, because, when they are past cure, He can end it at once. “God is a righteous judge, strong and patient, and God

EXPOSITION NAHUM 1:1 Part I. THE JUDGMENT UPON NINEVEH DECREED BY GOD. 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. λ

THE LORD [IS] SLOW TO ANGER,.... He is not in haste to execute it; he takes time for it, and gives men space for repentance. Nineveh had had a proof of this when it repented at the preaching of Jonah, upon which the Lord deferred the execution of his wrath; but lest they should presume upon this, and conclude the Lord would always bear with them, though they had returned to their former impieties; they are let to know, that this his forbearance was not owing to want of power or will in him to punish: since he is GREAT IN POWER, AND WILL NOT AT ALL ACQUIT [THE WICKED]; he is able to execute the wrath he threatens, and will by no means clear the guilty, or let them go free and unpunished; though he moves slowly, as he may seem in the execution of his judgments, yet they shall surely be brought on his enemies, and be fully accomplished: THE LORD HATH HIS WAY IN THE WHIRLWIND AND IN THE ST...

ANALYSIS AND ANNOTATIONS CHAPTER 1 The Purpose of God in Dealing with the Assyrian Oppressor _ 1. The superscription (Nahum 1:1) _ 2. Jehovah's majesty in judgment (Nahum 1:2) 3. His people comforted and assured (Nahum 1:7) 4. The judgment of Assyria and the result (Nahum 1:14) Nahum 1:1. The burden of Nineveh; it means that there is to follow a weighty prophetic oracle concerning the great world city of Nineveh whose dimensions are given by Jonah, which have been confirmed by excavations. The next sentence gives us the definite i

THE AVENGING WRATH OF YAHWEH. Yahweh is a jealous and vengeful God sensitive to the honour of Himself and His people who marcheth through whirlwind and storm to save them from the enemy. Before His presence sea and rivers dry up, Bashan, Carmel, and Lebanon wither, the mountains quake and the earth itself is upheaved. How then can mortal man face the glow of His anger? To such as trust in Him He is a stronghold in the day of trouble; but His adversaries He thrusteth into darkness, taking not vengeance twice, but making a full end of them and all their devices. Though for a time He may remain silent, He is storing up wrath against them; and all of them shall be mown down like thorns, or burnt in the fire as stubble. NAHUM 1:2 B (the N stanza) ought clearly to follow Nahum 1:9_ a_, while...

SLOW TO ANGER. long-suffering. Reference to Pentateuch (Ex. Nah 34:6, Nah 34:7). App-92. Hebrew "Long of anger". The opposite of Proverbs 14:17. Compare Jonah 4:2. GREAT. Compare Job 9:4. and see the Structure "-3-5", above. WILL NOT, &C. Reference to Pentateuch (Exodus 34:7; Numbers 14:18). ACQUIT. clear, or hold guiltless....