Nahum 1:8 - Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

Bible Comments

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

But - contrasting the safety of those, like Hezekiah, who "trust" in God (Nahum 1:7), with the "utter end" to which the ungodly foe, like Sennacherib, is doomed.

With an overrunning flood - i:e., with irresistible might, which overruns every barrier like a flood. This image is often applied to overwhelming armies of invaders. Also of calamity in general (Psalms 32:6, "For this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee ... surely in the floods of great waters they shall not come nigh unto him;" Psalms 42:7; Psalms 90:5). There is perhaps a special allusion to the mode of Nineveh's capture by the Medo-Babylonian army-namely, through a flood in the river, which broke down the wall twenty furlongs (see note, Nahum 2:6; Isaiah 8:8; Daniel 9:26, "The end thereof (of Jerusalem) shall be with a flood;" Daniel 11:10; Daniel 11:22; Daniel 11:40).

He will make an utter end of the place thereof. Nineveh is personified as a queen; 'and her place' х mªqowmaah (H4725)] of residence (the Hebrew for 'thereof' is feminine) is the city itself (Nahum 2:8). (Maurer.) Or, He shall so utterly destroy Nineveh that its place cannot be found; Nahum 3:17 ("As the locusts ... when the sun ariseth, their place is not known where they are") confirms this (cf. Psalms 37:36, "Yet he passed away, and lo! he was not; yea, I sought him, but he could not be found;" Daniel 2:35, "No place was found for them;" Revelation 12:8; Revelation 20:11).

Darkness shall pursue his enemies - "darkness," the severest calamities.

Nahum 1:8

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