Nahum 1 3

Nahum 1:3 kjv

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.

Nahum 1:3 nkjv

The LORD is slow to anger and great in power, And will not at all acquit the wicked. The LORD has His way In the whirlwind and in the storm, And the clouds are the dust of His feet.

Nahum 1:3 niv

The LORD is slow to anger but great in power; the LORD will not leave the guilty unpunished. His way is in the whirlwind and the storm, and clouds are the dust of his feet.

Nahum 1:3 esv

The LORD is slow to anger and great in power, and the LORD will by no means clear the guilty. His way is in whirlwind and storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet.

Nahum 1:3 nlt

The LORD is slow to get angry, but his power is great,
and he never lets the guilty go unpunished.
He displays his power in the whirlwind and the storm.
The billowing clouds are the dust beneath his feet.

Nahum 1 verses

Nahum 1 3 Meaning

Nahum 1:3 presents a profound statement about God's character, blending His patient longsuffering with His infinite power and unwavering justice. It reveals that while the Lord is slow to unleash His wrath, granting ample opportunity for repentance, His might is boundless, and He will never allow the guilty to escape judgment. His sovereign control extends even over the most formidable elements of nature—whirlwinds and storms—which serve as His very path and instruments, symbolizing His coming in unstoppable power and righteous judgment. This verse foreshadows Nineveh's destruction, affirming God's divine authority and His ultimate purpose in dealing with human wickedness.

Nahum 1 3 Context

Nahum chapter 1 is an oracle against Nineveh, the capital of the powerful and brutal Assyrian Empire. This particular verse forms part of an initial declaration of God's character before the specific pronouncement of Nineveh's doom begins. The prophet Nahum, whose name means "comfort," delivers a message of comfort to Judah, promising divine vengeance upon their oppressor, Assyria.

Historically, Assyria had been a dominant force, notorious for its cruelty, especially towards Judah and the Northern Kingdom of Israel. They had destroyed Samaria in 722 BC and brutally assaulted Judah under Sennacherib around 701 BC. Nahum’s prophecy comes after a period of Assyrian atrocities, reassuring Judah that despite Nineveh's seemingly insurmountable power, God is sovereign and just. This verse serves as a foundational theological statement that underpins the subsequent prophecy of destruction. It establishes God's absolute moral character and unchallengeable authority over both humanity and nature, directly contrasting the might of Nineveh's armies and its pagan deities. The context is one of divine judgment preparing to fall upon a wicked and unrepentant empire, demonstrating that even the most powerful human kingdom is subject to the Lord's supreme rule.

Nahum 1 3 Word analysis

• The Lord: Hebrew Yahweh (יְהוָה - YHWH), the personal covenant name of God, emphasizing His self-existence, eternal nature, and covenant faithfulness. It signifies that the God who acts in this prophecy is the same faithful God of Israel, unlike the fickle gods of pagan nations.

• is slow to anger: Hebrew ’erekh appayim (אֶרֶךְ אַפַּיִם), literally "long of nose" or "long of nostrils," an idiom for patience and forbearance. The nose often represents anger (steam coming from nostrils), so a "long nose" indicates a delayed reaction. This highlights God's patient enduring and withholding of wrath, providing ample opportunity for repentance, as seen in Jonah's mission to Nineveh previously. It doesn't mean God never gets angry, but that He is not quick or impulsive in His wrath.

• and great in power: Hebrew ûgəḏōl kōaḥ (וּגְדֹל כֹּחַ), denoting immense strength, might, and ability. This contrasts starkly with Assyria’s perceived power and asserts God's omnipotence. No earthly force, however mighty, can withstand Him or deflect His purposes.

• and will not at all acquit the wicked: Hebrew wənaqēh lō' yənaqqeh (וְנַקֵּה לֹא יְנַקֶּה). This is an emphatic double negative, literally "and clearing, He will not clear" or "by no means will he leave unpunished." It expresses absolute certainty that God’s justice demands that the guilty (specifically the "wicked" – ra', meaning evil or morally wrong) will not escape their deserved judgment. It underscores His righteousness and intolerance for sin, emphasizing that His patience does not equate to complacency or a suspension of justice.

• The Lord has His way in the whirlwind and in the storm: Hebrew baššaʿara wəḇasūfāh darkō. The "whirlwind" (saʿarah) and "storm" (sūfah) refer to violent natural phenomena often associated with theophanies (manifestations of God's presence). "His way" (darkō) indicates His path, His method, His divine progression. This imagery emphasizes God’s majestic control over creation; He doesn’t just cause them, but moves and acts within them, making them His vehicle. It serves as a powerful polemic against pagan storm gods (like Assyrian Adad), declaring that Yahweh, not a limited deity, commands the might of nature.

• and the clouds are the dust of His feet: Hebrew wəḥabəqîm `ăvaq raḡlāw. This striking anthropomorphism depicts God as so vast and powerful that even mighty clouds are merely the stirred-up dust from His walking. It is an image of divine immensity and ease of movement through creation. It illustrates His sublime transcendence and unchallenged mastery over all physical reality, further humbling any human claim to power and reinforcing His unstoppable advance.

• Words-group analysis:

  • "The Lord is slow to anger, and great in power": This phrase links God's mercy and omnipotence, showing them not as contradictory but complementary aspects of His nature. His slowness to anger is not due to weakness, but intentional forbearance backed by unlimited power. This gives His patience profound significance.
  • "and will not at all acquit the wicked": This follows the previous statement as a necessary balance. God's patience is not an excuse for sin; His great power is not wielded without justice. His moral rectitude ensures that while He is patient, He is also righteous, and evil will inevitably be judged.
  • "The Lord has His way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of His feet": This section employs powerful theophanic imagery. It moves from describing God's character to demonstrating His active, tangible presence and control over the very forces that seem chaotic and destructive to humanity. These natural phenomena become metaphors for God's irresistible power, underscoring that His impending judgment on Nineveh is a manifestation of His absolute dominion and deliberate purpose, not random fate. It paints a picture of a mighty, active, and coming God.

Nahum 1 3 Bonus section

The rhetorical force of Nahum 1:3 is profoundly intensified by its connection to the preceding verse, "The Lord is a jealous God and avenging; the Lord is avenging and wrathful." Verse 3 then immediately provides the necessary theological counterweight: His vengeance and wrath are not capricious or hasty, but emanate from a "slow to anger" nature, balanced by infinite power and unfailing justice. This sequence offers a comprehensive understanding of divine judgment as deliberate, potent, and absolutely righteous. The opening verses of Nahum’s prophecy echo God’s self-declaration in Exodus 34:6-7, establishing that the God of the covenant, who is merciful, is also the God who "will by no means clear the guilty," providing the immutable basis for Nineveh's prophesied downfall. This verse also implicitly warns against presuming upon God's patience, for His long-suffering is intended to lead to repentance, not to embolden persistent rebellion.

Nahum 1 3 Commentary

Nahum 1:3 paints a magnificent portrait of God, initiating a prophecy of judgment with an unshakeable declaration of His holy nature. His "slowness to anger" reveals an inherent forbearance, an invitation for repentance that Nineveh had demonstrably spurned. Yet, this patience is paired with "great in power," signifying that His restraint is not weakness, but a conscious withholding of an irresistible force. Crucially, His "will not at all acquit the wicked" underscores divine justice: while patient, God is unequivocally righteous and will not compromise on sin. The double negative leaves no room for doubt – no wickedness will escape ultimate reckoning. The subsequent imagery of "whirlwind and storm" and "clouds are the dust of His feet" visually portrays God's majestic arrival as Judge. He does not merely control nature; He moves through it, embodying cosmic dominion. For Nineveh, this means that their end will not be from human might, but from an act of divine, sovereign will, demonstrating that Yahweh alone is supreme over all earthly kingdoms and even the chaotic forces of creation. It's a reminder that divine justice, though delayed, is inexorable and absolute, riding on the very winds and storms.