English Standard Version
Nahum 1:3
3The 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 in other versions
- King James Version (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.
- New International Version (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.
- New King James Version (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.
- New Living Translation (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.
Context of Nahum 1:3
1An oracle concerning Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum of Elkosh. 2The Lord is a jealous and avenging God; the Lord is avenging and wrathful; the Lord takes vengeance on his adversaries and keeps wrath for his enemies. 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. 4He rebukes the sea and makes it dry; he dries up all the rivers; Bashan and Carmel wither; the bloom of Lebanon withers. 5The mountains quake before him; the hills melt; the earth heaves before him, the world and all who dwell in it.
Read all of Nahum 1Nahum 1:3 word by word
יְהֹוָ֗ה אֶ֤רֶךְ אַפַּ֙יִם֙ וּגְדָל כֹּ֔חַ וְנַקֵּ֖ה לֹ֣א יְנַקֶּ֑ה יְהוָ֗ה בְּסוּפָ֤ה וּבִשְׂעָרָה֙ דַּרְכּ֔וֹ וְעָנָ֖ן אֲבַ֥ק רַגְלָֽיו׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- The Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- slowאָרֵךְ'ârêk · slowH750
- to angerאַף'aph · face: angerH639
- and greatגָּדוֹלgâdôl gâdôl · great: largeH1419
- in powerכֹּחַkôach kôach · strengthH3581
- and will not at allנָקָהnâqâh · to clearH5352
- his wayדֶּ֫רֶךְderek · way: journeyH1870
- in the whirlwindסוּפָהsûphâh · whirlwindH5492
- and in the stormשְׂעָרָהώe‛ârâh · stormH8183
- and the cloudsעָנָן‛ânân · cloudH6051
- the dustאָבָק'âbâq · dustH80
- of his feetרֶ֫גֶלregel · footH7272
Cross-references for Nahum 1:3
- Exodus 34:6The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, "The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness,
- Nehemiah 9:17They refused to obey and were not mindful of the wonders that you performed among them, but they stiffened their neck and appointed a leader to return to their slavery in Egypt. But you are a God ready to forgive, gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and did not forsake them.
- Psalms 103:8The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
- Psalms 145:8The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
- Joel 2:13and rend your hearts and not your garments." Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and he relents over disaster.
- Jonah 4:2And he prayed to the Lord and said, "O Lord, is not this what I said when I was yet in my country? That is why I made haste to flee to Tarshish; for I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from disaster.
- James 1:19Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger;
- Job 9:4He is wise in heart and mighty in strength —who has hardened himself against him, and succeeded?—
- Psalms 62:11Once God has spoken; twice have I heard this: that power belongs to God,
- Psalms 66:3Say to God, "How awesome are your deeds! So great is your power that your enemies come cringing to you.
- Psalms 147:5Great is our Lord, and abundant in power; his understanding is beyond measure.
- Ephesians 1:19and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might
- Numbers 14:18'The Lord is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, forgiving iniquity and transgression, but he will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, to the third and the fourth generation.'
- Job 10:14If I sin, you watch me and do not acquit me of my iniquity.
- Exodus 19:16On the morning of the third day there were thunders and lightnings and a thick cloud on the mountain and a very loud trumpet blast, so that all the people in the camp trembled.
- Deuteronomy 5:22"These words the Lord spoke to all your assembly at the mountain out of the midst of the fire, the cloud, and the thick darkness, with a loud voice; and he added no more. And he wrote them on two tablets of stone and gave them to me.
Commentaries on Nahum 1:3
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3The 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…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3The 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…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3slow to anger: God's patience with disobedience is linked to his faithful love (Exodus 34:6; Numbers 14:18; Psalm 103:8; Joel 2:13). This trait disappointed Jonah, who wanted Nineveh destroyed immediately (Jonah 4:2). Because God is patient, he sometimes delays the deserved punishment of sinners (Nehemiah 9:29–30; Romans 2:4; 2 Peter 3:9), but those who continue to sin will ultimately face God's judgment (Exodus 34:7; Romans 14:10; 2 Corinthians 5:10…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 33. slow to anger, and great in power--that is, 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 (Ex 34:6, 7). not at all acquit--literally, "will not acquitting acquit," or treat as innocent. Lord hath his way in the whirlwind--From this to Na 1:5, inclusive, is a description of His power exhibited in the phenomena of nature, especially when He is wroth. His…Read the comment
Topics related to Nahum 1:3
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Nahum 1
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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