The Meaning of Nahum 1:12 Explained

Nahum 1:12

KJV: 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.

YLT: Thus said Jehovah: Though complete, and thus many, Yet thus they have been cut off, And he hath passed away. And I afflicted thee, I afflict thee no more.

Darby: Thus saith Jehovah: Though they be complete in number, and many as they be, even so shall they be cut down, and he shall pass away; and though I have afflicted thee, I will afflict thee no more.

ASV: Thus saith Jehovah: Though they be in full strength, and likewise many, even so shall they be cut down, and he shall pass away. Though I have afflicted thee, I will afflict thee no more.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Nahum 1:12 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Yahweh declared that even though the Assyrians were powerful and numerous, He would cut them off and they would pass off the stage of history. This must have been hard for many Israelites to believe since the Assyrians had been their dreaded enemy for centuries. Even though the Lord had afflicted the Israelites, He would afflict them no longer. Evidently He meant that He would not afflict them with the Assyrians any longer since other nations did afflict them after Assyria passed off the scene. This is the only place in the prophecy where, "Thus says the LORD," occurs, guaranteeing that what He said would definitely happen. This verse is the clearest indication that Nahum ministered before the decline of Assyria as a military and political state. [1]
"In the context the expression "quiet, and likewise many," [2] although a literal translation of the Hebrew, does not seem to make much sense. Actually the Hebrew here represents a transliteration of a long-forgotten Assyrian legal formula. Excavation in the ruins of ancient Nineveh, buried since612 B.C, has brought to light thousands of ancient Assyrian tablets, dozens of which contain this Assyrian legal formula. It proves, on investigation, to indicate joint and several responsibility for carrying out an obligation. Nahum quotes the LORD as using this Assyrian formula in speaking to the Assyrians, saying in effect, "Even though your entire nation joins as one person to resist me, nevertheless I shall overcome you." As the words would have been equally incomprehensible to the later Hebrew copyists, their retention is striking evidence of the care of the scribes in copying exactly what they found in the manuscripts, and testifies to God"s providential preservation of the Biblical text." [3]

Context Summary

Nahum 1:1-15 - God's Goodness And Righteous Anger
The native city of Nahum was Elkosh, near the Lake of Galilee. The name Capernaum means literally "the village of Nahum." He lived about 150 years after Jonah, who also had been especially concerned with the sins and doom of Nineveh. Though as a Jew he must have dreaded Nineveh, which had already carried Samaria into captivity and was now menacing Jerusalem, he accounted its fate a grievous burden-"the burden of Nineveh." We must never speak of the doom of the ungodly, save from a broken heart.
Nahum 1:1-8 forms a magnificent preamble combining the goodness and severity of God. His dealings with mankind are wrapped in mystery, but He is good and the stronghold of His saints. In Nahum 1:9-15 we see how mad Assyria was to enter into conflict with Jehovah. The fate of thorns in fiercely burning flame is the emblem of their doom. Compare Nahum 1:14 with Isaiah 37:38. When the hour of anguish is past, let us not forget to pay our vows. [source]

Chapter Summary: Nahum 1

1  The majesty of God in goodness to his people, and severity against his enemies

What do the individual words in Nahum 1:12 mean?

Thus says Yahweh Though [they are] safe and likewise many and yet in this manner they will be cut down and when he passes through And Though I have afflicted you no I will afflict you more
כֹּ֣ה ׀ אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֗ה אִם־ שְׁלֵמִים֙ וְכֵ֣ן רַבִּ֔ים וְכֵ֥ן נָגֹ֖זּוּ וְעָבָ֑ר וְעִ֨נִּתִ֔ךְ לֹ֥א אֲעַנֵּ֖ךְ עֽוֹד

כֹּ֣ה ׀  Thus 
Parse: Adverb
Root: כֹּה  
Sense: thus, here, in this manner.
אָמַ֣ר  says 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
יְהוָ֗ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
אִם־  Though 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: אִם  
Sense: if.
שְׁלֵמִים֙  [they  are]  safe 
Parse: Adjective, masculine plural
Root: שָׁלֵם  
Sense: complete, safe, peaceful, perfect, whole, full, at peace.
וְכֵ֣ן  and  likewise 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb
Root: כֵּן 
Sense: so, therefore, thus.
רַבִּ֔ים  many 
Parse: Adjective, masculine plural
Root: רַב 
Sense: much, many, great.
וְכֵ֥ן  and  yet  in  this  manner 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb
Root: כֵּן 
Sense: so, therefore, thus.
נָגֹ֖זּוּ  they  will  be  cut  down 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: גָּזַז  
Sense: to shear, mow.
וְעָבָ֑ר  and  when  he  passes  through 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: עָבַר 
Sense: to pass over or by or through, alienate, bring, carry, do away, take, take away, transgress.
וְעִ֨נִּתִ֔ךְ  And  Though  I  have  afflicted  you 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Conjunctive perfect, first person common singular, second person feminine singular
Root: עָנָה 
Sense: (Qal) to be occupied, be busied with.
לֹ֥א  no 
Parse: Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
אֲעַנֵּ֖ךְ  I  will  afflict  you 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperfect, first person common singular, second person feminine singular
Root: עָנָה 
Sense: (Qal) to be occupied, be busied with.
עֽוֹד  more 
Parse: Adverb
Root: עֹוד  
Sense: a going round, continuance adv.