Thou also shalt be drunken (gam-at tishkeri, גַּם־אַתְּ תִּשְׁכְּרִי)—after describing Thebes' fate, Nahum turns directly to Nineveh: 'you also' will be drunk. Drunkenness here symbolizes divine judgment—the cup of God's wrath. Isaiah, Jeremiah, and other prophets use this metaphor: nations 'drink' judgment until they stagger and collapse. The comparison is devastating: just as Thebes fell, so will Nineveh.
Thou shalt be hid (tihyi ne'alamah)—you will be hidden or obscure (alam, עָלַם). This could mean hiding in fear during attack, or being hidden by destruction—buried and forgotten. History fulfilled both meanings: Nineveh's defenders hid during the siege, and afterward the city was so thoroughly destroyed it was literally hidden under earth for millennia. Thou also shalt seek strength because of the enemy (gam-at tevaqeshi ma'oz me'oyev)—you will desperately seek refuge from the enemy, but find none. When God's judgment comes, no stronghold provides security.
Historical Context
The metaphor of drinking God's cup of wrath appears throughout Scripture (Psalm 75:8, Isaiah 51:17, Jeremiah 25:15-28, Habakkuk 2:16). Nations that persist in evil eventually 'drink' judgment until they stagger and fall. Nineveh had forced this cup on others for centuries; now it was their turn. In 612 BC, the prophecy was fulfilled precisely. Nineveh sought refuge in its massive fortifications but found no security. The city fell, and its destruction was so complete that it was literally 'hidden'—buried under sand and earth. When archaeologists rediscovered Nineveh in the 1840s, they fulfilled Nahum's prophecy by making visible what had been hidden for over 2,000 years.
Questions for Reflection
What does the metaphor of drinking God's cup of wrath teach about the cumulative nature of divine judgment against persistent sin?
How does Nineveh being 'hidden' by destruction demonstrate the totality and finality of God's judgment?
What does it mean that no earthly stronghold provides refuge when God's judgment arrives, and where should believers seek true security?
Analysis & Commentary
Thou also shalt be drunken (gam-at tishkeri, גַּם־אַתְּ תִּשְׁכְּרִי)—after describing Thebes' fate, Nahum turns directly to Nineveh: 'you also' will be drunk. Drunkenness here symbolizes divine judgment—the cup of God's wrath. Isaiah, Jeremiah, and other prophets use this metaphor: nations 'drink' judgment until they stagger and collapse. The comparison is devastating: just as Thebes fell, so will Nineveh.
Thou shalt be hid (tihyi ne'alamah)—you will be hidden or obscure (alam, עָלַם). This could mean hiding in fear during attack, or being hidden by destruction—buried and forgotten. History fulfilled both meanings: Nineveh's defenders hid during the siege, and afterward the city was so thoroughly destroyed it was literally hidden under earth for millennia. Thou also shalt seek strength because of the enemy (gam-at tevaqeshi ma'oz me'oyev)—you will desperately seek refuge from the enemy, but find none. When God's judgment comes, no stronghold provides security.