And the LORD hath given a commandment concerning thee, that no more of thy name be sown: out of the house of thy gods will I cut off the graven image and the molten image: I will make thy grave; for thou art vile.
NAHUM 1:14KJVWhat does Nahum 1:14 mean?
Nahum 1:14 declares that the LORD has issued a command that the name and legacy of Nineveh will come to an end, its idols will be destroyed, and its ruler will be brought to a dishonorable grave because of wickedness. This verse is a direct message of judgment against the Assyrian empire and its king.
The prophet Nahum is speaking God’s words to the king of Assyria, warning that his dynasty and false gods will be wiped out. The verse uses strong language to show that not only will the king’s reputation (“name”) end, but even the idols (“graven image” and “molten image”) in the temples will be cut off. The final line, “for thou art vile,” makes clear that this destruction is a result of deep moral corruption.
The Hebrew behind Nahum 1:14
- “LORD” (יְהוָה, YHWH): This is the personal name of Israel’s God, emphasizing that the judgment comes from the one true God, not just a generic deity.
- “Name” (שֵׁם, shem): In Hebrew thought, a person’s “name” often means their reputation or legacy. The verse promises that the king’s memory and influence will not continue.
- “Sown” (זָרַע, zara): This word means to scatter seed. Here, it is used to say that the king’s name will not be “sown” or spread—meaning no descendants or lasting legacy.
- “Cut off” (כָּרַת, karath): This verb is often used for something being completely removed or destroyed, stressing the total end of the idols and the king’s line.
- “Graven image” (פֶּסֶל, pesel) and “molten image” (מַסֵּכָה, massekhah): These words refer to carved and cast idols. The verse singles out both types, showing that all forms of idol worship in Nineveh will be destroyed.
- “Grave” (קֶבֶר, qeber): The word for grave here is personal—God says, “I will make your grave,” highlighting a direct and humiliating end.
Why Nahum 1:14 matters
- Nahum 1:14 makes clear that God’s judgment is not just against a city, but against its ruler, its religion, and its reputation—showing a complete and final end.
- The verse helps explain why Nineveh’s destruction was so thorough: it was not just military defeat, but a wiping out of its memory and religious system.
- This verse connects to the wider message of Nahum, which is about God’s justice against proud and violent empires, and reassures readers that evil will not last forever.