Behold upon the mountains the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace! O Judah, keep thy solemn feasts, perform thy vows: for the wicked shall no more pass through thee; he is utterly cut off.

NAHUM 1:15KJV
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Nahum 1:15 (KJV)

What does Nahum 1:15 mean?

Nahum 1:15 announces good news to Judah that their enemy will be destroyed, and encourages them to celebrate their religious festivals and keep their promises to God because the threat of the wicked oppressor is gone. The verse pictures a messenger bringing joyful news of peace and safety after a time of fear and danger.

The prophet Nahum is speaking to the people of Judah, who have suffered under the threat of the Assyrian empire. The verse uses the image of a messenger coming over the mountains with news that the enemy will no longer invade. This is a turning point, promising relief and restoration of normal worship life now that the oppressor has been "utterly cut off."

The Hebrew behind Nahum 1:15

  • "mountains" (הָרִים, harim): The mention of mountains highlights the geography around Judah and the dramatic arrival of good news, as messengers would literally travel over these hills.
  • "tidings" (מְבַשֵּׂר, mevaser): This word means "one who brings good news" and is often used for news of victory or peace, emphasizing the joyful, hopeful nature of the message.
  • "peace" (שָׁלוֹם, shalom): Shalom means more than just the absence of conflict; it includes wholeness, safety, and well-being, showing that the news is not just about military victory but a return to a full, safe life.
  • "wicked" (בְּלִיַּעַל, beliya‘al): This word refers to someone thoroughly evil or lawless, underlining how complete the removal of the enemy will be.

Why Nahum 1:15 matters

  • Nahum 1:15 clarifies that the promise is not just political freedom but also spiritual renewal, as Judah is told to resume its festivals and vows.
  • The verse connects to the larger message of Nahum, which is about the downfall of Nineveh (Assyria) and the end of its oppression over God's people.
  • The focus on "good tidings" and "peace" sets a tone of hope and restoration, showing that God’s deliverance brings both safety and the freedom to worship.

Where else these words appear

“keep” Hebrew H2287 · used in 14 verses

  • Exodus 5:1 And afterward Moses and Aaron went in, and told Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Let my people go, that they may hold a feast unto me in the wilderness.
  • Leviticus 23:41 And ye shall keep it a feast unto the LORD seven days in the year. It shall be a statute for ever in your generations: ye shall celebrate it in the seventh month.
  • Psalms 42:4 When I remember these things, I pour out my soul in me: for I had gone with the multitude, I went with them to the house of God, with the voice of joy and praise, with a multitude that kept holyday.

“tidings” Hebrew H1319 · used in 21 verses

  • 1 Samuel 4:17 And the messenger answered and said, Israel is fled before the Philistines, and there hath been also a great slaughter among the people, and thy two sons also, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of God is taken.
  • 2 Samuel 18:26 And the watchman saw another man running: and the watchman called unto the porter, and said, Behold another man running alone. And the king said, He also bringeth tidings.
  • Psalms 96:2 Sing unto the LORD, bless his name; shew forth his salvation from day to day.

“wicked” Hebrew H1100 · used in 26 verses

  • Deuteronomy 13:13 Certain men, the children of Belial, are gone out from among you, and have withdrawn the inhabitants of their city, saying, Let us go and serve other gods, which ye have not known;
  • 1 Samuel 25:25 Let not my lord, I pray thee, regard this man of Belial, even Nabal: for as his name is, so is he; Nabal is his name, and folly is with him: but I thine handmaid saw not the young men of my lord, whom thou didst send.
  • 2 Chronicles 13:7 And there are gathered unto him vain men, the children of Belial, and have strengthened themselves against Rehoboam the son of Solomon, when Rehoboam was young and tenderhearted, and could not withstand them.

“feasts” Hebrew H2282 · used in 55 verses

  • Exodus 10:9 And Moses said, We will go with our young and with our old, with our sons and with our daughters, with our flocks and with our herds will we go; for we must hold a feast unto the LORD.
  • Deuteronomy 16:14 And thou shalt rejoice in thy feast, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy manservant, and thy maidservant, and the Levite, the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, that are within thy gates.
  • Nehemiah 8:18 Also day by day, from the first day unto the last day, he read in the book of the law of God. And they kept the feast seven days; and on the eighth day was a solemn assembly, according unto the manner.