John Calvin Commentary Nahum 1:15

"Behold, upon the mountains the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace! Keep thy feasts, O Judah, perform thy vows; for the wicked one shall no more pass through thee; he is utterly cut off." — Nahum 1:15 (ASV)

The Prophet again teaches us that whatever he prophesied concerning the destruction of the city Nineveh was for this purpose: that God, by this remarkable evidence, might show that He cared for His people and that He was not unmindful of the covenant He had made with the children of Abraham. This prophecy would have otherwise produced no beneficial effect on the Israelites; they might have thought that Nineveh had been overthrown by chance, by some fatal revolution, or through some other cause.

Therefore, the Prophet shows that the ruin of the city and of the monarchy of Nineveh would be a proof of God's paternal love toward His chosen people. Such a change was to be made for the sake of one people because God, though He had punished the Israelites for a time, yet intended that some seed should remain, for it would have been inconsistent for the covenant, which was to be unbreakable, to be entirely abolished. We now understand, then, the Prophet’s objective and how this verse is to be connected with the rest of the context.

Behold, he says, on the mountains the feet of him who announces peace. Some think that the Prophet alludes to the situation of Jerusalem. We indeed know that mountains were around it, but the Prophet speaks more generally: that heralds of peace will ascend to the tops of mountains so that their voice might be heard more extensively. Behold, he says, on the mountains the feet of him who announces peace; for all the roads had previously been closed up, and hardly anyone dared to whisper. If anyone inquired either concerning peace or war, there was immediate danger that he might fall under suspicion.

Since, then, the Assyrians by their tyrannical rule had deprived the Israelites of the freedom of speech, the Prophet now says that the feet of those who would announce peace would be on the mountains. This means that there would now be free liberty to proclaim peace on the highest places. By feet, he means, as we have explained, coming. And Isaiah speaks in a similar way:

‘How beautiful are the feet of those who announce peace,
who announce good things!’ (Isaiah 52:7).

Then, he says, heralds of peace will arise everywhere. The repetition in other words seems to express this still more clearly; for he says, of him who announces and causes to hear. He might have simply said מבשר, mebesher, but he adds משמיע, meshemio; not only, he says, will he announce peace, but also with a clear and loud voice, so that his preaching may be heard from the most distant places. We now perceive what the Prophet intended and what his words mean.

Now he adds, Celebrate, Judah, thy festal days. It is indeed a repetition of the same word, as if we were to say in Latin, Festiva festivitates (feast festivities); but this has nothing to do with the meaning of the passage. I am inclined to agree with the opinion of those who think that there is here an intimation of the interruption of festal days. For so disordered were all things in Jerusalem and in the surrounding country that sacrifices had ceased, and festal days were also suspended; for sacred history tells us that the Passover was celebrated anew under Hezekiah and also under Josiah.

This omission no doubt happened due to the wars by which the country had been devastated. Therefore, the Prophet now intimates that there would be tranquility and peace for the chosen people, so that they might all ascend to Jerusalem without any fear, celebrate their festal days, give thanks to the Lord, and rejoice before Him, according to the language often used by Moses. At the same time, the Prophet no doubt reminds the Jews for what purpose the Lord would break off the enemy’s yoke and free them from servile fear: it was so that they might sacrifice to God and worship Him while enjoying their quiet condition.

It is not without reason that he addresses Judah, for though the kingdom of Israel was not yet so rejected that God did not regard them as His people, there were no legitimate sacrifices among them and no festal days that God approved. We indeed know that the worship which prevailed there was corrupt and degenerate. Since then God repudiated the sacrifices offered in Israel, Nahum here addresses his discourse to Judah only. Yet he intimates that God had been thus generous to the Israelites so that they, remembering their deliverance, might give Him thanks.

Let us then know that when the Lord grants us tranquility and preserves us in a quiet state, this purpose should always be kept in view: that it is His will that we should truly serve Him. But if we abuse the public peace given to us, and if pleasures cause a forgetfulness of God, this ingratitude will in no way be endured. Indeed, in extreme necessities, we ought to sacrifice to God, as we then especially need to flee to His mercy. But since we cannot worship Him so calmly in a disturbed state of mind, He is pleased to grant us peaceful times.

Now, if we misuse this leisure and indulge in laziness, indeed, if we become so careless as to neglect God, this, as I have said, will be an unbearable evil. Let us then take notice of the Prophet’s words in setting forth God’s purpose: that He would free His people from the power of the Assyrians so that they might celebrate their festal days.

He adds, Pay thy vows. He not only speaks here of the ordinary sacrifices and of the prescribed worship, but he also requires a special proof of gratitude for having been delivered then by the hand of God. For we know what paying vows meant among the Hebrews: they were accustomed to offer peace offerings when they returned victorious from war, when they were delivered from any danger, or when they were relieved from some calamity.

The Prophet therefore now shows that it was right to pay vows to God, since He had dealt so generously with His people. As it is said in Psalm 116, ‘What shall I return to the Lord for all his benefits which he has bestowed on me? The cup of salvation will I take, and on the name of the Lord will I call.’ We also find it thus written in Hosea:

‘The calves of thy lips to me shalt thou render,’
(Hosea 14:2).

We now perceive what Nahum essentially meant: that when peace was restored, the people were not to bury so great and so remarkable a kindness of God, but to pay their vows. That is, the people were to testify that God was the author of their deliverance and that the redemption they had obtained was the unique work of God.

It follows, “Add no more to pass through thee shall Belial, for utterly is he cut off.” This passage must not be explained in a general sense, for we know that the Chaldeans became more grievous to the Jews than the Assyrians had been. But the Prophet here refers especially to the Ninevites, that is, to the Assyrians, whose metropolis, as has been said, was Nineveh. That wicked one then shall not add any more to pass through thee. Why? for he is entirely cut off. This reason given by the Prophet clearly proves that he is not speaking of the wicked generally, but that he specifically points out the Assyrians.

Commentary on Nahum