Nahum 2:13
“Behold, I am against thee, saith the LORD of hosts, and I will burn her chariots in the smoke, and the sword shall devour thy young lions: and I will cut off thy prey from the earth, and the voice of thy messengers shall no more be heard.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →The Lord of hosts declares Himself Nineveh's adversary, vowing to burn its chariots, slay its warriors, end its plunder, and silence its threats.
What Does Nahum 2:13 Mean?
The chapter ends with the most fearful words an enemy could hear: Behold, I am against thee, says the Lord of hosts. It is not merely an invading army but God Himself who stands opposed to Nineveh. He will burn the chariots that carried its terror, let the sword devour its young lions, cut off the prey it seized from the earth, and silence forever the voice of its messengers, the envoys who had carried demands and blasphemies to trembling nations. Every instrument of Assyrian power is named and ended.
The title Lord of hosts means the One who commands all the armies of heaven; against such a foe no empire can stand. To have God for an adversary is the truest definition of ruin, just as to have Him for a refuge is the truest safety. The same phrase, I am against thee, that terrifies the oppressor is the great comfort of the oppressed, for it means their tormentor's voice will at last fall silent. This is the deep good news beneath the judgment: God Himself opposes the powers that devour, and in Christ He has overcome them.