Bruises, Wounds, Bruits and Continual Wickedness Nahum 3:19

As Nahum concluded his prophesy concerning the city of Nineveh, he shared how the “shepherds” or “overseers and teachers” of Nineveh would be “drowsy and sleepy”, the “nobles” would “dwell in the dust” and the “people” would be “scattered upon the mountains” where “no man gathers” them. In chapter three and verse nineteen of his prophesy, Nahum offered “no healing” to the “bruises, wounds, bruits and continual wickedness” of the city of Nineveh. We read:

There is no healing of your bruise; your wound is grievous: all that hear the bruit of you shall clap the hands over you: for upon whom have not your wickedness passed continually?

The verse begins, “There is no healing of your bruise; your wound is grievous:” Nahum began with the words, “There is no healing” which means “quenching, dulling, lessening and alleviation” “of your bruise” or “breaking, fracture, crushing, breach, crash, ruin and shattering”; “your wound” which refers to “blow, slaughter, stripe and scourging” “is grievous” which means “to be or become weak, sick, diseased, grieved and sorry”. Nahum declared there was no “quenching or lessening” of the “ruin and crushing of the sick and sorrowful state” that was to come upon the city of Nineveh

The verse continues, “all that hear the bruit of you shall clap the hands over you: for upon whom have not your wickedness passed continually?” Nahum added, “all that hear” or “perceive by the ear, pay attention to, have interest in and understand” “the bruit of you” which means “the hearing, sound, rumor, announcement, abstractly, audience, fame and report of the Ninevites” “shall clap” or “blow, strike, sound, thrust and blast” “the hands” which means “palms, soles, hollow or flat of the hand”: “over you for upon whom have not your wickedness” which means “bad, evil, disagreeableness, malignant, unpleasant and displeasing misery” “passed” which means “passes over or through, alienated, bring or carry away, take away and transgress” “continually” or “perpetually and properly”. Nahum shared how all who heard about the destruction of Nineveh would celebrate by clapping, and his final question was to consider how they had “passed” their “wickedness” upon everyone they encountered.

When we think through these words of Nahum, we see the final declaration upon the Ninevites who had afflicted others. Because the people of Nineveh had wickedly wronged others and brought evil upon them, they were judged completely by the LORD. The law of reciprocity was to come upon Nineveh, and thus it shall be for all who have not received Jesus Christ as their Savior and LORD. Jesus came to save people from their sins, and if they humble themselves before Him, repent and receive Him as Savior, they shall be “saved” from the judgment to come. If not, those whom they have harmed will rejoice over their destruction, and their “continual wickedness” shall be “grievous” and without hope for “healing”.

Next time we travel back to the New Testament book of James, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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