What do you plot against the LORD? He will make a complete end; trouble will not rise up a second time.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The most striking part of this verse is that the "affliction" God sends will not rise up a second time. This isn't about God being unable to send more trouble, but that Nineveh's punishment will be so complete, so utterly final, that no further affliction will be necessary; their destruction will be decisive and all-encompassing.
What do you plot against the LORD? He will make a complete end; trouble will not rise up a second time.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Nahum's prophecy opens by declaring God's powerful wrath against His enemies and His protection of His people. This verse directly addresses the Assyrians (or Nineveh), questioning their arrogant plots against the LORD, reminding them that their actions against Judah are essentially actions against God Himself. The context immediately sets up the prophecy of Nineveh's complete and final destruction, emphasizing that this judgment will be so thorough it won't need to be repeated.
When nations or individuals plot against God's people, who are they really challenging? This verse reveals a profound truth about divine opposition.
The Real Target
The verse begins with a searing question directed at those who oppose God's purposes: "What do you plot against the LORD?" This isn't just about attacking a nation or a people; it's a direct challenge to God Himself. The commentaries highlight that when enemies plot against Israel, they are, in fact, imagining evil against the Lord, the God of Israel. This elevates the conflict from a geopolitical struggle to a cosmic confrontation. The enemy might see a weak people, but they fail to recognize that God Himself stands behind His chosen ones. Their arrogance blinds them to the divine power they are truly defying.
What does it mean for trouble to 'not rise up a second time'? This verse promises a decisive and complete victory for God's justice.
No Second Chances
The second part of the verse declares, "He will make a complete end; trouble will not rise up a second time." The scholars grapple with whether this 'affliction' refers to Nineveh's future affliction or the affliction Nineveh inflicts. The prevailing interpretation, especially when considering the context of God's judgment, is that God's response will be so final and absolute that it won't need repeating. It's a one-time, devastating blow against His enemies. Think of it like crushing a serpent's head – it doesn't need a second strike. This isn't just a temporary setback for the oppressor; it's utter annihilation. The destruction of Sennacherib's army, as described in 2 Kings, serves as a powerful earthly illustration of this divine promise of a final end to those who defy the Lord.
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The verse speaks directly to the Assyrian king Sennacherib's failed invasion of Judah around 701 BC. Though the Assyrians were a formidable power, their aggression against Jerusalem was met with a swift, divine end, assuring Judah that this particular 'affliction' would not rise again.
Late 8th century BC
Assyrian Empire at its Height
The Neo-Assyrian Empire, centered in Nineveh, was a dominant military and political power in the ancient Near East.
c. 701 BC— this verse
Sennacherib's Invasion of Judah
Assyrian king Sennacherib invaded Judah, conquering many cities and besieging Jerusalem. This event is a crucial backdrop for Nahum's prophecy.
c. 701 BC
Divine Intervention and Assyrian Retreat
According to biblical accounts, a divine plague or disaster struck the Assyrian army, forcing Sennacherib to lift the siege of Jerusalem and return to Nineveh.
c. 660 BC
Nahum's Prophecy Delivered
The prophet Nahum delivers his message, foretelling the destruction of Nineveh, likely during a period of Assyrian weakness or before its final fall.
612 BC
Fall of Nineveh
A coalition of Babylonians, Medes, and Scythians sacked and destroyed Nineveh, ending the Neo-Assyrian Empire and fulfilling Nahum's prophecy.
This passage describes Sennacherib's arrogant boasts against the Lord and His people, mirroring the 'imagining against the LORD' mentioned in Nahum, and God's subsequent decisive action against him.
2 Kings 19:15-19Hezekiah's prayer after Sennacherib's blasphemous taunts echoes the situation in Nahum, highlighting the direct defiance against God and the reliance on divine intervention for deliverance.
Jeremiah 17:18This verse speaks of God's judgment not being repeated if repentance occurs, contrasting with the finality of judgment for the unrepentant, which resonates with Nahum's declaration of an 'utter end' where trouble won't rise a second time.
Psalm 2:1-6This psalm describes nations and kings plotting against the Lord and His Anointed, a conceptual parallel to the 'imagining against the LORD' in Nahum, emphasizing the futility of such opposition against divine authority.
Nahum 1:12This verse directly follows Nahum 1:9 and speaks of God's future action concerning Judah, providing a contrasting perspective on affliction and divine intervention within the same prophetic oracle.
cambridgeNahum 1:9: "What do ye imagine against the LORD? he will make an utter end: affliction shall not rise up the second time."
9 . What do ye imagine against the Lord ] Compare Nahum 1:11 : “out of thee came forth one that imagined evil against the Lord.” This sense, though the natural one, does not connect well with the next clause. Possibly the meaning is, What do ye imagine (think) of the Lord? in regard to Him and His operations. The next words then explain how He is to be thought of, and what…
barnesNahum 1:9: "What do ye imagine against the LORD? he will make an utter end: affliction shall not rise up the second time."
The prophet had in few words summed up the close of Nineveh; he now upbraids them with the sin, which should bring it upon them, and foretells the destruction of Sennacherib. Nineveh had, before this, been the instrument of chastising Israel and Judah. Now, the capture of Samaria, which had cast off God, deceived and emboldened it. Its king thought that this was the might o…
The most striking part of this verse is that the "affliction" God sends will not rise up a second time. This isn't about God being unable to send more trouble, but that Nineveh's punishment will be so complete, so utterly final, that no further affliction will be necessary; their destruction will be decisive and all-encompassing.
Nahum's prophecy opens by declaring God's powerful wrath against His enemies and His protection of His people. This verse directly addresses the Assyrians (or Nineveh), questioning their arrogant plots against the LORD, reminding them that their actions against Judah are essentially actions against God Himself. The context immediately sets up the prophecy of Nineveh's complete and final destruction, emphasizing that this judgment will be so thorough it won't need to be repeated.
Nahum's prophecy opens by declaring God's powerful wrath against His enemies and His protection of His people. This verse directly addresses the Assyrians (or Nineveh), questioning their arrogant plots against the LORD, reminding them that their actions against Judah are essentially actions against God Himself. The context immediately sets up the prophecy of Nineveh's complete and final destruction, emphasizing that this judgment will be so thorough it won't need to be repeated.
"What do you plot against the LORD? He will make a complete end; trouble will not rise up a second time." — The most striking part of this verse is that the "affliction" God sends will not rise up a second time. This isn't about God being unable to send more trouble, but that Nineveh's punishment will be s…
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Last reviewed October 2026