Nahum 1:8Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

He asserts that His adversaries will be chased and engulfed in darkness—not the ordinary night but a profound, spiritual night characterized by suffering. In times of severe calamity and unexpected hardship, as seen in the past when captives were taken and their homeland was overrun, the mind may be shrouded in darkness. This is why the Lord, likening these afflictions to wine and drunkenness, instructs the esteemed Jeremiah, “Take a cup of undissolved wine from my hand, that thou mayest give drink to all tongues, to whom I will send thee. And they shall drink, and shall cast out, and shall be troubled from the face of the sword, which I will send among them” (Jeremiah 25:15-16). Similarly, through Isaiah, He declares to Zion: “You have drunk the cup of the fall, the vial of fury, and have exhausted it” (Isaiah 51:17). Thus, it is stated that those who oppose God will be imbued with spiritual intoxication and darkness, which aptly encourages a pursuit of wisdom, understanding, and higher aspirations. Against the Israelites, the Almighty acted within the “flood of the way,” punishing them for their transgressions against Christ. Yet, they remained in darkness, entirely cut off from divine illumination, and continued to exist in folly and ignorance, refusing to heed Christ’s call: “Wherefore ye have light, walk in the light, lest the darkness have you” (John 12:35). Due to their insensitivity and lack of restraint, as the Prophet foretold, those who longed for light found themselves cloaked in darkness, awaiting dawn yet walking in shadow (Isaiah 59:9); for they became adversaries of the divine light, obstinately rebelling against its radiance.

Thus, the flood's path was obliterated following the Lord's indignation, ultimately showcasing His goodness alone. This can also be interpreted in a historical context; when He lays waste to Israel and inundates the promised land, it signifies the end of their captivity and the restoration of their rightful homes. Conversely, darkness will consume His adversaries, the Assyrians, who took the people captive.

The correlation drawn between Israel and the Assyrians can also apply to the final days, relating to the faithful and their oppressors. The saints will find forgiveness from God after His wrath, while their persecutors, who prefer darkness over light, will endure the very darkness they embraced, being cast “into outer darkness; where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matthew 22:13). The term 'tasota,' translated as 'to his place,' is dissected into two components: 'ta,' which corresponds to 'from,' and 'sota,' meaning 'rising.' Aquila notes: ἀπο ἀνισταμένων, or 'from those who rebelled,' while the Septuagint refers to 'the rebels,' and Theodotion states 'to those who rose up against Him.' In another version, it is described as 'from those who opposed Him.' Simmachus alone conveys that "after the flood is passed, He shall put an end to his place." Some interpreters perceive the rebels and enemies as representing Marcion and the early heretics who speak against the Creator.