Nahum 3:7Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

It may be that not the entire city is consumed by flames, and a portion remains unscathed, or some have fallen while a significant number remain protected. But for Nineveh, who can bring her solace? In what manner can she be uplifted? She is entirely ruined, wholly desolate, and her entire populace has perished. The phrase "Who shall grieve for her?" could also be interpreted as a question asking, "Is there anyone so adept at crafting elegies and mourning songs that they can articulate something fitting for such a tragedy and shed tears that reflect the magnitude of her suffering?"

When you were powerful, as a harsh ruler, you showed no mercy to the elderly or care for the young ones, failing to prepare any support for the time of your distress because you were unwilling to share dominion over your reign. However, the person who scorns worldly matters, placing no value on the deceptive allure of Nineveh, and who does not get ensnared by its false beauty, will, upon witnessing its inner decay and growing to detest what others adore, flee from it, or as the Septuagint suggests, 'come down from it.' As long as we cherish earthly possessions and hold them in high esteem, we are, in effect, standing atop a precipice of pride, admiring the façade of Nineveh. Yet, when we delve into its true nature and disdain all material goods as worthless, humbling ourselves under the great hand of God, we will mourn for the inhabitants of Nineveh, viewing all earthly treasures as deserving lament, and we will lament, 'Pitiful Nineveh! How many are trapped in your snares! How many captives do you bind in your chains! Who will escape you, who will abandon your arrogance and acknowledge your plight?'

We must interpret the term 'who' not as a common inquiry, but rather as an unusual quest. As we have often noted, for instance: ‘Who then is that faithful and wise steward?’ (Luke 12:42)? ‘Who is wise and understands these matters?’ (Hosea 14:10) “Who may ascend the hill of the Lord?” (Psalm 23:3)? So, who will lament for Nineveh? Who can be found who, feeling burdened by this body, would echo Paul’s cry: ‘O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from this body of death?’ (Romans 7:24)? We witness daily that when anyone approaches death, whether it be from fever, injury, or any ailment drawing them closer to the end, they become filled with dread, shaking in fear, desperately trying to cling to the allure of Nineveh, resisting the call to separate from the enticing embrace of the beautiful yet deceptive harlot. The next consideration is, ‘where shall I find a comforter,’ or ‘a solace for you to bring harmony,’ still spoken from the perspective of one who will flee from Nineveh, declaring, ‘wretched Nineveh! Who shall mourn for her?’ This reflects the rebellious nature of our worldly existence, where nothing remains pleasing, as preferences are ever-changing. Thus, where can such a comforter or, metaphorically, a skilled composer be found, one who can bring structure and harmony to its chaotic melodies, producing a sound and song in praise of God? The phrase we rendered as ‘who would tune the strings’ or 'who would tune the string,' which in Greek is referred to as ἁρμόσαι κορδήν, does not appear in the Hebrew text or in other translations; instead, what follows begins with the words, ‘Are you better than Amon, who dwells among the rivers?’ Therefore, I believe it would be more appropriate to connect this with the subsequent text.