Nahum 1:6

6 Who can face such towering anger? Who can stand up to this fierce rage? His anger spills out like a river of lava, his fury shatters boulders.

Nahum 1:6 Meaning and Commentary

Nahum 1:6

Who can stand before his indignation?
&c.] No creature whatever; no man nor body of men; not Nineveh, and the inhabitants of it; nor the whole Assyrian empire: and who can abide in the fierceness of his anger?
not the great men of the earth; not kings or generals of armies; not kingdoms and nations, ever so numerous and powerful; but all must be consumed by him, who is a consuming fire; see ( Jeremiah 10:10 ) ( Revelation 6:15-17 ) ; his fury is poured out like fire;
or like metal that is melted by fire, and poured out by the force of it; or like fire of lightning poured out of the heavens, which is quick, powerful, and penetrating, and there is no resisting it: and the rocks are thrown down by him;
by the Lord, by his wrath and fury; kingdoms that seemed as strong and immovable as rocks and mountains are thrown down; as such have been by the force of fire bursting from the midst of them, as Etna, Vesuvius, and others.

Nahum 1:6 In-Context

4 He yells at the sea: It dries up. All the rivers run dry. The Bashan and Carmel mountains shrivel, the Lebanon orchards shrivel.
5 Mountains quake in their roots, hills dissolve into mud flats. Earth shakes in fear of God. The whole world's in a panic.
6 Who can face such towering anger? Who can stand up to this fierce rage? His anger spills out like a river of lava, his fury shatters boulders.
7 God is good, a hiding place in tough times. He recognizes and welcomes anyone looking for help,
8 No matter how desperate the trouble. But cozy islands of escape He wipes right off the map. No one gets away from God.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.