Much like the Lord makes a solemn promise in Nahum 1:12 to set his people free, he now makes another commandment regarding Nineveh. Once a command is given by the Lord, it cannot be taken back. Despite her apparent strength, Assyria’s fate is sealed.1 The “you” in Nahum 1:14 is once again the second person singular and as in Nahum 1:11 it probably refers again to the king of Assyria. The king represents his people as a whole.2 This king will have no descendants; the Lord will remove the carved and metal images of the nation’s gods and the king himself will go to the grave that the Lord himself will make. The kingdom of Assyria is going to cease to exist in all its forms—its king and its worship. Both her king and her gods will be shown to be powerless against the Lord.3 The Lord will do this because Assyria is vile; they are of little significance in the Lord’s sight because of their wickedness.
14 The LORD has given commandment about you: “No more shall your name be perpetuated; from the house of your gods I will cut off the carved image and the metal image. I will make your grave, for you are vile.”