This verse explains the importance of what Nahum has seen in Nahum 2:1. The Lord is sending the attacking army against Nineveh because the Assyrians are plunderers who have plundered Judah. They have ruined Judah’s branches. This is probably a reference to the physical destruction of the precious vines of Judah, but also a reference to Judah as the Lord’s vine, a common image in the Old Testament (Psalm 80:8–16; Isaiah 5:1–30). Assyria has ruined the Lord’s very own vine. The Lord had used Assyria to judge his people, but Assyria has turned that into excessive and cruel plundering and cruelty toward Judah.
Now the Lord is restoring the majesty of his people. Here Jacob refers to the tribe of Judah. By sending the invading army, the Lord is restoring the majesty of the people of Judah. This restored majesty is likened to the majesty of Israel. In this case, Israel cannot refer to the northern tribes because they have been destroyed by the Assyrians never to be seen again. Israel in this verse probably refers to the united people of Israel under King David and then under Solomon. After this golden period Israel experienced a prolonged time of humiliation when the Lord’s judgment had left them as a divided nation until only Judah was left.1 The Lord is going to restore his people to their former glory of a united nation as he destroys the Assyrians.
This message of the Lord promising to restore his people is a great source of hope and encouragement to the oppressed and mistreated Judah. This is, however, the final time that Nahum speaks of salvation. From this point onward in his oracle, all the reader hears about is the destruction of Nineveh as it faces judgment.
2 For the LORD is restoring the majesty of Jacob as the majesty of Israel, for plunderers have plundered them and ruined their branches.