This is the first verse of chapter 2 in Hebrew, but in theme it goes more closely with the preceding verses and is better numbered 1.15. It is explicitly addressed to Judah, which, as Good News Translation makes clear, means the “People of Judah.” The opening invitation is to Behold, or as Good News Translation puts it, to “Look.” In languages which need to add a vocative with Behold or “Look,” translators may transfer “People of Judah” to the beginning of the verse. In certain languages it is more natural for commands such as this to use a first person inclusive plural pronoun; for example, “Let us look, a messenger….” The words on the mountains the feet of him who brings good tidings are the same in Hebrew as those found in Isaiah 52.7. The feet stand for the messenger as he travels, and Good News Translation makes this explicit with “a messenger is coming over the mountains.” In certain languages the phrase “over the mountains” may give the impression that the messenger is flying. In such a case it will be helpful to translate in a way similar to Revised Standard Version and say “across the mountains” or “on top of the mountains.” If translators wish to retain something of the figurative language, they may say “Look, a messenger’s feet are bringing him across the mountains to tell us good news!” or “Look, the feet of the messenger are already treading the mountains as he comes to bring us good news!”
This messenger brings good tidings and proclaims peace. Good News Translation uses a modern term “news” instead of tidings and makes the second clause a separate sentence. Good News Translation‘s phrase “with good news” is a little difficult to reproduce in some languages. One other possibility is to render this phrase in a similar way to Revised Standard Version and say “bringing good news.” This sentence can then be rendered “Look, a messenger is coming over the mountains bringing good news.” Presumably the messenger is coming toward the speaker and his intended hearers, the people of Judah. This direction will need to be indicated clearly in many languages. In this context Good News Translation interprets peace to refer to the fall of Nineveh, and so translates as “He is on his way to announce the victory!” One may also translate “He is coming to announce the defeat of Assyria.”
The rest of the verse states some results that the fall of Nineveh will bring for Judah. First of all the people of Judah will be able to Keep (“celebrate” in Good News Translation) their feasts in honor of the LORD with no fear of interruption, and the prophet calls upon them to do so. Secondly, he calls on them to fulfil your vows. This means to carry out the promises made to the LORD when the people were in fear of their enemy and were asking the LORD to help them. Compare Psalms 22.25; 66.13. Good News Translation expresses this in nontechnical language as “give God what you solemnly promised him.” “Promised” may be expressed in certain languages as “things you said you would do.” “Solemnly” means that the people had made a promise using something such as their name or head to show that it was a very strong promise. The name or head of an individual in many ancient cultures, including that of the Hebrews, was thought of as representing that person’s power or “mana.” God himself sometimes makes a solemn promise using his name (see Gen 22.16-17; compare Heb 6.13-18). If he fails to keep his promise, he is no longer God. The word “what” in Good News Translation‘s rendering means “the things.” It will be helpful in many languages to begin this final section with the equivalent of the English word “so”; for example, “So, people of Judah….”
The last part of the verse emphasizes that the defeat of Assyria is complete and final: never again shall the wicked come against you. Good News Translation expresses the meaning more fully as “The wicked will never invade your land again.” The word translated wicked is in Hebrew Belial, as in verse 11, and refers either to the king of Nineveh or to the Assyrian nation as a whole. See the comments on verse 11. If translators understand the adjective wicked as referring to the Assyrian nation, it will be helpful to identify the subject by saying “the wicked people” or “the wicked nation.” The wicked may also be rendered as “the bad people,” “people who are evil,” or “people who do evil things.” The reason that the Assyrians will not trouble the LORD’s people again is that they have been utterly cut off. As often elsewhere, cut off stands for “destroyed,” and Good News Translation translates in plain language as “They have been totally destroyed.” See verse 12 for a discussion of cut off.
An alternative translation model for this verse is:
• Look, a messenger is coming across the mountains to tell us good things. He comes to announce that the Assyrians have been defeated. So, people of Judah, celebrate your festivals and give God the things you solemnly promised to give to him. Those wicked Assyrians will never attack your land again. They have all been killed.
Quoted with permission from Clark, David J. & Hatton, Howard A . A Handbook on the Book of Nahum. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1989. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .