נחום, פרק א׳, פסוק י׳

God's judgment upon His enemies arrives with absolute finality and suddenness. The prophecy targets the kingdom of Assyria, a nation that attempted to corrupt Judah and successfully exiled Israel, warning that it now stands on the edge of its own complete destruction. The enemies are first compared to a dense patch of tangled thorns. On one level, these deeply rooted, intertwined thorns represent the Assyrians at the height of their power, united as a single force and appearing completely invincible [רש"י, מצודת דוד]. However, this very entanglement seals their fate. Because the thorns are so tightly woven that they cannot be separated or pulled out by hand, the only way to clear them is to burn the entire patch at once, right where it stands [רד"ק]. Alternatively, the imagery of thorns itself hints at a process of removal, signaling that these enemies are about to be entirely swept away [רש"י].

Alongside the burning thorns, the enemies are depicted as heavily intoxicated people drinking strong liquor. The primary approach among commentators is that this illustrates a sudden downfall. The strike will happen while the enemies are completely complacent, celebrating, and absorbed in a drunken feast [רש"י, אבן עזרא, מצודת דוד]. Furthermore, this intoxication represents total helplessness. Just as drunkards collapse to the ground and are unable to stand back up, the enemies will lose all their strength, leaving them powerless to fight back against those who seek their ruin [רד"ק, ביאור שטיינזלץ, אברבנאל].

The destruction culminates in a fire that consumes them like fully dried stubble. The stubble represents crops that have reached their full growth and have become entirely devoid of moisture [רש"י, מצודות, מלבי"ם, אברבנאל]. Because dry stubble catches fire easily, burns rapidly, and leaves absolutely nothing behind, not even charcoal [רד"ק], the destruction of the enemies will be incredibly fast and absolute. Even though the drunkards are filled with liquid, the heat of their intoxication combined with the dryness of the thorns ensures they will all burn together in an instant [אבן עזרא].

While most interpret these images as metaphors for sudden defeat, another perspective views this as a literal, historical account of Assyria's final moments. According to this approach, the Assyrian king was overcome with panic and despair. He built a massive bonfire out of cut thorns and, in a state of severe drunkenness, threw himself and his entire household into the flames, where they were all consumed together like dry stubble [מלבי"ם].