The 2,700year old tomb of the hebrew prophet nahum, many believe, is located in the northern iraqi town of al qosh, in an abandoned synagogue which is about to collapse. Nothing is known about him except his hometown elkosh, and even its general location is uncertain. Referencing daniel, exodus, isaiah and babylon, nahum shows us that the destruction of nineveh and assyria are examples of how god works in history in every age. While scholars have proposed a number of theories about nahum s hometown, elkosh, the best option identifies it with a city in southern judah that later came to be known as elcesi, near where the prophet micah lived. Before you attempt to answer the questions below you should read these chapters in the bible and answer the questions at the end of each chapter found at the website answer the questions below and then click ok to send your answers. Why we need to preach from the most neglected book of the bible dr. Nahum means comfort or consolation and is a short form of nehemiah comfort of yahweh. However, nahum is a thrilling book to study because it reveals the other side of the attributes of god. The discomfiting but urgent message of the prophet nahum a voice of blazing heat and pellucid clarity, nahum reminds us that, like justice and love, vengeance is an element of gods being.
Nahums book is a sequel to, and a dramatic contrast with, the book of jonah. Title the book s title is taken from the prophet of gods oracle against nineveh, the capital of assyria. The book of definition and meaning bible dictionary. This commentary has been through advanced checking. Tucked away among the minor prophets is the relatively unknown book of nahum. The city had gone back to its sinful ways after they repented back in jonahs day, and.
The active commercial relations between the peoples of the east and of the west, and the opportunities for acquaintance with each others customs and habits of life, as well as the few peculiarities of language in this book, make it probable that the prophet nahum was a. Nahum means comfort or consolation and is a short form of nehemiah comfort of yahwe. Prophet nahums tomb peeks above ground patterns of. Ninevehs fall, which is nahums theme, would bring comfort to judah. Thus opens nahum s prophecy, and this is the message of this book of the bible for the world today. Nahum, gods oracle against nineveh, destruction in 612 bc. The prophet nahum wrote this book between 633 bc and 612 bc. King sennacherib who came from the capital city of syria, nineveh, invaded israel at the time of the prophet isaiah, and it was from this great city in the north that the armies of the syrians frequently came. The book contains the vision of nahum, whose name means comfort and is related to the name nehemiah, meaning the lord comforts or. Interesting facts about nahum barnes bible charts meaning. His book is a message of destruction for nineveh, and that would have been a message of consolation for the nations she had oppressed.
The book of nahum is the seventh book of the 12 minor prophets of the hebrew bible. He, too, was considered a minor prophet because of his small amount of writingonly three chapters. Shortly before the fall of nineveh, the capital of assyria, in 612 b. Some folk think the book of nahum should be called ho hum. Nahum opened his prophecy by announcing that the lord is a jealous god, who takes vengeance on his enemies and is fierce in his anger. Unlike other books in the minor prophets, nahum doesnt end with a vision of a restored israel or judah. God is love, but god is also holy and righteous and good. Following is a suggested outline of the book of nahum. The book of nahum comes some one hundred years after the prophecy of jonah. Nahum warns the assyrian capital of nineveh of gods judgment for their cruelty, idolatry, and wickedness. Nahum did not write this book as a warning or call to repentance for the people of nineveh. Identify four key themes that run throughout the book of nahum.
Each of these prophets shared insights into the years leading. The year is around 655 bc and the assyrian empire is on the rampage under the leadership of king ashurbanipal exact date is hard to fix but strong evidence is supplied by nahum 3. The prophet nahum was gods messenger to announce the fall of nineveh and the complete overthrow of assyria. The first clue as to the date of the prophecy of nahum is given in nahum 3. The central theme of the book of nahum is the overthrow of the greatest capital city of the ancient gentile world in the 7 th century bc. The book of nahum reveals that god will punish all evil. Nahum the book of nahum is gods message of the impending destruction of nineveh. Nahum received a divine vision that revealed a condemning judgment against nineveh and assyria nahum 3.
The theme of the prophecy is the fate and destruction of nineveh, the onetime capital city of the mighty assyrian empire, which had destroyed israel and taken many inhabitants of the land captive 722 b. He wrote about the end of the assyrian empire, and its capital city, nineveh, in a vivid poetic style. When you read this you may feel that it is a rather dry account of ancient history but actually, this prophecy reveals something of god more clearly than any other book of the bible. Date two points of interest help us date the book of nahum. Joe buchanan though nahum is an ancient message, todays modern church needs to hear what this minor prophet had to say. Intro to nahum biblica the international bible society. Jonah was the first to do this, about 120 years ago. The discomfiting but urgent message of the prophet nahum. It is attributed to the prophet nahum, and was probably written in jerusalem in the 7th century bc.
It is the conjecture of the learned huetius that the two other chapters of this book were delivered by nahum some years after, perhaps in the reign of manasseh, and in that reign the jewish chronologies generally place him, somewhat nearer to the time when nineveh was conquered, and the assyrian monarchy reduced, by cyaxares and nebuchadnezzar. In a book of utter judgement stands one verse like the eye in a hurricane. One hundred years after gods prophet jonah went to nineveh, god sent another prophet, nahum with a message. The book of nahum centers around the fall and destruction of nineveh. His book comes in chronological order between micah and habakkuk in the bible. The god of heaven is a god of mercy to the penitent, yet a god of doom to the impenitent.
Nahum is the seventh of the minor prophets, the last 12 books of the old testament. One might even say that the book of nahum is a celebration of the fall of assyria. The book was composed, therefore, between 664 and 612 b. Nahum also predicts the fall of nineveh, the capital of assyria, as a future event. The prophet nahum was sent to minister to the southern kingdom of judah at the time of the invasion of the assyrian king sennacherib. Book of nahum, the seventh of 12 old testament books that bear the names of the minor prophets grouped together as the twelve in the jewish canon. There is another elkosh east of the tigris, and north of mosul, believed by jewish pilgrims to be the birthplace and burial place of the prophet. The year is around 655 bc and the assyrian empire is on the rampage under the leadership of king ashurbanipal. The scripture of nahum is imprecatorysimilar to psalms 35, 59, 69, 109, and 9. Jan 02, 2020 second, the remainder of nahums prophecies came true in 612 b.
His book comes in chronological order between micah and. The title identifies the book as an oracle concerning nineveh and attributes it to the vision of nahum of elkosh. Avoiding the fierce punishment of the lord is not dependent on ethnicity, class, intelligence, skin color, or family history, but on repentance and faith. No one can stand before him in the day of judgment 1. To understand the prophet s exultant outburst of joy over the impending destruction it is necessary to recall the savage cruelty of assyria, which had made it the scourge of the ancient near east for almost three centuries. Why is it in the bible and what message does the prophet nahum have for us.
While scholars have proposed a number of theories about nahums hometown, elkosh, the best option identifies it with a city in southern judah that later came to be known as elcesi, near where the prophet micah lived. A word list at the end explains words with a star by them. While nahum is a short book of only three chapters comprised of 47 verses, we would be wise to pay attention to the message of nahum. Listen to chuck swindolls overview of nahum in his audio message from the classic. The lords anger against nineveh the lord is a jealous and avenging god. The book of nahum is a collection of poems announcing the downfall of assyria, one of israels worst oppressors.
Reading the chapter before looking at the notes, while working with the notes, and after finishing with the notes will give each researcher a powerful sense of the series of meanings within each chapter. An 18thcentury russian orthodox icon of the prophet nahum. An exposition, with practical observations, of the. Nahum summary we have detailed a brief summary of the book of nahum for bible study or sunday school lessons. Nahum, like many men we have recently been studying, was also a prophet of god. Authorship the author of this remarkably literary book is probably nahum. During this time, nineveh had repented of its repentance, and had begun to do the same things again that called forth the threat of judgment through the prophet jonah. Historically, this chronological construal connects the author of jonah to the prophet jonah mentioned in 2 kings 14. Its just more tarantino, with the assyrians left bleeding while others applaud. His word came in visions, oracles, dreams, parables, and the like. Mar 10, 2016 the discomfiting but urgent message of the prophet nahum a voice of blazing heat and pellucid clarity, nahum reminds us that, like justice and love, vengeance is an element of gods being.
Feb 21, 2012 the themes identified in the book of nahum are judgment and deliverance. His excellence is not in sublimity of thought, depth of feeling, purity. Emphasis on the prophet only one prophecy in the whole book. Matthew henry 1662 1714 was a british nonconformist minister and author. It was used by god to punish the inhabitants of israel who had turned to idol worship and other evil practices. Second, the remainder of nahums prophecies came true in 612 b. Book of nahum overview insight for living ministries.
Nahum was a prophet of god and his message comes in the form of a prophetic vision. A summary, synopsis or recap is a shortened version of the original. Nineveh, the arrogant capital of the assyrian empire, will be destroyed. Nahum is the seventh chronologically of the minor prophets, and he ministered during the reign of. God had already sent them the prophet jonah 150 years earlier with his promise of what would happen if they continued in their evil ways. The assyrian king ashurbanipal conquered thebes around 664 b. Nahum intro to nahum biblica the international bible society. While the book of jonah records ninevehs reprieve, nahum predicts its destruction. Smith says, though the rhythm and metre of nahum are not so smooth and regular as is the case with some heb. This study also includes a teaching outline at the end.
Nothing is known about him except his hometown elkosh, and even its general location is. Since the capture of the city is represented as still in the future, it seems evident that the prophecies were delivered some time before 607606 bc, the year in which the city was destroyed. Opinions concerning the religious significance of the book of nahum may differ, but from the standpoint of language and style all students assign to nahum an exalted place among the prophet poets of the ancient hebrews. Exact date is hard to fix but strong evidence is supplied by nahum 3. Nahum was a minor prophet whose prophecy is recorded in the hebrew bible or old testament. The book contains the vision of nahum, whose name means comfort and is related to the name nehemiah, meaning the lord comforts or comfort of the lord. An easyenglish commentary 2800 word vocabulary on the book of nahum. The city had gone back to its sinful ways after they repented back in jonahs day, and now they ignore nahum and his message. The books title is taken from the prophetofgods oracle against nineveh, the capital of assyria. But the book of nahum in its allusions shows a particularity of acquaintance with palestine na 1. First, nahum mentions thebes no amon in egypt falling to the assyrians 663 b. The lord takes vengeance on his foes and vents his wrath against his enemies. The hebrew name nahum means comfort or consolation. Nahum refers to the fall of thebes as a wellknown occurrence 3.
Nahum s prophecy carries a particular warning to the ninevites of coming events, although he is partly in favor of the destruction. God had already sent them the prophet jonah 150 years earlier with his promise of. It is the job of the prophet to reveal to us the character of god. The lord takes revenge against his foes and is furious with his adversaries. If nahum precedes jonah, the theological message is that, even with the vilest offenders, god has options that humans resist. When god had a message for the people, he spoke through the prophets. Bible study guide book of nahum saturday, august 24, 2012 background on nahum the name nahum means comfort and is related to the name nehemiah, meaning the lord comforts or comfort of the lord.
This summary of the book of nahum provides information about the title, authors, date of writing, chronology, theme, theology, outline, a brief overview, and the chapters of the book of nahum. Several clues are given in the book of nineveh that helps us estimate the time that nahum communicated gods oracle against nineveh. In this book, nahum portrays the downfall of nineveh and assyria as an image of how god will confront and bring down all violent human empires. A new translation with introduction and commentary the anchor yale bible commentaries christensen, duane l. The book of nahum can be seen as a sequel to jonah, only this time nineveh does not repent and the prophet gets to laugh at the citys destruction. A new translation with introduction and commentary. Emphasis on the prophecy the only thing we know about the prophet is that he was from elkosh. The only mention in scripture of nahum the elkoshite occurs in the first verse of his own book. He was raised up to preach gods judgment for a second time to nineveh. The main characters of the story are the city of nineveh, god, and the prophet nahum though it is not about him, he is just the vessel god uses. Most of these book were written to the people of israel and judah, but nahum, obadiah, and jonah are more concerned with surrounding nations.
The fuller title, the book of the vision of nahum which stands alone probably expresses that it was not, like most prophecies, first delivered orally, and then collected by the prophet, but was always as it is so remarkably one whole. In this book, god calls nahum to prophesy judgment to nineveh for the second time. Nahum preached to the city of nineveh 100 years after jonah had preached to the city. He reminds us of noah, whose name also means rest or comfort. Interesting facts about nahum biblical facts and comments. The discomfiting but urgent message of the prophet nahum mosaic. The book s title is taken from the prophet ofgods oracle against nineveh, the capital of assyria. An exposition, with practical observations, of the book of the prophet nahum matthew henry on. The book of nahum is a stark reminder that those who plot against the lord, will be brought to complete destruction.