Book of Nahum - Bible Survey

The three chapters of which Nahum is composed give us the correct division of his prophecy. In the first chapter we find the purpose of God is dealing in judgment with the oppressor of Israel. The second chapter describes the overthrow, the plundering, and destruction of Nineveh. The third chapter shows the guilt and the well-deserved judgment and ruin of Nineveh.

The subject of Nahum’s prophecy is the judgment over Nineveh. Jonah had to prophecy over Nineveh as well but he lived around 150 years earlier. The mercy of Jehovah is triumphing in the book of Jonah whereas Nahum only announces the just fury of God and the unalterable destruction of this godless city. Nahum’s view is only focused on this enemy of God’s people; it is striking that the sins of Israel and Judah are not mentioned at all. Yes, while the holy and just fury of God is announced to the enemies the people of God receive comforting words (chap. 1:12-15). In chapter 1 (which is similar to a psalm) we see God as jealous and revenging in His majesty. The two following chapters prophesy exactly the fall and destruction of Nineveh.

Nahum ("Comfort") is a vigorous prophecy of the judgment of Nineveh, which, being the capital of Assyria, stands for that empire, the King of the North in a coming day. While Egypt denotes for us the world in its complacent independence of God, Assyria indicates the world's vicious opposition of Him. The prophecy was doubtless occasioned by the cruelty of Assyria when Sennacherib ("He that dasheth in pieces" ch. 2: 1) invaded Israel, and was partially fulfilled when Nineveh was destroyed: but it looks on to God's judgment of the King of the North in the latter days. Notice that the determined rapacity of this enemy is fully matched by the unbending rigor of the judgment of God.

In Nahum 2 and Nahum 3 we have very distinctly and fully the prime object of the prophecy of Nahum, to which the first chapter is a preface, though in the latter part of it quite without reference to the direct subject matter, namely, the Assyrian. But now the great city comes most prominently before us. "He that dashes in pieces is come up before thy face: keep the munition, watch the way, make thy loins strong, fortify thy power mightily." The challenge is forthwith given to Nineveh to defend herself as best she may; for there is the utmost danger staring her in the face. "For Jehovah has turned away the excellency of Jacob, as the excellency of Israel: for the emptiers have emptied them out, and marred their vine branches." Thus we see the collateral subject, namely, the judgment of Israel by their enemies; but inasmuch as the Assyrians executed that judgment in such a way as to insult God Himself, and not only to chasten His guilty people, they must be prepared for their own doom. Thus we see the combined truth brought before us — the destruction of Nineveh, but not apart from the discipline of Israel. Jehovah does judge Israel, and if He judges His own people who had at any rate the knowledge and after a larger measure the responsibility of righteousness, how must the ungodly and the sinner appear? Nineveh had been a godless city which had no thought nor care, still less formal profession, of doing the will of God. But the people of Israel had, and they suffered the consequence.

A knowledge of Assyrian history, and its great capital, Nineveh, is needed for a better understanding of Nahum's prophecy. It is strange that ancient writers like Ctesias, the physician of Artaxerxes, Mnemon, and Diodorus Siculus have but little to say about Assyria, and many identified Assyria with Babylonia. The infidel critics have seen their defeat in this respect. Not believing the Bible, they trusted in the historical accounts of pagan writers, and assuming that they were right discredited the Word of God, only to find out afterward that the Bible is right and the heathen historians were wrong. For instance, Isaiah mentions in chapter 20 Sargon, king of Assyria. Because the secular historians know nothing of such a king, they sat in judgment upon the Word of God. They denied that such a king ever existed, thinking that the statement by Isaiah is an invention. It was then proven that Sargon was a great warrior, the father of Sennacherib, and that Isaiah gave a true record.

Hezekiah, the King of Judah, under whom Nahum as well as Isaiah and Micah prophesied, had paid tribute for many years to Assyria. When he revolted an Assyrian army appeared in the land, by which over forty Judean cities were captured. Jerusalem itself was saved by divine intervention (Isa. 37:36). Sennacherib, who had sent the expedition against Jerusalem, being murdered by his own sons in 681 B.C. (Isa. 37:38). His successor was Esarhaddon, who besieged Sidon and carried its treasures to Nineveh. Asshurbanipal succeeded him to the throne and made his son Shamash-shumukin regent of Babylon, for Babylon was then an insignificant power. Here we must remember that when Babylon was next to nothing in world history, Isaiah had predicted its coming greatness and conquest of Jerusalem by the Babylonian power. Under Asshurbanipal the ancient and great capital of Upper Egypt was captured, which is mentioned by Nahum in chapter 3:8, 10; that is, No-Amon is Thebes. Asshurbanipal conquered many countries and nations; he razed Susa, and immense treasures were carried off to Nineveh. During his reign every year saw a cruel war, and ruin and carnage were spread in every direction. The captives were treated in a horrible manner, with all kinds of torture. The nations suffered terribly under this wicked monarch, so that when finally Assyria fell the nations rejoiced, as mentioned by Nahum at the conclusion of his prophecy. "All that hear the bruit of thee shall clap hands over thee; for upon whom hath not thy wickedness passed continually?" After Asshurbanipal Assyria declined. He was followed by Asshur-etil-ilani and Sin-shar-ishkun, and finally Assyria and its great and proud capital were conquered by Nabopolassar, the father of Nebuchadnezzar and Cyaxares. This happened about 625 B.C., just about ninety years after Nahum announced the destruction of Nineveh.

The Message of Nahum

His prophetic message concerns exclusively Nineveh. Critics have put question marks over against certain parts of this book, while other critics have contradicted their fellow critics. In fact, if one wishes to find theories and assumptions, wild guesses and fanciful hypotheses, the camp of the rationalist is the place. The unity and integrity of the prophecy of Nahum is beyond controversy. As the opening verse announces, it is the burden of Nineveh.

The great subject of Nahum's prophecy is the overthrow and destruction of Nineveh, the chief city of Israel's great and dreaded foe, Assyria. This we find in Nahum 2 and 3.

28 In NAHUM, God's indignation is aroused against the pride of human power and dominion, and Nineveh (the Assyrian) is destroyed: the race will never be reinstated, and Judah is finally delivered.

Nahum’s Prophecy

The Book of Nahum is “The burden of Nineveh.” The opening verses bring out the anger of a jealous and revenging God, one slow to anger, but great in power who, when His time of patience is over, will deal with all His enemies. For those who trust Him, “The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble,” when His judgments fall upon those who are His adversaries. Nineveh, the expression of the world in its vanity and pride, the centre of evil and opposition to the people of God, imagined evil against the Lord Himself, and so invited His displeasure and its own doom. In God’s sight it was “the bloody city!” and “full of lies and robbery,” and notorious for its corruption and witchcraft. God would expose its nakedness, make it filthy and a gazing-stock.

What Nahum predicted was fulfilled, but the prophecy also served to bring out what would happen at the end. Nineveh, the capital city of Assyria, has long since ceased to exist, but the judgment on Nineveh describes what will befall the nation bearing the character of the Assyrian, and perhaps also his territory, in the last days.

Nothing is known of the personal history of this prophet: he is called 'the Elkoshite,' which is supposed to refer to a place named Elkosh in Galilee. There is no reference to dates in the prophecy, but it is generally placed at about B.C. 714, when Sennacherib invaded Judaea. 2 Kings 18:13. The prophecy is against Nineveh, and foretells its destruction, though, like other prophecies, it has an application to the future, when 'Assyria' will again be the open enemy of Israel.

The prophecy opens with the character of Jehovah in government. He is slow to anger, but He is jealous, and His revenge is furious. He is good, and a safe refuge in the day of trouble for those that trust in Him; but, as to His enemies, with an overflowing flood He will make an utter end of their place. Not only is the destruction of Nineveh foretold, but the Assyrian nation also should come to a full end.

One who had come out to oppress Israel, was a wicked counsellor, who imagined evil, not only against Judah, but against Jehovah: he should be cut off. Compare the insulting language of Rab-shakeh, the general of the king of Assyria: at first he said that Jehovah had sent him, and then treated the God of Israel as no better than the heathen gods, who had not been able to protect their worshippers. 2 Kings 18:25, 32, 33. But there was good news for Judah; God would break the yoke of Assyria off their necks. They might keep their solemn feasts. The enemy should no more pass through. What took place in Hezekiah's day was but a type of the latter-day fulfilment of this chapter: cf. Nahum 1:10 and 2 Kings 19:35; and in this way we see the scope of prophecy and not simply the immediate events that gave rise to it.

God's character in judgment while revealing the doom of Nineveh, destroyed about 625 B.C.