Nahum

What makes Nahum special?

Little is known about the prophet Nahum. Even the location of his hometown of Elkosh (1.1) is not known for certain, though it was somewhere in the nation of Judah (see the map on MAP6). In Hebrew, Nahum means “comfort,” but the prophet spoke harsh words of judgment against the nation of Assyria that were anything but comforting. Nahum's severe message of judgment against Assyria's capital, Nineveh, is often compared and contrasted with the message of Jonah, which describes the people of Nineveh turning away from their wicked ways and being forgiven by God.

Why was Nahum written?

Nahum announces the coming downfall of the Assyrian Empire and its capital city, Nineveh. The powerful Assyrians caused great suffering for a number of other nations, including the people of Israel. In fact, Assyria invaded and defeated the northern kingdom of Israel in 722 b.c., taking many of its people into exile. During the following one hundred years, Assyria continued to be a threat to the southern kingdom of Judah as well. But Nahum reassures the people of Judah that God will soon set them free from the “chains” of the Assyrians (1.13), so they can once again enjoy peace and celebrate their festivals (1.15). The Lord will “protect those who trust him in times of trouble” (1.7). Nahum's message of doom for Assyria was comforting for those nations who had been threatened and injured by Assyria. And it repeated a theme that was common in the message of Israel's prophets: The Lord is concerned with justice and will punish those nations or individuals who use their power to mistreat others.

What's the story behind the scene?

In 853 b.c. at Qarqar, Assyria attacked and won a victory over a group of allied nations that included the northern kingdom of Israel. For the next two hundred years Assyria was the most powerful force in the ancient Near East (see the map on MAP7). Assyria conquered many nations and made others pay heavy taxes, including Israel and Judah (2 Kgs 15.19,20,29; 16.5-18; 17.1-6; 18.7-21).

It is uncertain when the prophet Nahum lived and preached. But it was sometime after 663 b.c., when Assyria defeated the Egyptian city of Thebes (3.8-10), and before 612 b.c., when Assyria's capital city Nineveh was destroyed by a group of nations that included the Babylonians and Medes. Most likely, Nahum's message comes from the time of Judah's king Josiah (640-609 b.c.), which means he lived and preached at the same time as the prophets Zephaniah and the young Jeremiah.

How is Nahum constructed?

Nahum can be divided into two main sections: the first is a psalm describing the power of Lord God and how the Lord will deliver Judah from the chains of Assyrian influence; the second part of the book includes prophecies announcing the downfall of Nineveh, the capital of Assyria.