The most likely explanation, however, is that there was a village by this name in galilee. This was made to assess how well you know the book. Josephus places nahum during the reign of jotham, while others place him in the beginning of the reign of ahaz, judahs next king, or even the latter half of the. The lords anger against nineveh the lord is a jealous and avenging god. The holy prophet nahum, whose name means god consoles, was from the village of elkosh galilee. Read nahum introduction commentary using commentary critical and explanatory on the whole bible. Introduction the author the name nahum means comfort or consolation. But we dont know where that was because it is not mentioned elsewhere in the. The lords anger against nineveh the lord is a jealous and avenging. This bible book was written by nahum the elkoshite.
Many commentators believe that habakkuks name was derived from the hebrew word habaq which means to fold ones hands or embrace. This book of nahum is a prophetic pronouncement against nineveh, the capital of the assyrian empire. Overview of the book of nahum third millennium ministries. There is debate as to whether nahum was born here or not and if elkosh was another translation of his fathers name. In light of the generally accepted view that nahums prophecy dates between 650 and 612 b. Youll get this book and many others when you join bible gateway plus. The book of nahum is one of two books of the minor prophets that centers on nineveh, the capital city of assyria. The book of nahum is the seventh book of the 12 minor prophets of the hebrew bible. Feb 21, 2012 summary of nahum the book of nahum is prophecy concerning the city of nineveh and reveals a powerful message about gods care for his elect. In the book of jonah, written in the eighth century bc, we behold a man of god who was called to preach to nineveh.
Others, however, think that his prophecies are to be referred to the latter half of the reign of hezekiah about b. All scripture is inspired by god and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for. Highlights from the books of nahum, habakkuk, and zephaniah. His book comes in chronological order between micah and habakkuk in the bible. It might help to think of nahum as a followup to the book of jonah. The lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble. Nahum 3 commentary commentary critical and explanatory. Malick received a masters of theology in bible exposition, with honors, from dallas theological seminary in 1984. Palmer robertson, becomes particularly clear through the study of nahum, habakkuk, and zephaniah.
The book of nahum is one that is neglected because it is so obscure, and so small that it is seldom read and much less frequently understood. The prophet nahum of judah has a word regarding the assyrian capital, nineveh. Shortly before the fall of nineveh, the capital of assyria, in 612 b. As a result, the book has been virtually ignored in both the modern church and synagogue. As to the words, some interpreters connect what we have rendered, the horseman makes to ascend, with what follows, that is, he makes to ascend the flame of the sword and the lightning of the spear but as a copulative comes between, it seems rather to be an imperfect sentence, meaning, that the horseman makes to ascend or mount, that is, his horses, by urging. The book of nahum is prophecy concerning the city of nineveh and reveals a powerful message about gods care for his elect. Ninevehs fall, which is nahum s theme, would bring comfort to judah.
I will cut off your prey from the earth, and the sound of your messengers will never be heard again nahum 2. Jerome recorded that a guide pointed out to him such a village as the birthplace of nahum but this was a millennium after nahum lived. He wrote about the end of the assyrian empire, and its capital city, nineveh, in a vivid poetic style. Transcribed and edited by david sielaff, august 20. Nahum introduction commentary commentary critical and. Studies in the minor prophets nahum outline of the book title. Jan 02, 2020 one such theory is that it refers to the city later called capernaum which literally means the village of nahum at the sea of galilee. As a result of jonahs preaching in the city of nineveh, the people repented and god spared the city. Elkosh was a city in assyria, a few miles north of the ruins of nineveh. Nahum could well have lived there and have prophesied to nineveh, as daniel did to babylon later on. Nahum commentary from nineveh to elkosh is 500 miles in the air. This is why the apostle paul could say, all scripture is inspired by god and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for. Preface in nahum as a place of note among the jews, having traces of ancient buildings. Date two points of interest help us date the book of nahum.
Nahum can be identified as prophecy based on nahum 1. Namal pdf by nimra ahmed free download pdf bookspk. Outline of the book of nahum floral heights church of christ. Nahum is one of the twelve minor prophets of the hebrew bible. They had split into two countries, each with its own king, religious culture, international intrigue and national brand of hummus. The major contribution of the book of nahum is that it provides clear insight into gods sovereign right to judge all nations. God judges and blesses our actions according to his will cf. Woe to nineveh woe to the city of blood, full of lies, full of plunder, never without victims. Jehovah is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble.
Plundering the lions dena portrait of divine fury nahum 2. 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. The book of nahum is not a prophecy, but a liturgical collection of four poems. One hundred years later, during the time of nahum, the assyrians had. Nahum inductive bible study for youth every child ministries. Using theophany at the outset of his prophetic outcry, nahum is not disposed to depict a mere random demonstration of yahwehs might. 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. Although in many lessons the writer or teacher decides on a lesson aim the main. There are many theories as to where that city was though there is no conclusive evidence. Both prophets speak gods word regarding the city of nineveh. The author of the book of nahum identifies himself as nahum in the hebrew consoler or comforter the elkoshite 1.
It is best read as a complement to the book of jonah. Given the limited amount of information that we know about nahum, the best we can do is narrow the timeframe in which the book of nahum was written to between 663 and 612 b. One such theory is that it refers to the city later called capernaum which literally means the village of nahum at the sea of galilee. The crack of whips, the clatter of wheels, galloping horses and jolting chariots. The lord takes vengeance on his foes and vents his wrath against his enemies. The prophet naum prophesies the ruin of the assyrian city of nineveh because of its iniquity, the destruction of the israelite kingdom, and the. Plundering the lions dena portrait of divine fury nahum. But every portion of scripture is indispensable, each has its own contribution to make. But we dont know where that was because it is not mentioned elsewhere in the bible. Nahum is primarily a book about gods justice, not about human vengeance, hatred, and military conquest. Nahums prophetic ministry has to do with the fall of assyria and its capital city of nineveh.
Study the bible online using commentary on nahum introduction and more. This book contains the prophecies attributed to the prophet nahum, and is a part of the book of the twelve minor prophets. He that dashes in pieces is come up before thy face, at the beginning of the second chapter of nahum, refers to judas maccabeaus. This is the more probable opinion, internal evidences leading to that conclusion. To understand the prophets 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. This is all that is known of the writer of this book. Format of namal pdf is pdf and file size of this pdf file is 41. In 2003, he earned his juris doctorate, magna cum laude, from capital university law school, where he received the order of the curia. But cozy islands of escape he wipes right off the map.
His word pictures are superb, his rhetorical skill is beyond praise. This reportedly happened while the babylonians and medes were attacking the great city around 612 bc. Nahum prophesied, according to some, in the beginning of the reign of ahaz b. According to the greek historian diodorus siculus, who lived in the first century bc, heavy rains had caused the tigris river to overflow and flood part of nineveh. Not much is known about the prophet nahum, a word that is a shortened form of the name, nehemiah, which translates as the comfort of yahweh. He recognizes and welcomes anyone looking for help, no matter how desperate the trouble. One might add that nahum shows how divine judgment can be the source of encouragement. Study the bible online using commentary on nahum 3 and more. It is attributed to the prophet nahum, and was probably written in jerusalem in the 7th century bc. Application of the message of nahum for us begins with understanding the sovereignty of god. Nahum 3 commentary commentary critical and explanatory on. This was the first time a prophecy had been written down and sent instead of personally delivered.
Many casualties, piles of dead, bodies without number, people stumbling over. What is the message of the book of nahum in the bible. Nahum s singular focus on the impending judgment of nineveh offers a continuation of the story that began in jonah. A long time ago in a galilee far, far away, the twelve tribes of israel were adjusting to the new normal after a political crisis. Two other old testament prophets often figure into the discussion of nahum. Ninevehs fall, which is nahums theme, would bring comfort to judah. This the book of nahum summary study on the book of nahum summary quotes looks at the book of nahum summary message and asks what is the book of nahum summary about, why is the book of nahum summary important, what is the book of nahum. 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 message of nahum sermon by daniel austin, nahum 1. Here nahum enters on his special subject, for which the previous verses have prepared the waynamely, to assure his people of safety in yahweh under the impending attack of sennacherib nahum 1. He was raised up to preach gods judgment for a second time to nineveh. The first two poems are macca bean, but the last two were written by a hebrew poet who presidents address at the annual meeting of the society of biblical literature and exegesis, new york, dec. Nahum has been described as ethically and theologically deficient, even the work of a false prophet. It was likely written before the babylonians took over nineveh in 612 b. Most conservative scholars believe that elkosh, the city of nahums origin, was in southern judah, between jerusalem and gaza. Nahum received a divine vision that revealed a condemning judgment against nineveh and assyria nahum 3. Nahum 1 is the first chapter of the book of nahum in the hebrew bible or the old testament of the christian bible.
According to the book that bears his name, he was an elkoshite, or a native of elkosh nahum 1. Whereas nahum focuses on the dark side of god, jonah portrays gods mercy and compassion toward the same wicked city. Sometime around 760 bc, god sent jonah to nineveh to preach repentance and hope to the assyrian people, a message they heard and adoptedat least for a time. Study nahum 2 using matthew henrys bible commentary concise to better understand scripture with full outline and verse meaning. The assyrian world power has already devastated samaria, the capital of the tentribe kingdom of israel. The prophet nahum wrote this book just before the fall of nineveh. Nahum was written after the assyrians sacked the egyptian city of thebes, or noamon nah 3. Charging cavalry, flashing swords and glittering spears. The new international commentary on the old testament nicot the closeknit bond between prophecy and history, according to o. It is therefore clear that nahum was a seventhcentury prophet and roughly a contemporary of zephaniah, jeremiah, and possibly habakkuk. Bible study guide book of nahum united church of god. I will make your chariots go up in smoke and the sword will devour your young lions. A century after the fall of samaria in 722 bc the captivity of the northern kingdom of israel, the book of nahum was written to express a major truth of the prophets.
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