The besiegers, it may be supposed, came from the north. One major lesson from the book of nahum is that the destruction of one. The book therefore was written between 663 and 612in turbulent. Book of esther were suggested by the sufferings of the jews during the syrian persecution and their glorious victory over nicanor on the th of adar, 161 b. Yet the bible is a book of hope for the future when the prince of peace will secure lasting peace among all peoples and nations isaiah 9. The title identifies the book as an oracle concerning nineveh and attributes it to the vision of nahum of elkosh. The book of nahum is not a prophecy, but a liturgical collection of four poems. Introduction the author the name nahum means comfort or consolation. Guard the fortress, watch the road, brace yourselves, marshal all your strength. Travers exegesis that includes careful attention to internal matters theme and development, structure, and features of literary stylecan help resolve perennial problems of interpretation. 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. The book s author is nahum, whose name means comfort. In nahum chapter one, there is a wonderful description of the character of god. A chart listing when all the minor and major prophets preached.
Although god uses pagans to punish his peoples apostasy and sin, the tool itself is also liable to punishment. The fulfillment of the prophecy in nahum occurred in 612 b. While most of the book threatens nineveh with destruction, there are also words of comfort for the people of judah 1. Study notes on the holy scriptures using a themebased approach to identify literary structures by gary h. The book of nahum is prophecy concerning the city of nineveh and reveals a powerful message about gods care for his elect. The book of nahum was, according to this view, a collection of writings of various literary types that an editor compiled to magnify yahwehs greatness by reflecting on ninevehs destruction. Ninevehs fall, which is nahum s theme, would bring comfort to judah. Jonahs mission to nineveh was probably sometime in the first half of the eighth century b. This was made to assess how well you know the book. 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 name nahum occurs in the new testament where it is found in lukes genealogy of our lord jesus christ. Book of nahum definition of book of nahum by the free. Since the earliest event named in the book is the assyrian attack of thebes nah 3. Studies in the book of nahum download ebook pdf, epub.
To jonahs dismay, the ninevites listened to his message, repented, and were spared gods judgment. Nineveh, and the assyrian empire, was at its height of power. Studies in the minor prophets nahum outline of the book title. This prophecy, moreover, has relevance for the end time, as do all of the minor prophets. 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. Nahum can be identified as prophecy based on nahum 1. In the prophets, a burden is a heavy message of weighty importance, heavy in the sense that it produces sorrow or grief. This is apropos because his message of the coming judgment on nineveh comforted judah after their suffering at assyrias hand. One such difficulty involves the unity and authorship of the book of nahum. Literary analysis of the unity of nahum gordon college.
Massa comes from the verb to lift up nasa, and so it can mean to carry or to lift up the voice. We can have confidence that god always fulfills his word. The books author is nahum, whose name means comfort. The book of nahum was likely written between 633 and 612 b. God used nahum to prophesy against the city of nineveh. Nahum received a divine vision that revealed a condemning judgment against nineveh and assyria nahum 3. The books title is taken from the prophetofgods oracle against nineveh, the capital of assyria. This summary of the book of nahum provides information about the title, author s, date of writing, chronology, theme, theology, outline, a brief overview, and the chapters of the book of nahum. It is noteworthy that two of the books among the socalled minor prophets are devoted wholly to nineveh.
Book of nahum synonyms, book of nahum pronunciation, book of nahum translation, english dictionary definition of book of nahum. Book of nahum biblical studies oxford bibliographies. 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. Below are scriptures in nahum that refer to endtime events. Nahum could well have lived there and have prophesied to nineveh, as daniel did to babylon later on. The short book of nahum is largely a poem, a literary masterpiece, predicting the downfall of nineveh, the capital of assyria. Gods discriminating anger and vengeance against pride and cruelty arise from his great love for people. The book of nahum introduction to the book of nahum in the bible. The question of authorship within the canonical process. The prophecy of nahum, written by a hebrew against the capital of a gentile world power nineveh, is a denunciation of rampant militarism and tyranny, especially as it affects gods people.
His book is a message of destruction for nineveh, and that would have been a message of consolation for the nations she had oppressed. As was the case in the book of jonah, the prophecy in the book of nahum is conditional on the. The books of nahum, habbakuk and zephaniah with introduction and notes. This workbook on the old testament books of jonah, micah, nahum, habakkuk, and zephaniah was designed for use in bible classes, family study, or personal study. The book contains the vision of nahum, whose name means comfort and is related to the name nehemiah, meaning the lord comforts or. This study also includes a teaching outline at the end. God is love, but god is also holy and righteous and good. Do you recall any other prophet who addressed the people of nineveh. Transcribed and edited by david sielaff, august 20. Ninevehs fall, which is nahums theme, would bring comfort to judah.
This volume demonstrates the intricate literary structure and high poetic quality of the book of nahum and represents a significant breakthrough in the study of hebrew prosody with important implications for understanding the formation of the canon of the hebrew bible. Nahum means comfort or consolation and is a short form of nehemiah comfort of yahweh. Nahum is not quoted in the new testament, although there may be an allusion to nahum 1. The scholarly consensus is that the book of vision was written at the time of the fall of nineveh 3 at the hands of the medes and babylonians in 612 bc 4 5. Nahum is the author of this prophesies and name means comfort or consolation and is a short form of nehemiah comfort of yahweh.
Authorship the author of this remarkably literary book is probably nahum. The lord takes vengeance on his foes and vents his wrath against his enemies. It can be assume that the book was written before 612 bc because that is when nineveh was destroyed and since nahum is predicting the destruction of nineveh that would be a safe assumption. The prophet jonah, about 100 years earlier than nahum at the time jonah wrote, what did god call on the people of nineveh to do. Some folk think the book of nahum should be called ho hum. While conservatives reject this low view of prophecy, it is obvious that the book does consist of several different types of literature, as do most of the. Notice how halleys bible handbook introduces the book of nahum. But we dont know where that was because it is not mentioned elsewhere in the bible. Nineveh was conquered by the babylonians, medes, and scythians in 612 b. 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. The book of nahum is only three chapters long, but holds an important place with its vivid imagery of war and its certainty of yhwhs role in israelite history. He was raised up to preach gods judgment for a second time to nineveh. Book of nahum an old testament book telling nahum s prophecy of the fall of nineveh nahum old testament the collection of books comprising the. Summary of the book of nahum the story of the bible.
The class book material is suitable for teens and adults. I have recently come to the conclusion that the book of nahum is a liturgical com pilation for the celebration of that victory. The book says that god provided a great fish to swallow jonah, and that when the prophet realized that inside the fish he was at least safe from drowning, he. Hows does nahum s message of judgement apply today. Elkosh was a city in assyria, a few miles north of the ruins of nineveh. Pdf the book of nahum 2018 edition gary everett, mdiv dmin.
This is all that is known of the writer of this book. Final exam on book of nahum correct answer per question. The books of nahum, habbakuk and zephaniah with introduction. Timeline of nahum nahum is an early contemporary of habakkuk, zephaniah, and jeremiah. 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. Its purpose is to pronounce the final warning and judgment upon nineveh, and he also. Nahums book is a sequel to, and a dramatic contrast with, the book of jonah. Date two points of interest help us date the book of nahum. But the central figure in both of these books is god and his qualities of justice and mercy towards the ancient country of ninevah. Nahum s oracle is given to one subject alonethe doom of nineveh, capital of assyria and when nahum wrote the worlds greatest city. A new translation with introduction and commentary. The lord will restore the splendor of jacob like the splendor of israel, though destroyers have laid them waste and have ruined their vines. Nahum declared that nineveh would fall as did thebes, which the assyrians themselves had conquered in 663.
Nineveh to fall an attacker advances against you, nineveh. He is committed to justice and will not allow any arrogant, violent or. The book of nahum reveals that god will punish all evil. Book of nahum an old testament book telling nahums prophecy of the fall of nineveh nahum old testament the collection of books comprising the. Commentary on the book of nahum pdf commentary on the book of nahum online version excerpt devotional questions. The lords anger against nineveh the lord is a jealous and avenging god. Nahum is the seventh of the twelve minor prophets, following micah. The book of the vision of nahum the elkoshite nahum 1.
However, nahum is a thrilling book to study because it reveals the other side of the attributes of god. The book s title is taken from the prophetofgods oracle against nineveh, the capital of assyria. The prophecy of nahum is both the complement and the counterpart of the book of jonah. The book of nahum is a collection of poems announcing the downfall of assyria, one of israels worst oppressors. Nahum also predicted a time of peace beyond this troubled world. The book would then have been written in jerusalem, where nahum would have witnessed the invasion of sennacherib and the destruction of his host 2 kings 19.
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