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CHAPTER 34 – Nahum: Approx. 640 B.C.

Nahum is the thirty-fourth book of the Bible. The title of the book in the Hebrew Bible is Nachum meaning “comforted.” The English title comes from Jerome’s Latin Vulgate which has the title Nahum.

Authorship

The prophet Nahum is the author of the book of Nahum. It was written no earlier than 663 B.C. and probably no later than 627 B.C.

Summary

The book opens by saying that it is a prophecy concerning the city of Nineveh, according to the vision which God gave to Nahum, the Elkoshite. Nahum states that God will take vengeance upon his adversaries, and He, God, reserves His anger for His enemies. He next says that although God is slow to anger, He will not acquit the wicked. Nahum then describes God’s power to punish the wicked.

After this, Nahum says that God will make an utter end of Nineveh such that they will never rise again. For God will break Nineveh’s yoke from off Judah and restore peace to Judah. Next, Nahum describes the siege and capture of Nineveh and the plundering of the city. Nahum then says that God is against Nineveh for her whoredoms, crimes, and witchcrafts and, therefore, Nineveh will be destroyed.

For God says Nineveh is no better than the city of No in Egypt and, like No, Nineveh shall be captured and destroyed. All of Nineveh’s strongholds shall be taken, the leaders killed and the people scattered. God says there is no healing of the Ninevites’ spiritual bruise and their spiritual wound is grievous. All that hear the report shall rejoice for Nineveh’s wickedness had come upon many nations.

Themes

• The coming destruction of a wicked city.
• The breaking of the yoke of a wicked nation from off God’s people.

God as Revealed in the Book

• God who is slow to anger but will not acquit the wicked.
• God who will bring a complete end to wicked cities and nations.

Connections with the Rest of the Bible

About 790 B.C., Jonah preached to Nineveh. And “the king of Nineveh…caused it to be proclaimed and published through Nineveh…saying…let them turn every one from his evil way, and from…violence.” Jonah 3:6-8. “And God saw…that they turned from their evil way; and God…[destroyed them] not.” Jonah 3:10. Thus, God spared Nineveh in the time of Jonah because they repented of their sins. However, within about 150 years after Jonah, Nineveh became so wicked that God said that He would destroy the city.

Spiritual Applications

Pray to God sincerely and ask God to help you to do His will, believing that God will help you, and thus you will be enabled to make the spiritual applications noted below:

• Turn from your evil ways so that you are not annihilated by God.
• Maintain a state of unwavering repentance and faith in God.

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