Book of nahum overview

Authorship the author of this remarkably literary book is probably nahum. 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. The book of habakkuk is narrative history and displays prophetic oracle. Chapters two and three describe the fall of nineveh, which later took place in 612 bc. The book of nahum is the seventh book of the 12 minor prophets of the hebrew bible. Book of nahum overview insight for living ministries.

Watch our overview video on the book of nahum, which breaks down the literary design of the book and its flow of thought. Exact or approximate indications of time are totally missing in nahum s book. 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. Instead, nahum leads by describing god in the following ways. Nahum did not write this book as a warning or call to repentance for the people of nineveh. Others, however, think that his prophecies are to be referred to the latter half of the reign of hezekiah 700s bc. Nahum is usually classified with the minor prophets.

Nahums book is a sequel to, and a dramatic contrast with, the book of jonah. Jun 12, 2019 our first actual bible study episode kicks off with the book of nahum. The prophet nahum wrote this book just before the fall of nineveh. Nahum, as a true servant of god, was inspired by the knowledge of the lords universal dominion over all the kingdoms of this world. Others support the idea that nahum was written shortly before the fall of nineveh at the hands of the medes and babylonians 612 bc.

Nahum in the picture study bible the book of nahum with. Prediction of the downfall of assyria and fall of nineveh. The year is around 655 bc and the assyrian empire is on the rampage under the leadership of king ashurbanipal. Exact date is hard to fix but strong evidence is supplied by nahum 3. The book of nahum introduction to the book of nahum in the bible nahum 1. Instead, habakkuk questions gods goodness because he sees so much injustice, evil and tragedy in the world. The book of nahum a brief summary of the bookintroduction.

It may seem like a strange way to start a bible study podcast, but we hope youll start to see like we have the amazing way god reveals himself through this book. While scholars have proposed a number of theories about nahums hometown, elkosh, the best option identifies it with a city in southern judah that later came to be known as elcesi, near where the prophet micah lived. Nahum overview, one of over 110 bible commentaries freely available, this commentary is from the most widely read and often quoted preacher in history, charles haddon spurgeon. We only know little of nahum the 7 th of the twelve minor prophets.

Jesus and his apostles declared salvation for gods people and judgment against his enemies. A summary, synopsis or recap is a shortened version of the original. C, merely before their downfall at the hands of the babylonians and almost 150 years after the events in the book of jonah. Not all of israels prophets were men of great vision. As is true of the many other prophets, habakkuk is a short book.

The lord takes vengeance on his foes and vents his wrath against his enemies. The book of nahum presents a sobering graphical depiction of the unleashing of gods wrath against the wickedness of nineveh. Feb 21, 2012 the book of nahum is prophecy concerning the city of nineveh and reveals a powerful message about gods care for his elect. God had already sent them the prophet jonah 150 years earlier with his promise of. The major thrust of the book, from beginning to end, is the fall of nineveh, described as the bloody city 3. Obadiah means servant of the lord or one who serves shortest book in the old testament. Summary and analysis zephaniah, nahum, and habakkuk summary. This is why the apostle paul could say, all scripture is inspired by god and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for. Just 100 years earlier, the prophet jonah had been instructed to warn nineveh to repent. Nahum is the seventh of the minor prophets, the last 12 books of the old testament. Following is a suggested outline of the book of nahum.

Nahum overview, one of over 110 bible commentaries freely available, this commentary is a triumph of rigorous scholarship and sound theology by two highly respected theologians. May 14, 2016 watch our overview video on the book of nahum, which breaks down the literary design of the book and its flow of thought. The book of nahum reveals that god will punish all evil. In nahum s day the city had turned again from god, but nahum did not go there.

It contains 3 chapters kjv bible verses from nahum was written to between 663 and 612 b. When we see the vivid, descriptive way nahum writes we understand that the book records what he saw in his vision. All scripture is inspired by god and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for. The book of nahum is a collection of poems announcing the downfall of assyria, one of israels worst oppressors. Point of note this is one of the 7 old testament books that are not quoted in the nt. The book of nahum contains no direct messianic prophecies, yet the expectations of judgment against nineveh and of salvation for gods faithful people are ultimately fulfilled by christ. The other books of the bible dont mention him, and we arent even sure where his town elkosh was located, though it was probably a town in judah, since the northern tribes had been taken into exile by the time nahum wrote his book. It is called an oracle concerning nineveh and the book of the vision of nahum nah. In this book, nahum portrays the downfall of nineveh and assyria as an image of how god will confront and bring down all violent human empires. The book was composed, therefore, between 664 and 612 b. Sometime around 760 bc, god sent jonah to nineveh to preach repentance and hope to the assyrian people, a message they heard and adopted. The book contains the vision of nahum, whose name means comfort and is related to the name nehemiah, meaning the lord comforts or. Nahum can be identified as prophecy based on nahum 1.

This was more than a message communicated to nahum in words or phrases from god. Jonah had a whale of a time trying to run from god, but. And we both have a passion for making the whole counsel of god known. Some researchers assume it to be the village alkush at the river tigris near mossul and others suppose a place in galilee near capernaum. There are many theories as to where that city was though. While several options have been proposed by scholars, the best argument places obadiah in the 840s bc, making him the earliest writing prophet, a few years prior to joel, and a contemporary of elisha. 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 of zephaniah was written during the reign of king josiah, likely in the early part of his reign, between 635 and 625 bc. But every portion of scripture is indispensable, each has its own contribution to make. The consuming wrath of god a jealous and avenging god is the lord, the lord is avenging and wrathful.

Ninevehs fall, which is nahums theme, would bring comfort to judah. The assyrian king ashurbanipal conquered thebes around 664 b. The book of nahum is prophecy concerning the city of nineveh and reveals a powerful message about gods care for his elect. Some of them apparently made little or no impression on either their contemporaries or their successors, with the result that neither their names nor their writings have been recorded. Intro to nahum biblica the international bible society. Nothing is known about him except his hometown elkosh, and even its general location is. With this additional short summary of the book of nahum you can discover the people, places and stories detailed in this holy scripture. Nahum joins jonah in being concerned primarily with the city of nineveh. Key personalities are habakkuk and the babylonians. Nahum overview james burton coffman commentaries on the bible. Summary of the book of nahum nahum began to prophesy in about 7 bc after the destruction of the northern kingdom of israel by the assyrians. The lord is slow to anger but great in power, and the lord will by no means clear the guilty. Second, the remainder of nahums prophecies came true in 612 b.

The facts that the kingdom of the 10 tribes in which galilee lies was already in assyrian captivity at nahum s time and that nahum directly speaks to the kingdom of judah chap. Nahum summary we have detailed a brief summary of the book of nahum for bible study or sunday school lessons. Nahum also predicts the fall of nineveh, the capital of assyria, as a future event. General overviews to the book of nahum are difficult to find given the size of the biblical book. Nahums view is only focused on this enemy of gods people. Unlike other books in the minor prophets, nahum doesnt end with a vision of a restored israel or judah. The only mention in scripture of nahum the elkoshite occurs in the first verse of his own book. The lords anger against nineveh the lord is a jealous and avenging god. Book of obadiah overview insight for living ministries. The minor prophets are an oftenoverlooked portion of scripture, but well worth reading. Therefore, the most plausible date for nahum s prophecy would be between 660 and 650 b.

Book overview by the bible burrito a podcast on anchor. Jan 02, 2020 first, nahum mentions thebes no amon in egypt falling to the assyrians 663 b. Obadiah prophesied of the coming judgment that would come to edom and nahum spoke of judgment on ninevah. Nahum overview reading the bible chronologically in 365 days. Nahum overview spurgeons verse expositions of the bible. The hebrew name nahum means comfort or consolation. The book of nahum, a part of the christian old testament, shows that god is slow to anger but will also bring vengeance and wrath. The book of nahum can be seen as a sequel to jonah, only this time nineveh does not repent and the prophet gets to laugh at the citys destruction.

Nahum overview keil and delitzsch commentary on the old. Nahum is book number 34 in the old testament of the bible. 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. The book was written by nahum sometime during his ministry and is thought to have been written between 663 and 612 b. The content of nahum according to the kjv bible scriptures contains a short overview of the main subjects, people, events and ancient topics in the following summary of the kjv bible scriptures. 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 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. Today archaeologists are able to confirm with certainty that nineveh existed, proving the authenticity of the city jonah and nahum were told to prophesy against. Nahum prophesied during the reign of hezekiah, probably about one hundred and fifty years after. The purpose of the book of nahum was to pronounce gods judgement on assyria and to comfort judah with this truth. Chapters two and three describe the fall of nineveh, which later took place in. In nahums day the city had turned again from god, but nahum did not go there.

The book of habakkuk offers hope to people living in an. Because this is a vision, in some way nahum saw it. In this book we meet a prophet who was deeply aware of the incomparability and power of god. In these contexts, at times the book of nahum only makes a brief appearance. Nineveh, the arrogant capital of the assyrian empire, will be destroyed. The book contains the vision of nahum, whose name means comfort and is related to the name nehemiah, meaning the lord comforts or comfort of the lord. Probably the most famous of the minor prophets, this book details the adventures of a prophet named jonah who was unwilling to proclaim gods message to the assyrians in nineveh thats because jonah was afraid the ninevites would repent and avoid gods wrath. 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. Book of nahum biblical studies oxford bibliographies.

The very first verse of this book informs us that the message will be the burden against nineveh nahum 1. He was also a gifted poet, as was his predecessor isaiah. Second, the remainder of nahum s prophecies came true in 612 b. Nineveh once had responded to the preaching of jonah and turned from their evil. Nineveh is compared to thebes, the egyptian city that assyria itself had destroyed in 663 bc. Nahum received a divine vision that revealed a condemning judgment against nineveh and assyria nahum 3. He was raised up to preach gods judgment for a second time to nineveh. Nahum prophesied about gods vengeance and judgement, and the destruction that was going to come upon nineveh for her great wickedness and cruelty. Nahum s singular focus on the impending judgment of nineveh offers a continuation of the story that began in jonah. About 100 years before nahum, jonah preached in nineveh, and the city turned to god. In this book, nahum portrays the downfall of nineveh and assyria as an. Summary of the book of nahum the story of the bible.

The author of the book of nahum identifies himself as nahum in the hebrew consoler or comforter the elkoshite 1. First, nahum mentions thebes no amon in egypt falling to the assyrians 663 b. God had already sent them the prophet jonah 150 years earlier with his promise of what would happen if they continued in their evil ways. Jul 15, 2017 nahum, like obadiah, is a prophet of god with a message about a gentile nation. Nothing is known about him except his hometown elkosh, and even its general location is uncertain. He was a contemporary of isaiah and addressed at a time when conditions in judah equaled those in the northern kingdom during the ministry of amos. It is credited to the prophet nahum, and was likely composed in jerusalem in the seventh century bc. Nahum, in particular, warns the ninevites of coming events, although he is partly in favor of the destruction. This summary of the book of nahum will help with many different forms of bible study. Our first actual bible study episode kicks off with the book of nahum. Nahum was written after the assyrians sacked the egyptian city of thebes, or noamon nah 3. The title identifies the book as an oracle concerning nineveh and attributes it to the vision of nahum of elkosh. Zephaniah, nahum, and habakkuk book summaries, test. This study also includes a teaching outline at the end.

The book doesnt begin with a simple description of the judgment to come. Overview of the book of nahum third millennium ministries. Apr 06, 2011 nahum prophesied, according to some, in the beginning of the reign of ahaz 740s bc. The theme of the prophecy is the fate and destruction of nineveh, the onetime capital city of the mighty assyrian empire, which had destroyed israel and taken many inhabitants of the land captive 722 b. Some parts of the book of zephaniah predict the coming of a better day, but it seems quite probable that these sections were added by editors who looked at the book as a whole from the perspective of later years. Not even the exact place where he came from is known. Date two points of interest help us date the book of nahum. The book of habakkuk is a compilation of the prophets laments, not an accusation against israel and its sin or a message to the people on gods behalf like some of the other prophetic books. Book of nahum read, study bible verses online bible study tools. When god had a message for the people, he spoke through the prophets. 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. Nahum began to prophesy in about 7 bc after the destruction of the northern kingdom of israel by the assyrians. Nahum prophesied, according to some, in the beginning of the reign of ahaz b. But such overviews of nahum do occur within general introductions to the prophets such as in blenkinsopp 1996.