Nahum

Author: Nahum

Period: c.620 B.C.

Title: The English, Hebrew, Greek and Latin versions all name this book after Nahum, the prophet whose ministry is recorded in the book. The name Nahum (Hebrew Nachum) means “The LORD comforts.”

Summary: The book of Nahum was written approximately a century and a half after the events recorded in the book of Jonah. During that period of time, Nineveh had turned from its repentant attitude and had taken the northern Kingdom of Israel into captivity. Whereas Jonah proclaimed a message of mercy and repentance, Nahum proclaimed an indictment of doom upon Nineveh, the capital of Assyria. They who were once used as God’s tool against the people of Israel and Jerusalem, would now be destroyed because of their great wickedness.

Breakdown:

Nineveh’s doom declared: Chapter 1:1-15

• Character of Nineveh’s Judge: 1:1-8
• Declaration of Nineveh’s doom: 1:9-11
• Comfort to Nineveh’s oppressed: 1:12-15

Nineveh’s doom described: Chapter 2:1-13

• City besieged: 2:1-5
• City overwhelmed: 2:6-10
• City made desolate: 2:11-13

Nineveh’s doom deserved: Chapter 3:1-19

• Cause of the overthrow: 3:1-5
• Lesson of the overthrow: 3:6-13
• Certainty of the overthrow: 3:14-19