The book of the vision of nahum the elkoshite nahum 1. A hebrew prophet of the seventh century bc who predicted the fall of nineveh. He had a grave and weighty message from jehovah concerning the evil city of nineveh. In the prophets, a burden is a heavy message of weighty importance, heavy in the sense that it produces sorrow or grief.
The books title is taken from the prophetofgods oracle against nineveh, the capital of assyria. Nahum intro to nahum biblica the international bible society. When the prophets were sent to denounce judgments against a nation, or city, their message, or prophecy, was usually called the burden of that people, or place. Nahum synonyms, nahum pronunciation, nahum translation, english dictionary definition of nahum. This is apropos because his message of the coming judgment on nineveh comforted judah after their suffering at assyria. The author of the book of nahum identifies himself as nahum in the hebrew consoler or comforter the elkoshite 1. Note that the name nahum is spelled the same as the name nehum, and was virtually the same name until both names were punctuated in the middle ages. An old testament book telling nahums prophecy of the fall of nineveh. 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. The lord has given a command concerning you, nineveh. 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. The phrase good tidings in the verse quoted above has the same meaning as the. 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.
While the book of jonah records ninevehs reprieve, nahum predicts its destruction. The prophet who also authored the book of nahum, which was also known as the burden of nineveh as it describes the fall of the assyrian capital nineveh to the babylonians in 612 bc. His book comes in chronological order between micah and habakkuk in the bible. Book of nahum bible survey what are the major prophets and minor prophets. Title the books title is taken from the prophet of gods oracle against nineveh, the capital of assyria. 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. Dictionary entry details book of nahum noun sense 1. Nahum definition, a minor prophet of the 7th century b. Mcclintock and strong come to the conclusion that nahum was a native of galilee that at the captivity of the ten tribes he escaped into judah, and prophesied in the reign of hezekiah, 726698. Look in the note on verse 2 for what the lord means. Smith says, though the rhythm and metre of nahum are not so smooth and regular as is the case with some heb. The book of the vision as prophets were of old called seers, so their prophecies were called visions.
He authored the book of nahum in which the downfall of nineveh is foretold. Nahum free bible commentary in easy english easyenglish bible. Do we ever reach a point that we cannot be forgiven nahum 3. He shall recount his worthies the assyrian king wakes as out of a sleep, literally, he remembers his mighty men as nahum 3. The title of the book comes from the name of its writer. I will make your chariots go up in smoke and the sword will devour your young lions. I personally have not decided on any definite date at all. Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents. The title identifies the book as an oracle concerning nineveh and attributes it to the vision of nahum of elkosh.
Nahum describes the siege and frenzied activity of ninevehs troops as they try in vain to halt the invaders. The lord is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble. A free bible version and commentary on the book of nahum in easyenglish. The book of definition and meaning bible dictionary. 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. 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 burden of nineveh of nineveh, see note on jonah 3. Chapters two and three describe the fall of nineveh, which later took place in 612 bc. The lords anger against nineveh the lord is a jealous and avenging god. About a hundred years before, at jonahs preaching, the ninevites repented, and were spared, yet, soon after, they became worse than ever. Hence, those who believe that nahum 1 was originally an alphabetic poem consider it an exilic or postexilic production, which was at a still later date prefixed to the genuine prophecies of nahum. Its purpose is to pronounce the final warning and judgment upon nineveh, and he also.
Its ascribed to nahum the elkoshite, who wrote the book of nahum, and would technically denote someone from elkosh no place called elkosh is mentioned in the bible, but there is a town called capernaum, and that name means village of nahum. Nahum summary we have detailed a brief summary of the book of nahum for bible study or sunday school lessons. Nahum definition and meaning collins english dictionary. This final interpretation has some merit for it seems that although the book of nahum is directed against the assyrians, it was written for jews in. The book of nahum is prophecy concerning the city of nineveh and reveals a powerful message about gods care for his elect. He reminds us of noah, whose name also means rest or comfort. 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 is brutal and bloody, callous and cruel and we often wish nahum were not in the canon 2 for god is the one who incites and executes terrible judgement upon assyria. The immediate design of the prophecy was to minister comfort to the afflicted and alarmed jews.
Massa comes from the verb to lift up nasa, and so it can mean to carry or to lift up the voice. He was raised up to preach gods judgment for a second time to nineveh. Book of nahum definition of book of nahum by the free. The book of nahum is gods message of the impending destruction of nineveh. Nahum means comfort or consolation and is a short form of nehemiah comfort of yahweh. Pronunciation of book of nahum with 1 audio pronunciation, 2 synonyms, 1 meaning, 14 translations and more for book of nahum. I will cut off your prey from the earth, and the sound of your messengers will never be heard again nahum 2. The book of nahum is a prophecy about the destruction of the city of nineveh, the capital of the ancient pagan assyrian empire. Nineveh is compared to thebes, the egyptian city that assyria itself had destroyed in 663 bc. It means consolation, or consoler, and is therefore, in a sense. Nahum 2, new international version niv the bible app. A summary, synopsis or recap is a shortened version of the original. Nothing is known about him except his hometown elkosh, and even its general location is uncertain. He that dashes in pieces is come up before thy face, at the beginning of the second chapter of nahum, refers to judas maccabeaus.
Intro to nahum biblica the international bible society. Nahum inductive bible study for youth every child ministries. The book of nahum introduction to the book of nahum in the bible. There are many dates which have been assigned to this book and this prophet. Nahum definition is a hebrew prophet of the seventh century b. There are many theories as to where that city was though there is no conclusive evidence. The meaning of nahums name, consoler, plays an important role in the prophets message see bible dictionary, nahum. Whatever you devise against the lord, he will make a complete end of it. If there is a book in the old testament known least about, i would pick nahum a. Ninevehs fall, which is nahum s theme, would bring comfort to judah. Top 5 commentaries on the book of nahum ligonier ministries. It is not uncommon in the mishna, and it has been discovered in phoenician inscriptions. One hundred years later, during the time of nahum, the assyrians had. Jan 02, 2020 book of nahum bible survey what are the major prophets and minor prophets.
Nahum 2 niv nineveh to fall an attacker advances bible. The lords willingness to send nahum, whose name means comfort, into such a hopeless situation evidences his unrelenting and overwhelming grace. He wrote about the end of the assyrian empire, and its capital city, nineveh, in a vivid poetic style. This would mean that nahum was a contemporary of both isaiah and micah, and this is the belief of some bible expositors. Ninevehs fall, which is nahums theme, would bring comfort to judah. Book of nahum synonyms, book of nahum pronunciation, book of nahum translation, english dictionary definition of book of nahum. Why did god judge nineveh so harshly in the book of nahum. One of the options is the town better known as capernaum meaning village of nahum, but that remains contested. Nahums announcement was a comfort and a consolation to the inhabitants of judah, as it predicted the downfall of assyria, a savage and cruel enemy of israel and judah. No one can stand before him in the day of judgment 1. A book of the tanakh the old testament of the bible the minor prophet who wrote that book of biblical origin nahum meaning. These punishments are not softened by constantly remembering how mean the assyrians were, 3 yet softening is the approach taken by many who do write or. Do you recall any other prophet who addressed the people of nineveh. For best results, because we carefully examine the meaning of many words, all members of the class should use the new king james version of the bible.
Summary of the book of nahum the story of the bible. The hebrew name nahum means comfort or consolation. When proud sinners are brought down, others should learn not to lift themselves up. While the book of jonah records ninevehs reprieve, nahum predicts its.
In support of this view it is pointed out further that the prophecy in nahum 1 is vague, while the utterances in nahum 2 and 3 are definite and to. Meaning, origin and history of the name nahum behind the. Nahum is one of the twelve minor prophets of the old testament. Nothing is known about him except his hometown elkosh, and even its general location is. The book of nahum is in many ways a literary masterpiece. Nahum is not quoted in the new testament, although there may be an allusion to nahum 1. The ethnonym elkoshite occurs only once in the bible and is a bit of a mystery. Guard the fortress, watch the road, brace yourselves, marshal all your strength. His name means comforter, and he was from the town of alqosh nahum 1. Nahum was a jewish prophet whose name means consolation or comforter. His burden was to pronounce a severe sentence on the assyrian stronghold. It may be accidental some critics think it deliberately artificial, but the name nahum superbly summarizes the books message.
The lord takes vengeance on his foes and vents his wrath against his enemies. 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. Perhaps because nahum isnt quoted in the new testament. Hummel suggests that the meaning of nahums name comfort is quite apropos. It is of course perfectly possible that elkosh was renamed capernaum in. Nineveh to fall an attacker advances against you, nineveh. Nahum 1, new international version niv the bible app. Gods justice means judgment on the enemy, but comfort to the faithful. Book of nahum noun the noun book of nahum has 1 sense 1. The lord will restore the splendor of jacob like the splendor of israel, though destroyers have laid them waste and have ruined their vines. The book of nahum was written 100 years after jonah and deals with the same city of nineveh. Very little is known about nahum himself and his name only occurs here in the entire old.
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. Nahum can be identified as prophecy based on nahum 1. Nachum nahum judaica press translation with rashis commentary at. We know nothing about nahum compassion, consolation, or comfort other than what we read in this book. 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. His name proved significant since he brought comfort and consolation to the judeans with his prophecies. Information and translations of book of nahum in the most comprehensive dictionary definitions resource on the web. It was written in poetic form by the hebrew prophet, nahum, in the 7th century b. The book s author is nahum, whose name means comfort.
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