NAHUM means "consolation" and "vengeance"; symbolizing the "consolation" in the book for God's people, and the "vengeance" coming on their enemies. In the first chapter the two themes alternate; but as the prophet advances, vengeance on the capital of the Assyrian foe is the predominant topic. He is called "the Elkoshite" (Na 1:1), from Elkosh, or Elkesi, a village of Galilee, pointed out to JEROME [Preface in Nahum] as a place of note among the Jews, having traces of ancient buildings. The name Capernaum, that is, "village of Nahum," seems to take its name from Nahum having resided in it, though born in Elkosh in the neighborhood. There is another Elkosh east of the Tigris, and north of Mosul, believed by Jewish pilgrims to be the birthplace and burial place of the prophet. But the book of Nahum in its allusions shows a particularity of acquaintance with Palestine (Na 1:4), and only a more general knowledge as to Nineveh (Na 2:4-6 3:2,3).

His graphic description of Sennacherib and his army (Na 1:9-12) makes it not unlikely that he was in or near Jerusalem at the time: hence the number of phrases corresponding to those of Isaiah (compare Na 1:8,9, with Isa 8:8 10:23; Na 2:10, with Isa 24:1 21:3; Na 1:15, with Isa 52:7). The prophecy in Na 1:14 probably refers to the murder of Sennacherib twenty years after his return from Palestine (Isa 37:38). The date of his prophecies, thus, seems to be about the former years of Hezekiah. So JEROME thinks. He plainly writes while the Assyrian power was yet unbroken (Na 1:12 2:11-13 Na 3:15-17). The correspondence between the sentiments of Nahum and those of Isaiah and Hezekiah, as recorded in Second Kings and Isaiah, proves the likelihood of Nahum's prophecies belonging to the time when Sennacherib was demanding the surrender of Jerusalem, and had not yet raised the siege (compare Na 1:2, &c., with 2Ki 19:14,15; Na 1:7, with 2Ki 18:22 19:19,31 2Ch 32:7,8; Na 1:9,11, with 2Ki 19:22,27,28; Na 1:14, with 2Ki 19:6,7; Na 1:15 2:1,2, with 2Ki 19:32,33; Na 2:13, with 2Ki 19:22,23). The historical data in the book itself are the humiliation of Israel and Judah by Assyria (Na 2:2); the invasion of Judah (Na 1:9,11); and the conquest of No-ammon, or Thebes, in Upper Egypt (Na 3:8-10). Tiglath-pileser and Shalmaneser had carried away Israel. The Jews were harassed by the Syrians, and impoverished by Ahaz' payments to Tiglath-pileser (2Ch 28:1-27 Isa 7:9). Sargon, Shalmaneser's successor, after the reduction of Phoenicia by the latter, fearing lest Egypt should join Palestine against him, undertook an expedition to Africa (Isa 20:1-6), and took Thebes; the latter fact we know only from Nahum, but the success of the expedition in general is corroborated in Isa 20:1-6. Sennacherib, Sargon's successor, made the last Assyrian attempt against Judea, ending in the destruction of his army in the fourteenth year of Hezekiah (713-710 B.C.). As Nahum refers to this in part prophetically, in part as matter of history (Na 1:9-13 2:13), he must have lived about 720-714 B.C., that is, almost a hundred years before the event foretold, namely, the overthrow of Nineveh by the joint forces of Cyaxares and Nabopolassar in the reign of Chyniladanus, 625 or 603 B.C.

The prophecy is remarkable for its unity of aim. Nahum's object was to inspire his countrymen, the Jews, with the assurance that, however alarming their position might seem, exposed to the attacks of the mighty Assyrian, who had already carried away the ten tribes, yet that not only should the Assyrian (Sennacherib) fail in his attack on Jerusalem, but Nineveh, his own capital, be taken and his empire overthrown; and this, not by an arbitrary exercise of Jehovah's power, but for the iniquities of the city and its people. His position in the canon is seventh of the minor prophets in both the Hebrew and Greek arrangement. He is seventh in point of date.

His style is clear, elegant, and forcible. Its most striking characteristic is the power of representing several phases of an idea in the briefest sentences, as in the majestic description of God in the commencement, the conquest of Nineveh, and the destruction of No-ammon [EICHORN]. DE WETTE calls attention to his variety of manner in presenting ideas, as marking great poetic talent. "Here there is something sonorous in his language there something murmuring; with both these alternates something that is soft, delicate, and melting, as the subject demands." Excepting two alleged Assyrian words (Na 3:17), English Version, "crowned," or princes, and English Version, "captains," or satraps (used by Jer 51:27), the language is pure. These two, doubtless, came to be known in Judea from the intercourse with Assyria in the eighth and seventh centuries B.C.

The Written Prophecy of Nahum

By H. A. (Buster) Dobbs

I.  Introduction.
    A.  The man. 
        1.  Like most of the prophets, we know very little about Nahum.
            a.  He calls himself an "Elkoshite" (1:1).
            b.  This may mean he was from the city of Elkosh, about 
                which city we know little or nothing.. 
            c.  The word translated "Elkoshite" means "God who 
                ensnares," and may refer to the nature of the prophecy of 
                Nahum.
            d.  The name "Nahum" means "comforter."
            e.  The inscription could mean "the comforter who presents 
                an ensnaring God"
            f.  The important thing in revelation is not the messenger but 
                the message.
        2.  Nahum's style of writing indicates a learned man of deep 
            devotion to Jehovah.
            a.  The literary style and vocabulary of Bible writers is 
                preserved, while the very words used to communicate the 
                message were given messengers. God chose both the 
                thought revealed and the words in which to convey that 
                thought.
            b.  The writing of Nahum is poetic. It is imposing and well 
                organized. It has force and is graphic and compelling.
    B.  The background.
        1.  Assyria, of which Nineveh was the capital city, was 
            established soon after the flood, at about the time of the 
            tower of Babel.
        2.  It was a mighty empire for about 1700 years and vied with 
            Egypt for world domination. Assyria prevailed:
            a.  Egypt had submitted.
            b.  Phonecia and Syria were captured.
            c.  Judea paid tribute.
            d.  Assyria was at the height of its success.
            e.  It was at this time that Nahum prophesied the destruction 
                of Assyria.
        3.  The Assyrians were noted for their inhuman cruelty and were 
            cordially hated by the nations they subdued.
        4.  Nabopolassar became king of Babylon and began to put 
            together an alliance to resist and destroy Assyria.
        5.  Nineveh fell in 608 B.C.
        6.  "Asher is there and all her company: his graves are about 
            him: all of them slain, fallen by the sword: Whose graves are 
            set in the sides of the pit, and her company is round about her 
            grave: all of them slain, fallen by the sword, which 
            caused terror in the land of the living" (Ezek. 32:22-23).
II.  The Book.
     A.  The book easily divides into three parts.
     B.  A vivid description of Jehovah (1:1-15).
         1.  Jehovah is jealous (1:2).
             a.  Jehovah is full of wrath (1:2)
             b.  Jehovah will retaliate. (1:2).
         2.  A picture of the destructive might of Jehovah (1:3-8).
         3.  Jehovah cannot be successfully resisted nor his purposes 
             frustrated (1:9-15).
             a.  Assyria was at its peak of power.
             b.  God would nevertheless bring her low.
         4.  Judah about to be delivered from Assyrian tyranny (1:15).
     C.  The fall of Ninevah (2:1-13).
         1.  A picturesque description of the fall of Ninevah (2:1-6).
         2.  Her defenses are worthless (2:6-8).
             a.  The gates of the river shall be opened (2:6).
             b.  Nineveh withstood the siege of Babylon, Medes, Persians, 
                 Egyptians, Armenians and other nations for two years. 
             c.  A heavy flood of the river Tigris carried away a large 
                 section of the walls of Nineveh. Through the gap the 
                 enemy forced their way in and captured the city.
         3.  The city is plundered (2:9-13).
     D.  The reason for the terrible destruction (3:1-19).
         1.  The crimes which brought the ruin (3:1-7).
             a.  A colorful picture of the invading army (3:1-3).
             b.  Nineveh was destroyed because of moral corruption 
                 (3:4).
         2.  Assyria to be destroyed as No-Amon was ruined (3:9-13).
             a.  Assyria had crushed without mercy No-Amon of Egypt.
             b.  Assyria was to be ground to dust in the same way.
             c.  No mercy would be shown.
         3.  The walls of Nineveh, her great army,  and all her generals 
             would not be able to save the wicked city (3:14-19). When 
             Jehovah comes in judgment all defences fall.

Jonah had already uttered his message of warning, and Nahum was followed by Zephaniah, who also predicted (Zeph. 2:4-15) the destruction of the city, predictions which were remarkably fulfilled (B.C. 625) when Nineveh was destroyed apparently by fire, and the Assyrian empire came to an end, an event which changed the face of Asia.