Book 34 of 66 · Old Testament
Nahum
A single, vivid oracle: the doom of Nineveh, the Assyrian capital that had terrorized the nations.
3 chapters47 versesWritten in HebrewSet Against Nineveh, capital of Assyria
Overview
Nahum is a single poem about the fall of Nineveh, the capital of the Assyrian empire that had crushed the northern kingdom and terrorized the region. Where Jonah once saw Nineveh repent, Nahum — a century later — announces its doom. For the nations Assyria had brutalized, it is a word of comfort: the tyrant will fall.
Book facts
- Author
- NahumNamed in the first verse as "Nahum the Elkoshite."
- Date written
- c. 650–612 BCBefore Nineveh's fall in 612 BC.
- Original language
- HebrewSome of the most powerful poetry in the prophets.
- Setting
- Against Nineveh, capital of AssyriaA word of comfort to Assyria's victims.
How it came to be
Nahum is named in the opening verse as "the Elkoshite." Nothing else is known of him; the book is a single oracle against Nineveh.
It was written before Nineveh actually fell in 612 BC — the event it foresees.
What is arguedExactly when it was written, within the years before Nineveh's fall.
The whole book, chapter by chapter
| Chapter | What happens | Who is in it | Where it takes place |
|---|---|---|---|
The fall of Nineveh — the doom of Assyria's capital, chapters 1–3 | |||
| Chapter 1The jealous God | God is slow to anger but will not spare his enemies — good news for those who trust him, doom for Nineveh. | — | |
| Chapter 2The siege of Nineveh | A vivid vision of Nineveh's siege and fall. | — | |
| Chapter 3The bloody city | Woe to the "bloody city"; its wound is fatal, and all who hear the news will clap. | — | |
All 3 chapters. Start reading →