the book of Nahum - WordPress.com

HistoryofAssyriaandIsrael TheopeningphraseofNahum’sprophecysetsthestageforthebook’smessage:“TheoracleofNineveh.”ThismessagefromJehovahwouldfocusonNineveh,thecapitalcityoftheAssyrianEmpire.So,tobetterunderstandGod’smessagetothisforeignpowerlet’sfirstexplorethehistoryofAssyrianexpansionandhowthisaffectedthenationsofIsraelandJudah.1. ShalmaneserIII(858-824BC)

a. WhiletheAssyrianKingdomexistedlongbeforeShalmaneser,hewasthefirsttohavedirectcontactwithIsrael.

b. In853hefoughtacoalitionofkingsinSyria,including“Ahab,theIsraelite.”

c. ThenthereisthefamousinscriptionofJehubringingtributeonShalmaneser’sblackobelisk:““ThetributeofJehu,thesonofOmri.Ireceivedfromhimsilver,gold,agoldenbowl,agoldenvasewithpointedbottom,goldentumblers,goldenbuckets,tin,astaffforaking.”

2. AdadnirariIII(810-783BC)a. DuringtheyearsbetweenShalmaneserIIIandAdadnirariIII,Assyriadidnotconcern

itselfmuchwithSyriaandIsrael,focusingmoreonitsnorthernborder.DuringthistimeSyriawasthedominantpowerandgreatlyafflictedIsraelleavingkingJehoahazwithonlyatokenarmy.However,Godsenta“deliverer”whichhistoryidentifiesasAdadnirari(see2Kings13.1-7).

b. In804BCthisAssyriankinginvadedSyriaandmadeittributarytohim.ThisfreedIsraelfromSyrianoppressionandopenedthewayfortheexpansionswhichtookplaceunderJeroboamIIofIsraelandUzziahofJudah(2Kings14.25).

3. Tiglath-pileserIII(744-727BC)a. FollowingthedeathofAdadnirariIII,Assyriaenteredaperiodofdecline.However,

whenTiglath-pileserIIIascendedtothethroneAssyrianpowergrewonceagain.(note:Tiglath-pileserisalsoknownasPul.See2Kings15.19;16.7).

the book of Nahum

b. HeinvadedIsraelduringthereignofMenahemandexactedheavytribute(see2Kings15.19-20)andtookmuchofIsrael’sterritoryduringthereignofPekah(2Kings15.29).

c. WhenPekahbecamekingofIsrael,hejoinedforceswiththeSyriansinrebellingagainstAssyria.ThiscoalitionuseditsmilitarymighttopressureAhazofJudahtojointherebellion,butAhazpetitionedTiglath-pileserIIItointervene.HedidsobyinvadingDamascus(2Kings16.5-9).

d. HosheadeposedPekahaskingofIsraelin732BC.HeimmediatelysubmittedtotheAssyrianking,whichsparedIsraelforashorttime,butataheavyprice.“ThecountryofthehouseofOmri…allitspeople(andtheirpossessions),IcarriedawayintoAssyria.Pekahtheirkingtheyhadoverthrown;HosheaaskingoverthemIplaced.Thentalentsofgold…talentsofsilverIreceivedastributefromthem.”

4. ShalmaneserV(727-722BC)andSargonII(722-705BC)a. WhenTiglath-pileserIIIdied,HosheaofIsraelrebelledagainsthisAssyrianmasters,

mistakenlybelievingthatEgyptwouldhelp.ShalmaneserinvadedandlaidsiegetoSamaria(2Kings17.3-5)

b. ShalmaneserdiedbeforeSamariafell,butSargoncompletedthesiegein722BC.“Atthebeginningofmyreign,inmyfirstyear,…IbesiegedandcapturedSamaria.Icarriedcaptivefromthemidstofit27,290people.FiftychariotsItooktheretobeanadditiontomyroyalforce…Ireturnedandcausedmorepeoplethanformerlytodwellthere;Isettledinthemidstofitpeoplefromlandswhichmyhandshadcaptured.Iappointedmyofficersoverthemasgovernors;IimposedtributeonthemaftertheAssyrianmanner.”(See2Kings17.6ff).

5. Sennacherib(705-681BC)

a. SennacheribinvadedJudahin701BCafterHezekiahrebelled(2Kings18.7).HelaidsiegetoanddestroyedmanycitiesincludingLachish.ReliefspicturingthefallofLachishshowAssyriansoldiersflayingandimpalingsomeofthecaptives,givingjustahintofhowbrutaltheAssyrianswereintheirconquests.

b. TheBiblerecordshowSennacherib’sforcesreachedthewallsofJerusalem,buttheLorddemonstratedHisawesomemightindeliveringHiscity(see2Kings18.13-19.36).

c. ItissignificantthatSennacheribboastedofconqueringmanykings,buteventhoughhementionedHezekiahhedidnotclaimtohavedefeatedhim.“AstoHezekiah,theJew,hedidnotsubmittomyyoke,Ilaidsiegeto46ofhisstrongcities.…HimselfImadeaprisonerinJerusalem,hisroyalresidence,likeabirdinacage.…"

6. Esarhaddon(681-669BC)andAshurbanipal(669-627BC)a. Hezekiah’sfaithintheLordkepttheAssyrianmenaceatbay,butunsurprisinglythe

AssyriansagainbecamedominantovertheLord’speopleduringthewickedreignofManasseh.

b. Esarhaddonboastedofforcingacoalitionofkings,includingManassehofJudah,topayhimheavytribute.

c. AshurbanipalforcedManassehtoprovidesuppliesandtroopsfortheAssyrianinvasionofEgypt.“Duringmymarch(toEgypt)22kingsfromtheseashore,theislandsandthemainland.…Manasseh(Mi-in-si-e),kingofJudah(Ia-ú-di)…servantswhobelongtome,broughtheavygifts…tomeandkissedmyfeet.Imadethesekingsaccompanymyarmyovertheland—aswellas(over)thesea-routewiththeirarmedforcesandtheirships.”i. ThisinvasionissignificanttothecontextofNahum.ThebesfelltotheAssyriansin

664BC,aneventmentionedinNahum3.8(No-amon).ii. ThisinvasionalsofurnishedanotherexampleofAssyrianbrutalityasAshurbanipal

boasted,“Icapturedmanysoldiersalive.TherestIburnt.…Ibuiltapileoflive(menand)headsbeforetheirgate.…Iburnttheiradolescentboysandgirls”

d. SeveralkingsrebelledagainstAssyriain~648BC.ItisbelievedthatManassehwasoneofthekingswhorebelledandhiscaptivityinBabylonwasaresultofthisrebellion(see2Chronicles33.11-20).

7. WiththedeathofAshurbanipalin627,theempirefellintodeclineuntilultimatelyNinevehfelltotheBabyloniansin612,bringinganendtotheAssyriankingdom.

TheContextofNahum:1. WhilenokingsofJudaharementionedinNahum,alikelydatewouldbetowardtheendof

Manasseh’sreign.ThedatewouldhavebeenafterthefallofThebesin664BC(Nahum3.8),butbeforethefallofNinevehin612.AssyriawasattheheightofitspowerduringthereignofManasseh,butifthisoncewickedkinghadbegunhisreligiousreforms(see2Chron.33.13-16)itwouldhelpexplainwhyNahumdoesnotfocusonthesinsofGod’speople.So,wedatetheletterat~650BC.

2. Thename“Nahum”means“comfort”andissignificanttothethemeoftheletter.God’speoplecouldtakecomfortthattheirAssyrianoppressorswouldbedestroyed.ButfortheAssyrianstherewouldbenocomfort(Nahum3.7).

TheMessageofNahum:1. HymnDescribingYahweh(1.2-11)

a. ThehymnglorifiesandpraisestheLordforHisattributes,focusingonHispowerandjudgment.

b. Hispowerwhichcontrolstheforcesofnature(vss.3-6)wouldbefeltbyHisenemies,namelyNineveh(vss.1,11).

2. OracleofTwoVerdicts(1.12-2.2)a. EventhoughtheLordhadusedtheAssyrianstoafflictHispeople(1.12;cf.Isaiah

10.5-11),theywouldafflictHispeoplenolonger.b. Judahcouldlookforwardtopeaceandblessings,buttheAssyriansandtheirgods

wouldbecompletelycutoff(1.14).3. IncreasedConfrontation(2.3-13)

a. Thispassagedescribesanattack(vss.3-4)andeventhoughthereisahurrieddefense(vs.5),itwouldbeineffective(vss.6-8).Thecitywouldbeleftopenanddefenseless(vss.9-10).

b. Nineveh’sformerferocityisnowasourceofmockery(vss.11-12).c. EventhoughitwouldbetheBabylonianswhowoulddefeattheAssyrians,theLord

makesitclearthatHeisthereasontheywillfall.“Iamagainstyou…”(vs.13).4. "Woe,BloodyCity"(3.1-7)

a. “Bloodycity”wasanaptdescriptionforNinevehaswe’vealreadynotedjustafewoftheAssyrianatrocities(vss.1-4).

b. ButsincetheLordwasagainstthem(vs.5)shewouldbedevastatedandbroughttoshame.

5. ASatireAgainstMight(3.8-13)a. NahumwasprobablypennedattheheightofAssyrianpower,shortlyafterthe

defeatofThebes(No-amon,see3.8).b. NooneatthattimewouldhavethoughtAssyriacouldfall,buttheywouldbecause

theLordhaddeclaredit!6. UselessPreparations(3.14-19)

a. Assyriamighthaveboastedinhernumerousmerchantsandguards,buttheywouldbeofnoavail.Shewouldbedevastatedlikelocustsconsumevegetation.

b. Ultimately,nothingcouldpreventAssyria’sfall.Herwoundwasincurable.MajorThemes:

1. TheLordisfaithful.Nahumusesthename“Yahweh”(Lord)13timesintheletter.ThiswasHiscovenantnameandemphasizedthatHewouldremainfaithfultoHispeopleanddestroyHisenemies(see1.7-8).

2. HeisLordofALLtheearth.TheLordhadusedtheAssyrianstopunishHispeople,butnowHewouldpunishtheAssyrians(1.12-13).HewoulddothisbecauseHeisLordoverallpeople!

3. Thus,Hispeoplehavehope.WhenNahumwrotehisprophecy,Assyriawascompletelydominant.ButGod’speoplecouldbelieveinabetterfuturebecausetheirLordhadpromisedit(see1.15-2.2).