Book of Nahum The Minor Prophets Dr. Rick Griffith, Singapore Bible College Assyrianism DUMMIES.
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History of Assyria and Israel The opening phrase of Nahum’s prophecy sets the stage for the book’s message: “The oracle of Nineveh.” This message from Jehovah would focus on Nineveh, the capital city of the Assyrian Empire. So, to better understand God’s message to this foreign power let’s first explore the history of Assyrian expansion and how this affected the nations of Israel and Judah. 1. Shalmaneser III (858-824 BC) a. While the Assyrian Kingdom existed long before Shalmaneser, he was the first to have direct contact with Israel. b. In 853 he fought a coalition of kings in Syria, including “Ahab, the Israelite.” c. Then there is the famous inscription of Jehu bringing tribute on Shalmaneser’s black obelisk: ““The tribute of Jehu, the son of Omri. I received from him silver, gold, a golden bowl, a golden vase with pointed bottom, golden tumblers, golden buckets, tin, a staff for a king.” 2. Adadnirari III (810-783 BC) a. During the years between Shalmaneser III and Adadnirari III, Assyria did not concern itself much with Syria and Israel, focusing more on its northern border. During this time Syria was the dominant power and greatly afflicted Israel leaving king Jehoahaz with only a token army. However, God sent a “deliverer” which history identifies as Adadnirari (see 2Kings 13.1-7). b. In 804 BC this Assyrian king invaded Syria and made it tributary to him. This freed Israel from Syrian oppression and opened the way for the expansions which took place under Jeroboam II of Israel and Uzziah of Judah (2Kings 14.25). 3. Tiglath-pileser III (744-727 BC) a. Following the death of Adadnirari III, Assyria entered a period of decline. However, when Tiglath-pileser III ascended to the throne Assyrian power grew once again. (note: Tiglath-pileser is also known as Pul. See 2Kings 15.19; 16.7). the book of Nahum
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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).
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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).
