Nahum: a Pre-Babylonian Exile Prophet concerning the Nations.
Nachum/Nahum was active during the seventh century BC. We know very little about him. He came from a town called Elkosh, but no one seems to know for sure where it was located (although some think it may be Capernaum). We can, however, be fairy sure about when Nachum was writing. He mentions the conquest of No Amon (Thebes) which took place in 663 BC, obviously before the destruction of Ninevah in 612 BC. This would place the Book of Nahum during the long reign of the idolatrous King Manasseh of Judah (696 BC – 642 BC).
Like Jonah, Nachum’s prophecy concerned the city of Ninevah, the capital city of the Assyrian empire. The northern kingdom (Israel, Ephraim or Samaria) had been taken captive by Assyria in 722 BC. The southern kingdom, Judah, was in great fear of Assyria. Nachum, whose name means “consolation” or “comfort” was writing in Judah, and his comfort was for the southern kingdom.
Assyria was at the height of its power during the reign of Ashurbanipal (668 BC – 627 BC). The empire was notorious for its ferocity and its cruelty towards conquered foes. They despised the God of Israel and had been defeated at Jerusalem in 701 BC. But God brought Ninevah down under the rising power of Babylon’s kings, Nabopolasser and his son, Nebuchadnezzar. Assyria’s demise turned out just as God had predicted.
Jonah wrote concerning Ninevah in then 8th. Century BC, Nachum was writing over 100 years later. Evil again reigned in Ninevah. The repentance evoked by Jonah did not last. The people of Ninevah ignored Nachum’s warning.
The prophecy of Nachum is a denunciation of rampant militarism and tyranny especially as it effects God’s people. Assyria was particularly ruthless with the nations with whom it fought. Although God may use a pagan force (as He did indeed use the Assyrian to punish Israel’s northern kingdom), the tool itself is liable for judgment.
Nachum’s prophecy was to comfort Judah which faced Assyria. God avenges acts of violence against His people. But the seriousness of coming judgment on enemies is never a call for complacency among God’s people. Implicit in any call or announcement of doom, is a call for holy living on the part of God’s people and an urgent call to bring a message of salvation to those who may experience God’s wrath.
“The burden against Ninevah. The book of the Vision of Nahum the Elkoshite.”
A “burden” in this sense is a heavy message of judgment. The judgment of course comes from God. Nachum was merely the messenger of a divine oracle. It came to him as a “vision” from God but exactly what form this vision took is not explained.
Most Biblical prophecies direct judgment at the sinning people of Israel or Judah. Therefore, the oracle of Nachum is unusual in bringing a word of judgment against Assyria. Indirectly, as we have seen, the purpose was to give comfort to a threatened Judah.
“God is jealous, and the Lord avenges; the Lord avenges and is furious. The Lord will take vengeance on His adversaries, and He reserves wrath for His enemies.”
Nachum defines God’s power in general terms. Although Ninevah was named in verse1, no particular target or circumstance is identified here. Nachum establishes the fact that God is omnipotent; a holy and jealous God who will punish the wicked.
God is “jealous”. His jealousy is righteous; it is the jealousy of a husband for the wife he loves. Israel is the wife of Jehovah. This is not envy but dedication, commitment and concern.
God will unleash His wrath on His enemies and this verse is a strong message to God’s adversaries.
“The Lord is slow to anger and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked. The Lord has His way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of HIs feet.”
How is God slow to anger and yet will never leave the guilty unpunished? The answer is that His character is perfect and that these two aspects can co-exist.
The Lord has infallible righteousness and severity as the ruler of the world, but also lovingkindness, patience and tender mercy. The absence of any of these things from the character of God would have rendered Him imperfect.
That He is “slow to anger” means that He does not strike without issuing a warning first. God will warn the sinner before condemning him – as Lot warned Sodom and Gomorrah and as Noah prophesied about the coming flood. God would not have struck Ninevah without first sending Jonah.
God’s patience is not a reason to disbelieve in His final judgment. God will never leave the guilty unpunished. The judge must condemn the murderer because he loves the nation. Love towards all, means that sin must be restrained. The goodness of God demands that people should perish for their sin. And again, His justice demands it. His justice demands that people should be punished unless they turn to Him with full repentance of heart.
The terms, “whirlwind”, “storm” and “clouds” are phenomenon which are used in scripture to describe God’s appearance in judgment. The natural world reveals God’s power and majesty, and His rule over all creation.
“He rebukes the sea and makes it dry, and dries up all the rivers. Bashan and Carmel wither, and the flowers of Lebanon wilt.”
God’s mighty power is revealed here including over water and vegetation. He can rebuke the sea as He did at the crossing of the Red Sea. He can withhold rain from the fertile valleys and the Highlands. Bashan is located before Mount Hermon east of the Jordan and is known for its lush pasture. Carmel is along the coast and is synonymous with fruitfulness.
Yet even these regions would wilt before the infinite strength of the omnipotent Judge.
“The mountains quake before Him, the hills melt, and the earth heaves at His presence, yes, the world and all who dwell in it. Who can stand before His indignation? And who can endure the fierceness of His anger? His fury is poured out like fire, and the rocks are thrown down by Him.”
The violent shaking of the earth provides another evidence of the Lord’s awesome power as even the most stable features of the earth tremble. God’s power and resolve to pour out His wrath on Ninevah is irresistible, melting all opposition before it.
“The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; and He knows those who trust in Him.”
God is also compassionate and a mighty fortress to those who put their trust in Him. And that is good news; that the Lord is righteous. Knowing this, we can endure the tribulations of life.
“But with an overflowing flood He will make an utter end of its place, and darkness will pursue His enemies.”
Nachum describes the judgment of the Lord as inescapable, “an overflowing flood” – an engulfing flood and darkness from which none can escape.
As regards a flood; it is believed that the actual invaders of Ninevah entered the city through its waterways and channels.
“What do you conspire against the Lord? He will make an utter end of it. Affliction will not rise up a second time. For while tangled like thorns, and while drunken like drunkards, they shall be devoured like stubble fully dried.”
Having established God’s power and sovereign right in general, Nachum announces God’s specific judgment on Ninevah. He interweaves expressions of blessing and hope for Israel, with the oracle of doom upon the wicked nation. The sovereign Judge not only punishes but saves.
To “conspire” against God is foolishness. All Assyrian attempts to foil God’s judgment will end in futility. “Affliction will not rise up again”. God will not allow the affliction of His people at the hands of Assyria to occur again. Assyria’s end is determined.
“From you comes forth one who plots evil against the Lord. A wicked counsellor.”
The phrase “wicked counsellor” used by Nachum is literally “counsellor of Beliel” suggesting satanic influence in the leadership of Assyria. This may be a reference to Sennacherib who invaded Jerusalem in 701 BC and who is referred to by Isaiah (10: 7) in such terms.
The term translated “wicked” is the strongest expression of evil used in scripture.
“Thus says the Lord,” Though they are safe and likewise many, yet in this manner they will be cut down when he passes through. Though I have afflicted you, I will afflict you no more; for now I will break off the yoke from you, and burst your bonds apart.”
The first part of these verses refers to the enemy. The apparent safety of the city’s walls and the great number of people will not be sufficient defence. “Thus says the Lord”; this evidenced a definite statement concerning destruction.
But likewise, the past judgment of God on His people (the second part of these verses) will not continue: “though I have afflicted you, I will afflict you no more.” The Lord has promised to “break off” the yoke that the enemy had placed on the people. Judah will no more be oppressed by Assyria.
“The Lord has given a command concerning you; your name shall be perpetuated no longer. Out of the house of your gods I will cut off the carved image and the moulded image. I will dig your grave. For you are vile.”
Here God is still addressing His people’s enemies. He announces the three-fold judgment on Assyria.
The king of Assyria, representing the nation, would become destitute of descendants. In destroying the nation’s “name”, God would remove its power.
God would destroy its pagan temples, idols and disgusting religious practices. Thus, the Holy One of Israel would obliterate the so-called gods of Assyria through which the nation claimed tom have power.
There will be an end to the nation. “You are vile”: the only thing to be done with Ninevah was to “dig a grave” and bury it. The city was indeed destroyed and for many years its location was unknown.
“Behold, on the mountains the feet of him who brings good tidings, who proclaims peace! O Judah, keep your appointed feasts, perform your vows, for then wicked one shall no more pass through you; he is utterly cut off.”
A herald of peace brings “good tidings” to Judah. This is the promise of future deliverance form oppression. With this liberation, the prophet calls on the people to live in righteousness and expectation, “keep your appointed feasts”. During a siege, the people would have been prevented from going up to Jerusalem to celebrate the feast of the Lord. But after liberation, they will be able to pay the vows made during the siege. They, like us, can have the joy of living in obedience to God, whilst anticipating deliverance.
“He who scatters has come up before your face. Man the fort! Watch the road! Strengthen your flank! Fortify your power mightily.”
Now, Nachum takes us into the actual destruction of Ninevah (he writes in the present tense about what is for him a future event). He describes frantic calls for action as they were happening! His tone is sarcastic. As if the people or leaders of Ninevah could protect themselves against the wrath of God.
Ninevah was indeed destroyed in 612 BC at the hands of Nebuchadnezzeer of Babylon. The ruins of the city were not found for centuries. Such was the destruction.
“He who scatters” refers to the Assyrians practice of dispersing captive peoples to many nations. Now they would receive similar judgment.
“For the Lord will restore the excellence of Jacob like the excellence of Israel, for the emptiers have emptied them out and ruined their vine branches.”
“The excellence of Jacob”. The Lord will restore the beauty, majesty and wonder of Judah. This phrase recalls the day when Jacob received God’s blessing at Peniel (Gen. 32: 27,28) and had his name changed to Israel.
These terms represent the nation’s restoration to its promised position. The wrath of God against the enemies of the people means that one day their enemies will be destroyed, and the people of God will be restored.
“The emptiers have emptied them out”. Assyria had repeatedly emptied the land, destroyed vineyards and Israel’s economic lifeblood.
The next section presents a description of the siege of Ninevah a few decades before it actually happened.
“The shields of the mighty men are made red; the valiant men are in scarlet. The chariots come with flaming torches in the day of his preparation, and spears are brandished. The chariots rage in the street, they jostle one another in the broad roads; they seem like torches, they run like lightning.”
Shields were sometimes overlaid with copper which reflected sunlight with the intention of terrifying the enemy as the army appeared larger than it actually was.
Also, the Assyrians would cover themselves with hides coloured red to minimise the appearance of blood. “Scarlet” clothing would have the same effect.
“Spears are brandished”. Warriors would demonstrate their eagerness and readiness for battle by energetically waving their weapons.
But in Ninevah confusion reigned as battle preparations had to be hastily made.
“He remembers his nobles; they stumble in their walk; they make haste to her walls, and the defence is prepared. The gates of the rivers are opened, and the palace is dissolved.”
Nachum pictures the defenders of Ninevah running around like headless chickens, as they “stumble” trying to arrange their forces and get to defence towers. The people in the city would be stunned to be under attack.
“The gates of the rivers are opened”. Ninevah stood at the confluence of the river Tigris and two smaller rivers. They had constructed dams to minimise the damage to the city’s walls by seasonal flooding. This phrase suggests that the dams were opened causing damage to the city walls and the palace to be taken.
The attackers may have entered through these waterways.
“It is decreed: She shall be led away captive, she shall be brought up; and her maidservants shall lead her as with the voice of doves, beating their breast.
Though Ninevah of old was like a pool of water, now they flee away. “Halt! Halt!” they cry; but no one turns back.”
“She shall be led away captive.” The nation and its goddess (probably Ishtar) shall be led way by the attackers to show the superiority of their gods. The “maidservants” were probably temple prostitutes, mourning the downfall of their goddess.
The nation that had made so much of taking captives, would be made captive by others. The frantic cries of the military leaders would not stop the rout of their soldiers. Though Ninevah had been “a pool of water” like an oasis which drew people to it, now they fled from its destruction.
“Take spoil of silver! Take spoil of gold! There is no end of treasure, or wealth of every desirable prize. She is empty, desolate and waste! The heart melts, and the knees shake; much pain is in every side, and all their faces are drained of colour.”
“Take spoil”. Assyria had prided itself on the many nations it had despoiled, including Ephraim and the cities of Israel. When Ninevah falls there will seem to be so much loot which will be found within her walls.
Nevertheless, even Ninevah will be “empty, desolate and waste”. “The heart melts and the knees shake”. The city of Ninevah, lying in ruins, will evoke fear and terror in those who observe what has become of it.
“Where is the dwelling of the lions, and the feeding place of the young lions, where the lion walked, the lioness and lion’s cub, and no one made them afraid? The lion tore in pieces enough for his cubs, killed for his lionesses, filled his caves with prey, and his dens with flesh.”
Ninevah was the city of lions. Like a pride of lions, it tore its prey to pieces. There was plenty to eat and no need to fear any enemy.
But now, she had become the prey of other nations. Despite all the horrors that the “lions” of Ninevah had brought to other nations, it need no longer be feared by anyone.
These nations now overwhelmed Assyria under the direction of the sovereign God.
“” Behold I am against you”, says the Lord of hosts. I will burn your chariots in smoke, and the sword shall devour your young lions; I will cut off your prey from the earth, and the voice of your messengers shall be heard no more.”
“” I am against you” says the Lord of hosts.”. These are words that no nation will want to hear. Although the Babylonians conquered the city; Ninevah’s greatest foe was the “Lord of hosts” Himself.
“Burn your chariots”. Ninevah was known for burning captured cities. Now it would receive the same fate.
“Your messengers”. The voice of the messengers who carried the edicts of the mighty kings of Assyria to the captured nations would be muted.
In chapter 3, Nachum explains the reasons for the siege and destruction of Ninevah, which is richly deserved. He makes three charges against Ninevah: verses 1 – 3; verses 4 – 7; and verses 8 – 10.
“Woe to the bloody city! It is full of lies and robbery. Its victim never departs. The noise of the whip and the noise of rattling wheels, of galloping horses, of clattering chariots! Horsemen charge with bright sword and glittering spear. There is a multitude of slain, a great number of bodies, countless corpses – they stumble over the corpses … “
This is the first charge against Ninevah: it is a city of blood. Ninevah was known throughout the Middle East as a place of violence, cruelty and bloodletting. It was “full of lies”. Assyria would ally itself with another nation to serve its purposes, but then turn on that nation when it suited.
It was a robber state preying upon its victims and filling its cities with the goods of other nations seized forcibly.
“Horses” and “chariots” were the instruments of war and were heard constantly in Ninevah; evidence of a war-like people. The horror of the nation’s warfare resulted in “a multitude of slain”.
The second charge against Ninevah was spiritual and moral “harlotry”.
“Because of the multitude of harlotries of the seductive harlot, the mistress of sorceries, who sells nations through her harlotries. “Behold, I am against you”, says the Lord of hosts; “I will lift your skirts over your face, I will show the nations your nakedness, and the kingdoms your shame. I will cast abominable filth upon you, make you vile. And make you a spectacle. It shall come to pass that all who look upon you will flee from you, and say, Ninevah is laid waste! Who will bemoan her? Where shall I seek comforters for you?””
“Harlotries” refers to paganism; the worship of gods other than the God of Scripture – an act of spiritual prostitution. Ninevah was so adept at pagan practice that it earned the title” the mistress of sorceries”.
Nachum likens the city to a beautiful prostitute who seduced the nations with her illicit enticements as she spread her form of paganism.
The Lord repeats (see 2:13), “I am against you”. None can withstand the Lord. Ninevah would be publicly exposed, resulting in shame and humiliation. The fate of Ninevah is compared to a person on whom unspeakable “filth” has been cast.
When she lay in ruins, no one would “bemoan” her. There would be rejoicing that the city was gone. No one would be found to comfort her; she would bear her misery alone.
The third charge against Ninevah was arrogance.
“Are you better than No-Amon that was situated by the River, that had the waters around her. Whose rampart was the sea, whose wall was the sea? Ethiopia and Egypt were her strength, and it was boundless; Put and Lubim were your helpers. Yet she was carried away, she went into captivity; her young children also were dashed to pieces at the head of every street; they cast lots for her honourable men, and all her great men were bound in chains.”
Nachum here is writing about the city of Thebes (known in Israel as No-Amon – the city of the god Amon). This city, near to the Nile, was destroyed by Assyria in 663 BC under King Ashurbanipal. So, this was quite recent history.
Thebes was the capital city of southern Egypt and the centre of a great civilization. Nachum’s argument is that before its destruction, it was considered to be invulnerable.
Like No-Amon, Ninevah was situated by a great river (the Tigris), enjoying the security of conquered nations around it. However, the end of Ninevah would be like that of Thebes – even though it seemed to be protected on all sides.
Verse 10 gives a dire warning to all Ninevites, great and small. The allies of No-Amon could not protect her. Who would protect Ninevah against the Lord?
Verses 11 – 19 read like rubbing salt into future wounds.
“You also will be drunk; you will be hidden; you also will seek refuge from the enemy.”
Ninevah would be made to drink of God’s wrath, making her drunk and defenceless to His judgment. The image is of a helpless drunk, staggering around hoping for refuge but finding none.
“All your strongholds are fig trees with ripened figs; if they are shaken, they fall into the mouth of the eater. Surely, your people in your midst are women! The gates of your land are wide open for your enemies; fire shall devour the bars of your gates.”
Nachum uses a series of metaphors to emphasise that Ninevah’s strong defences would be overrun. The walls would be like ripened fruit which falls at the slightest shaking. The battle forces were like weak women (NB at this time women were not trained for warfare and the weapons of war depended largely on brute strength!) Ninevah would be easily defeated.
“Draw your water for the siege! Fortify your strongholds! Go into the clay and tread the mortar! Make strong the brick kiln! There the fire will devour you, the sword will cut you off; it will eat you up like a locust. Make yourself many – like the locust! Make yourself many – like the swarming locusts!”
Sarcastically, Nachum is saying to the people of Ninevah, “go on, knock yourselves out making defences. But you’re wasting your time!” The city will be destroyed. As a swarm of locusts leaves nothing, stripping all the foliage, so there will be nothing left of Ninevah.
The actual siege of Ninevah lasted two years.
“You have multiplied your merchants more than the stars of heaven. The locust plunders and flies away. Your commanders are like swarming locusts, and your generals like great grasshoppers, which camp in the hedges on a cold day; when the sun rises they flee away, and the place where they are is not known.”
Ninevah had great economic strength. Having “multiplied” their merchants had brought immense wealth, but that will only provide more for her enemies to destroy. Not only will Ninevah’s economic strength be gone, but her governmental resources and leadership disappear as well.
After camping in the citadel’s massive walls, the “grasshoppers” (i.e., political and military leadership of Ninevah), disappear “when the sun rises” – like insects setting off to find food.
“Your shepherds slumber, O king of Assyria; your nobles rest in the dust. Your people are scattered on the mountains, and no one gathers them. Your injury has no healing, your wound is severe. All who hear news of you will clap their hands over you, for upon whom has not your wickedness passed continuously?”
The Assyrian army leaders are dead. The people are scattered like sheep without a shepherd. They cannot be kept from danger! There was no leadership to help against the invasion of the Babylonians to whom they fell in 612 BC.
The destiny of Ninevah was certain. She would receive a deathblow; she would not recover. And “all who hear”, every nation and people under the abusive power of Ninevah, shall clap their hands on hearing of the city’s destruction. There would be no mourning for Ninevah.
Conclusion.
The Book of Nachum provides a great view of a powerful and just God, who maintains His absolute standards and offers help to those who are despised and downtrodden. Nachum teaches us to trust God. Even when we despair of any help, we can know that God will stand with those who belong to Him.
Amen.