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Introduction to Nahum
Part 1: General Introduction
Outline of the Book of Nahum
- Introduction to "the book of the vision of Nahum" (1:1)
- The coming destruction of Nineveh
- The power and goodness of Yahweh to conquer his enemies (1:2–8)
- The destruction of Nineveh because of its people's evil (1:9–15)
- The fierceness of the coming attack on Nineveh (2:1–13)
- The doom of Nineveh and the mockery of it by its enemies (3:1–19)
What was the Book of Nahum about?
The Book of Nahum was about the coming destruction of Nineveh, the capital city of the Assyrian Empire. The prophecy ended with a celebration by the prophet Nahum and the enemies of Assyria. The book's purpose was to give hope to Judah.
How should the title of this book be translated?
Translators may decide to translate this traditional title, "The Book of Nahum," in a way that is clearer to the readers. They may decide to call it "The Sayings of Nahum." (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names)
Who wrote the Book of Nahum?
It is probable that Nahum wrote this book. He was a prophet from Elkosh, an unknown city which was probably in Judah. The book was written before the fall of Nineveh in about 612 B.C. The prophet also mentions the destruction of Thebes, a city in Egypt, which occurred about 663 B.C. These facts allow us to have an approximate date for the Book of Nahum. (See: rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/prophet)
Part 2: Important Religious and Cultural Concepts
What is the importance of the descriptions of locusts in 3:15–17?
Locust attacks occurred all too frequently in the ancient Near East. Certain kinds of grasshoppers would come in countless numbers, darkening the sky like a black cloud that blotted out the sunlight. They often came after a prolonged period without rain. They came down on whatever crops were surviving in the fields and stripped them bare of their leaves. The locusts were irresistible and always brought catastrophe with them. For this reason locust attacks served as a very powerful image of military attacks in the Old Testament.
Locust attacks were frequently mentioned in the Old Testament, sometimes as threatened punishment from God, as, for example, one of the ten plagues that he inflicted on Egypt.
There are various names for locusts in the original language of the Old Testament. It is uncertain whether these refer to different kinds of locusts or to the same kind of locust in different stages of growth. For this reason, versions of the Bible differ in how they translate these terms.
Part 3: Important Translation Issues
What emotions were present in the various speakers in the Book of Nahum?
Nahum's message presented the prophet speaking to the people of Israel and both the prophet and Yahweh speaking to the city of Nineveh. In speaking to the Israelites, the prophet wanted to comfort them. However, when speaking to the people of Nineveh, the prophet and Yahweh brought harsh judgment that was often mixed with mockery. This manner of speech was similar to speech in the custom of the ancient Near East, where it was usual for conquerors to laugh at their victims. It is important for translators to represent well both the emotions of comfort and of mockery in translation.