1. What is known of ancient Nineveh?

“THE pronouncement against Nineveh.” (Nah. 1:1) Nahum’s prophecy opens with these ominous words. But why did he make this declaration of doom? What is known of ancient Nineveh? Her history is summarized by Nahum in three words: “city of bloodshed.” (3:1) Two mounds located on the east bank of the Tigris River opposite the modern city of Mosul, in northern Iraq, mark the site of ancient Nineveh. It was heavily fortified by walls and moats and was the capital of the Assyrian Empire in the latter part of its history. However, the origin of the city goes back to the days of Nimrod, the “‘mighty hunter in opposition to Jehovah.’ . . . He went forth into Assyria and set himself to building Nineveh.” (Gen. 10:9-11) Nineveh thus had a bad beginning. She became specially renowned during the reigns of Sargon, Sennacherib, Esar-haddon, and Ashurbanipal, in the closing period of the Assyrian Empire. By wars and conquests, she enriched herself with loot and became famed on account of the cruel, inhuman treatment that her rulers meted out to the multitude of captives.a Says C. W. Ceram, on page 266 of his book Gods, Graves and Scholars (1954): “Nineveh was impressed on the consciousness of mankind by little else than murder, plunder, suppression, and the violation of the weak; by war and all manner of physical violence; by the deeds of a sanguinary dynasty of rulers who held down the people by terror and who often were liquidated by rivals more ferocious than themselves.”

 3. (a) In what way is the meaning of Nahum’s name appropriate? (b) To what period does Nahum’s prophecy belong?

³ Nahum’s prophecy, though short, is packed with interest. All that we know of the prophet himself is contained in the opening verse 1:1: “The book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite.” His name (Hebrew, Na·chumʹ) means “Comforter.” His message was certainly no comfort to Nineveh, but to God’s true people, it spelled sure and lasting relief from an implacable and mighty foe. It is of comfort, too, that Nahum makes no mention of the sins of his own people. Although the site of Elkosh is not definitely known, it seems probable that the prophecy was written in Judah. (Nah. 1:15) The fall of Nineveh, which occurred in 632 B.C.E., was still future when Nahum recorded his prophecy, and he compares this event to the fall of No-amon (Thebes, in Egypt) that took place shortly before this. (3:8) Hence, Nahum must have written his prophecy sometime during this period.