Nahum Chapter 1
The book of the prophecy of Nahum is singular in its subject: the destruction of Nineveh. Nineveh was the capital city of Assyria and to that degree represented the Assyrian Empire and its coming ruin by Babylon and Media. The book was probably written at about the time of Assyria’s threatening invasion of Judah and against Jerusalem as recorded in II Kings 18-19. The object of the book likely was to encourage beleaguered Jerusalem with the assurance of the eventual destruction of Nineveh.
David Parham
8/30/20252 min read
Nahum Chapter 1
Distributed by: KJV Bible Studies
Website: KjvBibleStudies.net
e-mail: mail@KjvBibleStudies2.net
Introduction: We begin a new study in the book of Nahum this week. The book of the prophecy of Nahum is singular in its subject: the destruction of Nineveh. Nineveh was the capital city of Assyria and to that degree represented the Assyrian Empire and its coming ruin by Babylon and Media.
The book was probably written at about the time of Assyria’s threatening invasion of Judah and against Jerusalem as recorded in II Kings 18-19. The object of the book likely was to encourage beleaguered Jerusalem with the assurance of the eventual destruction of Nineveh.
As the prophecy of Nahum commences, the prophet sets forth the power and righteous judgment of God in verses 1-8. Then, the inevitable overthrow of Assyria in verses 9-15.
I. The Vision of Nahum
Nah 1:1 The burden of Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite.
Nah 1:2 God is jealous, and the LORD revengeth; the LORD revengeth, and is furious; the LORD will take vengeance on his adversaries, and he reserveth wrath for his enemies.
The Book of Nahum begins with Nahum making his burden known. The word so translated (asmmassa) has the sense of a heaviness. The burden can be physical, mental, spiritual or a combination of the listed. Little is known about Nahum.
The name Capernaum of New Testament times literally means the ‘village of Nahum’ and probably refers to the prophet once living there. Elkos evidently was a hamlet in Galilee where Nahum was born. The name Nahum means ‘comfort’ or ‘encouragement.’ That seems to the be the greater thrust of the book by his name: to comfort Judah and Jerusalem.
The burden of Nahum essentially was that God was going to judge Nineveh and Assyria, the enemies of Judah. After a brief introduction, the prophet says what he has to say by the will of God.
Verse 2 shows us that God is jealous and protective of His people and will take vengeance against those who molest them. Recall that God promised to bless those who blessed the seed of Abraham and curse those who cursed them. We possess the potential to be jealous over those whom we love, such as a spouse or a child.
Nahum announced that God would take vengeance against His enemies—the enemies of His people. God has reserved wrath against them. As noted in verse 1, the focus of God’s vengeance and wrath was against Nineveh who had sorely injured Israel and more recently Judah.
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