Nahum Introduction

Nahum was considered a poet. He was the last of the Hebrew Classical Poets, which began with Deborah (1125 B.C.) and ended here with Nahum who lived sometime in the 7th century. He was identified only as "the Elko-shite", which probably means that he was a citizen of the city of El-kosh, a place that has never been exactly located. Some believe that it was in Judah while others believe it was the town of Elkes in Galilee. Nowhere else in scripture is he referred to accept perhaps in Luke's Genealogy where a Nahum is listed 10 generations back from Joseph.

The book is about the city of Nineveh, the same city the God saved thru the preaching of Jonah. Nineveh was the capitol of the Assyrian Empire. Assyria had destroyed the Northern Kingdom of Israel and dispersed the Jews throughout their country. Nahum's purpose was to comfort the 10 dispersed tribes of Israel and to foretell of the destruction of Nineveh. It would appear that shortly after Nineveh repented under the preaching of Jonah, they reverted back to their old evil ways and became even more evil than before. Because of this, God sent them this prophecy of their doom, which by now, was irreversible.

Study of the Book of Nahum

SubjectChapter
God's Wrath and Mercy1
Prophesies Concerning Nineveh2
Charges Against Nineveh3


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