Nahum 1 commentary matthew henry commentary on the whole. The book would then have been written in jerusalem, where nahum would have witnessed the invasion of sennacherib and the destruction of his host 2 kings 19. Nahum received a divine vision that revealed a condemning judgment against nineveh and assyria nahum 3. Commentary on the book of nahum by matthew henry old. It is the conjecture of the learned huetius that the two other chapters of this book were delivered by nahum some years after, perhaps in the reign of manasseh, and in that reign the jewish chronologies generally place him, somewhat nearer to the time when nineveh was. The book of nahum is not a prophecy, but a liturgical collection of four poems. Its purpose is to pronounce the final warning and judgment upon nineveh, and he also. Nahum 2 nineveh conquered this chapter is a masterpiece of ancient literature, unsurpassed for its graphic portrayal of a military assault. About a hundred years before, at jonahs preaching, the ninevites repented, and were spared, yet, soon after, they became worse than ever.
The scholarly consensus is that the book of vision was written at the time of the fall of nineveh 3 at the hands of the medes and babylonians in 612 bc 4 5. He reminds us of noah, whose name also means rest or comfort. The explanation of gods anger follows in verses 38. Nineveh is going to fall because israels god, yahweh, has declared it to be guilty, and he has arrived in his terrifying might to carry out its punishment. The book is divided into two main sections, namely, chapter 1 and chapters 23. The book s author is nahum, whose name means comfort. Constables notes on nahum 2019 edition unity some scholars have tried to prove that someone other than nahum wrote sections of the book 1. This is all that is known of the writer of this book.
A word list at the end explains words with a star by them. Transcribed and edited by david sielaff, august 20. The editio princeps of the text is to be found in djd v. Nahum could well have lived there and have prophesied to nineveh, as daniel did to babylon later on. The name nahum is an abbreviated form of the name nehemiah, which means comfort of yahweh. The prophecy of nahum, written by a hebrew against the capital of a gentile world power nineveh, is a denunciation of rampant militarism and tyranny, especially as it affects gods people. It wasnt until 1850 that nineveh was discovered by archaeologists. It is the conjecture of the learned huetius that the two other chapters of this book were delivered by nahum some years after, perhaps in the reign of manasseh, and in that reign the jewish chronologies generally place him, somewhat nearer to the time when nineveh was conquered, and the assyrian monarchy reduced, by cyaxares and nebuchadnezzar. The manner of taking it, the flight of its inhabitants, and the spoil of its riches and treasures, nahum 2. The book of nahum presents a sobering graphical depiction of the unleashing of gods wrath against the wickedness of nineveh. Now the attribute which the prophet nahum was given to reveal was gods anger. The book s title is taken from the prophetofgods oracle against nineveh, the capital of assyria.
Studies in the book of nahum download ebook pdf, epub. The pulpit commentary has the following eloquent note about the character of the book nahum. Probably the identity of the prophet is obscured so his message. Some scientists think to find the acrostic style in chap. The seventhday adventist commentary reference series is a set of volumes produced primarily by seventhday adventist scholars, and designed for both scholarly and church member use. It may be that elkosh was in the region of galilee, because the city of capernaum matthew 4. Nahum 2 commentary, one of over 110 bible commentaries freely available, this versebyverse commentary contain gems of information found nowhere outside the ancient jewish writings. God is love, but god is also holy and righteous and good. Date two points of interest help us date the book of nahum. The book of nahum, a collection of prophecies on the fate of nineveh. Nahum sarna is the kind of commentator we need more of. Just 100 years earlier, the prophet jonah had been instructed to warn nineveh to repent.
Study nahum using john gills exposition of the bible to better understand scripture with full outline and verse meaning. One such difficulty involves the unity and authorship of the book of nahum. The first two poems are macca bean, but the last two were written by a hebrew poet who presidents address at the annual meeting of the society of biblical literature and exegesis, new york, dec. A new translation with introduction and commentary the anchor yale bible commentaries by duane l. Some words have been emphasized by the author of this commentary using bold or. While conservatives reject this low view of prophecy, it is obvious that the book does consist of several different types of literature, as do most of the. His word pictures are superb, his rhetorical skill is beyond praise. The books chief concern, however, is not with physical origins, but with the relationship god desires to have with.
When he prophesied, the neoassyria empire was at the height of its power. It includes the sevenvolume seventhday adventist bible commentary, the twovolume seventhday adventist encyclopedia, as well as the single volumes seventhday adventist bible dictionary, seventh. Rogerson, nahum, in eerdmans commentary on the bible ed. Sold by emilias bookstore and ships from amazon fulfillment. The prophet nahum predicts the fall of nineveh in the mid7th century bc, several decades before the city actually fell in 612 bc.
Jonahs mission to nineveh was probably sometime in the first half of the eighth century b. Robertson is also very helpful at explaining the larger theological themes found within the book. The author of the prophecy is named simply nahum the elkoshite 1. Nahums view is only focused on this enemy of gods people.
Emphasis on the prophet only one prophecy in the whole book emphasis on the prophecy the only thing we know. Authorship the author of this remarkably literary book is probably nahum. Summary of the book of nahum the story of the bible. The book of nahum introduction to the book of nahum in the bible. Nahum concentrates primarily on the complete and thoroughdestruction or overthrow of nineveh. Nineveh, and the assyrian empire, was at its height of power. Nahum s view is only focused on this enemy of gods people. Top 5 commentaries on the book of nahum ligonier ministries. Matthew henry 18 october 1662 22 june 1714 was an english commentator on the bible, who published his works in 1706, sixvolume exposition of the old and new testaments 17081710 or complete commentary, provides an exhaustive verse by verse study of the bible, covering the whole of the old testament, and the gospels and acts in the new testament.
A new translation with introduction and commentary. Very little is known about nahum himself and his name only occurs here in the entire old. Library of congress cataloginginpublication data berrin, shani l. He combines a thorough command of the issues behind the biblical text with a clear style and much wisdom. The nahum commentary or pesher nahum, labelled 4qpnah cave 4, qumran, pesher, nahum or 4q169, was among the dead sea scrolls in cave 4 of qumran that was discovered in august 1952. The book of the vision of nahum the elkoshite nahum 1.
The class book material is suitable for teens and adults. Although god uses pagans to punish his peoples apostasy and sin, the tool itself is also liable to punishment. However, nahum is a thrilling book to study because it reveals the other side of the attributes of god. Pdf the book of nahum 2018 edition gary everett, mdiv dmin. The best commentary on the book of nahum is the volume in the nicot series by o. Apparently, their reform had only been shortlived and now god was going to visit upon them utter humiliation and devastation. Elkosh was a city in assyria, a few miles north of the ruins of nineveh.
Timeline of nahum nahum is an early contemporary of habakkuk, zephaniah, and jeremiah. Nahums book is a sequel to, and a dramatic contrast with, the book of jonah. To jonahs dismay, the ninevites listened to his message, repented, and were spared gods judgment. The broadman bible commentary download ebook pdf, epub. Nahum with book summary versebyverse bible commentary. The judgment of nineveh and the comfort of judah both reveal the sovereignty, righteousness, and grace of yahweh. Travers exegesis that includes careful attention to internal matters theme and development, structure, and features of literary stylecan help resolve perennial problems of interpretation. Literary analysis of the unity of nahum gordon college. Among the minor prophets nahum hold the highest place. The scholarly consensus is that the book of vision was written at the time of the fall of nineveh 3. Nineveh was the place concerned, and the assyrian monarchy, which that. The most likely explanation, however, is that there was a village by this name in galilee.
The first two poems are macca bean, but the last two were written by a hebrew poet who. There are many dates assigned to this book and this prophet. The book of james a detailed commentary basic training bible ministries page 2 introduction to james background of the book the epistle of james is one of the general epistles, including 1 and 2 peter, 1, 2 and 3 john, and jude. The book of nahum was, according to this view, a collection of writings of various literary types that an editor compiled to magnify yahwehs greatness by reflecting on ninevehs destruction. The prophet nahum called nineveh the city of blood, full of lies, full of plunder, never without victims. Presidents address at the annual meeting of the society of biblical literature and exegesis, new york, dec. This is apropos because his message of the coming judgment on nineveh comforted judah after their suffering at assyrias hand. The great city against which the word of the lord is here delivered. Nahum 2 commentary john gills exposition on the whole bible. The books title is taken from the prophetofgods oracle against nineveh, the capital of assyria. It is interesting to read liberal commentaries from before 1850 because they had problems with believing the books of jonah and nahum because there was no record of nineveh. This workbook on the old testament books of jonah, micah, nahum, habakkuk, and zephaniah was designed for use in bible classes, family study, or personal study. Nahum is the seventh chronologically of the minor prophets, and he ministered during the reign of hezekiah. Like most of the commentaries in this series, it is written from a more conservative perspective and is very accessible.
It can be assume that the book was written before 612 bc because that is when nineveh was destroyed and since nahum is predicting the destruction of nineveh that would be a safe assumption. A reading of james boices new commentary reminded me once again of the. The central theme of the book of nahum is the overthrow of the greatest capital city of the ancient gentile world in the 7 th century bc. This commentary has been through advanced checking. These letters were sent out as circular epistles to be passed around and read in several locations. The short book of nahum has posed many questions to the scholarly. Commentary to nahum john schultz bible commentaries. As most of the prophetical books the book of nahum is written in poetry in the hebrew as well. In the prophets, a burden is a heavy message of weighty importance, heavy in the sense that it produces sorrow or grief. Click download or read online button to get the broadman bible commentary book now. He was raised up to preach gods judgment for a second time to nineveh. The books author is nahum, whose name means comfort.
The mercy of jehovah is triumphing in the book of jonah whereas nahum only announces the just fury of god and the unalterable destruction of this godless city. The book of nahum is gods message of the impending destruction of nineveh. This summary of the book of nahum provides information about the title, author s, date of writing, chronology, theme, theology, outline, a brief overview, and the chapters of the book of nahum. This site is like a library, use search box in the widget to get ebook that you want. The structure of the book has been well argued by patterson and longman. Seventhday adventist bible commentary 1978 revised vols. Study guide for nahum 1 by david guzik blue letter bible. We dont know exactly when nahum gave this prophecy. After that, at the beginning of each of these major sections, there is a thematic statement concerning judgment and deliverance 1. The ancient hebrews called the book by its opening words, in the beginning. Nahum is not quoted in the new testament, although there may be an allusion to nahum 1.
This chapter gives an account of the destruction of the city of nineveh. The book of genesis those who gave the name genesis to the first book of the bible were the translators of the pentateuch. Book of esther were suggested by the sufferings of the jews during the syrian persecution and their glorious victory over nicanor on the th of adar, 161 b. Peter, and others, and it is with us to this very day. I have recently come to the conclusion that the book of nahum is a liturgical com pilation for the celebration of that victory. Ninevehs fall, which is nahums theme, would bring comfort to judah. Nahum 1 commentary matthew henry commentary on the.
He is not mentioned by name within the ot apart from the opening verse of his book. I would take the following comparisons with a grain of salt, but there are some interesting things to note. The true cause, their sinning against god, and his appearing against them. Nahum means comfort or consolation and is a short form of nehemiah comfort of yahweh. This study also includes a teaching outline at the end. Commentary on the book of nahum pdf commentary on the book of nahum online version excerpt devotional questions. An easyenglish commentary 2800 word vocabulary on the book of nahum. Summary page for preaching outline and commentary on the book of nahum including big idea statement and some notable quotes. Jewish and christian authorities have long held that nahum was responsible for the whole work. Palmer robertson, the books of nahum, habakkuk, and zephaniah, pp.
1312 90 91 892 1364 1424 567 1198 583 1388 135 1492 580 835 454 1133 1157 1377 599 738 631 178 1015 483 235 1448 677 98 764 710