The Character of HaShem the Judge (1-18)
1:1 The burden of Nineveh. The sefer chazon (book of the vision) of Nahum the Elkoshi.
1:2 EL (אל) kano (jealous), and YHWH (יהוה) revengeth; YHWH revengeth, and [is] furious; YHWH will take vengeance on his adversaries, and he reserveth [wrath] for His enemies.
1:3 YHWH [is] slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit [the wicked]: YHWH hath His way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds [are] the dust of His feet.
1:4 He rebuketh the sea, and maketh it dry, and drieth up all the rivers: Bashan wither, and Carmel, and the flower of Lebanon wither.
1:5 The mountains quake at Him, and the hills melt, and the earth is burned at His presence, yea, the world, and all that dwell therein.
1:6 Who can stand before his indignation? and who can abide in the fierceness of His anger? his fury is poured out like fire, and the rocks are thrown down by Him.
1:7 YHWH [is] good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in Him.
1:8 But with an overrunning flood he will make a full end of the place thereof, and darkness shall pursue his enemies.
Certainty of the Doom of Nineveh
1:9 What do ye devise against YHWH? He will make a full end: affliction shall not rise up the second time.
1:10 For though like tangled thorns, and while they are drunken [as] drunkards, they shall be devoured as stubble fully dry.
1:11 There is [one] come out of thee, that imagineth evil against YHWH, a wicked counsellor.
1:12 Thus saith YHWH; Though [they be] quiet, and likewise many, yet thus shall they be cut down, when he shall pass through. Though I have afflicted you, I will afflict thee no more.
1:13 For now will I break his yoke from off you, and will burst Thy bonds in sunder.
1:14 And YHWH hath given a commandment concerning thee, [that] no more of Thy name be sown: out of the house of your gods will I cut off the pesel (graven image) and the molten image: I will make your grave; for you are become worthless.
1:15 Hinnei upon the mountains the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth shalom! O Yehudah, keep your solemn feasts, perform your vows: for the wicked shall no more pass through you; he is utterly cut off.
Author Nahum means comfort or consolation
Theme / purpose: about Nineveh's doom, To pronounce HaShem's misphat on Assyria and to comfort Yehudah with this truth. The themes teaches us that Hashem judges and rules over all the earth even over those who don't acknowledge him as Elohim the all powerful one. Man's power is not match with Almighty G_D
Approximate date of writing 7th Century B.C probably 663 and 612 BC
Geographical location: capital of the ancient kingdom of Assyria; located on the east bank of the Tigris river, 550 miles (880 kilometers) from its mouth and 250 miles (400 kilometers) north of Babylon Nineveh is an example to all the rulers and nations of the world today.
The scroll may be divided as follows:
|
|
|
|
|
|
1. |
|
The Character of HaShem |
1:1-8 |
|
|
A |
Introduction |
1:1 |
|
|
B. |
The Set Apartness of YHWH and His Mishpat upon Nineveh |
|
|
2 |
|
HaShem's punishment of His enemies |
|
|
|
A |
The surety of Hashem's mishpat |
1:9-14 |
|
|
B |
The Joyful News |
|
|
3. |
|
The Description of the siege of Nineveh |
|
|
4. |
|
The Cause of the Destruction |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Another book event concerning Nineveh : Yonah