part 1: introduction of nahum - our sunday schooloursundayschool.com/resources/nahum week 1...

Stuart Heights Sunday School Nahum, Weeks 1 & 2 April 8 & 15, 2018

Jim Fleming OurSundaySchool.com 2

Nahum Introduction & God’s Wrath on His Enemies (Nahum 1)

Part 1: Introduction of Nahum How do you say this word: Nahum? There are actually a wide variety of correct English pronunciations for Nahum: NAY-um, Nay-UM, Nay-HUM, Nay-HUME, etc. The Hebrew pronunciation is Nakh-OOM.

Where is Nahum in the Bible? (source: Challies.com)

Who wrote Nahum? The prophet Nahum wrote Nahum.

What is a prophet? (source: Terry Brown) • a mouthpiece who proclaimed the message of God • a person who called Israel back to the Law • someone who saw the check engine light and delivered a message

How was that message fulfilled? (source: Terry Brown)

• immediate fulfillment • future fulfillment



When was Nahum written? (source: firstpresaugusta.org)

Nahum was written after the Assyrian captivity, but before the Babylonian captivity.

We know Nahum was written after Egypt fell, because of Nahum 3:8 (No Amon was the great Egyptian city of Thebes and it fell in 664 BC and Nahum 3:8 is past tense).

We Nahum was written before Assyria fell in 612 BC to the Babylonians due to Nahum 1:12 (the Assyrians are safe, and likewise many).

Taking in some other Old Testament knowledge, most scholars believe Nahum was written ~650 BC.

Who was Nahum written to? (source: Wikipedia) Nahum wrote to Assyria—specifically about those in Assyria’s capital of Nineveh. And he happens to write just at the height of Assyrian power in the world.

Nahum prophesied at the time of Assyrian king Ashurbanipal.

Ashurbanipal is famous today for his library—specifically his collection of cuneiform art (especially the Lion Hunt of Ashurbanipal, which can be seen in the British Museum today).

Nahum was written about 100 years after Jonah’s work in Nineveh—because the revival there in Jonah’s time didn’t ‘stick.’



What is Nahum about? Rather than me telling you what Nahum is about, let’s read Nahum (that’s always the best way to find out what a book of the Bible is about). Note: the highlighted text will be explained in week three.

1 The burden against Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite.

God’s Wrath on His Enemies 2 God is jealous, and the LORD avenges; The LORD avenges and is furious. The LORD will take vengeance on His adversaries, And He reserves wrath for His enemies; 3 The LORD is slow to anger and great in power, And will not at all acquit the wicked.

The LORD has His way In the whirlwind and in the storm, And the clouds are the dust of His feet. 4 He rebukes the sea and makes it dry, And dries up all the rivers. Bashan and Carmel wither, And the flower of Lebanon wilts. 5 The mountains quake before Him, The hills melt, And the earth heaves at His presence, Yes, the world and all who dwell in it.

6 Who can stand before His indignation? And who can endure the fierceness of His anger? His fury is poured out like fire, And the rocks are thrown down by Him.

7 The LORD is good, A stronghold in the day of trouble; And He knows those who trust in Him. 8 But with an overflowing flood He will make an utter end of its place, And darkness will pursue His enemies.

9 What do you conspire against the LORD? He will make an utter end of it. Affliction will not rise up a second time.



10 For while tangled like thorns, And while drunken like drunkards, They shall be devoured like stubble fully dried. 11 From you comes forth one Who plots evil against the LORD, A wicked counselor.

12 Thus says the LORD:

“Though they are safe, and likewise many, Yet in this manner they will be cut down When he passes through. Though I have afflicted you, I will afflict you no more; 13 For now I will break off his yoke from you, And burst your bonds apart.”

14 The LORD has given a command concerning you: “Your name shall be perpetuated no longer. Out of the house of your gods I will cut off the carved image and the molded image. I will dig your grave, For you are vile.”

15 Behold, on the mountains The feet of him who brings good tidings, Who proclaims peace! O Judah, keep your appointed feasts, Perform your vows. For the wicked one shall no more pass through you; He is utterly cut off.

The Destruction of Nineveh 1 He who scatters has come up before your face. Man the fort! Watch the road! Strengthen your flanks! Fortify your power mightily.

2 For the LORD will restore the excellence of Jacob Like the excellence of Israel,



For the emptiers have emptied them out And ruined their vine branches.

3 The shields of his mighty men are made red, The valiant men are in scarlet. The chariots come with flaming torches In the day of his preparation, And the spears are brandished. 4 The chariots rage in the streets, They jostle one another in the broad roads; They seem like torches, They run like lightning.

5 He remembers his nobles; They stumble in their walk; They make haste to her walls, And the defense is prepared. 6 The gates of the rivers are opened, And the palace is dissolved. 7 It is decreed: She shall be led away captive, She shall be brought up; And her maidservants shall lead her as with the voice of doves, Beating their breasts.

8 Though Nineveh of old was like a pool of water, Now they flee away. “Halt! Halt!” they cry; But no one turns back. 9 Take spoil of silver! Take spoil of gold! There is no end of treasure, Or wealth of every desirable prize. 10 She is empty, desolate, and waste! The heart melts, and the knees shake; Much pain is in every side, And all their faces are drained of color.

11 Where is the dwelling of the lions, And the feeding place of the young lions, Where the lion walked, the lioness and lion’s cub, And no one made them afraid?



12 The lion tore in pieces enough for his cubs, Killed for his lionesses, Filled his caves with prey, And his dens with flesh.

13 “Behold, I am against you,” says the LORD of hosts, “I will burn your chariots in smoke, and the sword shall devour your young lions; I will cut off your prey from the earth, and the voice of your messengers shall be heard no more.”

The Woe of Nineveh 1 Woe to the bloody city! It is all full of lies and robbery. Its victim never departs. 2 The noise of a whip And the noise of rattling wheels, Of galloping horses, Of clattering chariots! 3 Horsemen charge with bright sword and glittering spear. There is a multitude of slain, A great number of bodies, Countless corpses— They stumble over the corpses— 4 Because of the multitude of harlotries of the seductive harlot, The mistress of sorceries, Who sells nations through her harlotries, And families through her sorceries.

5 “Behold, I am against you,” says the LORD of hosts; “I will lift your skirts over your face, I will show the nations your nakedness, And the kingdoms your shame. 6 I will cast abominable filth upon you, Make you vile, And make you a spectacle. 7 It shall come to pass that all who look upon you Will flee from you, and say, ‘Nineveh is laid waste! Who will bemoan her?’ Where shall I seek comforters for you?”



8 Are you better than No Amon That was situated by the River, That had the waters around her, Whose rampart was the sea, Whose wall was the sea? 9 Ethiopia and Egypt were her strength, And it was boundless; Put and Lubim were your helpers. 10 Yet she was carried away, She went into captivity; Her young children also were dashed to pieces At the head of every street; They cast lots for her honorable men, And all her great men were bound in chains. 11 You also will be drunk; You will be hidden; You also will seek refuge from the enemy.

12 All your strongholds are fig trees with ripened figs: If they are shaken, They fall into the mouth of the eater. 13 Surely, your people in your midst are women! The gates of your land are wide open for your enemies; Fire shall devour the bars of your gates.

14 Draw your water for the siege! Fortify your strongholds! Go into the clay and tread the mortar! Make strong the brick kiln! 15 There the fire will devour you, The sword will cut you off; It will eat you up like a locust.

Make yourself many—like the locust! Make yourself many—like the swarming locusts! 16 You have multiplied your merchants more than the stars of heaven. The locust plunders and flies away. 17 Your commanders are like swarming locusts, And your generals like great grasshoppers, Which camp in the hedges on a cold day;



When the sun rises they flee away, And the place where they are is not known.

18 Your shepherds slumber, O king of Assyria; Your nobles rest in the dust. Your people are scattered on the mountains, And no one gathers them. 19 Your injury has no healing, Your wound is severe. All who hear news of you Will clap their hands over you, For upon whom has not your wickedness passed continually?

As you read/heard, Nahum 1 is about God and Nahum 2-3 are about Nineveh/Assyria. Nineveh was overthrown by the Babylonians in 612 BC, so Nahum’s prophecy about Nineveh did not take long, but it will take a bit longer for the parts about Jesus to be fulfilled.

Jesus? Where’s Jesus? Jesus is in every book of the Bible. In Nahum, He is judgment coming to avenge His people and to take revenge upon those that inflict evil. We must keep in mind that the message of Nahum is not concretely applied to Assyria and Judah until later in the book. (The Minor Prophets, McComiskey, 776)

Nahum 1:15: Behold, on the mountains The feet of him who brings good tidings, Who proclaims peace!

Neisent: How can it be called good news if it’s judgment against sin? If you’re the person being held at gunpoint you’re glad to see the police show up. The same water that lifted the people in Noah’s ark to safety is the same water that drowned those who mocked God refusing to get in. The same blood of Jesus that speaks for us when we surrender to Christ is the same blood that speaks against us if we reject him. There are consequences to disobedience.

Nahum walks us through this longing for judgment and justice for God’s people and makes us long for a time when justice by the Judge, Jesus Christ, occurs.

Nahum reveals God as a Warrior who fights for his people. . . . When we read the Book of Nahum in conjunction with the Book of Revelation, we are reminded that Jesus Christ is coming again at the end of time to put an end to all evil, whether spiritual or human (Revelation 19:11-21). (The Minor Prophets, McComiskey, 777)



What is our schedule? This is a five-week series. The first two weeks we’ll look at Nahum 1. The third week we’ll look at Nahum 2. And the fourth and fifth weeks we’ll look at Nahum 3.

Part 2: God’s Wrath on His Enemies (Nahum 1) Our approach each week will be REAP (read, explain, apply, personalize).

Read: God’s Wrath on His Enemies (Nahum 1) Since we’ve already read all of Nahum, we won’t read this section again now.

Explain: God’s Wrath on His Enemies (Nahum 1) Bible study is asking and answering questions about the text. Let’s ask some.

Note: since we’re splitting up Nahum 1 over two weeks, we’ll only get a few questions into the text itself today.

Are there any literary/structural observations? Nahum is poetry. And Nahum, like Obadiah, is a skilled poet. Most of the commentators I read rank Nahum at either the top of the list of prophetic Hebrew poets or second only to Isaiah (which is a huge compliment).

In Nahum, Nahum infuses history, geography, art, and wordplay. Note the wordplay with rhymes (not found in lower quality Hebrew poetry) in Nahum 1:1: Nahum vs Nahum 1:2: naqam.

Also, in Nahum 1:2-8, there is a partial Hebrew acrostic poem (meaning each line starts with the next letter of the Hebrew alphabet like Psalm 111 and Psalm 119). It’s possible that this incompleteness is on purpose so show that (1) this is a messy prophecy and perfect structure won’t be in place and/or (2) to show that when God inserts Himself into the created order that the plans of man (here, Assyria) are interrupted (which is what ultimately happens in Nahum 2-3’s prophecy and in history).

What do the words mean? (1/2) This week, we’ll start down this path by defining just three words in Nahum 1:

Nahum: comfortable

LORD: yehovah; the self-existent or eternal, Jehovah, the Jewish name of God, Lord. Note that this is the tetragrammaton—the holiest of all of the Hebrew names for God. It was never uttered out loud except by the high priest on the Day of



Atonement in the Holy of Holies. It is incredibly special, and Nahum uses it intimately, showing his familiarity with God and His nature.

Avenges/vengeance: naqam; to grudge, avenge, punish, revenge, take vengeance

Here’s the ones I use: studylight.org/isb and blb.org.

An interlinear is a view of the text with different languages on top of each other. Interlinears are helpful tools to show us how original languages move and are constructed so we can better understand our English translations. They allow us to quickly see what words mean.

This is what Nahum 1:1 looks like:

Clicking on one of the Hebrew words results in something like this:

You can see the following:

• the Strong’s number • what the word looks like in

Hebrew • a transliteration (turning the

Hebrew letters into English letters)

• a pronunciation guide • the part of speech

• a definition • root word (origin) • how many times its used in

other translations



Review of last week 1. OurSundaySchool.com

2. Prophecy fulfillment

3. Where is Nahum in history?

Read: God’s Wrath on His Enemies (Nahum 1) 1 The burden against Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite.

God’s Wrath on His Enemies 2 God is jealous, and the LORD avenges; The LORD avenges and is furious. The LORD will take vengeance on His adversaries, And He reserves wrath for His enemies; 3 The LORD is slow to anger and great in power, And will not at all acquit the wicked.

The LORD has His way In the whirlwind and in the storm, And the clouds are the dust of His feet. 4 He rebukes the sea and makes it dry, And dries up all the rivers. Bashan and Carmel wither, And the flower of Lebanon wilts. 5 The mountains quake before Him, The hills melt, And the earth heaves at His presence, Yes, the world and all who dwell in it.

6 Who can stand before His indignation? And who can endure the fierceness of His anger? His fury is poured out like fire, And the rocks are thrown down by Him.

7 The LORD is good, A stronghold in the day of trouble; And He knows those who trust in Him. 8 But with an overflowing flood He will make an utter end of its place, And darkness will pursue His enemies.



9 What do you conspire against the LORD? He will make an utter end of it. Affliction will not rise up a second time. 10 For while tangled like thorns, And while drunken like drunkards, They shall be devoured like stubble fully dried. 11 From you comes forth one Who plots evil against the LORD, A wicked counselor.

12 Thus says the LORD:

“Though they are safe, and likewise many, Yet in this manner they will be cut down When he passes through. Though I have afflicted you, I will afflict you no more; 13 For now I will break off his yoke from you, And burst your bonds apart.”

14 The LORD has given a command concerning you: “Your name shall be perpetuated no longer. Out of the house of your gods I will cut off the carved image and the molded image. I will dig your grave, For you are vile.”

15 Behold, on the mountains The feet of him who brings good tidings, Who proclaims peace! O Judah, keep your appointed feasts, Perform your vows. For the wicked one shall no more pass through you; He is utterly cut off.

Explain: God’s Wrath on His Enemies (Nahum 1) Are there any repeated words? You/your (14), LORD (10), afflict/afflicted/affliction (3), cut (3), wicked (3), anger (2), avenges (2), end (2), enemies (2), feet (2), good (2), image (2), make/makes (2), mountains (2), utter/utterly (2)



What do the words mean? (2/2) If you click on the words that have alternate definitions, you end up with something like this from last week’s homework:

1 The burden [burden, carry away, prophecy] against Nineveh [the capital of Assyria]. The book of the vision [sight, dream, revelation, oracle, vision; The term oracle is a technical term, which in most contexts may be rendered “war oracle against a foreign nation.” (The Minor Prophets, McComiskey, 786)] of Nahum [comfortable] the Elkoshite.

God’s Wrath on His Enemies 2 God is jealous [jealous, angry; Exodus 20:5], and the LORD [yehovah; the self-existent or eternal, Jehovah, the Jewish name of God, Lord] avenges [naqam; qal; active participle; to grudge, avenge, punish, revenge, take vengeance]; The LORD [yehovah] avenges [naqam; qal; active participle; same word used earlier in 1:2] and is furious [two words in Hebrew: ba’al (sort of a man who is in charge of something) and chemah (anger, bottles, hot displeasure, indignation, poison, rage, wrath)]. The LORD [yehovah] will take vengeance [naqam; qal; active participle; same word used twice earlier in 1:2] on His adversaries [adversary, afflicted, anguish, close, distress, enemy, flint, foe, narrow, small, sorrow, strait, tribulation, trouble], And He reserves [qal; active participle; bear grudge, keep, reserve] wrath for His enemies [qal; active participle; enemy, foe]; [A wrong estimate of Jehovah is formed from His suspending punishment: it is not that He is insensible or dilatory, but He reserves wrath for His own fit time. (Commentary on the Whole Bible, Jamieson, Fausset, Brown, 822)] 3 The LORD [yehovah] is slow [long suffering, patient, slow] to anger [anger, countenance, face, forbearing, forehead, long suffering, nose, nostril, snout (+ many more definitions)] and great [aloud, elder(-est), exceeding(-ly), far, (man of) great (man, matter, thing,-er,-ness), high, long, loud, mighty, more, much, noble, proud thing] in power [ability, able, chameleon, force, fruits, might, power, strength, substance, wealth], And will not at all [piel; infinitive] acquit [piel; imperfect; acquit, cleanse, hold guiltless, hold innocent, leave unpunished] the wicked [Exodus 34:6-7].

That God is wrathful is a consequence of his jealousy. God demands exclusive loyalty. The Bible draws a close parallel between the believer’s relationship with God and marriage. These are the only relationships in which the partners are bound by an exclusive tie. Thus, they are the only relationships in which jealousy is not only tolerated, but deemed right. . . . A man or a woman should



be jealous if a third person threatens the intimacy of their marriage. In the same way, God is jealous when his people flirt with another deity. (The Minor Prophets, McComiskey, 788-789)

He never gives way to passions, he never exceeds propriety, he never compromises his ultimate goals because of a reactionary response to current provocations. (The Books of Nahum, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah, Robertson, 62)

The LORD [yehovah] has His way [along, away, because of, by, conversation, custom, (east-) ward, journey, manner, passenger, through, toward, (high-) (path-) way(-side), whither(-soever)] In the whirlwind and in the storm [storm, tempest], And the clouds are the dust of His feet. [Wait. Does God have feet? This is anthropomorphic language. God is helping us to understand Him by using language we understand. Psalm 29:3-9; Acts 1:9, 11] 4 He rebukes [qal; active participle; corrupt, rebuke, reprove] the sea [sea(-shore), south, west (-ern, side, -ward); Luke 8:22-25?] and makes it dry [hiphil; perfect; decay, be desolate, destroy, dry up, slay, make waste; Exodus 14], And dries up [piel; imperfect; be ashamed, clean, be confounded, dry up, shame, utterly, wither away] all the rivers [flood, rivers; Since the ancient city of Nineveh depended on its natural water-barrier as a basic element of defense, these words vivify the city’s hopeless state. For this feeble barrier of water cannot deter the Almighty when he moves into action. (The Books of Nahum, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah, Robertson, 66-67)]. Bashan [a region East of the Jordan; fruitful] and Carmel [a hill and town in Palestine; fruitful] wither [pulal; perfect; languish, be weak, wax feeble], And the flower [blossom, bud, flower] of Lebanon [a mountain range in Palestine] wilts [pulal; perfect; languish, be weak, wax feeble; same word used earlier in 1:4]. [Assyria occupied all three of these locations at this time] 5 The mountains [hill (country), mount(-ain)] quake [qal; perfect; made afraid, removed, quake, shake, tremble] before Him [Does this sound like a song we sing today?], The hills melt [hithpolel; perfect; consume, dissolve, (be) faint(-hearted), melt (away), make soft], And the earth [country, earth, field, ground, land, way, wilderness, world] heaves [qal; imperfect; advance, arise, bear up, bring forth, carry away, cast, exalt, further, give, go on, high, lift self up, lofty, magnify, raise up, receive, set up, stir up, take away/up, utterly (+ many more definitions)] at His presence [countenance, face, person, presence, sight (+ many more definitions)], Yes, the world and all who dwell [qal; active participle; (make to) abide(-ing),



continue, (cause to, make to) dwell(-ing), ease self, endure, establish, habitation, haunt, (make to) inhabit(-ant), make to keep (house), lurking, (bring again to) place, remain, return, seat, set(-tle), (down-) sit(-down, still, -ting down, -ting (place) -uate), take, tarry] in it. [Nahum is telling the Assyrians their world is unstable]

6 Who can stand [qal; imperfect; abide (behind), appoint, arise, cease, confirm, continue, dwell, be employed, endure, establish, leave, make, ordain, be (over), place, (be) present (self), raise up, remain, repair, serve, set (forth, over, -tle, up), (make to, make to be at a, with-) stand (by, fast, firm, still, up), (be at a) stay (up), tarry] before [countenance, face, person, presence, sight (+ many more definitions); same word used in 1:5] His indignation [angry, indignation, rage]? And who can endure [qal; imperfect; abide, continue, endure, rise up against, remain, stand up, succeed (+ many more definitions)] the fierceness [sore displeasure, fierceness, fury, wrath] of His anger [anger, countenance, face, forbearing, forehead, long suffering, nose, nostril, snout (+ many more definitions); same word used in 1:3]? His fury [chemah; anger, bottles, hot displeasure, indignation, poison, rage, wrath] is poured out [niphal; perfect; drop, gather together, melt, pour out] like fire [burning, fiery, fire, flaming, hot], And the rocks are thrown down [niphal; perfect; beat down, break down, cast down, destroy, overthrow, pull down, throw down] by Him.

The questions in this verse are rhetorical—a frequent literary device in Nahum. . . . The effect of the rhetorical questions is to make the reader answer the question unconsciously. These questions also add a sarcastic, taunting note to the discussion, which is directed toward those who think they can stand before God. (The Minor Prophets, McComiskey, 791)

7 The LORD [yehovah] is good [beautiful, best, better, bountiful, cheerful, at ease, (be in) favor, fine, glad, good (deed, -lier, -liest, -ly, -ness, -s), graciously, joyful, kindly, kindness, likes (best), loving, merry, pleasant, pleases, pleasure, precious, prosperity, ready, sweet, wealth, welfare, (be) well(-favored)], A stronghold [force, fort(-ress), rock, strength(-en), strong (hold)] in the day of trouble [adversary, adversity, affliction, anguish, distress, tribulation, trouble; used of a female rival/wife]; And He knows [qal; active participle] those who trust [qal; active participle; have hope, make refuge, trust] in Him. 8 But with an overflowing [qal; active participle] flood [flood, outrageous, overflowing] He will make [qal; imperfect] an utter end [altogether, utterly consumed, consummation, was determined, full/utter end, riddance] of its place [country,



place, room, space], And darkness [darkness, night, obscurity] will pursue [piel; imperfect; chase, put to flight, follow after/on, hunt, be under persecution, pursue] His enemies [qal; active participle; enemy, foe; same word used in 1:2].

9 What do you conspire [piel; imperfect; make account of, conceive, consider, count, cunning man/work/workman, devise, esteem, find out, forecast, hold, imagine, impute, invent, be like, mean, purpose, reckoning, regard, think] against the LORD [yehovah]? He will make [qal; active participle] an utter end [altogether, utterly consumed, consummation, was determined, full/utter end, riddance; same word used in 1:8] of it. Affliction [adversary, adversity, affliction, anguish, distress, tribulation, trouble; used of a female rival/wife; same word used in 1:7] will not rise [qal; imperfect; abide, continue, endure, rise up against, remain, stand up, succeed (+ many more definitions); same word used in 1:6] up a second time [anvil, corner, footstep, going, hundred-fold, this once, order, rank, step, thrice, often, second, this, two times, twice, wheel; in general, this is a stroke or a beat]. 10 For while tangled [qal; passive participle; fold together, wrap] like thorns [caldron, fishhook, pan, wash-pot, thorn; in general, something that boils or springs up rapidly], And while drunken [qal; passive participle; drunkard, fill self, Sabean, wine-bibber] like drunkards [drink drunken, wine; Do you see the imagery of drinking God’s wrath?], They shall be devoured [pual; perfect; burn up, consume, devour(-er, up), dine, eat(-er, up), feed (with), food, (lay) meat] like stubble fully [fill(-ed, -ed with), full(-ly), multitude, as is worth] dried [dried (away), dry]. 11 From you comes forth one [qal; perfect] Who plots [qal; active participle; make account of, conceive, consider, count, cunning man/work/workman, devise, esteem, find out, forecast, hold, imagine, impute, invent, be like, mean, purpose, reckoning, regard, think; same word used in 1:9] evil [adversity, affliction, bad, calamity, displease(-ure), distress, evil((-favoredness), man, thing), exceedingly, grief(-vous), harm, heavy, hurt(-ful), ill (favored), mark, mischief(-vous), misery, naught(-ty), noisome, not please, sad(-ly), sore, sorrow, trouble, vex, wicked(-ly, -ness, one), worse(-st), wretchedness, wrong] against the LORD [yehovah; Proverbs 16:18], A wicked [Belial, evil, naughty, ungodly men, wicked] counselor [qal; active participle; advertise, take advise, advise well, consult, give/take counsel, counselor, determine, devise, guide, purpose].



12 Thus says [qal; perfect] the LORD [yehovah]:

“Though they are safe [shalem; full, just, made ready, peaceable, perfected, quiet, whole], and likewise many, Yet in this manner they will be cut down [niphal; perfect; cut off, cut down, poll, shave, sheep shearer, shear] When he passes through [qal; perfect; same word used in 1:8]. [God will not wait until the enemy degenerates into a weakened state before initiating calamity. Even while they are undiminished in strength, full of self-arrogant self-confidence, God shall level them to the ground. (The Books of Nahum, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah, Robertson, 76)] Though I have afflicted [piel; perfect; abase self, afflict, affliction, afflict self, answer, chasten self, deal hardly with, defile, exercise, force, gentleness, humble self, hurt, ravish, submit self, weaken] you, I will afflict [piel; imperfect; abase self, afflict, affliction, afflict self, answer, chasten self, deal hardly with, defile, exercise, force, gentleness, humble self, hurt, ravish, submit self, weaken; same word used earlier in 1:12] you no more; 13 For now I will break off [qal; imperfect; break (down, off, in pieces, up), broken hearted, bring to the birth, crush, destroy, hurt, quench, tear] his yoke [bar, be moved, staff, yoke] from you, And burst [break off, burst, draw away, lift up, pluck away/off, pull out, root out] your bonds apart [piel; imperfect].”

Decades earlier (722 BC), the Assyrians had subjugated and exiled the peoples of the northern kingdom (2 Kings 17). They did not overthrow the kingdom of Judah at that time, but for almost a century they threatened to swallow them up. For most of that time, the Assyrians controlled Judah as a kind of puppet kingdom. (The Minor Prophets, McComiskey, 798)

14 The LORD [yehovah] has given a command [piel; perfect; appoint, forbid, give a charge, give a commandment, send a messenger, put, set in order] concerning you [The masculine singular object (you) of this threefold judgment would appear to refer to the king of Assyria himself. Ashurbanipal (669-627 BC). (The Books of Nahum, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah, Robertson, 78)]: “Your name shall be perpetuated [niphal; imperfect; bear, conceive seed, set with the sower, yield] no longer [famous, named, renown, report]. Out of the house of your gods I will cut off [hiphil; imperfect; be chewed, be con-(feder-) ate, covenant, cut (down, off), destroy, fail, feller, be freed, hew (down), make a league (covenant), perish] the carved image and the molded image [covering, molten image, vail]. I will dig [qal; imperfect] your grave,



For you are vile [qal; perfect; abate, make bright, bring into contempt, accurse, despise, be easier, (be a, make, make somewhat, move, seem a, set) light(-en, -er, -ly, -ly afflict, -ly esteem thing), be swifter, (be, be more, make, re-) vile, whet].”

15 Behold, on the mountains [hill (country), mount(-ain); same word used in 1:5] The feet of him who brings good tidings [piel; participle; messenger, preach, publish, shew forth, (bear, bring, carry, preach, good, tell good) tidings; cf Isaiah 52:7], Who proclaims [hiphil; participle; call (gather) together, consent, consider, be content, declare, discern, give ear, (cause to, let, make to) hear(-ken, tell), listen, make (a) noise, (be) obedient, obey, perceive, (make a) proclaim(-ation), publish, regard, report, shew (forth), (make a) sound, tell, understand, whosoever (hears), witness] peace [shalowm; familiar, favor, friend, good health, be at peace, prosperity, rest, safety, salute, welfare, be well]! O Judah, keep [qal; imperative] your appointed feasts [celebrate, dance, (keep, hold) a solemn feast holiday, reel to and fro], Perform [shalam; piel; imperative; make amends, make an end, finish, full, give again, make good, repay again, make to be at peace, perfect, perform, make prosperous, recompense, render, requite, make restitution, restore, reward] your vows. For the wicked one [Belial, evil, naughty, ungodly men, wicked; same word used in 1:11] shall no more [hiphil; imperfect] pass through you [qal; imperfect; same word used in 1:8, 12]; He is utterly cut off [niphal; perfect; be chewed, be con-(feder-) ate, covenant, cut (down, off), destroy, fail, feller, be freed, hew (down), make a league (covenant), perish; same word used in 1:14].

With the end of war and the establishment of peace, Judah will be able to carry on a normal life. She will be able to celebrate annual festivals such as the Passover. . . . Israel had been warned time and again that to neglect the Lord would result in judgment. Neglect of the festivals and the vows was the same as neglecting Yahweh. It is now a matter of historical record that God’s deliverance of Judah from Assyria did not result in perfect obedience on their part. The kings and people of Judah continued to disobey, and as a result they went into exile. (The Minor Prophets, McComiskey, 800)

Throughout history, God has used powerful nations to accomplish his purposes. He used Assyria to chastise the northern kingdom and Babylon to punish Judah. Neither Assyria nor Babylon acknowledged Yahweh, however, so the instrument of wrath became the object of wrath in both cases. (The Minor Prophets, McComiskey, 797)



Apply (What is the point?) 1. God has enemies 2. God is angry with His enemies 3. God will judge His enemies 4. God uses kingdoms for His purpose

Personalize (What do we do with that?) 1. Share that through Jesus enemies can become friends with God 2. Share that through Jesus anger can be transformed into jealousy 3. Share that through Jesus judgment can be transferred to Christ 4. Share that through Jesus citizenship in God’s kingdom is rock-solid

Next week: The Destruction of Nineveh (Nahum 2)

Homework 1. Ask the Holy Spirit for help 2. Read next week’s text (multiple times in multiple ways) (Nahum 2) 3. Talk to someone about the text (fb.com/OurSundaySchool or in person) 4. Share (fb.com/OurSundaySchool) insights and questions by Thursday 5. Invite a member or non-member

Extra Credit Watch: The Bible Project Video on Nahum (youtube.com/watch?v=Y30DanA5EhU)

Resources Commentary on the Whole Bible, Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown (1973)

Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible, Henry (1998)

The Books of Nahum, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah, Robertson (1990)

The Minor Prophets, McComiskey (1998)

The Wiersbe Bible Commentary, Wiersbe (2007)

Thru the Bible, McGee (1982)

part 1: introduction of nahum - our sunday schooloursundayschool.com/resources/nahum week 1...

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