The book of Nahum the Prophet - A commentary

Nahum was a Hebrew prophet who name means comfort. He predicted the destruction of Nineveh, the capital city in Assyria. The Assyrians were destroyed by the Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar in 612 B.C. so we know the prophet preached his oracle in the seventh century B.C. This generation of Ninevites refused to repent unlike the generation in Jonah’s day over one hundred years earlier.

Chapter 1 -  The prophet describes the utter destruction of Nineveh. God even declares he will prepare their graves which amplifies that reality that he’ll wipe them out vs. 14.

Chapter 2 – The prophet continues on with his oracle of Nineveh’s destruction:

In verse one he declares he'll scatter the Babylonians like they scattered the nations. In verse two we read the Lord will retrieve Israel. The rest of the chapter is devoted to a vivid destruction of Nineveh vs 3-13.

Chapter 3 – The death of Nineveh is described:

They’re described as a bloody city - verse one. They’re also full of robbery. The city will be over run with dead bodies – verse three. The city is also being destroyed for being spiritually and morally bankrupt.

None will lift up their voice and lament for Nineveh – verse 7. The prophet declares their destruction will be without recovery, and those that hear of their demise will rejoice and clap their hands – verse 19.

This concludes the book of Nahum the prophet.