Study questions, maps, charts, outlines, and links to help you study the Old Testament book of Nahum.
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Basics
- Nahum means “comfort” or “consolation” and is a short form of Nehemiah (“comfort of Yahweh”).
- There is no mention of any kings in the introduction, so the date of Nahum’s prophecy must be implied by historical data.
- The message of judgment against Nineveh portrays a nation of strength, indicating a time prior to her fall in 612 BC and probably before the death of Ashurbanipal in 626 BC, after which Assyria’s power fell rapidly.
- Nahum mentions the fall of Thebes in 663 BC (Nahum 3:8–10) at the hands of Ashurbanipal, which appears to be recent, suggesting a date during the reign of Manasseh (ca. 695–642 BC; cf. 2 Kings 21:1–18).
- In 612 BC the Tigris River overflowed its banks and destroyed part of Nineveh’s wall. As a result, the Babylonians invaded through the breach, plundered and burned the city.
- Battle of Nineveh (Wikipedia)
Simple Outline
- 1:1-15 – Nineveh’s doom declared
- 2:1-13 – Nineveh’s doom described
- 3:1-19 – Nineveh’s doom deserved
Genre: Understanding Prophecy
Background
Chart: Bible History at a glance
Blue Letter Bible: Old Testament Timeline
Chart: Kings of Israel & Judah
Biblehub: Sennacherib
Topical Bible: Nineveh
Jensen’s Survey of the Old Testament
Minor Prophets Quotes in the New Testament
Ray C Stedman: Overview of the Book
John MacArthur: Author, Date, Background
ESV: Introduction to Minor Prophets
ESV: The Global Message of Nahum
James van dine: Analysis of Nahum
David Malick (Bible.org): An Introduction to the Book of Nahum
David Malick: An Argument of the Book of Nahum
JVernon McGee: Nahum and Habakkuk – Introductory Notes, Outlines
William Orr: Nahum – Thirty-Nine Keys to the Old Testament
Charles Swindoll: Book of Nahum Overview
JHampton Keathley: The Minor Prophets
Maps from Holman Bible Atlas
The Kingdoms of Israel and Judah
The Kingdoms of Israel and Judah (1)
The Kingdoms of Israel and Judah (2)
The Kingdoms of Israel and Judah (3)
Conflicts between Israel and Aram-Damascus
The Golden Ages of the 9th & 8th centuries BCE
Phoenician Trade and Civilization
Trade Routes throughout the Middle East
Israel & Judah in the days of Jeroboam II and Uzziah
The Assyrian Empire under Tiglath-Pileser III
Fall of Samaria and Deportation of Israelites
The Fall of the Kingdom of Israel
Assyrian Districts after the Fall of Samaria
Prophets of the 8th Century BCE
Judah Alone amid International Powers
Hezekiah’s Preparation for Revolt
Sennacherib’s Campaign against Judah
Assyria in the 7th century BCE
The Rise of the Neo-Babylonian Empire
The Districts of Judah under King Josiah
Nebuchadnezzar’s Campaigns against Judah
The Persian Period
World Powers of the 6th century BCE
The Conquests of Cyrus the Great
The Return of the Jewish Exiles to Judah
ESV Study Bible Maps
Key Words
“I am against you” (Nah 2:13, 3:5)
“I will” (Nah 1:12, 13, 14, 2:13, 3:5, 6)
Nineveh (Nah 1:1, 2:8, 3:7, plus synonyms referring to Nineveh)
Dictionaries & Encyclopedias
Baker’s Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology: Nahum, Theology of
American Tract Society: Nahum
Bridgeway Bible Dictionary: Nahum
Easton’s Bible Dictionary: Nahum; Nahum, Book Of
Fausset Bible Dictionary: Nahum (1); Nahum (2); Nahum, the Book Of
Holman Bible Dictionary: Nahum
Hastings’ Dictionary of the Bible: Nahum
Kitto’s Popular Cyclopedia of Biblical Literature: Nahum
Morrish Bible Dictionary: Nahum
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia: Nahum; Nahum, the Book Of
McClintock and Strong: Nahum
The Nuttall Encyclopedia: Nahum
The Jewish Encyclopedia: Nahum
1911 Encyclopedia Britannica: Nahum
Nahum Articles – Easton, Smith, ISBE
Commentaries & Study Bibles
Ligionier.org Top 5 Commentaries: Nahum
Tim Challies Best Commentaries:
Commentary Reviews: Nahum
Walter Kaiser-Preacher’s Commentary (Micah through Malachi)
Calvin’s Commentary on the Bible: Nahum
Matthew Henry: Nahum
Albert Barnes Notes: Nahum
Reformation Study Bible Notes: Nahum
Geneva Study Bible: Nahum
Precept Austin Commentaries & Sermons: Nahum
Articles
Literary Analysis and the Unity of Nahum by Richard D. Patterson
Literary Look at Nahum, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah by Richard D. Patterson
Nahum: Poet Laureate Of The Minor Prophets – Richard D. Patterson
Nahum, Nineveh & Those Nasty Assyrians – Gordon Franz
Plundering the Lion’s Den – A Portrait of Divine Fury – Nahum 2:3-11 – J Daryl Charles
A Perfectly Broken Acrostic in Nahum 1? – Thomas Renz
Nahum, Nineveh, Elkosh – Oswald Allis
The Book of Nahum – Paul Haupt (Or here)
The Book of Nahum as a Liturgical Composition: A Prosodic Analysis-Duane Christensen
The Book of Nahum: The Question of Authorship within the Canonical Process-Duane Christensen
Nahum Reconsidered: The Rhetoric of Violence and Divine Justice – Justin J King
Jonah and Nahum: English Bible – 96 pages – Robert V McCabe
Nahum’s Rhetorical Allusions To The Neo-Assyrian Lion Motif-Gordon Johnston
Nahum’s Rhetorical Allusions to Neo-Assyrian Conquest Metaphors – Gordon Johnston
GotQuestions.org
What are the Major Prophets and Minor Prophets?
Why did God judge Nineveh so harshly in the book of Nahum?
When will the peace of Nahum 1:15 come?
Why were infants dashed to pieces (Nahum 3:10)?
Do we ever reach a point that we cannot be forgiven (Nahum 3:19)?
When and how was Nineveh destroyed?
Next: Habakkuk
Previous: Micah
Series: Resources by Book
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