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HistoryofAssyriaandIsrael TheopeningphraseofNahum’sprophecysetsthestageforthebook’smessage:“TheoracleofNineveh.”ThismessagefromJehovahwouldfocusonNineveh,thecapitalcityoftheAssyrianEmpire.So,tobetterunderstandGod’smessagetothisforeignpowerlet’sfirstexplorethehistoryofAssyrianexpansionandhowthisaffectedthenationsofIsraelandJudah.1. ShalmaneserIII(858-824BC)
a. WhiletheAssyrianKingdomexistedlongbeforeShalmaneser,hewasthefirsttohavedirectcontactwithIsrael.
b. In853hefoughtacoalitionofkingsinSyria,including“Ahab,theIsraelite.”
c. ThenthereisthefamousinscriptionofJehubringingtributeonShalmaneser’sblackobelisk:““ThetributeofJehu,thesonofOmri.Ireceivedfromhimsilver,gold,agoldenbowl,agoldenvasewithpointedbottom,goldentumblers,goldenbuckets,tin,astaffforaking.”
2. AdadnirariIII(810-783BC)a. DuringtheyearsbetweenShalmaneserIIIandAdadnirariIII,Assyriadidnotconcern
itselfmuchwithSyriaandIsrael,focusingmoreonitsnorthernborder.DuringthistimeSyriawasthedominantpowerandgreatlyafflictedIsraelleavingkingJehoahazwithonlyatokenarmy.However,Godsenta“deliverer”whichhistoryidentifiesasAdadnirari(see2Kings13.1-7).
b. In804BCthisAssyriankinginvadedSyriaandmadeittributarytohim.ThisfreedIsraelfromSyrianoppressionandopenedthewayfortheexpansionswhichtookplaceunderJeroboamIIofIsraelandUzziahofJudah(2Kings14.25).
3. Tiglath-pileserIII(744-727BC)a. FollowingthedeathofAdadnirariIII,Assyriaenteredaperiodofdecline.However,
whenTiglath-pileserIIIascendedtothethroneAssyrianpowergrewonceagain.(note:Tiglath-pileserisalsoknownasPul.See2Kings15.19;16.7).
the book of Nahum
b. HeinvadedIsraelduringthereignofMenahemandexactedheavytribute(see2Kings15.19-20)andtookmuchofIsrael’sterritoryduringthereignofPekah(2Kings15.29).
c. WhenPekahbecamekingofIsrael,hejoinedforceswiththeSyriansinrebellingagainstAssyria.ThiscoalitionuseditsmilitarymighttopressureAhazofJudahtojointherebellion,butAhazpetitionedTiglath-pileserIIItointervene.HedidsobyinvadingDamascus(2Kings16.5-9).
d. HosheadeposedPekahaskingofIsraelin732BC.HeimmediatelysubmittedtotheAssyrianking,whichsparedIsraelforashorttime,butataheavyprice.“ThecountryofthehouseofOmri…allitspeople(andtheirpossessions),IcarriedawayintoAssyria.Pekahtheirkingtheyhadoverthrown;HosheaaskingoverthemIplaced.Thentalentsofgold…talentsofsilverIreceivedastributefromthem.”
4. ShalmaneserV(727-722BC)andSargonII(722-705BC)a. WhenTiglath-pileserIIIdied,HosheaofIsraelrebelledagainsthisAssyrianmasters,
mistakenlybelievingthatEgyptwouldhelp.ShalmaneserinvadedandlaidsiegetoSamaria(2Kings17.3-5)
b. ShalmaneserdiedbeforeSamariafell,butSargoncompletedthesiegein722BC.“Atthebeginningofmyreign,inmyfirstyear,…IbesiegedandcapturedSamaria.Icarriedcaptivefromthemidstofit27,290people.FiftychariotsItooktheretobeanadditiontomyroyalforce…Ireturnedandcausedmorepeoplethanformerlytodwellthere;Isettledinthemidstofitpeoplefromlandswhichmyhandshadcaptured.Iappointedmyofficersoverthemasgovernors;IimposedtributeonthemaftertheAssyrianmanner.”(See2Kings17.6ff).
5. Sennacherib(705-681BC)
a. SennacheribinvadedJudahin701BCafterHezekiahrebelled(2Kings18.7).HelaidsiegetoanddestroyedmanycitiesincludingLachish.ReliefspicturingthefallofLachishshowAssyriansoldiersflayingandimpalingsomeofthecaptives,givingjustahintofhowbrutaltheAssyrianswereintheirconquests.
b. TheBiblerecordshowSennacherib’sforcesreachedthewallsofJerusalem,buttheLorddemonstratedHisawesomemightindeliveringHiscity(see2Kings18.13-19.36).
c. ItissignificantthatSennacheribboastedofconqueringmanykings,buteventhoughhementionedHezekiahhedidnotclaimtohavedefeatedhim.“AstoHezekiah,theJew,hedidnotsubmittomyyoke,Ilaidsiegeto46ofhisstrongcities.…HimselfImadeaprisonerinJerusalem,hisroyalresidence,likeabirdinacage.…"
6. Esarhaddon(681-669BC)andAshurbanipal(669-627BC)a. Hezekiah’sfaithintheLordkepttheAssyrianmenaceatbay,butunsurprisinglythe
AssyriansagainbecamedominantovertheLord’speopleduringthewickedreignofManasseh.
b. Esarhaddonboastedofforcingacoalitionofkings,includingManassehofJudah,topayhimheavytribute.
c. AshurbanipalforcedManassehtoprovidesuppliesandtroopsfortheAssyrianinvasionofEgypt.“Duringmymarch(toEgypt)22kingsfromtheseashore,theislandsandthemainland.…Manasseh(Mi-in-si-e),kingofJudah(Ia-ú-di)…servantswhobelongtome,broughtheavygifts…tomeandkissedmyfeet.Imadethesekingsaccompanymyarmyovertheland—aswellas(over)thesea-routewiththeirarmedforcesandtheirships.”i. ThisinvasionissignificanttothecontextofNahum.ThebesfelltotheAssyriansin
664BC,aneventmentionedinNahum3.8(No-amon).ii. ThisinvasionalsofurnishedanotherexampleofAssyrianbrutalityasAshurbanipal
boasted,“Icapturedmanysoldiersalive.TherestIburnt.…Ibuiltapileoflive(menand)headsbeforetheirgate.…Iburnttheiradolescentboysandgirls”
d. SeveralkingsrebelledagainstAssyriain~648BC.ItisbelievedthatManassehwasoneofthekingswhorebelledandhiscaptivityinBabylonwasaresultofthisrebellion(see2Chronicles33.11-20).
7. WiththedeathofAshurbanipalin627,theempirefellintodeclineuntilultimatelyNinevehfelltotheBabyloniansin612,bringinganendtotheAssyriankingdom.
TheContextofNahum:1. WhilenokingsofJudaharementionedinNahum,alikelydatewouldbetowardtheendof
Manasseh’sreign.ThedatewouldhavebeenafterthefallofThebesin664BC(Nahum3.8),butbeforethefallofNinevehin612.AssyriawasattheheightofitspowerduringthereignofManasseh,butifthisoncewickedkinghadbegunhisreligiousreforms(see2Chron.33.13-16)itwouldhelpexplainwhyNahumdoesnotfocusonthesinsofGod’speople.So,wedatetheletterat~650BC.
2. Thename“Nahum”means“comfort”andissignificanttothethemeoftheletter.God’speoplecouldtakecomfortthattheirAssyrianoppressorswouldbedestroyed.ButfortheAssyrianstherewouldbenocomfort(Nahum3.7).
TheMessageofNahum:1. HymnDescribingYahweh(1.2-11)
a. ThehymnglorifiesandpraisestheLordforHisattributes,focusingonHispowerandjudgment.
b. Hispowerwhichcontrolstheforcesofnature(vss.3-6)wouldbefeltbyHisenemies,namelyNineveh(vss.1,11).
2. OracleofTwoVerdicts(1.12-2.2)a. EventhoughtheLordhadusedtheAssyrianstoafflictHispeople(1.12;cf.Isaiah
10.5-11),theywouldafflictHispeoplenolonger.b. Judahcouldlookforwardtopeaceandblessings,buttheAssyriansandtheirgods
wouldbecompletelycutoff(1.14).3. IncreasedConfrontation(2.3-13)
a. Thispassagedescribesanattack(vss.3-4)andeventhoughthereisahurrieddefense(vs.5),itwouldbeineffective(vss.6-8).Thecitywouldbeleftopenanddefenseless(vss.9-10).
b. Nineveh’sformerferocityisnowasourceofmockery(vss.11-12).c. EventhoughitwouldbetheBabylonianswhowoulddefeattheAssyrians,theLord
makesitclearthatHeisthereasontheywillfall.“Iamagainstyou…”(vs.13).4. "Woe,BloodyCity"(3.1-7)
a. “Bloodycity”wasanaptdescriptionforNinevehaswe’vealreadynotedjustafewoftheAssyrianatrocities(vss.1-4).
b. ButsincetheLordwasagainstthem(vs.5)shewouldbedevastatedandbroughttoshame.
5. ASatireAgainstMight(3.8-13)a. NahumwasprobablypennedattheheightofAssyrianpower,shortlyafterthe
defeatofThebes(No-amon,see3.8).b. NooneatthattimewouldhavethoughtAssyriacouldfall,buttheywouldbecause
theLordhaddeclaredit!6. UselessPreparations(3.14-19)
a. Assyriamighthaveboastedinhernumerousmerchantsandguards,buttheywouldbeofnoavail.Shewouldbedevastatedlikelocustsconsumevegetation.
b. Ultimately,nothingcouldpreventAssyria’sfall.Herwoundwasincurable.MajorThemes:
1. TheLordisfaithful.Nahumusesthename“Yahweh”(Lord)13timesintheletter.ThiswasHiscovenantnameandemphasizedthatHewouldremainfaithfultoHispeopleanddestroyHisenemies(see1.7-8).
2. HeisLordofALLtheearth.TheLordhadusedtheAssyrianstopunishHispeople,butnowHewouldpunishtheAssyrians(1.12-13).HewoulddothisbecauseHeisLordoverallpeople!
3. Thus,Hispeoplehavehope.WhenNahumwrotehisprophecy,Assyriawascompletelydominant.ButGod’speoplecouldbelieveinabetterfuturebecausetheirLordhadpromisedit(see1.15-2.2).