Lexical Summary Nineui: Nineveh Original Word: Νινευή Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Nineve. Of Hebrew origin (Niynveh); Ninevi (i.e. Nineveh), the capital of Assyria -- Nineve. see HEBREW Niynveh NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originof Hebrew origin Nineveh Definition variant reading for NG3536, q.v. Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 3535: Νινευΐ´Νινευΐ´, ἡ, Hebrew נִינְוֵה (supposed to be compounded of נין and נָוֵה, the abode of Ninus; (cf. Fried. Delitzsch as below; Schrader as below, pp. 102, 572)), in the Greek and Roman writings ἡ Νινος (on the accent cf. Pape, Eigennamen, under the word), Nineveh (Vulg.Ninive (so A. V. in Luke as below)), a great city, the capital of Assyria, built apparently about Topical Lexicon Historical SettingNineveh, situated on the east bank of the Tigris River opposite modern-day Mosul (Iraq), was one of the oldest and most influential cities of Mesopotamia. According to Genesis 10:11, Nimrod established it early in post-Flood history. Its strategic position astride major trade routes, combined with access to fertile agricultural land and waterways, enabled Nineveh to become the royal residence and, eventually, the capital of the Neo-Assyrian Empire under Sennacherib (reigned 705–681 BC). Massive walls, palaces, temples, and an extensive system of canals and aqueducts testified to its wealth and power. Nineveh in the Pentateuch and Historical Books The first Scriptural notice (Genesis 10:11–12) links Nineveh with the beginnings of organized human government. Later narrative books do not describe Israelite contact with the city directly, yet Assyrian kings ruling from Nineveh profoundly affected the Northern Kingdom. Tiglath-Pileser III’s campaigns (2 Kings 15:29), Shalmaneser V’s siege of Samaria (2 Kings 17:5–6), and Sennacherib’s invasion of Judah (2 Kings 18–19) emerged from imperial policies shaped in Nineveh’s corridors of power. Jonah’s Mission and the Mercy of God The book of Jonah centers on Nineveh at the height of Assyrian brutality. The Lord’s call, “Arise, go to Nineveh, the great city, and preach against it” (Jonah 1:2), displays God’s sovereign concern for Gentiles otherwise alienated from Israel’s covenant. Following Jonah’s reluctant obedience, the king and citizens “believed God. They proclaimed a fast and put on sackcloth” (Jonah 3:5). Their repentance halted impending judgment: “When God saw their deeds … He relented of the disaster” (Jonah 3:10). This episode illuminates divine compassion, the efficacy of Spirit-empowered proclamation, and the breadth of salvation offered to all who repent. Prophetic Oracles of Judgment Within a few generations, Nineveh reverted to violence and idolatry. Nahum, writing roughly a century after Jonah, foretold the irreversible downfall of the city: “I am against you, declares the LORD of Hosts. I will burn your chariots in smoke” (Nahum 2:13). His three-chapter oracle depicts siege, bloodshed, and desolation fulfilled in 612 BC when a Median-Babylonian coalition breached its walls. Zephaniah likewise pronounced, “He will stretch out His hand … and He will make Nineveh a desolation” (Zephaniah 2:13). The complete disappearance of a metropolis once synonymous with invincibility underscores the certainty of divine retribution against obstinate evil. Nineveh in the Gospels The Greek word numbered Strong’s 3535 does not appear in the New Testament; nevertheless, Jesus references the repentant “men of Nineveh” (Matthew 12:41; Luke 11:32) to expose the hardness of His contemporaries. “The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it” (Matthew 12:41). Their earlier response to limited revelation highlights the culpability of those who reject the greater light of Christ’s own ministry. Archaeological Confirmation For centuries Nineveh’s ruins lay buried. Systematic excavations beginning in 1845 (notably by Austen H. Layard) uncovered palace reliefs, royal annals, and libraries—most famously Ashurbanipal’s cuneiform tablets. These findings corroborate biblical descriptions of Assyrian power, brutality, and eventual collapse, lending historical texture to passages in Kings, Chronicles, Isaiah, Jonah, and Nahum. Theological Themes and Ministry Application 1. Universality of God’s Call: Jonah demonstrates that the Lord’s redemptive plan transcends ethnic boundaries. This truth fortifies missionary proclamation and urges believers to engage every culture with the gospel. 2. Repentance and Relenting: Nineveh’s temporary reprieve illustrates the principle articulated in Jeremiah 18:7-8—that sincere repentance averts divine wrath. Preachers may confidently invite response, knowing God “desires all men to be saved” (1 Timothy 2:4). 3. Certainty of Judgment: Nahum’s fulfillment teaches that delayed justice is not denied justice. It solemnly warns nations and individuals who persist in sin. 4. Greater-than-Jonah Motif: Jesus’ comparison places Himself at the center of redemptive history. The Ninevites’ example calls modern hearers to heed Christ without delay. Summary Nineveh traces a dramatic arc from early prominence, through unprecedented repentance under Jonah, to catastrophic ruin foretold by Nahum. Its account magnifies divine holiness and mercy, providing enduring lessons for personal faith, corporate revival, and global mission. Links Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance νικήσεις — 1 Occ.νικῶ — 1 Occ. νικῶν — 8 Occ. νικῶντας — 1 Occ. νικῶντι — 2 Occ. νίκη — 1 Occ. Νικόδημος — 5 Occ. Νικολαϊτῶν — 2 Occ. Νικόλαον — 1 Occ. Νικόπολιν — 1 Occ. Νινευῖται — 2 Occ. Νινευίταις — 1 Occ. νιπτῆρα — 1 Occ. ἔνιψα — 1 Occ. ἐνιψάμην — 1 Occ. ἐνίψατο — 1 Occ. ἔνιψεν — 2 Occ. νίψαι — 3 Occ. νιψάμενος — 1 Occ. νίψασθαι — 1 Occ. |
    |