Lexical Summary Nachum: Nahum Original Word: נַחוּם Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Nahum From nacham; comfortable; Nachum, an Israelite prophet -- Nahum. see HEBREW nacham NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom nacham Definition an Isr. prophet NASB Translation Nahum (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs נַחוּם proper name, masculine (comfort) the prophet Nahum, Nahum 1:1, ᵐ5 Ναουμ. **נַחוּם < = comforting, full of comfort (namely, is ׳י ? compare ARSKDB NAHUM DrNah 1:1, Century Bible). Topical Lexicon Scriptural Occurrence The name appears once: Nahum 1:1—“This is the burden against Nineveh, the book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite.” Historical Setting Nahum ministered during the later Neo-Assyrian period, sometime after the fall of Thebes in 663 BC (Nahum 3:8) and before Nineveh’s destruction in 612 BC. Assyria’s oppressive dominance had battered Israel and Judah for more than a century. By naming the prophet here, Scripture anchors the promised judgment of Nineveh in a real historical moment and a real servant of God, affirming the tangible reliability of the prophetic word. Prophetic Ministry Nahum’s single, concentrated oracle completes what Jonah began a century earlier. Jonah preached repentance and mercy to Nineveh; Nahum now proclaims irreversible judgment because the city has relapsed into cruelty and idolatry. Thus, his name—suggesting consolation—signals comfort to Judah even as doom is announced for their tormentor: The single appearance of his name underscores that the focus rests not on the prophet himself but on the God who speaks through him. Theological Themes 1. Divine Justice and Wrath: Nahum 1:2–3 presents the LORD as “a jealous and avenging God” whose patience never nullifies righteous judgment. Canonical Connections • Jonah and Nahum bracket Nineveh’s story—mercy offered, mercy spurned, judgment executed. Messianic Foreshadowing Nahum’s herald of “good news” anticipates the ultimate bearer of glad tidings, Jesus Christ, who proclaims liberty to the captives and defeat of evil powers (Luke 4:18; Colossians 2:15). The backdrop of a toppled oppressor prefigures the cross where divine justice and mercy meet. Practical Application for Believers • Confidence: God’s purposes prevail over the mightiest forces; no tyranny escapes His notice. Summary The lone biblical occurrence of נַחוּם introduces a prophet whose message of comfort to Judah and judgment upon Nineveh magnifies God’s immutable justice and covenant love. His brief appearance underscores a timeless truth: when the Lord speaks, history bends, empires crumble, and His people find refuge. Forms and Transliterations נַח֖וּם נחום na·ḥūm naChum naḥūmLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts |
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