Nahum 1:1

THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET NAHUM

Chronological Notes relative to this Book, upon the supposition

that it was written about seven hundred and thirteen years

before the commencement of the Christian era

-Year from the Creation, according to Archbishop Usher, 3291.

-Year of the Julian Period, 4001.

-Year since the Flood, 1635.

-Year from the vocation of Abram, 1208.

-Year since the first celebration of the Olympic games in Elis by the Idaei Dactyli, 741.

-Year from the destruction of Troy, according to the general computation of chronologers, 471.

-Year since the commencement of the kingdom of Israel, by the Divine appointment of Saul to the regal dignity, 383.

-Year from the foundation of Solomon's temple, 299.

-Year since the division of Solomon's monarchy into the kingdoms of Israel and Judah, 263.

-Year since the restoration of the Olympic games at Elis by Lycurgus, Iphitus, and Cleosthenes, 172.

-Year from the foundation of the kingdom of Macedon by Caranus, 102.

-Year from the commencement of the reign of Ardysus over Lydia, 84.

-Year since the conquest of Coroebus at Olympia, usually called the first Olympiad, 64.

-Fourth year of the sixteenth Olympiad.

-Year from the building of Rome, according to the Varronian computation, 41.

-Year from the building of Rome, according to Cato and the Fasti Consulares, 40.

-Year from the building of Rome, according to Polybius the historian, 39.

-Year from the building of Rome, according to Fabius Pictor, 35.

-Year of the era of Nabonassar, 35.

-Year since the destruction of the kingdom of Israel by Shalmaneser, king of Assyria, 9.

-Year before the birth of Christ, 709.

-Year before the vulgar era of Christ's nativity, 713.

-Cycle of the Sun, 25.

-Cycle of the Moon, 11.

-Eleventh year of Zeuxidamus, king of Lacedaemon, of the family of the Proclidae.

-Twelfth year of Eurycrates, king of Lacedaemon, of the family of the Eurysthenidae.

-Sixth year of Gyges, king of Lydia.

-Tenth year of Hippomenes, decennial archon of the Athenians.

-Second year of Cordiccas, governor of the Medes, according to some chronologers.

-Seventeenth year of Perdiccas, king of Macedon.

-Third year of Numa Pompilius, the second king of Rome.

-Fourteenth year of Hezekiah, king of Judah.

CHAPTER I

This chapter opens the prophecy against the Assyrians and their

metropolis with a very magnificent description of the infinite

justice, tender compassion, and uncontrollable power of God,

1-8.

To this succeeds an address to the Assyrians; with a lively

picture of their sudden overthrow, because of their evil device

against Jerusalem, 9-11.

Then appears Jehovah himself, proclaiming deliverance to his

people from the Assyrian yoke, and the destruction of the

Assyrian idols, 12-14;

upon which the prophet, with great emphasis, directs the

attention of Judah to the approach of the messenger who brings

such glad tidings; and exultingly bids his people to celebrate

their solemn feasts, and perform their vows, as a merciful

Providence would not suffer these enemies of the Jewish state

to prevail against them, 15.

NOTES ON CHAP. I

Verse Nahum 1:1. The burden of Nineveh.] משא massa not only signifies a burden, but also a thing lifted up, pronounced, or proclaimed; also a message. It is used by the prophets to signify the revelation which they have received from God to deliver to any particular people: the oracle-the prophecy. Here it signifies the declaration from God relative to the overthrow of Nineveh, and the commission of the prophet to deliver it.

As the Assyrians under Pul, Tiglath-pileser, and Shalmaneser, three of their kings, had been employed by a just God for the chastisement of his disobedient people; the end being now accomplished by them, God is about to burn the rod wherewith he corrected Israel; and Nineveh, the capital of the Assyrian empire, is to be destroyed. This prediction appears to have been accomplished a short time after this by Nebuchadnezzar and Cyaxares, the Ahasuerus of Scripture.

Nahum, נחום Nachum, signifies comforter. The name was very suitable, as he was sent to comfort the people, by showing them that God was about to destroy their adversaries.