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5/1/16 3:2-3 The discription of the conquest over . 3 1) They were fearfully intimidating with their chariots. vs. 2 We come to the last chapter of the a) By the sound of the snapping whip by the regarding the judgment of God over the city of charioter to his horse to charge forwards. Nineveh and the nation of . b) By the sound of rattling “ra’ ash”, I. The proclamtion of the judgement. Nah. 1 quaking, trenbling or shaking of the II. The description of the judgment. Nah. 2 chariot wheels, causing panic of those in III. The vindication of the judgment. Nah. 3 the city, as the Assyrian troops had breached their walls or broken down 3:1-7 The moral reasons for the deserved their gate. judgment. c) By the sound of the galloping horses and clattering chariots “skipping about”, 3:1-4 The wicked character of the city of bringing about helpless desparation, as Nineveh. the enemy had breached their walls or come through their gates, even as the 3:1 The corruption of the city of Nineveh. second chapter describes the battle from 1) The word woe “ howy” is an expression of God’s revelation. judgment and it is well deserveed. 1) “The chariots come with flaming * Nahum gives the reasons why God is torches In the day of his preparation, against Nineveh. Nah. 2:13, 3:5 And the spears are brandished.” Nah. 2) The city is identified as “bloody” for it 2:3b-c violent brutality. 2) “The chariots rage in the streets, They 3) The city is also a city that could not be jostle one another in the broad roads; trusted, a city of lies “kachash”, deceptions. They seem like torches, They run like 4) The city was a city of robbery “qereq”, lightning.” Nah. 2:4 means parting of the way, creossroad, a 3) “Behold, I am against you,” says the breaking in upon or plundering. LORD of hosts, “I will burn your 5) The city was oppressive, its victim “tereph”, chariots in smoke, and the sword shall means prey, be it booty or capture it never devour your young lions; I will cut off departs. your prey from the earth, and the

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voice of your messengers shall be 2) They were fearfully intimidating by the heard no more.” Nah. 2:13 advancing armies with their horsemen. vs. 3 2) They were fearlessly intimidating with their a) Nahum depicts the enemy as fearless, violent brutal. vs. 3 “Horsemen charge with bright sword and a) Their attack was without hesitation glittering spear.” vs. 3a committed to kill their enemy, 1)) Nineveh was not defeated for having “Horsemen charge with bright sword and an inferior military, but because the glittering spear.” vs. 3a Holy jealous God was bringing 1)) The horsemen “parash” indicate the righteous judgment for having turned cavalry on their warhorses, in pairs away from their repentance and the attacking with unhesitating oppression of Israel and . Nah. commitment to kill the Assyrians. 1:2-3 2)) The reference to their bright “lahab” b) The second chatper again gives us God’s swords and glittering “baraq” spears described the fear and despair thay took refers to the flashing point of the place in the actual battle. blade of the sword and the lightening 1)) “He remembers his nobles; They flash of the point of their spears. stumble in their walk; They make b) Their eyes and hearts were not moved haste to her walls, And the defense is with any sense of human compassion or prepared.” Nah. 2:5 mercy, evident by the four-fold 2)) “The gates of the rivers are opened, repetition. vs. 3b-e And the palace is dissolved.” Nah. 2:6 1) Regardless of the many killed, “There 3)) “It is decreed: She shall be led away is a multitude of slain.” vs. 3b captive, She shall be brought up; And 2) Regardless of the incredible amount of her maidservants shall lead her as bodies and body parts laying around, with the voice of doves, Beating their “A great number of bodies.” vs. 3c breasts.” Nah. 2:7 3) Regardless of the endless number to 4)) “Take spoil of silver! Take spoil of end up dead, “Countless corpses.” vs. gold! There is no end of treasure, Or 3d wealth of every desirable prize.” Nah. 4) Regardless of having to trample and 2:9 ride over the dead, “They stumble 5)) “She is empty, desolate, and waste! over the corpses.” vs. 3e The heart melts, and the knees shake; Much pain is in every side, And all 5 6

their faces are drained of color.” Nah. a) The mistress “ba’ alah”, means the female 2:10 owner, the nation is the channel and 6)) “The LORD has given a command insturment of the Satanic activity. concerning you: “Your name shall be b) The reference to sorceries “kesheph”, perpetuated no longer.” Nah. 1:14a-b means witchcraft, the seeking and calling 7)) The city was to be breached by the on demonic spirits. flooding of the Tigris, “The gates of * “There shall not be found among you the rivers are opened, And the palace anyone who makes his son or his is dissolved.” Nah. 2:6 daughter pass through the fire, or one who practices witchcraft, or a 3:4 The sexual and ocultic practices of the soothsayer, or one who interprets nation of Assyria. omens, or a sorcerer, or one who 1) The imagery is one of sexual lewdness, conjures spells, or a medium, or a “Because of the multitude of harlotries of spiritist, or one who calls up the the seductive harlot.” vs. 4a dead.” Deut. 18:10-11 a) Their practice had seduced and infected 3) The purpose is to rule others, “Who sells nations, one of the main reasons for her nations through her harlotries, And families judgment. through her sorceries.” vs. 4c-d b) The word harlotries “anuwn”, means a) Assyria would seduce other nations by whordoms, usually identified with her deceptive lies and betray the nations fornication, adultery or prostitution. she made treaties with. c) The nature of her harlotries is said to be b) Assyria would do this to enrich and one of a seductive harlot. empwerment themselves over other 1)) The word seductive “towb”, means people and nations by slavery. pleasant and agreeable, but in order to * Just like it will be during the Great- allure to deceive and destroy. Tribulation and the Mother of Harlots 2)) The degree of her treacherous through her sorceries. Rev. 17:1-5, deceiving seduction is said to be 18:2-3; 9-13, 23 multitude “rob”, abundant and numerous. 3:5-7 The opposition of God agaisnt Ninevh. 3)) She is well verse in her life-style. 1) God was against Assyria. vs. 5a-b 2) The spiritual source is Satanic, “The mistress a) He is the Captian of the armies of heaven, of sorceries.” vs. 4b the LORD of host. Nah. 2:13a-b 7 8

b) This is repeated. Nah. 1:1, 2, 9, 10, 14 * No Amon was the famous capital city of 2) The vileness and shame of Nineveh would be Upper , Thebes. exposed by God. vs. 5c-e 2) Situated by the River, a great barier of a) The lifting up of her skirts over your face protection, waters all around her, rampart was to expose the shame of harlotries to and wall. vs. 8b-d the kingdoms. a) 701 B.C. was conquered by Sennacherib. b) This is found in the Scrptures to expose a b) 671 B.C. was conquered by Esarhaddon.. woman’s unchastity to public gaze. Ezk. c) 663 B.C. was conquered by 16:37-39; Is. 47:2-3; Jer. 13:22; Hos. 2:3 * The city had its defenses and strength 3) God would desecrate her opennly to all. vs. 6 with the Nighty Nile and desert on a) Casting abominable filth on her, indicates two sides, yet fell. excrament. d) ) On his second campaign in 663 BC, b) Make her vile “nabel” contemptable. Ashurbanipal went to No-Amon and c) A spectacle “ro; iy” a sight of derision, a defeated the city and razed it. There were gazingstock. Judeans in the Assyrian army that saw 4) Non one will want to join themselves to this event. When they heard or read the Niveveh or Assyria. vs. 7 words of Nahum they would have been a) Seeing her all will flee from her, saying, encouraged. The Assyrians were able to “Nineveh is laid waste.” vs. 7a-c defeat a strong and impregnable Thebes, b) No one will lament for her nor attempt to and God would now fulfill His Word and comfort her in her disgraced condition. Nineveh would fall. vs. 7e 3) The uselessness of the allies of No Amon for protection in the north and south. vs. 9 3:8-19 The moral judgments of God taught a) “Kuwsh”, meaning black, the from history. descendents of Cush, on the southern parts of the Nile River. 3:5-8 The defeat of No Amon. b) “Pwt”, means a bow, probably the Libyans. 3:8-9 The defeat of No Amon by Assyria. c) Lubin “Luwbiy”, empty hearted, in norht 1) Did Assyria thing herself better prepared to Africa, west of Egypt. defend herself against God, than No Amon. d) After the fall of No-Amon (Thebes), vs, 8a Ashurbanipal bragged that he took: Silver, gold, precious stones, the goods 9 10

of his palace, all there was, brightly boundless.” (3:9a). This article was first colored and linen garments, great horses, published in the Fall 2003 issue of the people, male and female, two tall and Spade. obelisks...I removed from their positions and carried them off to Assyria. Heavy 3:10-11 No Amon was taken destroyed, so would plunder, and countless, I carried away Assyria. from Ni’ [Thebes] (Luckenbill 1989, 1) She was taken and carried away to captivity. 2:296, ¶778). vs. 10a-b e) Ashurbanipal commissioned a relief 2) Her children dashed to pieces. vs. 10c depicting the fall of No-Amon. It is 3) Lots were cast for her honorable men of labeled “an Egyptian fortress” in the nobility. vs. 10d British Museum. Yadin cautiously states, 4) All her great men bound in chains. vs. 10e f) The crowing achievement of 5) The arrogant pride of the Assyrians thinking Ashurbanipal’s expeditionary force to the victory would be easy resorted to Egypt was the capture and destruction of drinking and were drunk.m but would be Thebes “of the hundred gates” (the feaerful and attempt to hide from the enemy. Egyptian capital during the XXVth vs. 11 Dynasty) in the year 663 BC. It is most probable that this is the event which the 3:12-13 The condition of Ninevah was ripe for Assyrian artist depicted in such detail judgment before God. here in his portrayal of an attack on an 1) All the strong defenses would not help them, Egyptian city (1963:462). in fact they would fall as ripe figs into the g) If this is the case, we have a very graphic mouth of the Assyrians in judgment. vs. 12 illustration of the Biblical text. The top 2) The people would be overwhelmed with fear of the relief has the Assyrians besieging as a bunch of women. vs. 13a the city the ladders, soldiers undermining 3) Their gates would be compromised and set the walls and a soldier torching the gate. on fire. vs. 13b-c A close examination of the defenders reveals that there are two ethnic groups 3:14-15 The efforts to defend the city would fail. defending the city. One group from 1) Water supplies, fortifications and materials Ethiopia (Cush) and the other are the to make repairs on the walls. vs. 14 Egyptians. Nahum said, “Ethiopia and 2) The city was burnt with fire and the sword Egypt were her strength. And it was would destory the people, overwhelmed 11 12

them, as the prophet in mockery calls for the apparently minor detail may have special Assyrians to gather their multitudes as meaning, for in the annals, Ashurbanipal locust, evern a swarm, but it would be futile. described the Elamites as a “dense vs. 15 swarm of grasshoppers” (Luckenbill 3:16 The Assyrian had enriched themselves by 1989, 2:329, ¶ 855). Within this context, their commerce. the locust may signify the last vestige of 1) Assyria had multiplied their merchants more a once dreadful enemy, now virtually than the stars of heaven, indicating he the eliminated (Albenda 1977:31–32). incredible control and influence Assyria had 2) Hhow interesting that at the end of the book over the nations commercially. vs. 16a of Nahum we have another reversal of 2) Assyria like the locust plunders “pashat”, fortune. Instead of the Elamites being the invades, stripes and plunder taking all the locusts, the Assyrians are, and they are spoil or booty with her “flies away”. vs. 16b about to be eliminated! But Nahum does not describe the destructive aspects of the locust 3:17 The commanders and captains would be plague, but rather, the flight of the locusts slow to move beng gripped by fear. after they have done their damage. In 1) The imagery of locost on a cold day, moving Nahum 3:17 he states, slowly, but when the sun rises they fly away. *oYour commanders are like swarming a) On the archeological finds there was locusts, and your generals like great a bird swoping down on a lone locust grasshoppers, which camp in the hedges sitting on the branch of a palm tree: the on a cold day; when the sun arises they head of an Elamite king hangs in an flee away, and the place where they are is adjacent fir tree (right). From the palace not known. This article was first of Ashurbanipal at Nineveh, now in the published in the Fall 2003 issue of British Museum. Bible and Spade. b) To its right is a bird swooping down as if to catch it. One art historian described 3:18-19 The verdict of God over Assyria. the scene this way: c) Related to this is the image of a locust 3:18 The ineptness and futility of all the alight upon an upper branch of a tree, a leaders of Assyria to avoid her destruction. short distance from the severed head of 1) The announcment to the King of Assyrian of Teumman. A bird sweeps down toward the final destruction is by the metephor of a the insect as if to devour it. This shepherd slumbering “nywm”, drowsy, 13 14

creless inactivity, unable to defend the sheep a) Out of their hate for them. to be slaughered. vs. 18a-b b) Out of their longing to see their 2) The nobles “addiyr” her great chieftains and destruction. leaders are at rest in the dust, dead. vs. 18c 1)) In rejoicing over God, “Oh, clap your 3) The people are scattered on the mountians in hands, all you peoples! Shout to God fear of their lives and no one to help them with the voice of triumph!” Ps. 47:1 or gather them. vs. 18d 2)) Like Jeremiah declared about 3) No one gathers them to united the nation, Jerusalem for turning her back on having been judged by God. vs. 18d God, “All who pass by clap their * Mene, Mene, Tekel-U-Pharsin. Dan. 5:27 hands at you; They hiss and shake their heads At the daughter of 3:19 The concluding summary statement of Jerusalem: “Is this the city that is the unredeemable condition of Nineveh. called ‘The perfection of beauty, The 1) Her injury has no healing and wound is joy of the whole earth’?” Lam. 2:15 severe. vs. 19a-b 3)) “His own iniquities entrap the a) The word injury “sheber”, has the idea of wicked man, And he is caught in the breaking, fracturing or crushing, lift cords of his sin.” Prov. 5:22 threatening. b) The word no healing “kehah” has the idea of being weak, infective or colorless and terminal. c) Wound server “chalah”, critically deseased and unrecoverable. 1)) “For her wounds are incurable. For it has come to Judah; It has come to the gate of My people-- To Jerusalem.” Mic. 1:9 2)) “And He will stretch out His hand against the north, Destroy Assyria, And make Nineveh a desolation, As dry as the wilderness.” Zeph. 2:13 2) The people will clap in celebration over her destruction. Ps. 47:1; Lam. 2:15