The Book of Nahum: "An attacker advances against you, Nineveh."

The Book of Nahum is a short one – three straightforward chapters in two pages – so I think we can sort it out pretty quickly.  Keep in mind that I’m a dope; no doubt there are Nahum specialists who dedicate a lifetime to uncovering the rich tapestry of meaning and inspiration that’s embedded in these two pages.  No doubt there’s a school of thought that Nahum is the keystone to the whole Bible, the crux of the entire Judeo-Christian tradition and experience.  I’ve been known to miss that kind of thing.

But what I see is, Nahum is predicting some serious hurt for the city of Nineveh.  It looks like they’ve been exerting a bit of the ol’ oppressive hegemony over Judah, that nobody much cares for their too-successful businessmen, and that everybody – at least, everybody in Judah – would like to see them brought down a peg.

God, too, has had enough of Nineveh.  He was merciful with them when they heeded the prophecies of Jonah, but that is in the past.  Or maybe the future, or on an alternative timeline, I'm not sure.  In any event, instead of smiting the Israelites, this time he’s going to smite their opponents on their behalf.

1:12 This is what the Lord says:

“Although they have allies and are numerous,
    they will be destroyed and pass away.
Although I have afflicted you, Judah,
    I will afflict you no more.
13 Now I will break their yoke from your neck
    and tear your shackles away.”

As I’ve been observing in the other books of the Prophets, not frequently but for years now, there continues in Nahum the whiplash alternation between (mostly) the God of vengeance and violence and (occasionally) the God of peace and forgiveness.  Well, in the dog-eat-dog world of the time, vengeance and violence towards other people may well have felt like peace and forgiveness for oneself.

1:6 Who can withstand his indignation?
    Who can endure his fierce anger?
His wrath is poured out like fire;
    the rocks are shattered before him.
7 The Lord is good,
    a refuge in times of trouble.
He cares for those who trust in him,
8  but with an overwhelming flood
he will make an end of Nineveh;
    he will pursue his foes into the realm of darkness.

And that, really, is that.  Filling out Chapters 2 and 3 is little more than an elegant stream of what we’d call “trash talk” – taunts, threats, the smug warnings of someone who is pretty confident they’re going to win the fight.

1:14 "...I will prepare your grave,
    for you are vile.”

 

2:1 An attacker advances against you, Nineveh.
    Guard the fortress,
    watch the road,
    brace yourselves,
    marshal all your strength!

 

3:5-6 “I am against you,” declares the Lord Almighty.
    “I will lift your skirts over your face.
I will show the nations your nakedness
    and the kingdoms your shame.
I will pelt you with filth,
    I will treat you with contempt
    and make you a spectacle.

 

3:12-13 All your fortresses are like fig trees
    with their first ripe fruit;
when they are shaken,
    the figs fall into the mouth of the eater.
Look at your troops—
    they are all women!

…or so says my NIV, which was printed in 1983.  It looks like these days the NIV says “weaklings” instead of “women,” and ditches the jeering exclamation point.  Hmm.  I wonder whether that was a much needed fix to the translation, or if the actual sexist taunt has been bowdlerized, or if “it’s complicated.”  Hang on….  OK, cross-checking with the other translations, I’m pretty sure the actual sexist taunt has been bowdlerized.  It appears that the armed forces of Nineveh were indeed a bunch of girly-men.

And once God has knocked them flat, is anybody going to feel sorry for them?  No way!

3:19 Nothing can heal you;
    your wound is fatal.
All who hear the news about you
    clap their hands at your fall,
for who has not felt
    your endless cruelty?