Exposition of Nahum Part 8: A Tale of Two Cities

Last installment: Part 7: The Heinous Sins of Nineveh 

Nahum 3:8-11

Establish the need: Will evil countries and evil leaders get away with their sins?

 

Are you better than No-amon, Which was situated by the canals of the Nile, With water surrounding her, Whose rampart was the sea, Whose wall consisted of the sea? 9 Ethiopia was her might, Egypt too, without limits. Put and Lubim were among her helpers. 10 Yet she became an exile, She went into captivity; Also her small children were smashed to pieces At the head of every street; They cast lots for her honorable men, And all her great men were bound with shackles. 11 You too will become drunk, You will be hidden. You too will search for a refuge from the enemy.

 

Purpose: We need to know three condemnation God bring against Nineveh and its result so that we desire to see God’s deliverance and also destruction of the wicked.

1. The advantages of Thebes over Nineveh (v.8-9)
2. Yet Thebes was destroyed (v.10)
3. Therefore Nineveh too will fall (v.11)

 

Context

• Nahum 3 has five sections: A woe oracle in verses 1-7, three taunts and a dirge for the Assyrian king (Timmer, 147).
• Last week we look at Nahum 3:1-7 that gives us the reason why God is judging Nineveh and here this section doesn’t focus on Nineveh’s wrong but focus on Nineveh’s downfall (Timmer, 158).
• The main question for the first taunt is: Will Nineveh be far better than Thebes (Timmer, 158)?
• Nineveh here is address as “you” which in the Hebrew is a feminine singular, consistent with other parts of the book to talk about Nineveh.

 

The advantages of Thebes over Nineveh (8-9)

Passage: “Are you better than No-amon, Which was situated by the canals of the Nile, With water surrounding her, Whose rampart was the sea, Whose wall consisted of the sea? 9 Ethiopia was her might, Egypt too, without limits. Put and Lubim were among her helpers.”

Proof

1. Main point: “Are you better than No-amon” (v.8)
   1. In Hebrew the word “No-amon” means the “city of Amon” which is the name of the Egyptian god Amun (Cook, 182).
   2. It is actually the Egyptian capital city also better known than Thebes (Cook, 182).
   3. The Hebrew has the verb “better than” as a Hiphil imperfect that is reflexive so the point isn’t just a mere comparison but the idea is “Will you do better than…will it go better with you than…” (Timmer, 159).
   4. Nineveh might think they are better than Thebes since they destroyed it but the point here God wants readers to consider that a similar city to Nineveh like Thebes was destroyed and so would Nineveh (Timmer, 160).
2. Its fortification: “Which was situated by the canals of the Nile, With water surrounding her, Whose rampart was the sea, Whose wall consisted of the sea?” (v.8)
   1. “situated by the canals of the Nile”= Thebes was on the Nile but 500 miles from the Mediterranean and that is a big source of protection from sea invaders (Cook, 185).
   2. “With water surrounding her”= There must have been some kind of moat protecting Thebes.
   3. “Whose rampart was the sea”= There’s also the Mediterranean from other invaders (Cook, 184-185).
   4. “Whose wall consisted of the sea”= Again body of water is describing the defense of Thebes.
   5. Not mentioned is Egypt’s defense of having deserts around it. That is an advantage.
3. Allies: “Ethiopia was her might, Egypt too, without limits. Put and Lubim were among her helpers” (v.9)
   1. Four people group are mentioned as allies (Cook, 185).
   2. This mimics Genesis 10:6 with the reference to people in the same order (Cook, 185): “The sons of Ham were Cush, Mizraim, Put, and Canaan.”
   3. Egypt have had these people in their alliance and empire for thousands of years compared to Assyria whose existence as empire with their alliance was more recent when Nahum was written.

Practice

1. Watch out for the sin of pride; especially if it manifest of thinking you are better than someone else.
2. Also watch out for the sin of thinking you are too big to be able to fail or punished/disciplined by God; let the lessons about Egypt and Assyria sink in!
3. What are some unbiblical things you trust in that you think help you get away with sin or God’s punishment of sins?

 

Yet Thebes was destroyed (10)

Passage: “Yet she became an exile, She went into captivity; Also her small children were smashed to pieces At the head of every street; They cast lots for her honorable men, And all her great men were bound with shackles.”

Proof

1. It was Assyrian king Assurbaniphal who in 663 BC chased Egyptian king Tanweta man as far as the city of Thebes (Timmer, 160).
2. It was actually the first time it was conquered in a thousand years (Timmer, 160).
3. Consequence 1: People exiled: “she became an exile She went into captivity” (v.9a)
   1. The phrase “she became an exile” is repeated with a synonymous phrase “She went into captivity” to drive this point home.
4. Consequence 2: Children murdered: “Also her small children were smashed to pieces” (v.9b)
   1. Just as the Assyrians committed this of course the Assyrians are now in Nahum stated as having their capital wiped out.
   2. Also those who destroyed Nineveh, the Assyrians, are also described as having their small children smashed in Psalm 137:9 and Isaiah 13:16.
5. People in slavery: “At the head of every street; They cast lots for her honorable men, And all her great men were bound with shackles” (v.9c)

Practice

1. We need to know God will judge sin. May this cause to repent.
2. When we see evil countries and empires that seems unstoppable in their appetite of taking over another country, think of how God does judge the imperial lusts of Nineveh (Assyria) and Thebes (Egypt). God will bring about justice in His time.  Let that comfort you.

 

Therefore Nineveh too will fall (11)

Passage: “11 You too will become drunk, You will be hidden. You too will search for a refuge from the enemy.”

Proof

1. This verse answers the question in verse 8 (Timmer, 163): Nineveh is no greater than Thebes.
2. Nineveh will face the wrath of God: “You too will become drunk” (v.11a)
   1. In the Hebrew this verse begins with “too” that explicitly shows Nineveh is similar to Tebes (Timmer, 163).
   2. This passage description about being drunk is actually referring to drinking the wrath of God as we see the imagery of that in Isaiah 51:17-23 (Timmer, 163).
3. Nineveh will no longer be important: “You will be hidden” (v.11b)= Being hidden is the opposite of visibility which Nineveh wants to show off her glory.
4. Nineveh dependent on enemies’ mercy: “You too will search for a refuge from the enemy” (v.11c)
   1. This section is longer than the first two lines (Timmer, 164).
   2. It is indicating that Nineveh is show desperate it will try to seek help or mercy from her enemy.

Practice

1. God’s judgment is sure. Don’t see this as just a history lesson for this history lesson on Thebes also has implication that God judge sins of those in Nineveh.  Likewise when we read about Nineveh we should think about our own sins and to be right with God.
2. Yet how can we experience God’s mercy to be forgiven of our sins? When we think about the theme from this verse and also in Isaiah 51:17-23 of God’s wrath described as a drink in a cup, we ask: Who will take away the cup of God’s wrath? Answer: Jesus! Hear Luke 22:42= “saying, “Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done.” Aren’t you glad Jesus took on the wrath of God to save you from your sins? If you haven’t done so will you trust in Jesus today?