Table of Contents – Introduction || HOSHEA | 2 || 14 ||| YOEL | 1 || 2 || 3 ||| AMOS | 1 || 2 || 3 || 4 || 9 ||| OVADYAH ||| YONAH | 1 || 2 || 3 || 4 ||| MICHAH | 1 || 3 || 4 || 5 || 6 || 7 |||

NACHUM ||| CHAVAKUK | 1 | 2 || 3 ||| TZEFANYAH ||| CHAGAI | 1 || 2 ||| ZECHARYAH | 1 || 2 || 3 || 4 || 5 || 7 || 8 || 9 || 14 ||| MALACHI | 1 || 2 || 3

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THE BOOK OF NACHUM

Introduction:

This is a prophecy of the destruction of Ninveh. Although the people of Ninveh did teshuva in the time of Yonah, by now they had reverted back to their evil ways. (Targum Yonatan)

Nachum came from Elkosh; nothing more is known about him. According to Seder Olam, Nachum prophesied in the time of Menashe; Menashe is not mentioned here by name because of his evil deeds. (Radak)

Chapter 1, Verses 1-10

Verse 1:

משא נינווה ספר חזון נחום האלקושי

משא נינווה

Ninveh was Assyria’s capitol. Hashem is avenging Assyria for exiling the Ten Tribes from their land, by destroying it in the first year of Nevuchadnetzar’s reign. (Radak)

ספר חזון נחום

Nachum’s prophecy is referred to as a sefer, since it was written and sent to Ninveh, and not delivered orally. (Me’am Lo’ez)

Verse 2:

קל קנוא ונוקם ה' נוקם ה' ובעל חמה נוקם ה' לצריו ונוטר הוא לאויביו

קל קנוא ונוקם ה' נוקם ה' ובעל חמה

1. Hashem is jealous and vengeful. (Metzudat David)

2. Hashem is jealous for his people, as he sees them suffering in exile. Although Assyria was appointed by Him to be the Jews’ agent of destruction, the Assyrians overdid it. (Radak)

3. The word nokem appears three times in this verse, paralleling the three stages in which the Jews were exiled: First to be exiled were the two-and-a-half tribes who lived to the east of the Jordan River. Next were the tribes of Zevulun and Naftali; and third were the people of Shomron – the rest of the kingdom of Israel. (Me’am Lo’ez)

נוקם ה' לצריו ונוטר הוא לאויביו

The enemies of the Jews are also the enemies of Hashem. (Radak)

One approach to understanding the meaning of the “vengeance of Hashem”, can be found in מכתב מאליהו חלק ג', p. 247.

Verse 3:

ה' ארך אפיים וגדול כוח ונקה לא ינקה ה' בסופה ובשערה דרכו וענן אבק רגליו

ה' ארך אפיים וגדול כוח ונקה לא ינקה

Hashem can punish any time. He is patient and slow to anger, and does not rush to punish people. However, Hashem does not forgive completely. (Metzudat David)

ה' בסופה ובשערה דרכו

Hashem comes with a tempest wind to punish the nations – such a wind both shakes them and destroys them. (Metzudat David)

וענק אבק רגליו

The decrees that emanate from Hashem against the nations are like a dark brooding cloud. (Metzudat David)

Verse 4:

גוער בים ויבשהו וכל הנהרות החריב אומלל בשן וכרמל ופרח לבנון אומלל

גוער בים ויבשהו וכל הנהרות החריב

1. This is an allegorical description of the destruction of the princes of Assyria. (Metzudat David)

2. This verse tells of Hashem’s mastery over nature. In the same way, Hashem can easily have one nation come to rule over another. (Radak)

אומלל בשן וכרמל ופרח לבנון אומלל

1. The Bashan, Carmel and Levanon are fertile areas, serving as an allegory of the rich people, who will be destroyed. (Metzudat David)

2. The successes of the people will come to an end. (Metzudat David)

3.* The Bashan, Carmel and Levanon are golden, sweet fruits that were planted in the Temple by Shlomo Hamelech. They dried up when the Temple was destroyed. (Rashi)

These fruits reflect the wonderful spiritual state that existed until the enemy came. The students should recognize the word Levanon as being synonymous with the Temple (Hoshea 14).

Verse 5:

הרים רעשו ממנו והגבעות התמוגגו ותישא הארץ מפניו ותבל וכל יושבי בה

הרים רעשו ממנו והגבעות התמוגגו

1. This is a metaphoric description of the leaders and princes, who will be terrified. (Metzudat David)

2. The verse describes the powers of Hashem: the very foundations of the world will tremble. (Radak)

ותישא הארץ מפניו ותבל וכל יושבי בה

The land will burn up as a result of Hashem’s anger. This is a metaphor, describing the great fear and destruction that will overtake the people. (Metzudat David)

Verse 6:

לפני זעמו מי יעמוד ומי יקום בחרון אפו חמתו ניתכה כאש והצורים ניתצו ממנו

לפני זעמו מי יעמוד ומי יקום בחרון אפו חמתו ניתכה כאש

There are different levels of anger: chemah is anger hidden in one’s heart; af is anger that is revealed; za’am is the punishment itself.

The verse, then, reads: Who can withstand the punishment itself (za’am), or who can withstand the anger, even without punishment (af)? Even the unrevealed anger itself (chemah) can burn one to the ground. (Malbim)

והצורים ניתצו ממנו

Hashem’s anger is all-consuming: rocks are split by it. In other words, strong and powerful people can be destroyed by it. (Metzudat David)

Verse 7:

טוב ה' למעוז ביום צרה ויודע חוסי בו

טוב ה' למעוז ביום צרה...

1. Unlike an earthly king, Hashem, even on the Day of Judgment, is concerned in saving those who believe in Him. (Metzudat David)

2. Hashem will save the Jews who will be living in exile in Assyria, and they will not be harmed by the general destruction of the kingdom. (Radak)

The students should note the two different approaches to this verse, and be able to base each approach on the context of the chapter.

Verse 8:

ובשטף עובר כלה יעשה מקומה ואויביו ירדף חושך

ובשטף עובר כלה יעשה מקומה

1. Nevuchadnetzar will overrun the city like running water. (Metzudat David)

2. Ninveh will be destroyed in one blow – and afterwards it will be hard to tell that the city had ever existed. (Radak)

ואויביו ירדף חושך

* Darkness, meaning great troubles, will pursue the enemies. (Radak)

Verse 9:

מה תחשבון אל ה' כלה הוא עושה לא תקום פעמיים צרה

מה תחשבון אל ה' כלה הוא עושה...

The people of Ninveh should not think that they will be able to escape Hashem’s wrath; they will be destroyed in one blow. (Metzudat David)

Verse 10:

כי עד סירים סבוכים וכסבאם סבואים אוכלו כקש יבש מלא

כי עד סירים סבוכים וכסבאם סבואים

The punishment will come upon them suddenly, while they are still drinking and partying. They will still be strongly rooted when they are destroyed. (Rashi)

As a homework assignment, the students can write the minutes of the town meeting when Nachum’s letter is received in Ninveh. The minutes should reflect the different options that were open to the city: fighting, doing teshuva, ignoring the message, or using preventive measures.

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Table of Contents – Introduction || HOSHEA | 2 || 14 ||| YOEL | 1 || 2 || 3 ||| AMOS | 1 || 2 || 3 || 4 || 9 ||| OVADYAH ||| YONAH | 1 || 2 || 3 || 4 ||| MICHAH | 1 || 3 || 4 || 5 || 6 || 7 |||

NACHUM ||| CHAVAKUK | 1 | 2 || 3 ||| TZEFANYAH ||| CHAGAI | 1 || 2 ||| ZECHARYAH | 1 || 2 || 3 || 4 || 5 || 7 || 8 || 9 || 14 ||| MALACHI | 1 || 2 || 3