Book of Nahum

Little is known about Nahum, whose name means COMFORT or COMPASSION. He was from Elkosh, southwest of Jerusalem, and close to the Egyptian/Philistine border, and during the time of the fall of Assyria and the rise of Babylon. He may have been a temple priest for the book has the character of priestly curse against the enemy. In that way it is different from the other literary prophets of the Old Testament, since he concerns himself not with national corruption, but with the defeat of a hated oppressor. He is animated by an intense faith in Yahweh, who is the universal judge, whose jealousy and avenging wrath will not fail to destroy the guilty. The prophet does show the importance of a dedicated leadership and ultimate failure of injustice in a national policy and practice.