Nahum (Hebrew: Naḥûm «Comforter») (NAHUM (EBR. NAHÛM «CONSOLATORE»))

Machine translation of the 1948–1954 Italian original. The original text is authoritative.

NAHUM (Hebr. Nahûm “consoler”). — Seventh of the minor prophets in the canon of the Vulgate.

He was from 'Elqōš (Nah. 1:1), which St. Jerome (PL 25, 1232) places in Galilee (Driver, Cornely, Crampon); but St. Epiphanius (PG 43, 409), St. Cyril of Alexandria (ibid. 71, 780), and all modern scholars place it in Judea, as suggested by an internal examination of the book itself (Bîr el-Qaws near Bejt Gibrîn).

N. announces to Judah the ruin of its most terrible enemy: Assyria.

In chap. 1 he celebrates the power of Yahweh, just and avenging, who saves his people and strikes down their enemies. Divine justice is particularly emphasized. In chaps. 2–3 he describes the imminent fall of Nineveh, and, as a type, recalls the already accomplished ruin of Thebes (Nō'-Amôn: Nah. 3:8 ff.; cf. Ezek. 30:14 ff.; St. Jerome [PL 25, 1260] erroneously translates Alexandria popularum). These two indications make it possible to date N.’s prophecy after 663 (the destruction of Thebes by Ashurbanipal) and before 612 B.C. (the fall of Nineveh); more probably, however (Nah. 3:18), closer to the latter date (625–615).

N. was a contemporary of Zephaniah and Jeremiah. Among modern critics, the tendency prevails to distinguish in N. a psalm (chap. 1) from the prophecy; the latter is authentic, whereas the former, according to many (including A. van Hoonacker [V. BIBLICA.], p. 420 f.), would be by a later author. The arguments adduced do not appear decisive. The alphabetic character of the psalm would document its later date (but cf. the Lamentations, and Prov. 31:10–31); nor is that character certain here: it is only hypothetically deduced from vv. 1–8. Its abstract, theoretical character, in contrast with the living and concrete prophecy, is sufficiently explained by the characteristics of the subject treated.

An attempt has been made to set N. against the other prophets: N. supposedly lacks any concern for morality; but how is such a judgment possible when all that we possess from N. is this very brief oracle? (J. Touzard [V. BIBLICA.], p. 59). “N.’s poetry is exquisite; of all the prophets, he is the one who, in nobility and vigor, most closely approaches Isaiah. His descriptions are picturesque and vivid; his thought is expressed in sculptural form” (S. R. Driver).

BIBL.: Commentaries: \A. B. Davidson, Cambridge 1896 (1905); J. T. Beck, Gütersloh 1899; O. Happel, Würzburg 1902; A. Van Hoonacker, Les douze petits prophètes, Paris 1908, pp. 415–49; \J. M. P. Smith, Edinburgh 1912; H. Guthe, Tübingen 1923; W. Windfuhr, Der Kommentar des David Kimchi zum Propheten N., Giessen 1927; \G. Luzzi, La Bibbia, V, Florence 1929, pp. 383–97; G. G. V. Stonehouse, London 1929; \G. Smith, Groningen 1934; H. Bévénot, London 1937; A. E. Edelkort, Amsterdam 1937; J. Ridderbos, Kampen 1937; F. Horst, Tübingen 1938; H. Junker, Bonn 1938. Studies: P. Kleinert, N. und der Fall Nivives, in Theologische Studien und Kritiken, 83 (1910), pp. 501–34; U. Cassuto, Questionnelle bibliche: La patria del profeta N., in Giornale della Società asiatica italiana, 26 (1913–14), pp. 291–302; J. Touzard, L'âme juive pendant la période persane, in Revue biblique, 26 (1917), pp. 57–61; P. Humber, Essai d'analyse de N. 1, 2-3, in Zeitschrift für d. alttest. Wissenschaft, 44 (1926), pp. 266–80; id., La vision de N. 2, 4-11, in Archiv für Orientforschung, 5 (1928–29), pp. 14–19; id., Le problème du livre de N., in Rev. d'hist. et de philosophie religieuses, 12 (1932), pp. 1–15; A. Haldar, Studies in the book of N., Uppsala 1947; J. L. Mihelic, The concept of God in the book of N., in Interpretation, 2 (1948), pp. 199–208.

Article illustration — Francesco Spadafora
(from Wilpert, Sarcofagi, pl. 2, 3) NAIM – Resurrection of the son of the widow of N. Detail of the front of the Lateran Sarcophagus no. 183 (4th century) – Rome, Lateran Museum.