Chronological Relationship Between Nahum and Jonah Prophecies
Jonah prophesied to Nineveh approximately 150 years before Nahum delivered his oracle against the same city [7]. Jonah, son of Amittai from Gath-hepher, exercised his ministry during or before the reign of Jeroboam II of Israel, around 820 BC [3], making him contemporary with Hosea and Amos or possibly preceding them as "the very oldest of all the prophets whose writings we possess" [1]. His mission to Nineveh resulted in the city's repentance and temporary reprieve from judgment [4].
Nahum's prophecy came much later, likely in the latter half of Hezekiah's reign, around 709 BC [2]. The Targum Jonathan explicitly notes this sequence: "First Jonah, son of Amitti, of Gath Hepher, prophesied against her, and she turned from her sins; and now that she sinned again, Nahum from the house of Koshi prophesied against her again" [5]. This rabbinic tradition preserves the understanding that Nahum's message addressed Nineveh's relapse into wickedness after the generation that had repented under Jonah's preaching.
The historical context supports this chronology. Jonah witnessed an earlier phase of Assyrian power, when the empire was beginning to threaten Israel—a threat that would materialize as God's instrument of judgment [3]. By Nahum's time, Nineveh had become the established capital of the Assyrian Empire (shortly after 705 BC) and would remain so until its destruction in 612 BC [8, 9]. Matthew Henry observes that "about 100 years before this Jonah had, in God's name, foretold the speedy overthrow of this great city; but then the Ninevites repented and were spared" [6]. Nahum's prophecy thus represents a final, irrevocable sentence against a city that had returned to its former violence and idolatry.
The two prophets present contrasting divine responses to the same city: Jonah's reluctant mission brought temporary mercy through repentance, while Nahum's burden announced certain destruction with no call to repent—a theological progression reflecting Nineveh's exhausted opportunity for grace [4, 5].
Sources
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Jonah — A dove, the son of Amittai of Gath-hepher. He was a prophet of Israel, and predicted the restoration of the ancient boundaries (2 Kings 14:25-27) of the kingdom. He exercised his ministry very early in the reign of Jeroboam II., and thus was contemporary with Hosea and Amos; or possibly he preceded them, and consequently may have been the very oldest of all the prophets whose writings we possess. His personal history is mainly to be gathered from the book which bears his name. It is chiefly interesting from the two-fold character in which he appears, (1) as a”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Nahum, Book of — Nahum prophesied, according to some, in the beginning of the reign of Ahaz (B.C. 743). Others, however, think that his prophecies are to be referred to the latter half of the reign of Hezekiah (about B.C. 709). This is the more probable opinion, internal evidences leading to that conclusion. Probably the book was written in Jerusalem (soon after B.C. 709), where he witnessed the invasion of Sennacherib and the destruction of his host (2 Kings 19:35). The subject of this prophecy is the approaching complete and final destruction of Nineveh, the capita”
- Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Jonah — (dove), the fifth of the minor prophets, was the son of Amittai, and a native of Gath-hepher. (2 Kings 14:25) He flourished in or before the reign of Jeroboam II., about B.C. 820. Having already, as it seems, prophesied to Israel, he was sent to Nineveh. The time was one of political revival in Israel; but ere long the Assyrians were to be employed by God as a scourge upon them. The prophet shrank from a commission which he felt sure would result, (Jonah 4:2) in the sparing of a hostile city. He attempted therefore to escape to Tarshish. The providence of God,”
- Nahum (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Nahum 1:1: The burden of Nineveh,.... Of the city of Nineveh, and the greatness of it; see Gill on Jon 1:2; See Gill on Jon 3:3; Jonah was sent to this city to threaten it with ruin for its sins; at that time the king and all his people humbled themselves and repented, and the threatened destruction was averted; but they relapsing to their former iniquities, this prophet foretells what would be their certain fate; very rightly therefore the Targum, and some other Jewish writings (m), observe, that Jonah prophesied against this city of old; and that Nahum prophesied after him a con”
- Targum Jonathan (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Targum Jonathan, Targum Jonathan on Nahum 1:1: The burden [W. has shadow ] of the cup of cursing which Nineveh is to be made to drink. First Jonah, son of Amitti, [W. inserts the prophet ] of Gath Hepher, proph[e]sied against her, and she turned from her sins; and now that she sinned again, Nahum from the house of Koshi prophesied against her again, according as it is written in this record.”
- Nahum (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Nahum 1:1: This title directs us to consider, 1. The great city against which the word of the Lord is here delivered; it is the burden of Nineveh, not only a prophecy, and a weighty one, but a burdensome prophecy, a dead weight to Nineveh, a mill-stone hanged about its neck. Nineveh was the place concerned, and the Assyrian monarchy, which that was the royal seat of. About 100 years before this Jonah had, in God's name, foretold the speedy overthrow of this great city; but then the Ninevites repented and were spared, and that decree did not bring forth. The Ninevites then saw ”
- Nahum (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Nahum 1 (introduction): JEHOVAH'S ATTRIBUTES AS A JEALOUS JUDGE OF SIN, YET MERCIFUL TO HIS TRUSTING PEOPLE, SHOULD INSPIRE THEM WITH CONFIDENCE. HE WILL NOT ALLOW THE ASSYRIANS AGAIN TO ASSAIL THEM, BUT WILL DESTROY THE FOE. (Nah 1:1-15) burden of Nineveh--the prophetic doom of Nineveh. Nahum prophesied against that city a hundred fifty years after Jonah.”
- Nah (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Nah 1:1: 1:1 message . . . vision: This opening, similar to that of other prophetic books (cp. Obad 1:1; Hab 1:1; Mal 1:1), identifies Nahum as a prophet, one who uttered messages from God. • Nineveh became the capital of the Assyrian Empire sometime shortly after 705 BC and remained so until its destruction in 612 BC. • The name Nahum means “comfort” or “encouragement.” An important theme of his prophecy is that God will bring encouragement to his people through Nineveh’s downfall (Nah 1:12-15; see Isa 40:1).”
- Nahum (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Nahum 1:1: 1:1 message . . . vision: This opening, similar to that of other prophetic books (cp. Obad 1:1; Hab 1:1; Mal 1:1), identifies Nahum as a prophet, one who uttered messages from God. • Nineveh became the capital of the Assyrian Empire sometime shortly after 705 BC and remained so until its destruction in 612 BC. • The name Nahum means “comfort” or “encouragement.” An important theme of his prophecy is that God will bring encouragement to his people through Nineveh’s downfall (Nah 1:12-15; see Isa 40:1).”