George Herbert Box

“ Chapter i. forms the exordium to the prophecy of doom against Nineveh in the book as it lies before us. Its tone is exalted, and a fine picture is given of Yahweh appearing in judgment: “ The Lord (Yahweh) is a jealous God and avengeth; the Lord avengeth and is full of wrath.” The effects of the divine anger on the physical universe are forcibly described (vv. 3-6) ”

“ It is noticeable that, in Matthew, Joseph is prominent (e.g. he receives an annunciation from an angel) , while in Luke’s narrative he is completely subordinated. Bp Gore (The Incarnation, Bampton lecture for 1891, p. 78) points out that Matthew narrates everything from Joseph’s side, Luke from Mary’s, and infers that the narrative of the former may ultimately be based on Joseph’s account, that of the latter on Mary’s. The narratives seem to have been current (in a poetical form) among the early Jewish-Christian community of Palestine. ”

“ Here (a) describes in language of considerable descriptive power the assault on Nineveh — the city is mentioned by name in ii. 8 (9 Heb. text) —its capture and sack; (b) contains an oracle of Yahweh directed against the king of Assyria (“ Behold, I am against thee, saith the Lord of Hosts,” v. 13) ; (c) again gives a vivid picture of war and desolation which are to overtake and humiliate Nineveh, as they have already overtaken No-Amon (i.e. Egyptian Thebes, iv. 8-10) ; the defence is pictured as futile and the ruin complete. ”

“ That this method of divination was not in actual use after the Exile is shown by Neh. vii. 65 (Ezra ii. 63; r Esdras v. 40) where an important point affecting the priestly families is reserved “ till there stood up a priest with Urim and Thummim.” Later references (Ecclus. xlv. ro; in Josephus and the Talmud) prove that no real tradition survived on the subject. The identification of them with the jewels of the breastplate and on the shoulders of the high priest (which apparently has the authority of Josephus) is unwarranted; other ancient guesses are equally baseless. ”

“ Among modern Jews it has survived in two forms: (1) the fringed praying shawl called talith worn by every male orthodox Jew at the synagogue morning service; and (2) an under-garment, shaped like a chest-protector, one part covering the chest, the other the back, which is worn continuously by male orthodox Jews. ”

“ It is generally held by critical scholars that i. 1-8, 13, 15, and ii. 2 certainly do not proceed from Nahum; i. 9-12 may, however, belong to the prophet. The phenomena are conflicting and a completely satisfactory solution seems to be impossible.
Date of Nahum's Oracle.—The date of the composition of Nahum's prophecy must lie between 607–606, when Nineveh was captured and destroyed by the Babylonians and Medes, and the capture of Thebes (No-Amon) which is alluded to in iii. 8-10. ”

“ A further inference (0) from a comparison of 1 Sam. xiv. 41 f. with ver. 36 (Greek text) is that this method of casting the sacred lot was closely connected with divination by the ephod (q.v.) , and was the prerogative of the priests. ”

“ According to tradition he was buried at Samaria (Theodoret, H. E. iii. 3) . (G. H. Bo.)
↑ There is no reason to suppose that Jutta is intended by the πόλις Ἰούδα of Luke i. 39: the tradition which makes ʽAin Karim, near Jerusalem, the birthplace of the Baptist only dates from the crusading period. ”