Nah 1:12 | TNotes | STEP | 1:12 The Assyrians’ allies were vassal or subordinate kingdoms, including once-powerful Egypt. Ironically, a coalition of former allies gradually brought down the great Neo-Assyrian Empire between 625 and 605 BC . • O my people refers to Judah, whom God had punished earlier when the Assyrian king Sennacherib (704–681 BC ) launched a campaign (701 BC ) against the western states of the Near East. While Sennacherib failed to take Jerusalem (2 Kgs 19:32-36 ), he boasted in his annals of carrying away Jerusalem’s tribute and an enormous amount of spoils from forty-six cities in Judah. Although Judah was now reduced to vassalage and faced the constant possibility of Assyrian aggression, Assyria did not defeat the southern kingdom. Babylon did so, however, in 586 BC . Sadly, neither Israel nor Judah heeded God’s repeated warnings that failure to repent would result in judgment (Hos 11:5 ; Joel 2:1-27 ).

b2 Kgs 19:32-36►

cHos 11:5►

dJoel 2:1-27►

‏ Nahum 1:12

1:12 ^a The Assyrians’ allies were vassal or subordinate kingdoms, including once-powerful Egypt. Ironically, a coalition of former allies gradually brought down the great Neo-Assyrian Empire between 625 and 605 BC.

• O my people refers to Judah, whom God had punished earlier when the Assyrian king Sennacherib (704–681 BC) launched a campaign (701 BC) against the western states of the Near East. While Sennacherib failed to take Jerusalem (2 Kgs 19:32-36 ^b), he boasted in his annals of carrying away Jerusalem’s tribute and an enormous amount of spoils from forty-six cities in Judah. Although Judah was now reduced to vassalage and faced the constant possibility of Assyrian aggression, Assyria did not defeat the southern kingdom. Babylon did so, however, in 586 BC. Sadly, neither Israel nor Judah heeded God’s repeated warnings that failure to repent would result in judgment (Hos 11:5 ^c; Joel 2:1-27 ^d).