Two prophets prophesy concerning the Assyrian Empire. The prophet Jonah is sent by God to Nineveh (Assyria) to call the people there to repent. Meanwhile, the prophet Nahum (comfort or comforter in Hebrew) is commissioned by God to warn Assyria of her impending destruction.

Both Jonah, son of Amitai, and Nahum, son of Elkos, proclaim God’s impending actions in the framework of Exodus 34:6-7: “Then the Lord passed by in front of him and proclaimed, ‘The Lord, the Lord God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth; who keeps lovingkindness for thousands, who forgives iniquity, transgression and sin; yet He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished, visiting the iniquity of fathers on the children and on the grandchildren to the third and fourth generations.”

Whereas Jonah emphasized God’s mercy, Nahum had a different focus: “A jealous and avenging God is the Lord; the Lord is avenging and wrathful. The Lord takes vengeance on His adversaries, and He reserves wrath for His enemies. The Lord is slow to anger and great in power,...