Original Research

The trauma of Nineveh’s demise and downfall: Nahum 2:2–11

Wilhelm J. Wessels, Elizabeth Esterhuizen
HTS Teologiese Studies / Theological Studies | Vol 76, No 4 | a5794 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.4102/hts.v76i4.5794 | © 2020 Wilhelm J. Wessels, Elizabeth Esterhuizen | This work is licensed under CC Attribution 4.0
Submitted: 16 August 2019 | Published: 09 April 2020

About the author(s)

Wilhelm J. Wessels, Department of Biblical and Ancient Studies, College of Human Sciences, University of South Africa, Pretoria, South Africa
Elizabeth Esterhuizen, Department of Biblical and Ancient Studies, College of Human Sciences, University of South Africa, Pretoria, South Africa

Abstract

Trauma is left, right and centre in the whole book of Nahum. The book reflects the oppression and hardship that Judah had experienced at the hands of the imperial power Assyria. For many a reader, the violent and derogative content of this book is in itself a traumatic experience. In this article, the focus is on Nahum 2:2–11 (Masoretic Text [MT]), which depicts the downfall of Nineveh and its traumatic effects on its citizens. Besides the analysis of the text, a reading from trauma theory is made to enhance insights into the text. It is argued that the text served the purpose of offering hope to the people of Judah who relied on Yahweh for relief from their own traumatic experiences.


Keywords

Nahum; imperial power; imagination; trauma; hope

Metrics

Total abstract views: 2337
Total article views: 3382


Crossref Citations

No related citations found.