Ancient Nineveh
Ancient Manners and Customs, Daily Life,
Cultures, Bible Lands
The Assyrian empire became extremely great and powerful with NINEVEH as its center, all the way until its final destruction by the Chaldeans and the Medes. Nineveh was located in a very desirable place, east of the Tigris River in a very fertile plain. Today the ancient ruins are located just opposite of the present day city of Mosul. NINEVEH was also famous in the ancient world because it was a center for the worship of Ishtar (Astarte) the fertility goddess. The size of NINEVEH is revealed in the Bible, in Jonah 3:3 and 4:11 (A 3 days journey in breadth with over 120,000 people). The classical writers describe NINEVEH as being over 60 miles wide. The city of Nineveh is described in Genesis 10:11 as having been founded by Nimrod, the hunter who built the tower of Babel and led the world into a rebellion against God. The Old Testament also mentions NINEVEH in relation to the prophet Jonah who preached judgment against NINEVEH, and afterward the city repented. The prophet Nahum predicted NINEVEH\'s destruction which came in 612 BC, and the famous city was never rebuilt. In the New Testament Jesus commended the inhabitants of NINEVEH for repenting at the preaching of Jonah, while condemning the Jewish leaders for resisting His own message.
Map of the Ancient Near East
Nineveh in Smith's Bible Dictionary
(abode of Ninus), the capital of the ancient kingdom and empire of
Assyria. The name appears to be compounded from that of an Assyrian
deity "Nin," corresponding, it is conjectured, with the Greek
Hercules, and occurring in the names of several Assyrian kings, as
in "Ninus," the mythic founder, according to Greek tradition of the
city. Nineveh is situated on the eastern bank of the river Tigris,
50 miles from its mouth and 250 miles north of Babylon. It is first
mentioned in the Old Testament in connection with the primitive
dispersement and migrations of the human race. Asshur, or according
to the marginal reading, which is generally preferred, Nimrod is
there described, Ge 10:11 as extending his kingdom from the land of
Shinar or Babylonia, in the south, to Assyria in the north and
founding four cities, of which the most famous was Nineveh. Hence
Assyria was subsequently known to the Jews as "the land of Nimrod,"
cf. Mic 5:6 and was believed to have been first peopled by a colony
from Babylon. The kingdom of Assyria and of the Assyrians is
referred to in the Old Testament as connected with the Jews at a
very early period, as in Nu 24:22,24 and Psal 83:8 but after the
notice of the foundation of Nineveh in Genesis no further mention is
made of the city until the time of the book of Jonah, or the eighth
century B.C. In this book no mention is made of Assyria or the
Assyrians, the king to whom the prophet was sent being termed the
"king of Nineveh," and his subjects "the people of Nineveh." Assyria
is first called a kingdom in the time of Menahem, about B.C. 770.
Nahum (? B.C. 645) directs his prophecies against Nineveh; only once
against the king of Assyria. ch. Na 3:18 In 2Ki 19:36 and Isai 37:37
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Nineveh in the ISBE Bible
Encyclopedia
Nineveh, during the centuries of her existence, must have seen many
stirring historical events; but the most noteworthy were probably
Sennacherib's triumphal entries, including that following the
capture of Lachish, the murder of that great conqueror by his sons
(the recent theory that he was killed at Babylon needs
confirmation); and the ceremonial triumphs of Assur-bani-apli--the
great and noble Osnappar (Ezr 4:10). After the reign of
Assur-bani-apli came his son Assur-etil-ilani, who was succeeded by
Sin-sarra-iskun (Saracos), but the history of the country, and also
of the city, is practically non-existent during these last two
reigns. The Assyrian and Babylonian records are silent with regard
to the fall of the city, but Alexander Polyhistor, Abydenus and
Syncellus all speak of it. The best account, however, is that of
Diodorus Siculus, who refers to a legend that the city could not be
taken until the river became its enemy. Arbaces, the Scythian,
besieged it, but could not make any impression on it for 2 years. In
the 3rd year, however, the river (according to Commander Jones, not
the Tigris, but the Khosr), being swollen by rains, and very rapid
in its current, carried away a portion of the wall, and by this
opening the besiegers gained an entrance. The king, recognizing in
this the fulfillment of the oracle, gathered together his concubines
and eunuchs, and, mounting a funeral pyre which he had caused to be
constructed, perished in the flames. This catastrophe is supposed to
be referred to in Nah 1:8: "With an over-running flood he (the Lord)
will make a full end of her place (i.e. of Nineveh)," and Nah 2:6:
"The gates of the rivers are opened, and the palace is dissolved."
The destruction of the city by fire is probably referred to in
3:13,15. The picture of the scenes in her streets--the noise of the
whip, the rattling wheels, the prancing horses, the bounding
chariots (3:2 ff), followed by a vivid description of the carnage of
the battlefield--is exceedingly striking, and true to their records
and their sculptures.
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Nineveh in Easton's Bible
Dictionary
First mentioned in Gen. 10:11,
which is rendered in the Revised Version, "He [i.e., Nimrod] went
forth into Assyria and builded Nineveh." It is not again noticed
till the days of Jonah, when t is described (Jonah 3:3; 4:11) as a
great and populous city, the flourishing capital of the Assyrian
empire (2 Kings 19:36; Isa. 37:37). The book of the prophet Nahum is
almost exclusively taken up with prophetic denunciations against
this city. Its ruin and utter desolation are foretold (Nah.1:14;
3:19, etc.). Zephaniah also (2:13-15) predicts its destruction along
with the fall of the empire of which it was the capital. From this
time there is no mention of it in Scripture till it is named in
gospel history (Matt. 12:41; Luke 11:32). This "exceeding great
city" lay on the eastern or left bank of the river Tigris, along
which it stretched for some 30 miles, having an average breadth of
10 miles or more from the river back toward the eastern hills. This
whole extensive space is now one immense area of ruins. Occupying a
central position on the great highway between the Mediterranean and
the Indian Ocean, thus uniting the East and the West, wealth flowed
into it from many sources, so that it became the greatest of all
ancient cities.
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Nineveh in Fausset's Bible
Dictionary
Nimrod builded Nineveh (Genesis 10:11); Herodotus (i. 7) makes Ninus
founder of Nineveh. and grandson of Belus founder of Babylon; which
implies that it was from Babylon, as Scripture says, that Nineveh's
founder came. Nin is the Assyrian Hercules. Their mythology also
makes Ninus son of Nimrod. Jonah is the next Scripture after Genesis
10 that mentions Nineveh. (See JONAH.) Sennacherib after his host's
destruction "went and dwelt at Nineveh" (2 Kings 19:36). Jonah
(Jonah 3:3) describes it as an "exceeding great city of three days'
journey" round (i.e. 60 miles, at 20 miles per day) with 120,000
children "who knew not their right hand from their left" (Jonah
4:11), which would make a population in all of 600,000 or even one
million. Diodorus Siculus (ii. 3), agreeing with Jonah's "three
days' journey," makes the circumference 55 miles, pastures and
pleasure grounds being included within, from whence Jonah appositely
(Jonah 4:11) mentions "much cattle." G. Smith thinks that the ridges
enclosing Nebi Yunus and Koyunjik (the mounds called "tels" opposite
Mosul) were only the walls of inner Nineveh, the city itself
extending beyond to the mound Yarenijah.
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Heart
Message
Ancient Nineveh Capital of the Assyrian Empire Nineveh, Assyria The history of civilization is littered with the ruins of once proud and mighty cities. Nineveh was situated on the eastern side of the Tigris river just across from modern Mosul, Iraq's second largest city built on the western side of the Tigris. Without too much difficulty, one can find pictures of American soldiers exploring gates and ruins of Nineveh just like they took pictures in Babylon. Nineveh took its turn as one of three cities to be the capital of Assyria, whose rule over Mesopotamia dates back to 2400 BC and was an incredible civilization that rose from humble beginnings into a fearsome empire that ruled much of known world until its fall in 612 BC. Because we read of the judgments upon Assyria we might tend to look upon them as some demon-possessed frothing people of whom nothing comes but evil. But the truth for Nineveh and the Assyrian Empire is true of every nation on earth. They had many kinds of people, subject to the cultural norms of the time, and doing the best they can to raise their children, survive and prosper. God through Jonah showed great mercy on its people because they repented hearing the word of God. (8th Century BC ) The Assyrians brought many scientific, philosophical and practical advances to humanity including many inventions that we take for granted today. Everyday most of us lock our doors when we leave the house, locks and keys were invented in Assyria. They also invented a system that kept time and ascribed 360 degrees to a circle. They are given credit for inventing paved roads, the first postal system, the first use of iron, the first libraries, the first plumbing, flush toilets and aqueducts. They came up with the first governmental administration of dividing of territories ruled by local governors reporting to a central authority. The military rulers, as in many other nations, could be a brutal breed. They ruled their empire and subdued nations with absolute terror.
Every empire like every human life has an hour glass with grains of sand flowing through it and when judgment had come, the city was defeated by the next emerging empire in Babylon. We all should try to look past the 'normalcy' in our own nations and our own lives, because one day our nations will pass, one day our lives will end and the only thing left to us will be our relationship with God, standing either in our own righteousness, or in the righteousness provided as a free gift in Jesus Christ. It is mercifully interesting to note that after the fall of Nineveh, the Assyrian people did not disappear, they were simply ruled by others. Assyrians were some of the first converts by the earlier church and they became a thriving Christian community sending missionaries through out the eastern world. Today there is still an Assyrian Church with an amazing history and communities throughout the world.
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Nineveh in Naves Topical Bible
-Capitol of the Assyrian Empire
Ge 10:11,12
-Contained a population of upwards of one-hundred and twenty
thousand people, when Jonah preached
Jon 4:11
-Extent of
Jon 3:4
-Sennacherib in
2Ki 19:36,37; Isa 37:37,38
-Jonah preaches to
Jon 1:1,2; 3
-Nahum prophesies against
Na 1; 2; 3
-Zephaniah foretells the desolation of
Zep 2:13-15
Bible Study Topics Related to Nineveh
NINEVEH
-Capitol of the Assyrian Empire
Ge 10:11,12
-Contained a population of
upwards of one-hundred and twenty thousand people, when Jonah
preached
Jon 4:11
RULERS
-King of Nineveh, in repenting,
and proclaimimg a fast
Jon 3:6-9
WIND
-East
At the city of Nineveh
Jon 4:8
REVIVALS
-In Nineveh
Jon 3:4-10
NAHUM
-One of the minor prophets
-Prophesies against the Assyrians; declares the majesty of God and
his care for his people
Na 1
-Foretells the destruction of Nineveh
Na 2; 3
HABAKKUK
-A prophet and poet who probably prophesied after the destruction of
Nineveh
Hab 1:1;
JONAH
-Also called JONAS
-A prophet of Israel
2Ki 14:25
-Sent by God to warn the city of Nineveh
Jon 1:1,2
-Brought Ninevites to repentance
Jon 3; Mt 12:41
-Displeased with God's mercy to Nineveh
The Bible Mentions Nineveh Often
Nahum 3:7 - And it
shall come to pass, [that] all they that look upon thee shall flee
from thee, and say, Nineveh is laid waste: who will
bemoan her? whence shall I seek comforters for thee?
Jonah 4:11
- And should not I spare Nineveh, that great city,
wherein are more than sixscore thousand persons that cannot discern
between their right hand and their left hand; and [also] much
cattle?
Nahum 2:8
- But Nineveh [is] of old like a pool of water: yet
they shall flee away. Stand, stand, [shall they cry]; but none shall
look back.
Matthew
12:41 - The men of Nineveh shall rise in
judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they
repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than
Jonas [is] here.
Jonah 3:7
- And he caused [it] to be proclaimed and published through
Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying,
Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste any thing: let them
not feed, nor drink water:
Jonah 3:4
- And Jonah began to enter into the city a day's journey, and he
cried, and said, Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be
overthrown.
Jonah 3:6
- For word came unto the king of Nineveh, and he arose
from his throne, and he laid his robe from him, and covered [him]
with sackcloth, and sat in ashes.
Zephaniah
2:13 - And he will stretch out his hand against the north,
and destroy Assyria; and will make Nineveh a
desolation, [and] dry like a wilderness.
Genesis
10:11 - Out of that land went forth Asshur, and builded
Nineveh, and the city Rehoboth, and Calah,
2 Kings
19:36 - So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed, and went
and returned, and dwelt at Nineveh.
Isaiah
37:37 - So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed, and went
and returned, and dwelt at Nineveh.
Jonah 3:2
- Arise, go unto Nineveh, that great city, and preach
unto it the preaching that I bid thee.
Jonah 3:5
- So the people of Nineveh believed God, and
proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them
even to the least of them.
Nahum 1:1
- The burden of Nineveh. The book of the vision of
Nahum the Elkoshite.
Genesis
10:12 - And Resen between Nineveh and Calah:
the same [is] a great city.
Jonah 1:2
- Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry
against it; for their wickedness is come up before me.
Jonah 3:3
- So Jonah arose, and went unto Nineveh, according to
the word of the LORD. Now Nineveh was an exceeding
great city of three days' journey.
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Bible Study and Faith
"The Bible is the most priceless possession of the human race." - Henry H. Halley
"This handbook is dedicated to the proposition that every Christian should be a constant and devoted reader of the Bible, and that the primary business of the church and ministry is to lead, foster, and encourage their people in the habit."
"The vigor of our spiritual life will be in exact proportion to the place held by the Bible in our life and thoughts."
"Great has been the blessing from consecutive, diligent, daily study. I look upon it as a lost day when I have not had a good time over the word of God." - George Muller
"I prayed for faith, and thought that some day faith would come down and strike me like lightning. But faith did not seem to come. One day I read in the 10th chapter of Romans, 'Now faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.' I had closed my Bible, and prayed for faith. I now opened my Bible, and began to study, and faith has been growing ever since." - D. L. Moody
-H. H. Halley "Halley's Bible
Handbook" (Grand Rapids: Zondervan,
1960) p. 4, 6
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Archaeological Study of the Bible
"A substantial proof for the accuracy of the Old Testament text has
come from archaeology. Numerous discoveries have confirmed the
historical accuracy of the biblical documents, even down to the
obsolete names of foreign kings... Rather than a manifestation of
complete ignorance of the facts of its day, the biblical record thus
reflects a great knowledge by the writer of his day, as well as
precision in textual transmission."
-Norman L. Geisler, William Nix "A General Introduction to the
Bible" 5th Edition (Chicago: Moody Press 1983) p. 253
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Table of Contents
Main Menu
- Ancient Assyrian Social Structure
- Ancient Babylonia
- Ancient Canaan During the Time of Joshua
- Ancient History Timeline
- Ancient Oil Lamps
- Antonia Fortress
- Archaeology of Ancient Assyria
- Assyria and Bible Prophecy
- Augustus Caesar
- Background Bible Study
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- Biblical Geography
- Fallen Empires - Archaeological Discoveries and the Bible
- First Century Jerusalem
- Glossary of Latin Words
- Herod Agrippa I
- Herod Antipas
- Herod the Great
- Herod's Temple
- High Priest's in New Testament Times
- Jewish Literature in New Testament Times
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- Map of David's Kingdom
- Map of the Divided Kingdom - Israel and Judah
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- Matthew Henry Bible Commentary
- Messianic Prophecy
- Nero Caesar Emperor
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- Paul's First Missionary Journey
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- Paul's Third Missionary Journey
- Pontius Pilate
- Questions About the Ancient World
- Tabernacle of Ancient Israel
- Tax Collectors in New Testament Times
- The Babylonian Captivity
- The Black Obelisk of Shalmaneser
- The Books of the New Testament
- The Court of the Gentiles
- The Court of the Women in the Temple
- The Destruction of Israel
- The Fall of Judah with Map
- The History Of Rome
- The Incredible Bible
- The Jewish Calendar in Ancient Hebrew History
- The Life of Jesus in Chronological Order
- The Life of Jesus in Harmony
- The Names of God
- The New Testament
- The Old Testament
- The Passion of the Christ
- The Pharisees
- The Sacred Year of Israel in New Testament Times
- The Samaritans
- The Scribes
Ancient Questions
- How did the ancient Greeks and Romans practice medicine and treat illnesses?
- What were the major contributions of ancient Babylon to mathematics and astronomy?
- How did the ancient Persians create and administer their vast empire?
- What were the cultural and artistic achievements of ancient India, particularly during the Gupta Empire?
- How did ancient civilizations like the Incas and Aztecs build their remarkable cities and structures?
- What were the major trade routes and trading practices of the ancient world?
- What was the role of slavery in ancient societies like Rome and Greece?
- How did the ancient Mayans develop their sophisticated calendar system?
- What were the key events and significance of the Battle of Thermopylae in ancient Greece?
- What was life like for women in ancient Rome?
Bible Study Questions
- The Authorized (King James) Version (AKJV): Historical Significance, Translation Methodology, and Lasting Impact
- Exploring the English Standard Version (ESV): Its Aspects, Comparisons, Impact on Biblical Studies, and Church Use
- A Detailed Historical Analysis of Language Updates in the KJ21: Comparison with Other Versions
- A Detailed Historical Analysis of the American Standard Version (ASV): Comparison to the King James Version, Influence on Later Translations, and Evaluation of Strengths and Weaknesses
- A Detailed Historical Analysis of Amplifications in the Amplified Bible (AMP) and Its Comparison to Other Bible Translations
- Detailed Historical Analysis of the Amplified Bible Classic Edition (AMPC): Examples of Amplifications and Comparative Analysis with Other Bible Translations
- Theological Implications of the BRG Bible's Color-Coding System: A Comparative Analysis
- The Christian Standard Bible (CSB): An In-Depth Analysis
- The Geneva Bible: Theological Distinctives, Impact on English Literature, and Role in Bible Translation History
- Exploring the Common English Bible (CEB): Translation Methodology, Church Use, and Comparative Analysis
About
Welcome to Free Bible: Unearthing the Past, Illuminating the Present! Step into a world where ancient history and biblical narratives intertwine, inviting you to explore the rich tapestry of human civilization.
Discover the captivating stories of forgotten empires, delve into the customs and cultures of our ancestors, and witness the remarkable findings unearthed by dedicated archaeologists.
Immerse yourself in a treasure trove of knowledge, where the past comes alive and illuminates our understanding of the present.
Join us on this extraordinary journey through time, where curiosity is rewarded and ancient mysteries await your exploration.
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