Nineveh EP: Background on Nineveh and the Assyrian Empire

NOTE: This post catalogs the thought process behind our Nineveh EP. The following represents my own thoughts on Jonah. For a brief overview of major scholarly interpretations on Jonah, see this page.

Nineveh was one of the largest and most important cities in the Assyrian Empire, which dominated the Middle East during the time of Israel’s greatest power. The spread of Assyria’s influence and military presence was alarming to the Jewish people, as is indicated by the prophets’ fixation with Assyria. (See, for example, Isaiah 10).

History records the brutality and cruelty of Assyrian military conquest. For example, a record found in the city of Nineveh depicts the impaling of victims in Judah (the Southern Kingdom of Israel) about 100 years after Jonah’s lifetime. The Assyrian kings were known to display victim’s severed heads and appendages as ornaments and reminders of their conquests. Additionally, the prophets of Israel and Judah, including one of Jonah’s contemporaries, Amos, foretold the Assyrian captivity of Israel long before it actually occurred. Amos wrote, “the days are coming upon you, when they shall take you away with hooks, even the last of you with fishhooks” (Amos 4:2). Consider that passage’s similarity to the practice of Assyrian king Ashurbanipal: “When Ashurbanipal didn’t kill his captives he ‘pierced the lips (and) took them to Assyria as a spectacle…’” Nahum described Nineveh as “the city of blood, full of lies, full of plunder, never without victims!” (3:1).

During his life, Jonah watched, certainly with horror, the growing terror of Assyria’s reign. He must’ve taken to heart the words of contemporary prophets. He would’ve witnessed the terror of the nations around Israel being decimated by Assyria, being led away from their homes in blood and tears. He would’ve anticipated this same fate for his family and friends in Israel.

In short, he must’ve felt great hatred for Assyria.

But what did God call him to do? To preach God’s judgment against Nineveh. At first glance, this would seem to be exactly what Jonah wanted: preemptory vengeance. Before the Assyrians could destroy Israel, God would destroy them. Perhaps this was God showing mercy to Israel by destroying their enemies.

But Jonah also knew Yahweh as “a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from disaster” (Jonah 5:2). These words echo a common refrain of God’s merciful character throughout Scripture (Ex: 34:7, Num. 14:18, Ps. 145:8, etc.). Jonah knew Scripture, and he knew that God would have mercy on Nineveh if its inhabitants humbled themselves.

When God asked Jonah to preach to Nineveh, perhaps, to Jonah, the message sounded something like this: “Go to the city of hatred and lies, to those who will carry your children away. Through you I will show mercy and love to those who will make your people slaves.” (These are the opening lyrics to the Nineveh EP.)