Lives of Scripture
Nineveh
Modern location: near Mosul, Iraq
First named: Genesis 10:11
Capital of the Assyrian Empire, the city God sent Jonah to warn of coming judgment (Jonah 1:2). Jonah initially fled the assignment, but when he finally preached there the entire city — from the king down — repented, and God relented from destroying it (Jonah 3). A century or so later, the prophet Nahum announced Nineveh's coming, and final, destruction, which came at the hands of Babylon and its allies in 612 BC (Nahum 1:1; 3:1-19).
References: Genesis 10:11; Jonah 1:2; Jonah 3; Nahum 1:1
People connected to Nineveh
- Adrammelech (M) — murdered his father Sennacherib in this city and fled
2 Kings 19:36-37
- Jonah (M) — sent to preach to this city, which repented at his message
Jonah 3:3-5
- Nahum (M) — prophesied the fall of this city
Nahum 1:1; Nahum 3:7
- Sennacherib (M) — Assyria's king, who withdrew to this city and was murdered there by his sons
2 Kings 19:36-37
- Sharezer (M) — murdered his father Sennacherib in this city and fled
2 Kings 19:37