NINEVEH
article from The International
Standard Bible Encyclopedia
Nineveh was the capital city of the
Assyrian empire 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.
