The Two Prophets to Nineveh: Goodness and Severity in Jonah and Nahum

by James E McCarthy

In The Two Prophets to Nineveh, James McCarthy guides readers on an exegetical tour through the prophetical books of Jonah and Nahum. When studied together, Jonah and Nahum offer a panoramic view of the whole character of God. The oceanic breadth of God's mercy poured out in Jonah stands in stark contrast to the volcanic heat of his wrath erupting from Nahum. We feel the soft petals of God's grace in Jonah but the glistening razor's edge of his law in Nahum. We cheer the salvation of a city in Jonah only to shudder at the annihilation of the same city a century later in Nahum. The Two Prophets to Nineveh will help students of the Bible springboard from the familiar Jonah into the less familiar Nahum, seeing how both shine a heavenly spotlight upon the person and work of Jesus Christ.

120 pages, Paperback

Published July 30, 2025

Reviews

[Charles · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author, James E McCarthy, writes an easy-to-follow and scripturally sound book about the city of Nineveh, using the minor prophet books on the Bible, Jonah and Nahum. I wondered why I had never studied or heard these two books paired together.

While spending most of his ink on the Nineveh at the time of Jonah, the prophet, Mr McCathy more than adequately describes the situation around 100 years later, in the book of Nahum.

I agree with the summary on the back jacket: Study the two books together, and the reader is “offer(ed) a panoramic view of the whole character of God” - mercy and wrath, grace and law, salvation and annihilation.

[Robert Luff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely excellent treatment of the minor prophets Jonah and Nahum. McCarthy rightly connects the two books together because they are both written about the city of Nineveh -- the former concerning God's mercy towards them, and the latter concerning His justice upon them for their repeated violence and cruelty, and for throwing off His mercy. Together, the two short Old Testament books paint a holistic picture of God's character.

[Andrew Shrimpton · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good basic introduction to the messages of these two prophets. The title is wrong, though. Only Jonah prophesied _to_ Nineveh. Nahum prophesied _about_ Nineveh.

[Brad · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful little volume on two prophets with very different messages. Very readable and accessible, I highly recommend it.