Topical Bible: Commerce: Carried on by Ninevites

◄ Commerce: Carried on by Ninevites ►

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Topical Encyclopedia

The ancient city of Nineveh, the capital of the Assyrian Empire, was a significant hub of commerce and trade in the ancient Near East. Its strategic location along the Tigris River facilitated extensive trade networks that connected it with various regions, including Mesopotamia, Anatolia, and beyond. The Ninevites, as the inhabitants of Nineveh were known, engaged in a wide array of commercial activities that contributed to the city's wealth and prominence.

Biblical Context

Nineveh is mentioned several times in the Bible, most notably in the Book of Jonah and the Book of Nahum. While these texts primarily focus on the spiritual and moral aspects of Nineveh, they also provide indirect insights into the city's economic activities. The wealth and opulence of Nineveh, as described in these books, suggest a thriving commercial environment.

In the Book of Nahum, Nineveh is depicted as a city of great wealth and splendor, which can be attributed to its commercial success. Nahum 3:16 states, "You have multiplied your merchants more than the stars of the sky. The young locust strips the land and flies away." This verse highlights the abundance of merchants in Nineveh, indicating a bustling trade scene. The comparison to locusts suggests both the vast number of traders and the transient nature of their wealth, as they gather riches and then disperse.

Trade and Economic Activities

The Ninevites were known for trading a variety of goods, including textiles, metals, and agricultural products. The city's location allowed it to serve as a conduit for goods traveling between the East and the West. Assyrian records and archaeological findings reveal that Nineveh was involved in the trade of luxury items such as ivory, precious stones, and fine fabrics, which were highly sought after in the ancient world.

The Assyrian Empire, with Nineveh at its heart, also imposed tributes and taxes on conquered territories, further enriching the city. These tributes often included valuable commodities and resources, which were then traded or used to enhance the city's infrastructure and defenses.

Cultural and Religious Influence

The commercial success of Nineveh also had cultural and religious implications. The wealth generated from trade allowed the Ninevites to construct grand temples and palaces, which served as centers of worship and governance. The city's prosperity attracted people from various regions, contributing to a diverse cultural milieu. This diversity is reflected in the religious practices of the Ninevites, who worshiped a pantheon of gods, with the chief deity being Ashur.

The Book of Jonah provides a narrative of God's concern for Nineveh, despite its moral failings. Jonah's mission to call the Ninevites to repentance underscores the city's significance in the biblical narrative. Jonah 3:4 records, "On the first day of his journey, Jonah set out into the city and proclaimed, 'Forty more days and Nineveh will be overturned!'" This proclamation led to the repentance of the Ninevites, highlighting the city's capacity for change and the impact of divine intervention.

Legacy

The commercial activities of the Ninevites left a lasting legacy on the ancient world. Nineveh's role as a trade center contributed to the dissemination of goods, ideas, and cultural practices across regions. Although the city eventually fell to the Babylonians and Medes in 612 BC, its historical and economic significance is preserved in biblical and archaeological records. The account of Nineveh serves as a testament to the complexities of commerce, power, and morality in the ancient world.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Nahum 3:16
You have multiplied your merchants above the stars of heaven: the cankerworm spoils, and flees away.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

The Call of Matthew - the Saviour's Welcome to Sinners - Rabbinic ...
... king of Nineveh, and so brought the Ninevites to true ... was the doctrine of external
merit carried, that to ... strike the great road of Eastern commerce, which led ...
/.../edersheim/the life and times of jesus the messiah/chapter xvii the call of.htm

Morality and Doctrine
... on these rivers, are not overwhelmed nor carried away, but ... a worship of God which
is like commerce, and in ... repentance, and that other of the Ninevites: "Let us ...
//christianbookshelf.org/pascal/pensees/section vii morality and doctrine.htm

The Assyrian Revival and the Struggle for Syria
... One-half of the men carried sword and lance, the other half sword and bow,
the latter of a smaller kind than that used by the infantry. ...
/.../chapter ithe assyrian revival and.htm

The Power of Assyria at Its Zenith; Esarhaddon and Assur-Bani-Pal
... the bears, dogs, and boars which the Ninevites were in ... The spoil was carried back
in triumph to Nineveh, and ... and the countless riches which the commerce of the ...
/.../chapter iithe power of assyria 2.htm