of Hebrew origin (נִינְוֵה); Ninevi (i.e. Nineveh), the capital of Assyria:--Nineve.
Transliteration:Nineuḯ
Pronunciation:nin-yoo-ee'
Detailed Word Study
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### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Greek lemma Νινευΐ (Nineuΐ), Strong's number `{{G3535}}`, directly transliterates the Hebrew נִינְוֵה (Nineveh), Strong's number `{{H5210}}`. It refers exclusively to Nineveh, the ancient capital city of Assyria. As a proper noun, its semantic range is fixed to this specific geographical and historical location. Nineveh was one of the greatest cities of the ancient world, renowned for its size, fortifications, and its role as the administrative and religious center of the Neo-Assyrian Empire, a dominant power in the Near East during the first millennium BCE. Its name is synonymous with the formidable and often cruel Assyrian empire in biblical history.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In the New Testament, Νινευΐ (Nineuΐ) appears twice, both times in the Synoptic Gospels, within the context of Jesus's teaching on repentance and judgment.
1. **[[Matthew 12:41]]**: "The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here."
2. **[[Luke 11:32]]**: "The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here."
In both instances, Jesus employs the historical example of Nineveh's repentance, as recorded in the Book of Jonah, to rebuke the unbelief and spiritual blindness of His contemporary Jewish audience. Despite witnessing His miracles and hearing His authoritative teaching, they refused to repent. The Ninevites, a pagan people who repented at the mere preaching of Jonah, stand in stark contrast to the hardened hearts of those who rejected the Messiah Himself. This highlights the profound irony and the severity of their spiritual condition. The Old Testament narrative (Jonah 3:5-10) describes their remarkable collective repentance, from the king to the common people, leading to God's relenting from the threatened judgment. However, it is also important to note that later prophets like Nahum and Zephaniah pronounced divine judgment against Nineveh for its persistent wickedness, which was ultimately fulfilled with its destruction in 612 BCE.
### Related Words & Concepts
* **`{{H5210}}` (נִינְוֵה)**: The Hebrew original of Nineveh, found extensively in the Old Testament, particularly in Jonah, Nahum, and Zephaniah.
* **`{{H804}}` (אַשּׁוּר)** / **`{{G783}}` (Ἀσσύριος)**: Assyria/Assyrians, the empire and people of which Nineveh was the capital. The Assyrians were a major political and military force that deeply impacted Israel and Judah.
* **`{{H3399}}` (יוֹנָה)** / **`{{G2495}}` (Ἰωνᾶς)**: Jonah, the prophet divinely commissioned to preach to Nineveh, whose reluctant obedience and the city's subsequent repentance form a pivotal narrative.
* **`{{G3341}}` (μετάνοια)**: Repentance, the core concept exemplified by the Ninevites' response to Jonah's preaching and held up by Jesus as a necessary response to God's word.
* **`{{G2920}}` (κρίσις)**: Judgment, which the Ninevites averted through repentance but eventually faced due to their subsequent return to wickedness, serving as a warning to all generations.
* **Gentiles**: The Ninevites were non-Israelites, making their repentance a significant indicator of God's universal scope of salvation and judgment.
### Theological Significance
The theological significance of Νινευΐ (Nineuΐ) in the New Testament is profound and multifaceted.
1. **God's Universal Sovereignty and Mercy**: The story of Nineveh demonstrates that God's concern extends beyond Israel to all nations. He is sovereign over all peoples and offers mercy to Gentiles who repent, challenging any narrow, ethnocentric view of salvation.
2. **Paradigm of True Repentance**: Jesus holds up the Ninevites as an exemplary model of genuine repentance. Their immediate, comprehensive, and corporate turning from sin in response to a divine warning serves as a stark contrast to the spiritual apathy and rejection of the Jewish leaders and people in His day. It underscores that true repentance involves a radical change of heart and action.
3. **Warning of Greater Accountability**: By stating that the men of Nineveh would "condemn" His generation, Jesus implies a principle of greater accountability. Those who have been given more revelation and witnessed greater signs (Jesus Himself, "something greater than Jonah") will face a more severe judgment if they fail to respond in faith and repentance.
4. **Prophetic Fulfillment and Justice**: While the New Testament focuses on Nineveh's repentance, the broader biblical narrative (Nahum, Zephaniah) testifies to God's ultimate justice. Nineveh's eventual destruction, after a period of renewed wickedness, affirms that God's patience is not endless and that unrepentant sin inevitably leads to judgment. This duality highlights God's character as both merciful and just.
### Summary
Νινευΐ (Nineuΐ), Strong's number `{{G3535}}`, refers to Nineveh, the capital of ancient Assyria. In the New Testament, its significance is entirely derived from Jesus's use of its historical repentance (as recorded in the Book of Jonah) as a powerful illustration. Jesus presented the Ninevites as a paradigm of genuine repentance, contrasting their ready response to Jonah's preaching with the hardened hearts of His contemporaries who rejected His own, far greater, ministry. The study of Nineveh thus underscores God's universal mercy towards all who repent, His patient call to turn from sin, and the principle of greater accountability for those who reject greater light. It serves as a timeless reminder of the necessity of a contrite heart in response to divine revelation, alongside the certainty of God's righteous judgment upon persistent unrepentance.
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