This verse is a title to the book and is actually in two parts, as shown by Revised Standard Version with two separate sentences. The first part gives the content of the prophecy, An oracle concerning Nineveh.

Oracle is a technical term for a message given by a prophet (“message” in Good News Translation) and occurs frequently in the Old Testament, for instance in Isaiah 13.1; 14.28; 15.1. If translators have in their languages a technical term for a message given through spiritual insight, they may be able to use it here, but only if it is not too closely linked with evil spirits. In order to avoid such misunderstandings, some translators may prefer to translate this sentence as “This is a message from God concerning the city of Nineveh.”

Nineveh was the capital city of the Assyrian empire. Its site is near the modern town of Mosul in northern Iraq. In some translations it will be helpful to say “the city of Nineveh” or “the city called Nineveh.”

The book of the vision of Nahum of Elkosh: the second part of the title speaks about the prophet himself and his experiences. The use of the term book here (“account” in Good News Translation) may imply that the prophecy was written down at an early date. Nahum’s is the only prophecy which calls itself a book, and this is rather unexpected because the prophecy is so short. Although in English it is traditional to speak of the “books” of the prophets, the translators of Good News Translation felt here in verse 1 that the term “account” was more in keeping with the length of the document. Translators should bear this example in mind when choosing a term in their own languages. Some languages may have to use a verbal phrase for book or “account.” One may say “Nahum wrote down the things he saw” or “… the things God showed him in a vision.”

Nahum had a vision in which he saw the scenes described in the book. This may mean that he received his message while in a trance or some similar state. This word is quite common in the prophetic writings (compare Obadiah 1). The Hebrew term does not put any special emphasis on the means by which the prophet received his message, and there is no need for the translator to do so. It is not clear in the Old Testament how visions differ from “dreams.” In some instances such as Job 20.8; 33.15, they are synonymous. In languages which do not distinguish between dreams and visions, the translator may have to use the word for “dream” in every instance where the word vision occurs.

The name Nahum means “full of comfort.” It does not occur elsewhere in the Old Testament, though names with related meaning like Nehemiah and Menahem do. We know nothing about Nahum except for the fact stated here, that he was from Elkosh. This village has not been satisfactorily identified. Commentaries suggest at least four possible places, of which the most likely is in southwestern Judea. For the translator this is not an important question, and it will not be discussed further. Since Elkosh is an unfamiliar name, translators may wish to identify it with a generic term and say “from the village of Elkosh.” Other possible translation models for this first verse are the following:

• This is a message from God concerning the city of Nineveh. God caused Nahum from the village of Elkosh to see these things in a vision (or, dream), and he wrote them down in this book.

Or:

• This book is a message from God concerning the city of Nineveh. Nahum from the village of Elkosh received this message in a vision (or, dream).

Quoted with permission from Clark, David J. & Hatton, Howard A . A Handbook on the Book of Nahum. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1989. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .