We now continue our journey through the Canonical Column with the thirty-fourth book of the biblical canon—Nahum. For those unfamiliar with this mystery, the Canonical Column is the name I have given to a framework embedded within the Bible that bears dual witness to the divinely sanctioned biblical canon through an organized network of witnessing chapters in three key books of the Old Testament: Genesis, Leviticus, and Isaiah.1 For a fuller understanding of this framework, I recommend reading the introductory article linked above, which lays the foundational context for the insights explored in this post.2
Suffice it to say that the Canonical Column refers to a divinely designed structural framework and prophetic network embedded within the Bible which bears witness to the final form of the biblical canon—testifying to its 39–27 book division, identifying all 66 books within it, and even delineating the exact order in which they would appear. In this sense, it may be likened to an internal measuring line that God deliberately placed within his Word, allowing us to determine objectively which canon of Scripture is the correct one.
As established in previous installments, every book of the Bible is confirmed by two witnessing chapters within the Canonical Column—one drawn from the Law (Genesis 12–50 or Leviticus) and the other from the Prophets (Isaiah).3 In the case of Nahum, its two witnesses are Genesis 45 and Isaiah 34. Both of these chapters function within their respective branches of the Canonical Column as figurative types of the book of Nahum. To this end, each has been divinely embedded with textual allusions to specific passages within Nahum and intentionally sequenced as the thirty-fourth chapter in its branch of the framework, reflecting Nahum’s ordinal position as the thirty-fourth book of the Old Testament and of the Bible at large. As we will see, it is by the mouth of these two witnesses that the divine inspiration, canonicity, and ordained placement of the book of Nahum are firmly established.
Table of Contents anchor
Summary of the Canonical Column
The Canonical Column is a divinely designed structural framework and prophetic network embedded within Scripture that bears witness to the organization of the biblical canon itself. Patterned after the menorah (Exod. 25:31–40), it comprises six branches arranged as three pairs. The innermost pair—the inner branches—represents the Old and New Testaments. Distinct from these are the four scaffolding branches: The Circumcision (Genesis 12–50) and An Holy Priesthood (Leviticus), and First Isaiah (Isaiah 1–39) and Second Isaiah (Isaiah 40–66). Each scaffolding pair contains 39 chapters in its “former” branch and 27 chapters in its “latter” branch, corresponding to the 39 books of the Old Testament and 27 books of the New Testament. In each case, the former branch functions as a figurative type of the Old Testament (The Circumcision, First Isaiah), while the latter branch functions as a figurative type of the New Testament (An Holy Priesthood, Second Isaiah). Every book of the Bible is confirmed by two witnessing chapters within the Canonical Column—one from the “Law” pair of branches (The Circumcision or An Holy Priesthood) and one from the “Prophets” pair of branches (First Isaiah or Second Isaiah)—each bearing divinely embedded textual allusions and echoes to the content of the biblical book occupying the same ordinal position in the canonical sequence. For example, the two witnessing chapters of the book of Nahum in the Canonical Column are Genesis 45 and Isaiah 34—each being the thirty-fourth chapter of its respective branch—reflecting Nahum’s ordained placement as the thirty-fourth book of the Old Testament and Bible. For more detail, see the Introduction to the Canonical Column and the reference look-up table.
The book of Nahum
The book of Nahum stands as a prophetic pronouncement of divine judgment upon the Assyrian capital of Nineveh. Written in the latter half of the seventh century BC—about a century after Jonah’s mission to the same city—Nahum’s prophecy comes at a time when Assyria had reverted to its brutal, oppressive ways. Where Jonah had witnessed Nineveh’s repentance, Nahum now announces its irreversible doom.
Across its three chapters, Nahum vividly depicts the downfall of Nineveh in a series of poetic oracles, weaving together scenes of military assault, natural upheaval, and divine retribution. The prophet emphasizes the Lord’s sovereignty as both avenger and protector—severe toward the wicked, yet a stronghold for those who trust in Him (Nah. 1:7). The destruction of Nineveh, fulfilled in 612 BC, not only vindicated God’s justice but also delivered Judah from the terror of Assyrian domination.
Within the framework of the Canonical Column, Nahum’s themes of divine vengeance, judgment upon oppressive nations, and the vindication of God’s people find striking resonance in its two witnessing chapters—Genesis 45 and Isaiah 34—each of which mirrors and reinforces its message in ways that defy coincidence.
Authorship & Dating
Little is known about the prophet Nahum beyond his name, which means comfort or consolation, and his identification as “the Elkoshite” (Nah. 1:1). The precise location of Elkosh remains uncertain—various traditions place it in Judah, Galilee, or even Assyria—but the prophecy’s strong focus on Judah’s deliverance suggests a Judean origin is most plausible.
Nahum refers to the recent fall of Thebes (No-Amon) in Egypt (Nah. 3:8–10), which occurred in 663 BC at the hands of the Assyrian king Ashurbanipal, and predicts the still-future fall of Nineveh, which took place in 612 BC. These historical anchors place the composition of the book between those two events, most likely in the mid-to-late 7th century BC. Conservative scholarship affirms Nahum’s authorship as stated in the superscription, holding the prophecy to be predictive in nature, inspired by God, and fulfilled with remarkable precision in the destruction of Nineveh.
Modern-critical scholars, who operate on the assumption that predictive prophecy is not possible, presume that Nahum’s prophecy is a post-event composition, or a work which was heavily edited after 612 BC, interpreting its vivid descriptions as either eyewitness recollection or literary embellishment. Some regard the superscription as a later editorial addition, and a minority question the book’s unity—suggesting it may be a compilation of poetic fragments arranged to celebrate Nineveh’s fall as a theological and national victory for Judah.
Regardless of which of viewpoint one takes with regards to who wrote it and when, the divine inspiration and canonicity of the book of Nahum is nevertheless certain–being witnessed by its two witnessing chapters within the Canonical Column: Genesis 45 and Isaiah 34.
Nahum’s witnessing chapters in the Canonical Column
The two witnessing chapters of Nahum within the Canonical Column are Genesis 45 and Isaiah 34. Each of these chapters has been deliberately structured to reflect the book of Nahum, and each has been strategically positioned as the thirty-fourth chapter within its respective branch of the framework in order to testify of Nahum’s canonical placement. Within both chapters, one can discern divinely embedded allusions to the scenes, imagery, and language of the book of Nahum—through which they together affirm its divine authorship and its ordained position as the thirty-fourth book of the divinely sanctioned biblical canon.4
Context of Genesis 45
Genesis 45 records the dramatic moment when Joseph, now exalted as the powerful governor of Egypt, finally reveals his true identity to his brothers. After a series of deliberate tests designed to expose their guilt and bring them to repentance, Joseph reaches the emotional breaking point. The text opens with the words, “Then Joseph could not refrain himself before all them that stood by him” (v. 1), capturing the tension that has been building since their first encounter in Egypt. In a display of overwhelming emotion, he orders all of his attendants to leave the room, weeps so loudly that even Pharaoh’s household hears it, and declares to his astonished brothers, “I am Joseph; doth my father yet live?” (v. 3).
The brothers stand speechless and terrified, “troubled at his presence,” as the governor they had betrayed now stands revealed as the very one who holds their fate in his hands. Yet instead of judgment, Joseph extends mercy. He comforts them, urging, “Be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves… for God did send me before you to preserve life” (v. 5). In this remarkable reversal, Joseph interprets his years of suffering as divine providence, explaining that God orchestrated his betrayal, slavery, and imprisonment to save not only his family, but the entire region from starvation.
Joseph then instructs his brothers to return swiftly to Canaan, bring their father Jacob, and settle in the land of Goshen under his protection. Pharaoh enthusiastically confirms Joseph’s plan, providing wagons, provisions, and the best of Egypt for their journey. What began as a moment charged with fear and potential retribution transforms into a scene of reconciliation, deliverance, and restoration.
This chapter thus marks the climax of Joseph’s narrative arc—from humiliation to exaltation, from separation to reunion, and from judgment to grace. Within the framework of the Canonical Column, these same themes prefigure the final revelation of Christ to his brethren at the end of the age: a moment when concealed identity is unveiled, when divine restraint gives way to disclosure, and when mercy and judgment converge in one overwhelming display of power and glory.
Genesis 45 -> Nahum
In the table below, we examine a series of textual allusions and structural echoes between Genesis 45 and the book of Nahum. Though separated by more than a millennium in historical setting and differing in genre—one being a narrative of reconciliation in the Joseph story, the other a prophetic oracle of judgment—both are bound together by common motifs of divine sovereignty, reversal of circumstances, and the deliverance of God’s people from the power of an oppressor. As with other Canonical Column pairings, these parallels are not the product of coincidence or imaginative parallel-making—they reflect intentional, Spirit-breathed design.
As the thirty-fourth chapter of The Circumcision (Genesis 12–50), Genesis 45 functions as a figurative type of Nahum–the thirty-fourth book of the Old Testament (and the Bible). Accordingly, it has been purposefully embedded by the Holy Spirit with prophetic shadows, thematic correspondences, and linguistic echoes that align with the tone, imagery, and message of Nahum, thereby establishing the canonicity and ordinal placement of the book of Nahum.
| Genesis 45 | Nahum |
| Then Joseph could not refrain himself before all them that stood by him; and he cried, Cause every man to go out from me. And there stood no man with him, while Joseph made himself known unto his brethren.5 (Genesis 45:1) | Who can stand before his indignation? and who can abide in the fierceness of his anger? his fury is poured out like fire, and the rocks are thrown down by him. (Nahum 1:6) |
| And Joseph said unto his brethren, I am Joseph; doth my father yet live? And his brethren could not answer him; . . . (Genesis 45:3a) | Thus saith the LORD; Though they be quiet, and likewise many, yet thus shall they be cut down, when he shall pass through. Though I have afflicted thee, I will afflict thee no more.6 (Nahum 1:12) |
| ; . . . for they were troubled at his presence.7 (Genesis 45:3b) | The mountains quake at him, and the hills melt, and the earth is burned at his presence, yea, the world, and all that dwell therein. (Nahum 1:5) |
| And Joseph said unto his brethren, Come near to me, I pray you. And they came near. And he said, I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt. Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life.8 (Genesis 45:4-5) | Because of the multitude of the whoredoms of the wellfavoured harlot, the mistress of witchcrafts, that selleth nations through her whoredoms, and families through her witchcrafts. (Nahum 3:4) |
| Haste ye, and go up to my father, and say unto him, Thus saith thy son Joseph, God hath made me lord of all Egypt: come down unto me, tarry not:9 (Genesis 45:9) | He shall recount his worthies: they shall stumble in their walk; they shall make haste to the wall thereof, and the defence shall be prepared. (Nahum 2:5) |
| And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Say unto thy brethren, This do ye; lade your beasts, and go, get you unto the land of Canaan; And take your father and your households, and come unto me: and I will give you the good of the land of Egypt, and ye shall eat the fat of the land. Now thou art commanded, this do ye; take you wagons out of the land of Egypt for your little ones, and for your wives, and bring your father, and come. Also regard not your stuff; for the good of all the land of Egypt is yours. And the children of Israel did so: and Joseph gave them wagons, according to the commandment of Pharaoh, and gave them provision for the way To all of them he gave each man changes of raiment; but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver, and five changes of raiment. And to his father he sent after this manner; ten asses laden with the good things of Egypt, and ten she asses laden with corn and bread and meat for his father by the way. So he sent his brethren away, and they departed: and he said unto them, See that ye fall not out by the way.10 (Genesis 45:17-24) | The chariots shall rage in the streets, they shall justle one against another in the broad ways: they shall seem like torches, they shall run like the lightnings. (Nahum 2:4) |
| To all of them he gave each man changes of raiment; but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver, and five changes of raiment.11 (Genesis 45:22) | Take ye the spoil of silver, take the spoil of gold: for there is none end of the store and glory out of all the pleasant furniture. (Nahum 2:9) |
| So he sent his brethren away, and they departed: and he said unto them, See that ye fall not out by the way.12 (Genesis 45:24) | He that dasheth in pieces is come up before thy face: keep the munition, watch the way, make thy loins strong, fortify thy power mightily. (Nahum 2:1) |
| And told him, saying, Joseph is yet alive, and he is governor over all the land of Egypt. And Jacob’s heart fainted, for he believed them not.13 (Genesis 45:26) | She is empty, and void, and waste: and the heart melteth, and the knees smite together, and much pain is in all loins, and the faces of them all gather blackness. (Nahum 2:10) |
Reverse Allusion to Genesis 45 in Nahum 1:9
Not every parallel between Genesis 45 and Nahum fits neatly into a verse-by-verse comparison. One such example is found in Nahum 1:9, which seems to be a clever reverse allusion to the broader narrative arc of Genesis 45. The Lord’s declaration that “affliction shall not rise up the second time” appears to be an intentionally placed echo of Genesis 45’s setting, in which Joseph’s brothers encounter him in Egypt for the second time (Acts 7:13). In both cases, the “second time” marks a climactic and decisive meeting — in Genesis, it is the moment of revelation and reconciliation; in Nahum, it is the assurance of a final, unrepeatable judgment. Viewed through the Joseph-as-type-of-Christ framework, the implication is prophetic: Jesus will make His identity known to the house of Israel at His second coming, even as He pours out His wrath upon the nations.
Context of Isaiah 34
Isaiah 34 is a sweeping oracle of divine judgment directed against all nations, with particular emphasis on Edom as a representative of God’s enemies. The chapter opens with a summons to the nations to hear the Lord’s indictment (vv. 1–2), declaring that His fury is upon all their armies and that He has devoted them to utter destruction. The imagery quickly escalates to cosmic proportions—the heavens dissolve, the sky rolls up like a scroll, and the host of heaven withers (v. 4).
Edom is singled out as the focus of God’s wrath, portrayed as a land soaked with blood and fat from sacrificial slaughter (vv. 5–7). The judgment is so total that it transforms the land into a burning wasteland, inhabited only by wild creatures (vv. 9–15). The desolation is depicted as permanent and irrevocable, lasting “from generation to generation” (v. 10). The chapter closes with a vivid picture of the Lord Himself measuring out Edom’s ruin with a plumb line of chaos and a plummet of emptiness (v. 11).
Within the prophetic corpus, Isaiah 34 stands as one of the most uncompromising portrayals of divine vengeance in all of Scripture—a vision of irreversible ruin for the enemies of God. Its tone, imagery, and theological thrust bear striking resemblance to Nahum’s prophecy against Nineveh, making its role as Nahum’s prophetic witness in the Canonical Column both fitting and unmistakable.
Isaiah 34 -> Nahum
In the table below, we examine a series of textual allusions and structural echoes between Isaiah 34 and the book of Nahum. Both are prophetic pronouncements of total devastation upon the enemies of God—Isaiah 34 directed against all nations, and Nahum against Nineveh. Though the specific historical targets differ, each employs similar imagery of cosmic upheaval, bloodshed, desolation, and the irreversible overthrow of a proud nation under divine judgment. As with other Canonical Column pairings, these parallels are not the product of coincidence or imaginative parallel-making—they reflect intentional, Spirit-breathed design.
As the thirty-fourth chapter of First Isaiah (Isa. 1-39), Isaiah 34 has been purposefully embedded with prophetic shadows, thematic correspondences, and linguistic echoes that align with the tone, imagery, and message of Nahum, thereby affirming its divinely appointed role as a witness to the thirty-fourth book of the biblical canon.
| Isaiah 34 | Nahum |
| Come near, ye nations, to hear; and hearken, ye people: let the earth hear, and all that is therein; the world, and all things that come forth of it.14 (Isaiah 34:1) | The mountains quake at him, and the hills melt, and the earth is burned at his presence, yea, the world, and all that dwell therein. (Nahum 1:5) |
| For the indignation of the LORD is upon all nations, and his fury upon all their armies: he hath utterly destroyed them, he hath delivered them to the slaughter.15 (Isaiah 34:2) | Who can stand before his indignation? and who can abide in the fierceness of his anger? his fury is poured out like fire, and the rocks are thrown down by him. (Nahum 1:6) |
| Their slain also shall be cast out, and their stink shall come up out of their carcases, and the mountains shall be melted with their blood.16 (Isaiah 34:3) | The horseman lifeth up both the bright sword and the glittering spear: and there is a multitude of slain, and a great number of carcases; and there is none end of their corpses; they stumble upon their corpses. (Nahum 3:3) |
| And all the host of heaven shall be dissolved, and the heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll: and all their host shall fall down, as the leaf falleth off from the vine, and as a falling fig from the fig tree.17 (Isaiah 34:4) | All thy strong holds shall be like fig trees with the firstripe figs: if they be shaken, they shall even fall into the mouth of the eater. (Nahum 3:12) |
| For my sword shall be bathed in heaven: behold, it shall come down upon Idumea, and upon the people of my curse, to judgment. The sword of the LORD is filled with blood, it is made fat with fatness, and with the blood of lambs and goats, with the fact of the kidneys of rams: for the LORD hath a sacrifice in Bozrah, and a great slaughter in the land of Idumea.18(Isaiah 34:5-6) | Behold, I am against thee, saith the LORD of hosts, and I will burn her chariots in the smoke, and the sword shall devour thy young lions: and I will cut off the prey from the earth, and the voice of thy messengers shall no more be heard. (Nahum 2:13; cf. 3:15) |
| For it is the day of the LORD’s vengeance, and the year of recompences for the controversy of Zion.19 (Isaiah 34:8) | God is jealous, and the LORD revengeth; the LORD revengeth, and is furious; the LORD will take vengeance on his adversaries, and he reserveth wrath for his enemies. (Nahum 1:2) |
| They shall call the nobles thereof to the kingdom, but none shall be there, and all her princes shall be nothing. And thorns shall come up in her palaces, nettles and brambles in the fortresses thereof: and it shall be an habitation of dragons, and a court for owls.20 (Isaiah 34:12-13) | Thy shepherds slumber, O king of Assyria: thy nobles shall dwell in the dust: thy people is scattered upon the mountains, and no man gathereth them. (Nahum 3:18) |
Group Chat
The table below documents an instance of triadic structural and theological alignment between the book of Nahum and its two witnessing chapters in the Canonical Column. Here we can very clearly see all three parallel branches of the framework engaged in a unified three-way prophetic dialogue–a phenomenon I refer to as “Group Chat.”
| Genesis 45 | Isaiah 34 | Nahum |
| Then Joseph could not refrain himself before all them that stood by him; and he cried, Cause every man to go out from me. And there stood no man with him, while Joseph made himself known unto his brethren. And he wept aloud: and the Egyptians and the house of Pharaoh heard. And Joseph said unto his brethen, I am Joseph; doth my father yet live? And his brethren could not answer him; for they were troubled at his presence. And Joseph said unto his brethren, Come near to me, I pray you. And they came near. And he said, I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt.(Genesis 45:1-4) | Come near, ye nations, to hear; and hearken, ye people: let the earth hear, and all that is therein; the world, and all things that come forth of it. For the indignation of the LORD is upon all nations, and his fury upon all their armies: he hath utterly destroyed them, he hath delivered them to the slaughter. (Isaiah 34:1-2) | The mountains quake at him, and the hills, melt, and the earth is burned at his presence, yea, the world, and all that dwell therein. Who can stand before his indignation? and who can abide in the fierceness of his anger? his fury is poured out like fire, and the rocks are thrown down by him. (Nahum 1:5-6) |
In this triadic dialogue, the Canonical Column interlaces Genesis 45:1–4, Isaiah 34:1–2, and Nahum 1:5–6 into a single dramatic tableau depicting the moment when the concealed power and identity of Christ bursts forth in a climactic self-disclosure at his Second Coming.21 In Genesis 45, Joseph’s long-restrained emotion erupts in an uncontrollable cry that shakes the palace; his voice carries so loudly that even Pharaoh’s household hears it. The scene is one of overwhelming intensity: “there stood no man with him,” his brothers “could not answer him,” and they were “troubled at his presence.” The magnitude of the disclosure terrifies those who behold it.
Within the Canonical Column, this human scene serves as a prophetic prototype of the LORD’s fury unveiled at the consummation of the age–when Christ returns in power and glory, wearing a blood stained garment (Rev. 19:13; Isa. 63:3; cf. Gen. 37:31),22 to tread the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. The same language that describes Joseph’s revelation recurs almost verbatim in Isaiah 34 and Nahum 1:
- “There stood no man with him” (Gen. 45:1) echoes “Who can stand before his indignation?” (Nah. 1:6).
- “His brethren could not answer him” (Gen. 45:3) parallels “Though they be quiet… they shall be cut down, when he shall pass through” (Nah. 1:12).
- “They were troubled at his presence” (Gen. 45:3) corresponds to “The earth is burned at his presence, yea, the world, and all that dwell therein” (Nah. 1:5).
- “Come near to me, I pray you” (Gen. 45:4) is mirrored by “Come near, ye nations, to hear” (Isa. 34:1).
- “Let the earth hear, and all that is therein; the world, and all things that come forth of it” (Isa. 34:1) corresponds to “The earth is burned at His presence, yea, the world, and all that dwell therein” (Nah. 1:5).
- “Then Joseph could not refrain himself…” (Gen. 45:1) anticipates both “The indignation of the LORD is upon all nations, and his fury upon all their armies” (Isa. 34:2) and “Who can stand before his indignation?” and “his fury is poured out like fire” (Nah. 1:6).
Together these parallels reveal how the Canonical Column reconfigures the emotional storm of Joseph’s disclosure in Genesis 45 as a figurative foreshadowing of divine revelation and judgment at Christ’s Second Coming. Joseph represents the LORD Himself—Christ revealed in glory—while his brothers typify the nations who, like Nineveh in Nahum and the nations of Isaiah 34, are struck dumb and powerless before his divine presence. The trembling of Joseph’s brethren thus anticipates the quaking of the earth before the LORD’s fury at his Second Coming, uniting mercy and judgment as two facets of the same unveiled power.
Triadic alignments such as this are common within the Canonical Column, and are one of the strongest forms of evidence which prove its existence–testifying to the extraordinary complexity and mind-boggling symmetry of the framework.
Conclusion: The Canonical Column affirms the canonicity and ordinal position of Nahum as the thirty-fourth book of the biblical canon.
The canonicity of the book of Nahum is affirmed by its two witnessing chapters within the Canonical Column: Genesis 45 and Isaiah 34. These two chapters have been deliberately structured and sequenced as the thirty-fourth chapter within their respective branches of the Canonical Column, in order to function as individual figurative types of the book of Nahum–the thirty-fourth book of the Old Testament and of the Bible at large. To this end, both chapters have been divinely embedded with direct allusions to specific passages and content that God in his perfect foreknowledge knew would be contained within the book of Nahum, which was ordained before the foundation of the world to become the thirty-fourth book of the Old Testament and biblical canon. Accordingly, the divine inspiration, canonicity, and ordinal placement of the book of Nahum are established by the Canonical Column–being witnessed by both the Law & the Prophets.
- I received the knowledge of this great mystery by the light of divine revelation way back in 2009 (1 Chron. 28:19; Num. 8:4; cf. 1 Cor. 2:10; Gal. 1:12). ↩︎
- Alternatively, if that article is too long, you can read a summarized version here. ↩︎
- Every book of the Bible has two chapters which correspond to it within the Canonical Column–one in Genesis 12-50 or Leviticus (the Law), and one in Isaiah (the Prophets). Genesis 12-50 (known in the Canonical Column as “The Circumcision”) and Isaiah 1-39 (known in the Canonical Column as “First Isaiah”) are both figurative types of the Old Testament canon–each containing 39 chapters which have been divinely designed to prefigure the 39 books of the Old Testament canon. Similarly, Leviticus (known in the Canonical Column as “An Holy Priesthood”) and Isaiah 40-66 (known in the Canonical Column as “Second Isaiah”) function as figurative types of the New Testament canon–each containing 27 chapters which have been divinely designed to prefigure the 27 books of the New Testament canon. The individual chapters within these four scaffolding branches of the Canonical Column are known as witnessing chapters, so called because they have been divinely embedded with textual allusions of various kinds to the content of the specific biblical book which occupies the same numerical position within the canonical sequence. Thus the witnessing chapters function as divinely designed figurative types of whatever biblical book they numerically correspond to within their specific branch of the framework–testifying to their divine inspiration, canonicity, and ordinal placement within the completed biblical canon. ↩︎
- The Canonical Column testifies that the Protestant biblical canon is the divinely sanctioned form of the Christian Bible that is stamped with the Lamb’s seal of messianic approval. ↩︎
- Genesis 45 is one of my favorite chapters in the Bible, as it is in this scene that Joseph makes his identity known to his brothers. The reason I love this scene so much is because it is a beautiful prophetic foreshadowing of the appointed time in the future when the resurrected Christ will suddenly make his identity known to his brethren, the house of Israel–when they encounter him for the second time. Here in Genesis 45:1, Joseph, who has just been moved by Judah’s plea for mercy and is emotionally overwhelmed, is now unable to refrain himself any longer and orders everyone except his brothers to leave the room, so that no man is left standing with him when he makes himself known to them. Note that within the framework of the Canonical Column, the characters of Genesis 45 function as allegorical representatives of the principal figures in Nahum and Isaiah 34. In this configuration, Joseph serves as a type of the LORD—specifically the resurrected Christ revealed in judgment—while his ten brothers typify the nations of the world, corresponding to the people of Nineveh in Nahum and the nations under divine indignation in Isaiah 34. ↩︎
- In Nahum 1:12, the LORD declares that though the enemy be quiet and many, they will still be cut down when He passes through. Within the Canonical Column, this functions as a reverse allusion to Genesis 45:3—where Joseph’s brothers, overwhelmed at his revelation, are unable to answer him. In both, the subdued or silenced state of the opposition immediately precedes decisive action from the one in authority. ↩︎
- In Genesis 45:3b, Joseph’s brothers are troubled at his presence when he reveals himself to them. Within the Canonical Column, this functions as an allusion to Nahum 1:5—where the mountains quake, the hills melt, and the earth is burned at the LORD’s presence. Once again, in the Genesis 45 narrative, Joseph functions as a figurative type of the resurrected Christ at His second coming, when He will finally make His identity known to His brethren of the house of Israel when he arrives to judge the nations. Viewed through this lens, the identical phrase “at his presence” in both passages underscores the overwhelming upheaval that accompanies His appearing. ↩︎
- In Genesis 45:4–5, Joseph reassures his brothers that though they sold him into Egypt, it was ultimately God who sent him ahead to preserve life. Within the Canonical Column, this functions as an allusion to Nahum 3:4, where Nineveh is accused of selling nations and families through her whoredoms and witchcrafts. The parallel rests on the shared and relatively rare motif of selling people, yet with a stark contrast in moral character—Joseph’s sale leads to preservation and blessing, while Nineveh’s leads to corruption and destruction. ↩︎
- In Genesis 45:9, Joseph tells his brothers to make haste in bringing their father to Egypt. Within the Canonical Column, this alludes to Nahum 2:5, where the Assyrian defenders make haste to the wall during Nineveh’s siege. The parallel rests on the relatively rare verbal echo of the phrase “make haste,” which has obviously been deliberately placed in Genesis 45 for the purpose of creating a structural allusion to the book of Nahum. ↩︎
- In Genesis 45:17–24, Pharaoh commands that wagons be given to Joseph’s brothers to transport their families to Egypt. Within the Canonical Column, this functions as a purely imagistic allusion to Nahum 2:4, which describes chariots rushing through Nineveh’s streets—an image unique to Nahum among the prophetic books. ↩︎
- In Genesis 45:22, Joseph gives each of his brothers changes of raiment, and to Benjamin he gives silver. Within the Canonical Column, this functions as another imagistic allusion to Nahum 2:9, where the conquerors of Nineveh plunder its silver (and gold). ↩︎
- In Genesis 45:24, Joseph sends his brothers away with the peculiar warning: “see that ye fall not out by the way.” Within the Canonical Column, this functions as an obvious linguistic allusion to Nahum 2:1, where Nineveh is commanded to “watch the way” in preparation for an advancing foe. ↩︎
- In Genesis 45:26, Jacob’s heart faints when he first hears the news that Joseph is alive. Within the Canonical Column, this functions as an obvious allusion to Nahum 2:10, where the heart melts at the news of Nineveh’s downfall. ↩︎
- In Isaiah 34:1, the prophet summons all nations to hear the word of the LORD, employing the poetic device of appositional synonymous parallelism—“let the earth hear, and all that is therein; the world, and all things that come forth of it.” The second clause restates and expands the first, revealing that “the earth” signifies “the world” in its totality. Within the framework of the Canonical Column, this serves as a direct allusion to Nahum 1:5, where the exact same dual construct reappears: “the earth is burned at his presence, yea, the world, and all that dwell therein.” Both passages link the “earth/world” pairing with the universal scope of divine judgment. In Isaiah, the nations are summoned to hear the voice of the LORD; in Nahum, those same nations tremble before his fiery presence—together depicting the full progression from divine warning to divine wrath. ↩︎
- In Isaiah 34:2, the indignation of the LORD is upon all nations, and His fury upon their armies. Within the Canonical Column, this alludes to Nahum 1:6, where the prophet asks who can stand before His indignation and abide in the fierceness of His anger. The certainty that this is a Canonical Column allusion is reinforced by the fact that these are the only two verses in the entire Bible (Old or New Testament) where the words “indignation” and “fury” occur together in the same verse. ↩︎
- In Isaiah 34:3, the slain are cast out and the stench of their carcases rises, with mountains melted in their blood. Within the Canonical Column, this functions as an obvious allusion to Nahum 3:3, which describes a multitude of slain, heaps of corpses, and soldiers stumbling over them. Here yet again, the certainty that this is a Canonical Column allusion is reinforced by the fact that these are the only two verses in the entire Bible (Old or New Testament) where the words “slain” and “carcases” occur together in the same verse. ↩︎
- In Isaiah 34:4, the host of heaven falls like a fig from the fig tree. Within the Canonical Column, this functions as an obvious imagistic allusion to Nahum 3:12, where fortified cities are likened to fig trees whose ripe figs fall into the mouth of the eater when shaken. The shared fig tree imagery is uncommon and in both cases depicts an inevitable collapse once the appointed time comes. ↩︎
- In Isaiah 34:5–6, the sword of the LORD is filled with blood as He executes slaughter upon Idumea. Within the Canonical Column, this functions as an obvious allusion to Nahum 2:13 (cf. 3:15), where the LORD declares that His sword will devour Nineveh’s “young lions.” In both, the sword of the LORD is the central instrument of destruction against a specific nation under judgment. ↩︎
- In Isaiah 34:8, the prophet speaks of the day of the LORD’s vengeance. Within the Canonical Column, this functions as an obvious allusion to Nahum 1:2, which declares that the LORD revengeth and will take vengeance on His adversaries. The parallel is strengthened by the shared emphasis on vengeance as the theological basis for divine judgment. ↩︎
- In Isaiah 34:12–13, the nobles are summoned but none are there, and the princes are reduced to nothing. Within the Canonical Column, this functions as an obvious allusion to Nahum 3:18, where the nobles of Assyria dwell in the dust and the people are scattered. In both, the downfall of the ruling elite is used as a visible marker of a nation’s total collapse. ↩︎
- Recall that Joseph did not reveal himself to his brothers (the house of Israel) until they encountered him for the second time (Acts 7:13). In this Joseph functions as a figurative type of Christ–who was hated, rejected, and not recognized by his brethren the house of Israel when he encountered them for the first time, but will make his identity known to them when he encounters them the second time in power and glory. ↩︎
- Christ’s blood-stained garment that he wears at his Second Coming is intended to link him with Joseph–whose coat of many colors was dipped in blood by his brothers (Gen. 37:31)–thus depicting Christ at his Second Coming as the ultimate fulfillment of the Joseph typology. ↩︎
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