Naqia and Nineveh in Nahum: Ambiguity and the Prostitute Queen

Throughout the book of Nahum, the prophet taunts an unnamed female adversary. Clues in the text identify this woman as personified Nineveh, but ambiguity allows for multiple interpretations. In this article, I propose that the description of the woman in Nah 3:4 matches Queen Naqia. Biblical scholarship has not yet considered this link, probably because of her age when Nahum wrote. Nahum 3:4, however, mirrors a biblical depiction of Jezebel. When the verse is reconsidered in light of Jezebel, Naqia becomes a strong candidate for Nahum's female enemy.