Elqoshi (אֶלְקֹשִׁי) identifies someone as "the Elkoshite" — a native of Elkosh. It appears once in Nahum 1:1: "The vision of Nahum the Elkoshite." The location of Elkosh is disputed; proposals include Capernaum, a Mesopotamian site, or a Galilean village.
Nahum's identification as the Elkoshite anchors prophetic revelation in a specific, local, human identity. God's word came through embodied, located human beings. The book proclaims God's sovereign judgment on Nineveh — the city that repented at Jonah's preaching yet returned to wickedness. God's patience has limits; His holiness demands justice. The name of Nahum's hometown may be forgotten, but his message endures: "The LORD is good, a refuge in times of trouble" (Nahum 1:7).