📖 Chapters 0:00 Nahum 1. The Lord’s Anger Against Nineveh and His Justice 2:41 Nahum 2. The Destruction of Nineveh Foretold 5:04 Nahum 3. The Woe and Complete Ruin of Nineveh
The Book of Nahum is one of the Twelve Minor Prophets in the Hebrew Bible (Tanakh) and the Christian Old Testament, delivering a powerful and vivid prophecy of divine judgment against Nineveh, the capital of the Assyrian Empire. Written by the prophet Nahum, whose name means "comfort" or "consolation," the book is believed to have been composed between 663 and 612 BCE, a period when Judah was under Assyrian oppression and Nineveh was at the height of its power. Nahum’s prophecy focuses entirely on the impending destruction of Nineveh, which would eventually fall to the Babylonians and Medes in 612 BCE.
Unlike many other prophetic books that call for repentance and spiritual renewal, Nahum contains no direct appeals for repentance, instead emphasizing God’s justice and vengeance against a brutal and oppressive empire. The book describes Nineveh’s downfall in graphic, poetic detail, portraying the city’s destruction as an act of divine retribution for its cruelty, violence, and arrogance. Assyria was notorious for its military brutality, oppression of conquered peoples, and desecration of nations, including the destruction of the Northern Kingdom of Israel in 722 BCE and its oppression of Judah during King Hezekiah’s reign.
One of the key theological themes of Nahum is God’s sovereignty over nations. While the Assyrians believed in their own invincibility, Nahum declares that God is the one who raises up and brings down kingdoms, asserting that no empire, no matter how powerful, can escape divine justice. The book opens with a striking description of God’s character, balancing His justice and wrath with His goodness and protection for those who trust in Him: "The Lord is slow to anger but great in power; the Lord will not leave the guilty unpunished" (Nahum 1:3). This passage reinforces the idea that while God is patient, He will not allow unchecked evil to continue forever.
Nahum’s prophecy is a source of both terror and hope—while Nineveh’s destruction signals judgment for the wicked, it also brings relief and justice for the oppressed, particularly for Judah, who had suffered under Assyrian rule. The book closes with a taunt against Nineveh, declaring that its fall is final and that no one will mourn its loss, a stark contrast to the earlier fear the city once inspired across the ancient world.
The Book of Nahum remains relevant today, serving as a reminder that no empire or power is beyond God’s reach and that injustice, oppression, and cruelty will ultimately be judged.
