What is the book of Nahum about?

Quick answer

Nahum prophesies the fall of Nineveh, capital of the ruthless Assyrian empire that had earlier oppressed God’s people. After Jonah’s preaching brought repentance a century earlier, Nineveh had returned to cruelty. Now judgment is final.

"The LORD is slow to anger and great in power, and the LORD will by no means clear the guilty" (1:3). His patience is real; so is his justice.

Nineveh fell to Babylon in 612 BC, exactly as Nahum predicted.

For oppressed peoples through history, Nahum is comfort: God sees, God remembers, God acts. Evil empires do not last.

Related
Nahum 1:3 Who was Jonah? What does the Bible say about justice?
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Original BibleDawn answer · reviewed 2026-06. Drafted with AI assistance and reviewed for accuracy.