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Minor Prophets · WORLD ENGLISH BIBLE

Nahum 1

Nineveh's violent empire falls, bringing sobering justice and relief to the oppressed.

Old Testament

Nahum 1

1A revelation about Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite.

2The LORD is a jealous God and avenges. The LORD avenges and is full of wrath. The LORD takes vengeance on his adversaries, and he maintains wrath against his enemies.

3The LORD is slow to anger, and great in power, and will by no means leave the guilty unpunished. The LORD has his way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet.

4He rebukes the sea and makes it dry, and dries up all the rivers. Bashan and Carmel languish. The flower of Lebanon languishes.

5The mountains quake before him, and the hills melt away. The earth trembles at his presence, yes, the world, and all who dwell in it.

6Who can stand before his indignation? Who can endure the fierceness of his anger? His wrath is poured out like fire, and the rocks are broken apart by him.

7The LORD is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; and he knows those who take refuge in him.

8But with an overflowing flood, he will make a full end of her place, and will pursue his enemies into darkness.

9What do you plot against the LORD? He will make a full end. Affliction won’t rise up the second time.

10For entangled like thorns, and drunken as with their drink, they are consumed utterly like dry stubble.

11One has gone out of you who devises evil against the LORD, who counsels wickedness.

12The LORD says: “Though they are in full strength and likewise many, even so they will be cut down and pass away. Though I have afflicted you, I will afflict you no more.

13Now I will break his yoke from off you, and will burst your bonds apart.”

14The LORD has commanded concerning you: “No more descendants will bear your name. Out of the house of your gods, I will cut off the engraved image and the molten image. I will make your grave, for you are vile.”

15Behold, on the mountains the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace! Keep your feasts, Judah! Perform your vows, for the wicked one will no more pass through you. He is utterly cut off.

READ IN CONTEXT

Before applying this chapter

Nineveh's violent empire falls, bringing sobering justice and relief to the oppressed. Read Nahum 1 within the complete Nahum overview, and use the contextual Bible reading guide before forming a personal application. Chapter divisions aid navigation, but the literary unit may begin earlier or continue into the next chapter.

Observe first

Mark repeated words, changes of speaker, commands, promises, contrasts, questions, and the relationship between paragraphs.

Apply responsibly

Distinguish description from command and immediate audience from later readers before forming a personal application.

TEXT-DERIVED READING NOTES

What to notice in Nahum 1

Nahum 1 contains 15 verses and about 368 words in this translation. These observations come from the chapter itself; they are prompts for close reading, not claims about its only possible meaning.

The opening movement

Verse 1 begins: “A revelation about Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite.” Ask what situation, voice, image, or argument this opening establishes for everything that follows.

The closing movement

Verse 15 closes: “Behold, on the mountains the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace! Keep your feasts, Judah! Perform your vows, for the wicked one will no more pass…” Compare the ending with the opening and note what changed, resolved, intensified, or remained open.

Vocabulary worth tracing

Recurring or prominent content words include will, full, wrath, like, make, avenges. Follow where each word appears and whether its meaning shifts with the speaker or setting.

COMMON QUESTIONS

About Nahum 1

Which Bible translation is shown here?+

This page reproduces the World English Bible Protestant edition (WEBP), a modern-English translation dedicated to the public domain.

How should I cite a specific verse?+

Use the book, chapter, and verse—for example, Nahum 1:1—and name the World English Bible if the wording matters. Each verse number above is a direct anchor link.

Does the chapter number define the complete literary unit?+

Not always. Chapter and verse numbers were added for navigation. Check the paragraphs, scenes, poetic stanzas, or argument before and after this chapter.

A SMALL NEXT STEP

You do not have to have everything figured out.

Begin with one honest question, one passage read carefully, and one faithful next step.

Start with prayer