Old Testament
The Book of Nahum
The Book of Nahum is the thirty-ninth of the 46 books of the Old Testament: 3 chapters and 47 verses.
About Nahum
About Nahum · Prophetic oracle
Nahum is a single sustained poem on the coming fall of Nineveh, the Assyrian capital whose cruelty had terrorized the ancient world for a century. Nothing is known of the prophet beyond his hometown. The book was written for the small nations under Assyria's boot, to say that the empire's brutality had been seen and would be answered — that God is slow to anger but will not acquit the violent forever. It is Scripture's clearest word that no machinery of terror is permanent.
| Testament | Old Testament — book 39 of 46, 39 of 73 in the Bible |
|---|---|
| Canon | Protocanonical (in every Christian canon) |
| Chapters | 3 |
| Verses | 47, as Bless numbers them |
| Latin | Clementine Vulgate, every chapter |
| Bp. Challoner | Summaries of all 3 chapters · 11 notes |
| Catechism | No references |
Chapter by chapter
All 3 chapters, in brief.
Bishop Richard Challoner’s summary of each chapter, from his revision of the Douay-Rheims (1749–52). Open a chapter for the full text.
Nahum 1
15 versesThe majesty of God, his goodness to his people, and severity to his enemies.
Nahum 2
13 versesGod sends his armies against Ninive to destroy it.
Nahum 3
19 versesThe miserable destruction of Ninive.
Bp. Richard Challoner · chapter summaries
Coming up
Read at Mass.
From October 29, 2026 to October 28, 2027, Nahum is read at the principal Mass on 0 days in the US calendar. The next reading:
| Date | Celebration | Reading | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| computed | St. Clare, Virgin | First Reading | Nahum 2:1, 3; 3:1-3, 6-7 |
No more readings are listed here; the liturgical calendar has every date through December 31, 2028.
Dates after May 31, 2027 are computed by Bless from the US Lectionary cycle — confirm with your parish.