Free printable Bible study guide
Nahum Bible study guide
Read Nahum as a whole before working through the sessions. Let its own structure set the agenda.
Short path · 30 to 45 minutes
Nahum at a glance
No one likes being in the path of imminent disaster, nor is the menacing threat of enemy invasion a pleasant thought. [1]
- Context
- Author: Nahum. Date: Sometime between 663 and 612 BC. Setting: The Assyrian Empire had conquered the northern kingdom of Israel, and now the southern kingdom of Judah was in danger of facing the same fate. [1]
- How to read it
- Read this book in its historical setting and as prophetic proclamation. Track audience, covenant background, indictment, hope, and how later Scripture receives its promises.
Group study · 3 sessions
Work through Nahum in order
Read each passage aloud before discussion. The questions begin with observation, then move toward interpretation and faithful response.
Session 1 · 15 verses
Nahum 1
People and terms: Bashan, Carmel, Lebanon, LORD, Nineveh, Feet
- Try to state the argument in one sentence before anyone reacts to it.
- What does the writer repeat? Repetition is usually the point, not a habit.
- What surprised you, or what did you have to read twice?
- The word feet is doing real work here. What did you assume it meant, and does the passage agree?
- What problem was this letter written to solve, and does knowing that change how the instruction lands?
- Where does this cut against something you already believe or already do?
Session 2 · 13 verses
Nahum 2
People and terms: LORD, Nineveh, Lion, Face, Gold, Lightning
- What is the writer trying to get these readers to do or stop doing?
- Who is being addressed here, and what do they already know that we do not?
- What is assumed rather than argued? Those assumptions are often the real claim.
- Define lion from this passage alone, without reaching for what you already know.
- Is this a command, a description, or an argument? They are not read the same way.
- What would actually be different this week if you took this seriously?
Session 3 · 19 verses
Nahum 3
People and terms: Assyria, Cush, Egypt, LORD, Nile, Nineveh
- What has the writer already established that this section is building on?
- Which single verse carries the weight of this section?
- What is left unsaid that you expected to be said?
- Where else have you heard sword used, and is it being used that way here?
- What did the first readers face that we do not, and what does that change?
- Who do you know who needs to hear this, and what stops you saying it?
Deep study
Keep the book in context
Major themes
- To announce God’s coming judgment on Nineveh, the Assyrian capital, thus offering hope to the people of Judah
- The book's literary movement and central claims
- Faithful response within the people of God
- Hope, judgment, grace, and obedience in their proper context
Interpretive care
- Locate judgment and hope in the prophet's historical setting before making modern parallels.
- Treat prophetic imagery as Scripture's language, not a shortcut around careful context.
For fuller background, use the companion Nahum commentary and the Bible dictionary as you work through each session.
Sources and reuse
This guide follows a historical-grammatical approach. It aims to read each passage in its literary and canonical context, and it names interpretive cautions where a text is commonly mishandled.
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
Tyndale House Publishers. Book background, purpose, setting, and structural orientation. CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Protos study guide editorial
Protos. Reading structure, discussion questions, and application prompts. CC BY-SA 4.0.
Edition 2026.1. This guide is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. You may copy, print, adapt, and share it with attribution under the same license.
Common questions
What is Nahum mainly about?
No one likes being in the path of imminent disaster, nor is the menacing threat of enemy invasion a pleasant thought.
How should I read Nahum?
Read this book in its historical setting and as prophetic proclamation. Track audience, covenant background, indictment, hope, and how later Scripture receives its promises.
Is this Nahum study guide free?
Yes. Read it online or print the PDF. No account, email, or purchase is required.
How long does this Nahum study take?
The group path has 3 sequential sessions. The short path can be used in one 30 to 45 minute meeting.
Can a church use this guide?
Yes. You may print, share, and adapt it with attribution under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license.
