提要
第三章一開始就講到尼尼微是個「流人血的城」，因為其中充滿殘暴和殺害的事。他們所到之國，甚至在自己的城內都殺人流血無數。尼尼微常破壞與別國所訂之條約，攻打征服他們，聚斂財富壯大自己（即充滿謊詐和強暴）。除了約拿去傳道之後的那幾年以外，尼尼微總是欺騙犧牲四周的國家（3：1）。但正如那鴻所說的，尼尼微很快就要知道，他種什麼就要收什麼。
那鴻很生動地描繪戰爭的激烈狀況，使讀者宛如聽見刀劍砍殺的聲音。尼尼微這個六十萬人居住的大城，因死傷慘重，人民在逃亡時竟因死屍過多而絆跌仆倒。那鴻歸結這場災難的原因，是他們道德腐敗以及拜偶像之故。像個引誘人的妓女，亞述也欺騙很多國家，導致他們滅亡（3：4；參箴7：11、27）。當上帝的審判臨到尼尼微時，她不但會很羞愧，而且沒有一國會來幫助她，也沒有人會為她的敗落而哀哭。每個人都離她遠遠的，免得遭受池魚之殃（3：7）。
為了說明尼尼微必會敗亡，那鴻引挪亞們（北埃及的首都）的毀滅為證。挪亞們在北非洲有很多堅強的盟邦，最後還是在主前六六三年敗於亞述之手，粗暴的尼尼微入侵者，殺了他們很多的小孩和嬰兒，又抓走了所有的顯貴。上帝尚且不顧惜挪亞們，更何況會顧惜比其更壞的亞述呢？（3：8）那鴻說亞述過去怎樣對待別人，他們也照樣要被那樣對待。他們要因喝盡上帝的忿怒的杯而醉倒（參賽51：17、21~23；耶25：15~29），也要因仇敵的緣固而到處躲藏（3：11）。
那鴻描述巴比倫軍要很輕易地拿下尼尼微，好像搖撼已熟的無花果樹，果子很容易就掉到想吃之人的口中（3：12）。人民和戰士都充滿驚懼，使他們毫無能力捍衛國土，像手無寸鐵的婦女一般（3：13）。在敵人開始圍城之前，尼尼微人要忙於儲水、造磚、重補城牆，但這一切都來不及了（3：14~15）。因著洪水的沖擊，城牆很容易就被攻破了。尼尼微的大門要為所有的戰士和馬車而開，當敵軍進來後要盡行殺戮和劫掠，最後還要放火焚城（3：13下）。十九世紀末的考古，證明那鴻的預言十分精確。
那鴻從大蛣M取材，來描述尼尼微的軍事首領，說他們像冷天的蝗蟲，一度驍勇，後又變成殘廢。當他們感受到熱度和壓力時，很快就消失了（3：17）。這些訓練有素的軍事將領和顯要，遺棄這座城而紛紛逃亡。除了那些年輕適於作奴隸的人以外，很多首領要被殺，倒在灰土中（3：18）。尼尼微的傷勢因過重而無法醫治（3：19上）。結果不只猶大要因上帝公義的審判而高興（1：15），凡受尼尼微壓迫苦害的各國，也都要拍掌叫好（3：19下）。那鴻的預言說明了上帝在歷史中掌權，祂根據計劃去興起一國，又讓她倒下，這其中所做所為，無非為了祂的子民的益處。
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Overview
Nahum chapter three begins with a most appropriate description of Nineveh. He calls it "the bloody city", for Nineveh was notorious for her cruelty and killings. Wherever they went, they shed much blood, and even within the city walls there were many executions. Nineveh gained her wealth and strength by breaking treaties with nations and then defeating and plundering them ("full of lies and robbery"). With the exception of the few years following the preaching of Jonah, Nineveh had always been victimizing those around them, both far and near (3:1). But as Nahum prophesied, Nineveh was soon to reap that which she had sown.
Nahum describes the battle in such graphic terms that his readers can almost hear the clash of swords. As the Ninevites fled before the invading army, they stumbled over the numerous corpses of those slain in the streets. Some have estimated that 600,000 people lived within the city walls of Nineveh. Nahum explains that this disaster was to come upon Nineveh because of her lack of morality and her worship of the occult. Like a seductive harlot, she deceived many nations and led them down the path of death (3:4; cf. Prov. 7:11,27). In the day of the Lord's judgment, Nineveh would be put to shame and exposed for what she really is — something vile and filthy. There would be no one to come to her aid, nor will anyone bemoan her downfall; all will flee from her, lest they share in her calamity (3:7).
To illustrate the possibility of Nineveh's downfall, Nahum points to the destruction of No Amon (Ancient Thebes), the capital of upper Egypt. Since No Amon had many strong allies in northern Africa, it had more advantages than Nineveh; yet it still fell to the Assyrians in 663 B.C. The ruthless Assyrian invaders brutally killed the children and babies and took all the noble people captive. If God did not spare No Amon, then He would not spare Nineveh, for Nineveh was no better (3:8). Naham declares that just as the Assyrians had done to others, it would be done to them. They would be drunk by drinking the cup of the Lord's fury (cf. Isa. 51:17, 21-23; Jer. 25:15-29), and they would now be the ones to run and hide from the enemy (3:11).
Nahum describes the ease with which the Medo-Babylonian invaders would take Nineveh. It would be as easy as shaking ripe figs off a tree, and in such a way the enemy would devour Nineveh (3:12). Such fear would grip the people that even the mighty warriors would be rendered defenceless, like women who have no swords (3:13). Before the besiegers broke through the wall, the populace of Nineveh busied themselves by storing water and making bricks to reinforce the walls. But, as Nahum ironically taunts, it would be of no avail (3:14-15). With the flooding of the land, the wall was easily breached. Nineveh's gates were then opened wide for all the soldiers and chariots to enter and cause havoc. When they had finished slaughtering and pillaging, they burnt the city (3:13b). Archealogical excavations at the end of the nineteenth century have proven the accuracy of Nahum's prophecy.
With an analogy from nature, Nahum describes the behaviour of Nineveh's military leaders. Like a cold grasshopper that doesn't move, those once noted for their bravery would become paralyzed when they realized that doom was upon them; and, when the heat or pressure would come upon them, they would dissappear from sight as grasshoppers do when the sun warms them (3:17). These high ranking military leaders forsook the city and fled for their lives at the time they were needed most. The fate of the defenceless city leaders and nobles would be to slumber in death and lie in the dust, except for those young enough to be profitable slaves (3:18). The wound given to Nineveh would never heal. She was never to rise again (3:19a). Not only would Judah rejoice at the vindication of God's righteousness (1:15), but so would all the other nations of the world that had been continually suffering from Nineveh's oppression (3:19b). Nahum's prophecy illustrates well the sovereignty of God in history. He lifts up nations and puts them down according to His plan, which is always for the good of His people.
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