One of the twelve minor prophets in the Bible is Nahum. His Book is only used once in the lectionary of readings for the liturgy. He wrote sometime around the time of the fall of the Assyrian empire in 612 B.C. The prophecy asserts that Assyria got what he deserved. It was only right that the cruelty they inflicted on others, including the destruction and deportation of the northern kingdom of Israel, was turned back on them. There is a touch of gloating by the Prophet. What he didn’t foresee was that the conqueror of Assyria, the Babylonian Empire, would be as cruel as its predecessor and would in time destroy and exile the Southern kingdom of Judah. Be careful what you wish for!
