Nahum 1:3

However, Yahweh was not out of control in His anger. His anger was slow in coming to the boiling point (cf. Exodus 34:6; Numbers 14:18). He waited as long as possible to pour out His judgment (cf. 2 Peter 3:9). About a century before Nahum prophesied, God sent Jonah to warn the Ninevites. This is an evidence of His being slow to anger. God’s patience accounts for His allowing the Assyrians to abuse the Israelites for so long. Patience is sometimes a sign of weakness, but not so with the Lord. He is also great in power, which makes the prospect of His releasing His anger terrifying (cf. Deuteronomy 8:17-18). He will not pass over any guilty person and leave him or her unpunished but will bring them to judgment eventually. Whirlwinds and storms manifest this angry aspect of God’s character and His power (cf. Job 9:17). He is so great that the clouds are for Him what the dust on the ground is for humans (cf. 2 Samuel 22:10; Psalms 18:9). The great clouds overhead are like dust to the great God who resides in the heavens.

Nahum 1:2-3 repeat "Yahweh" five times. This literary device has the effect of underlining the identity of Israel’s covenant God. There should be no mistake whom Nahum was describing even though he drew attention to characteristics of the Lord that were not the ones that His people liked to think about. Nahum frequently used Yahweh’s name throughout the book.