1The burden of Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite.a2God is jealous and the LORD revenges. The LORD revenges and is furious. The LORD will take vengeance on His adversaries and He reserves wrath for His enemies.b3The LORD is slow to anger and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked. The LORD has His way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of His feet.c4He rebukes the sea and makes it dry, and dries up all the rivers. Bashan and Carmel wither. The blossoms of Lebanon wither.d5The mountains quake because of Him and the hills melt. And the earth is burned because of His presence, yes, the world and all who dwell in it.6Who can stand before His indignation? And who can endure the fierceness of His anger? His fury is poured out like fire and the rocks are thrown down by Him.e7The LORD is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble. And He knows those who trust in Him.f8But with an overflowing flood He will make a complete end of its site. And darkness will pursue His enemies.9What do you imagine against the LORD? He will make a complete end. Affliction will not rise up the second time.g10For while they are entangled as thorns, and while they are drunken as drunkards, they will be devoured as dry stubble.h11There is one who comes out of you who imagines evil against the LORD, a wicked counselor.12Thus says the LORD, "Though they have many allies and are numerous, yet they will be cut down when He passes through. Though I have afflicted you, I will afflict you no more.i13"For now I will break his yoke from off you and will burst your bonds asunder."j14And the LORD has given a commandment concerning you, "Your name will no longer be perpetuated. Out of the house of your gods I will cut off the graven image and the molten image. I will make your grave, for you are vile."k15Behold on the mountains the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace! O Judah, keep your solemn feasts. Perform your vows, for the wicked will never again pass through you. He is utterly cut off.l
a Zp 2:13 b Ex 20:5 c Ex 34:6,7 d Jb 9:4 e Ps 18:17 f Mt 8:26 g Is 33:9 h Ml 3:2 i Jr 33:11 j 2 Tm 2:19 k Ps 2:1 l 1 Sm 3:12 m 2 Sm 23:6 n Nh 3:11 o Ml 4:1 p Is 10:16-19,33,34 q Ez 32:22,23 r Nh 3:6 s Rm 10:15 t Is 29:7,8
Chapter 2
1He who scatters has come up before your face. Man the fortress. Watch the way. Make strong your flanks. Fortify your power mightily.a2For the LORD will restore the excellency of Jacob as the excellency of Israel, though the devastators have devastated them and ruined their vine branches.3The shields of his mighty men are made red. The valiant men are in scarlet. The chariots are with flaming torches in the day of his preparation and the spears are brandished.b4The chariots race in the streets. They jostle one against another in the broad ways. They seem like torches. They run like the lightnings.5He summons his picked troops. They stumble in their walk. They make haste to its wall and the defense is prepared.6The gates of the rivers are opened and the palace is dissolved.7And it is decreed: She is led away captive. She is brought up and her handmaids lead her as with the voice of doves, beating their breasts.8Though Nineveh of old was like a pool of water, yet they will flee away. "Stand, stand," they will command, but no one will look back.9Take the spoil of silver. Take the spoil of gold. For there is no end of the treasure or wealth of all its treasures.c10She is empty and void and waste, and the heart melts and the knees knock together. And anguish is in the whole body and all their faces are grown pale!11Where now is the dwelling of the lions and the feeding place of the young lions, where the lion, lioness and lion's cub walked, with nothing to disturb them?d12The lion tore in pieces enough for his whelps, and strangled for his lionesses. And he filled his caves with prey and his dens with torn flesh.e13"Behold, I am against you," says the LORD of armies, "and I will burn her chariots in the smoke, and the sword will devour your young lions. And I will cut off your prey from the earth, and the voice of your messengers will no longer be heard."f
a Zp 1:18 b Jb 4:10,11 c Jr 51:34 d Nh 3:5 e 2 Kg 18:17-25; 19:9-13,23
Chapter 3
1Woe to the city of blood! It is all full of lies and robbery. The prey does not depart.a2The noise of a whip and the noise of the rattling of the wheels, and of the galloping horses and of the jolting chariots.3The horseman lifts up both the bright sword and the gleaming spear. And there is a multitude of slain and a great number of corpses. And there is no end of their corpses. They stumble over their corpses,4because of the multitude of harlotries of the seductive harlot who sells nations through her harlotries and families through her sorceries.b5"Behold, I am against you," says the LORD of armies. "And I will lift up your skirts over your face and will show the nations your nakedness and the kingdoms your shame.c6"Then I will cast abominable filth on you and make you vile. And I will set you as a spectacle.d7"Then it will come to pass that all those who look on you will flee from you and say, 'Nineveh is laid waste. Who will grieve over her?' From where will I seek comforters for you?"e8Are you better than No Amon that was situated among the rivers, that had the waters around her, whose rampart was the sea and her wall was from the sea?f9Ethiopia and Egypt were her strength, and it was without limits. Put and Lubim were your helpers.10Yet she was carried away. She went into captivity. Her young children also were dashed to pieces at the head of all the streets. And they cast lots for her honorable men and all her great men were bound in chains.g11You also will be drunk. You will go into hiding. You also will seek refuge because of the enemy.h12All your strongholds will be like fig trees with the ripened figs. If they are shaken, they will fall into the mouth of the eater.i13Behold, your people in the midst of you are women. The gates of your land will be set wide open unto your enemies. The fire will devour your bars.j14Draw waters for the siege. Fortify your strongholds. Go into clay and tread the mortar. Make strong the brick kiln.k15There the fire will devour you. The sword will cut you off. It will eat you up like the locust. Make yourself many as the creeping locust. Multiply yourself as the swarming locust.l16You have multiplied your merchants above the stars of heaven. The creeping locust strips and flies away.m17Your guards are as the locusts and your captains as the great locusts that camp in the hedges in the cold day, but when the sun arises they flee away, and the place where they are is not known.n18Your shepherds slumber, O king of Assyria. Your nobles will dwell in the dust. Your people are scattered on the mountains and no man gathers them.o19There is no healing of your bruise. Your wound is grievous. All who hear about you will clap the hands. For on whom has your wickedness not passed continually?p
a Hk 2:12 b Is 47:9-12 c Nh 2:13 d Is 47:2,3 e Nh 1:14 f Hb 10:33 g Rv 18:10 h Jh 3:3; 4:11 i Jr 15:5 j Am 6:2 k Jr 46:25 l Ez 27:10 m Hs 13:16 n Lm 2:19 o Jl 3:3 p Nh 1:10 q Rv 6:12,13 r Is 19:16 s Jr 51:30 t Nh 2:1 u Jl 1:4 v Rv 18:3,11-19 w Rv 9:7 x Ps 76:5,6 y Jr 50:18 z 1 Kg 22:17 a Mc 1:9 b Lm 2:15