Nahum 1-3

New International Version

1 A prophecy^(A) concerning Nineveh.^(B) The book of the vision^(C) of Nahum the Elkoshite.

The Lord’s Anger Against Nineveh

²The Lord is a jealous^(D) and avenging God;
    the Lord takes vengeance^(E) and is filled with wrath.
The Lord takes vengeance on his foes
    and vents his wrath against his enemies.^(F)
³The Lord is slow to anger^(G) but great in power;
    the Lord will not leave the guilty unpunished.^(H)
His way is in the whirlwind^(I) and the storm,^(J)
    and clouds^(K) are the dust of his feet.
⁴He rebukes^(L) the sea and dries it up;^(M)
    he makes all the rivers run dry.
Bashan and Carmel^(N) wither
    and the blossoms of Lebanon fade.
⁵The mountains quake^(O) before him
    and the hills melt away.^(P)
The earth trembles^(Q) at his presence,
    the world and all who live in it.^(R)
⁶Who can withstand^(S) his indignation?
    Who can endure^(T) his fierce anger?^(U)
His wrath is poured out like fire;^(V)
    the rocks are shattered^(W) before him.

⁷The Lord is good,^(X)
    a refuge in times of trouble.^(Y)
He cares for^(Z) those who trust in him,^(AA)
⁸    but with an overwhelming flood^(AB)
he will make an end of Nineveh;
    he will pursue his foes into the realm of darkness.

⁹Whatever they plot^(AC) against the Lord
    he will bring^[a] to an end;
    trouble will not come a second time.
¹⁰They will be entangled among thorns^(AD)
    and drunk^(AE) from their wine;
    they will be consumed like dry stubble.^[b]^(AF)
¹¹From you, Nineveh, has one come forth
    who plots evil against the Lord
    and devises wicked plans.

¹²This is what the Lord says:

“Although they have allies and are numerous,
    they will be destroyed^(AG) and pass away.
Although I have afflicted you, Judah,
    I will afflict you no more.^(AH)
¹³Now I will break their yoke^(AI) from your neck
    and tear your shackles away.”^(AJ)

¹⁴The Lord has given a command concerning you, Nineveh:
    “You will have no descendants to bear your name.^(AK)
I will destroy the images^(AL) and idols
    that are in the temple of your gods.
I will prepare your grave,^(AM)
    for you are vile.”

¹⁵Look, there on the mountains,
    the feet of one who brings good news,^(AN)
    who proclaims peace!^(AO)
Celebrate your festivals,^(AP) Judah,
    and fulfill your vows.
No more will the wicked invade you;^(AQ)
    they will be completely destroyed.^[c]

Nineveh to Fall

2 ^[d]An attacker^(AR) advances against you, Nineveh.
    Guard the fortress,
    watch the road,
    brace yourselves,
    marshal all your strength!

²The Lord will restore^(AS) the splendor^(AT) of Jacob
like the splendor of Israel,
though destroyers have laid them waste
and have ruined their vines.

³The shields of the soldiers are red;
    the warriors are clad in scarlet.^(AU)
The metal on the chariots flashes
    on the day they are made ready;
    the spears of juniper are brandished.^[e]
⁴The chariots^(AV) storm through the streets,
    rushing back and forth through the squares.
They look like flaming torches;
    they dart about like lightning.

⁵Nineveh summons her picked troops,
    yet they stumble^(AW) on their way.
They dash to the city wall;
    the protective shield is put in place.
⁶The river gates^(AX) are thrown open
    and the palace collapses.
⁷It is decreed^[f] that Nineveh
    be exiled and carried away.
Her female slaves moan^(AY) like doves
    and beat on their breasts.^(AZ)
⁸Nineveh is like a pool
    whose water is draining away.
“Stop! Stop!” they cry,
    but no one turns back.
⁹Plunder the silver!
    Plunder the gold!
The supply is endless,
    the wealth from all its treasures!
¹⁰She is pillaged, plundered, stripped!
    Hearts melt,^(BA) knees give way,
    bodies tremble, every face grows pale.^(BB)

¹¹Where now is the lions’ den,^(BC)
    the place where they fed their young,
where the lion and lioness went,
    and the cubs, with nothing to fear?
¹²The lion killed^(BD) enough for his cubs
    and strangled the prey for his mate,
filling his lairs^(BE) with the kill
    and his dens with the prey.^(BF)

¹³“I am against^(BG) you,”
    declares the Lord Almighty.
“I will burn up your chariots in smoke,^(BH)
    and the sword^(BI) will devour your young lions.
    I will leave you no prey on the earth.
The voices of your messengers
    will no longer be heard.”^(BJ)

Woe to Nineveh

3 Woe to the city of blood,^(BK)
    full of lies,^(BL)
full of plunder,
    never without victims!
²The crack of whips,
    the clatter of wheels,
galloping horses
    and jolting chariots!
³Charging cavalry,
    flashing swords
    and glittering spears!
Many casualties,
    piles of dead,
bodies without number,
    people stumbling over the corpses^(BM)—
⁴all because of the wanton lust of a prostitute,
    alluring, the mistress of sorceries,^(BN)
who enslaved nations by her prostitution^(BO)
    and peoples by her witchcraft.

⁵“I am against^(BP) you,” declares the Lord Almighty.
    “I will lift your skirts^(BQ) over your face.
I will show the nations your nakedness^(BR)
    and the kingdoms your shame.
⁶I will pelt you with filth,^(BS)
    I will treat you with contempt^(BT)
    and make you a spectacle.^(BU)
⁷All who see you will flee^(BV) from you and say,
    ‘Nineveh^(BW) is in ruins^(BX)—who will mourn for her?’^(BY)
    Where can I find anyone to comfort^(BZ) you?”

⁸Are you better than^(CA) Thebes,^(CB)
    situated on the Nile,^(CC)
    with water around her?
The river was her defense,
    the waters her wall.
⁹Cush^[g]^(CD) and Egypt were her boundless strength;
    Put^(CE) and Libya^(CF) were among her allies.
¹⁰Yet she was taken captive^(CG)
    and went into exile.
Her infants were dashed^(CH) to pieces
    at every street corner.
Lots^(CI) were cast for her nobles,
    and all her great men were put in chains.^(CJ)
¹¹You too will become drunk;^(CK)
    you will go into hiding^(CL)
    and seek refuge from the enemy.

¹²All your fortresses are like fig trees
    with their first ripe fruit;^(CM)
when they are shaken,
    the figs^(CN) fall into the mouth of the eater.
¹³Look at your troops—
    they are all weaklings.^(CO)
The gates^(CP) of your land
    are wide open to your enemies;
    fire has consumed the bars of your gates.^(CQ)

¹⁴Draw water for the siege,^(CR)
    strengthen your defenses!^(CS)
Work the clay,
    tread the mortar,
    repair the brickwork!
¹⁵There the fire^(CT) will consume you;
    the sword^(CU) will cut you down—
    they will devour you like a swarm of locusts.
Multiply like grasshoppers,
    multiply like locusts!^(CV)
¹⁶You have increased the number of your merchants
    till they are more numerous than the stars in the sky,
but like locusts^(CW) they strip the land
    and then fly away.
¹⁷Your guards are like locusts,^(CX)
    your officials like swarms of locusts
    that settle in the walls on a cold day—
but when the sun appears they fly away,
    and no one knows where.

¹⁸King of Assyria, your shepherds^[h] slumber;^(CY)
    your nobles lie down to rest.^(CZ)
Your people are scattered^(DA) on the mountains
    with no one to gather them.
¹⁹Nothing can heal you;^(DB)
    your wound is fatal.
All who hear the news about you
    clap their hands^(DC) at your fall,
for who has not felt
    your endless cruelty?^(DD)

Footnotes

Nahum 1:9 Or What do you foes plot against the Lord? / He will bring it
Nahum 1:10 The meaning of the Hebrew for this verse is uncertain.
Nahum 1:15 In Hebrew texts this verse (1:15) is numbered 2:1.
Nahum 2:1 In Hebrew texts 2:1-13 is numbered 2:2-14.
Nahum 2:3 Hebrew; Septuagint and Syriac ready; / the horsemen rush to and fro.
Nahum 2:7 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
Nahum 3:9 That is, the upper Nile region
Nahum 3:18 That is, rulers

Revelation 8

New International Version

The Seventh Seal and the Golden Censer

8 When he opened the seventh seal,^(A) there was silence in heaven for about half an hour.

²And I saw the seven angels^(B) who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them.^(C)

³Another angel,^(D) who had a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense to offer, with the prayers of all God’s people,^(E) on the golden altar^(F) in front of the throne. ⁴The smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of God’s people, went up before God^(G) from the angel’s hand. ⁵Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar,^(H) and hurled it on the earth; and there came peals of thunder,^(I) rumblings, flashes of lightning and an earthquake.^(J)

The Trumpets

⁶Then the seven angels who had the seven trumpets^(K) prepared to sound them.

⁷The first angel^(L) sounded his trumpet, and there came hail and fire^(M) mixed with blood, and it was hurled down on the earth. A third^(N) of the earth was burned up, a third of the trees were burned up, and all the green grass was burned up.^(O)

⁸The second angel sounded his trumpet, and something like a huge mountain,^(P) all ablaze, was thrown into the sea. A third^(Q) of the sea turned into blood,^(R) ⁹a third^(S) of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed.

¹⁰The third angel sounded his trumpet, and a great star, blazing like a torch, fell from the sky^(T) on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water^(U)— ¹¹the name of the star is Wormwood.^[a] A third^(V) of the waters turned bitter, and many people died from the waters that had become bitter.^(W)

¹²The fourth angel sounded his trumpet, and a third of the sun was struck, a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third^(X) of them turned dark.^(Y) A third of the day was without light, and also a third of the night.^(Z)

¹³As I watched, I heard an eagle that was flying in midair^(AA) call out in a loud voice: “Woe! Woe! Woe^(AB) to the inhabitants of the earth,^(AC) because of the trumpet blasts about to be sounded by the other three angels!”

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Footnotes

Revelation 8:11 Wormwood is a bitter substance.

Psalm 136

New International Version

Psalm 136

¹Give thanks^(A) to the Lord, for he is good.^(B)
His love endures forever.^(C)
²Give thanks^(D) to the God of gods.^(E)
His love endures forever.
³Give thanks^(F) to the Lord of lords:^(G)
His love endures forever.

⁴to him who alone does great wonders,^(H)
His love endures forever.
⁵who by his understanding^(I) made the heavens,^(J)
His love endures forever.
⁶who spread out the earth^(K) upon the waters,^(L)
His love endures forever.
⁷who made the great lights^(M)—
His love endures forever.
⁸the sun to govern^(N) the day,
His love endures forever.
⁹the moon and stars to govern the night;
His love endures forever.

¹⁰to him who struck down the firstborn^(O) of Egypt
His love endures forever.
¹¹and brought Israel out^(P) from among them
His love endures forever.
¹²with a mighty hand^(Q) and outstretched arm;^(R)
His love endures forever.

¹³to him who divided the Red Sea^[a]^(S) asunder
His love endures forever.
¹⁴and brought Israel through^(T) the midst of it,
His love endures forever.
¹⁵but swept Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea;^(U)
His love endures forever.

¹⁶to him who led his people through the wilderness;^(V)
His love endures forever.

¹⁷to him who struck down great kings,^(W)
His love endures forever.
¹⁸and killed mighty kings^(X)—
His love endures forever.
¹⁹Sihon king of the Amorites^(Y)
His love endures forever.
²⁰and Og king of Bashan^(Z)—
His love endures forever.
²¹and gave their land^(AA) as an inheritance,^(AB)
His love endures forever.
²²an inheritance^(AC) to his servant Israel.^(AD)
His love endures forever.

²³He remembered us^(AE) in our low estate
His love endures forever.
²⁴and freed us^(AF) from our enemies.^(AG)
His love endures forever.
²⁵He gives food^(AH) to every creature.
His love endures forever.

²⁶Give thanks^(AI) to the God of heaven.^(AJ)
His love endures forever.^(AK)

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Footnotes

Psalm 136:13 Or the Sea of Reeds; also in verse 15

Proverbs 30:7-9

New International Version

⁷“Two things I ask of you, Lord;
    do not refuse me before I die:
⁸Keep falsehood and lies far from me;
    give me neither poverty nor riches,
    but give me only my daily bread.^(A)
⁹Otherwise, I may have too much and disown^(B) you
    and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’^(C)
Or I may become poor and steal,
    and so dishonor the name of my God.^(D)