Nahum 1
New Living Translation
1 This message concerning Nineveh came as a vision to Nahum, who lived in Elkosh.
The Lord’s Anger against Nineveh
2 The Lord is a jealous God,
filled with vengeance and rage.
He takes revenge on all who oppose him
and continues to rage against his enemies!
3 The Lord is slow to get angry, but his power is great,
and he never lets the guilty go unpunished.
He displays his power in the whirlwind and the storm.
The billowing clouds are the dust beneath his feet.
4 At his command the oceans dry up,
and the rivers disappear.
The lush pastures of Bashan and Carmel fade,
and the green forests of Lebanon wither.
5 In his presence the mountains quake,
and the hills melt away;
the earth trembles,
and its people are destroyed.
6 Who can stand before his fierce anger?
Who can survive his burning fury?
His rage blazes forth like fire,
and the mountains crumble to dust in his presence.
7 The Lord is good,
a strong refuge when trouble comes.
He is close to those who trust in him.
8 But he will sweep away his enemies[a]
in an overwhelming flood.
He will pursue his foes
into the darkness of night.
9 Why are you scheming against the Lord?
He will destroy you with one blow;
he won’t need to strike twice!
10 His enemies, tangled like thornbushes
and staggering like drunks,
will be burned up like dry stubble in a field.
11 Who is this wicked counselor of yours
who plots evil against the Lord?
12 This is what the Lord says:
“Though the Assyrians have many allies,
they will be destroyed and disappear.
O my people, I have punished you before,
but I will not punish you again.
13 Now I will break the yoke of bondage from your neck
and tear off the chains of Assyrian oppression.”
14 And this is what the Lord says concerning the Assyrians in Nineveh:
“You will have no more children to carry on your name.
I will destroy all the idols in the temples of your gods.
I am preparing a grave for you
because you are despicable!”
15 [b]Look! A messenger is coming over the mountains with good news!
He is bringing a message of peace.
Celebrate your festivals, O people of Judah,
and fulfill all your vows,
for your wicked enemies will never invade your land again.
They will be completely destroyed!
Nahum 1
Living Bible
1 This is the vision God gave to Nahum, who lived in Elkosh, concerning the impending doom of Nineveh:[a]
2 God is jealous over those he loves; that is why he takes vengeance on those who hurt them. He furiously destroys their enemies. 3 He is slow in getting angry, but when aroused, his power is incredible, and he does not easily forgive. He shows his power in the terrors of the cyclone and the raging storms; clouds are billowing dust beneath his feet! 4 At his command the oceans and rivers become dry sand; the lush pastures of Bashan and Carmel fade away; the green forests of Lebanon wilt. 5 In his presence mountains quake and hills melt; the earth crumbles, and its people are destroyed.
6 Who can stand before an angry God? His fury is like fire; the mountains tumble down before his anger.
7 The Lord is good. When trouble comes, he is the place to go! And he knows everyone who trusts in him! 8 But he sweeps away his enemies with an overwhelming flood; he pursues them all night long.
9 What are you thinking of, Nineveh, to defy the Lord? He will stop you with one blow; he won’t need to strike again. 10 He tosses his enemies into the fire like a tangled mass of thorns. They burst into flames like straw. 11 Who is this king[b] of yours who dares to plot against the Lord? 12 But the Lord is not afraid of him! “Though he build his army millions strong,” the Lord declares, “it will vanish.
“O my people, I have punished you enough! 13 Now I will break your chains and release you from the yoke of slavery to this Assyrian king.” 14 And to the king he says, “I have ordered an end to your dynasty; your sons will never sit upon your throne. And I will destroy your gods and temples, and I will bury you! For how you stink with sin!”
15 See, the messengers come running down the mountains with glad news: “The invaders have been wiped out and we are safe!” O Judah, proclaim a day of thanksgiving and worship only the Lord, as you have vowed. For this enemy from Nineveh will never come again. He is cut off forever; he will never be seen again.
Footnotes
- Nahum 1:1 Nineveh was the capital of Assyria.
- Nahum 1:11 Who is this king, implied in vv. 1 and 13, also in 3:18.
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.