Nahum 1-3
English Standard Version
1 (A)An oracle concerning (B)Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum of Elkosh.
God's Wrath Against Nineveh
2 (C)The Lord is a jealous and avenging God;
the Lord is avenging and wrathful;
(D)the Lord takes vengeance on his adversaries
and (E)keeps wrath for his enemies.
3 (F)The Lord is slow to anger and (G)great in power,
and (H)the Lord will by no means clear the guilty.
(I)His way is in whirlwind and storm,
and the clouds are the dust of his feet.
4 (J)He rebukes the sea and makes it dry;
he dries up all the rivers;
(K)Bashan and (L)Carmel wither;
the bloom of (M)Lebanon withers.
5 (N)The mountains quake before him;
(O)the hills melt;
the earth heaves before him,
(P)the world and all who dwell in it.
6 (Q)Who can stand before his indignation?
Who can endure the heat of his anger?
His wrath (R)is poured out like fire,
and (S)the rocks are broken into pieces by him.
7 (T)The Lord is good,
(U)a stronghold in the day of trouble;
(V)he knows those who take refuge in him.
8 But (W)with an overflowing flood
he will make a complete end of the adversaries,[a]
and (X)will pursue his enemies into darkness.
9 What (Y)do you plot against the Lord?
(Z)He will make a complete end;
trouble will not rise up a second time.
10 For they are (AA)like entangled thorns,
like drunkards as they drink;
(AB)they are consumed like stubble fully dried.
11 From you came one
(AC)who plotted evil against the Lord,
a worthless counselor.
12 Thus says the Lord,
“Though they are at full strength and many,
(AD)they will be cut down and pass away.
(AE)Though I have afflicted you,
I will afflict you no more.
13 And now (AF)I will break his yoke from off you
and will burst your bonds apart.”
14 The Lord has given commandment about you:
(AG)“No more shall your name be perpetuated;
from (AH)the house of your gods I will cut off
the carved image and the metal image.
(AI)I will make your grave, (AJ)for you are vile.”
15 [b] (AK)Behold, upon the mountains, (AL)the feet of him
who brings good news,
who publishes peace!
(AM)Keep your feasts, O Judah;
(AN)fulfill your vows,
(AO)for never again shall the worthless pass through you;
he is utterly cut off.
The Destruction of Nineveh
2 (AP)The scatterer has come up against you.
(AQ)Man the ramparts;
watch the road;
dress for battle;[c]
collect all your strength.
2 For (AR)the Lord is restoring the majesty of Jacob
as the majesty of Israel,
for plunderers have plundered them
and (AS)ruined their branches.
3 The shield of his mighty men is red;
(AT)his soldiers are clothed in scarlet.
The chariots come with flashing metal
on the day he musters them;
the cypress spears are brandished.
4 (AU)The chariots race madly through the streets;
they rush to and fro through the squares;
they gleam like torches;
they dart like lightning.
5 He remembers (AV)his officers;
(AW)they stumble as they go,
they hasten to the wall;
the siege tower[d] is set up.
6 (AX)The river gates are opened;
the palace (AY)melts away;
7 its mistress[e] is (AZ)stripped;[f] she is carried off,
her slave girls (BA)lamenting,
moaning like doves
and beating their breasts.
8 (BB)Nineveh is like a pool
whose waters run away.[g]
“Halt! Halt!” they cry,
but (BC)none turns back.
9 Plunder the silver,
plunder the gold!
There is no end of the treasure
or of the wealth of all precious things.
10 (BD)Desolate! Desolation and ruin!
(BE)Hearts melt and (BF)knees tremble;
(BG)anguish is in all loins;
(BH)all faces grow pale!
11 Where is the lions' den,
the feeding place of (BI)the young lions,
where the lion and lioness went,
where his cubs were, with (BJ)none to disturb?
12 (BK)The lion tore enough for his cubs
and (BL)strangled prey for his lionesses;
he filled his caves with prey
and his dens with torn flesh.
13 (BM)Behold, I am against you, declares the Lord of hosts, and (BN)I will burn your[h] chariots in smoke, and the sword shall devour your young lions. I will cut off your prey from the earth, and (BO)the voice of your messengers shall no longer be heard.
Woe to Nineveh
3 Woe to (BP)the bloody city,
all full of lies and plunder—
(BQ)no end to the prey!
2 The crack of the whip, and (BR)rumble of the wheel,
(BS)galloping horse and (BT)bounding chariot!
3 Horsemen charging,
flashing sword and (BU)glittering spear,
(BV)hosts of slain,
heaps of corpses,
dead bodies without end—
they stumble over the bodies!
4 And all for the countless whorings of the (BW)prostitute,
(BX)graceful and of deadly charms,
who betrays nations with her whorings,
and peoples with her charms.
5 (BY)Behold, I am against you,
declares the Lord of hosts,
and (BZ)will lift up your skirts over your face;
and I will make nations look at (CA)your nakedness
and kingdoms at your shame.
6 I will throw filth at you
and (CB)treat you with contempt
and make you (CC)a spectacle.
7 And all who look at you (CD)will shrink from you and say,
“Wasted is (CE)Nineveh; (CF)who will grieve for her?”
(CG)Where shall I seek comforters for you?
8 (CH)Are you better than (CI)Thebes[i]
that sat (CJ)by the Nile,
with water around her,
her rampart a sea,
and water her wall?
9 (CK)Cush was her strength;
Egypt too, and that without limit;
(CL)Put and the (CM)Libyans were her[j] helpers.
10 (CN)Yet she became an exile;
she went into captivity;
(CO)her infants were dashed in pieces
at the head of every street;
for her honored men (CP)lots were cast,
(CQ)and all her great men were bound in chains.
11 (CR)You also will be drunken;
you will go into hiding;
(CS)you will seek a refuge from the enemy.
12 All your fortresses are (CT)like fig trees
with first-ripe figs—
if shaken they fall
into the mouth of the eater.
13 Behold, your troops
(CU)are women in your midst.
The gates of your land
are wide open to your enemies;
fire has devoured your bars.
14 (CV)Draw water for the siege;
(CW)strengthen your forts;
go into the clay;
tread the mortar;
take hold of the brick mold!
15 There will the fire devour you;
the sword will cut you off.
It will (CX)devour you (CY)like the locust.
Multiply yourselves (CZ)like the locust;
multiply (DA)like the grasshopper!
16 You increased (DB)your merchants
more than the stars of the heavens.
(DC)The locust spreads its wings and flies away.
17 Your (DD)princes are (DE)like grasshoppers,
(DF)your scribes[k] like clouds of locusts
settling on the fences
in a day of cold—
when the sun rises, they fly away;
no one knows where they are.
18 Your shepherds (DG)are asleep,
O king of Assyria;
(DH)your nobles slumber.
Your people (DI)are scattered on the mountains
with none to gather them.
19 There is no easing your hurt;
(DJ)your wound is grievous.
All who hear the news about you
(DK)clap their hands over you.
For (DL)upon whom has not come
your unceasing evil?
Footnotes
- Nahum 1:8 Hebrew of her place
- Nahum 1:15 Ch 2:1 in Hebrew
- Nahum 2:1 Hebrew gird your loins
- Nahum 2:5 Or the mantelet
- Nahum 2:7 The meaning of the Hebrew word rendered its mistress is uncertain
- Nahum 2:7 Or exiled
- Nahum 2:8 Compare Septuagint; the meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain
- Nahum 2:13 Hebrew her
- Nahum 3:8 Hebrew No-amon
- Nahum 3:9 Hebrew your
- Nahum 3:17 Or marshals
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
2 The 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)
3 The 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.
4 He 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.
5 The 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)
6 Who 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.
7 The 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.
9 Whatever they plot(AC) against the Lord
he will bring[a] to an end;
trouble will not come a second time.
10 They will be entangled among thorns(AD)
and drunk(AE) from their wine;
they will be consumed like dry stubble.[b](AF)
11 From you, Nineveh, has one come forth
who plots evil against the Lord
and devises wicked plans.
12 This 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)
13 Now I will break their yoke(AI) from your neck
and tear your shackles away.”(AJ)
14 The 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.”
15 Look, 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!
2 The 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.
3 The 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]
4 The chariots(AV) storm through the streets,
rushing back and forth through the squares.
They look like flaming torches;
they dart about like lightning.
5 Nineveh summons her picked troops,
yet they stumble(AW) on their way.
They dash to the city wall;
the protective shield is put in place.
6 The river gates(AX) are thrown open
and the palace collapses.
7 It is decreed[f] that Nineveh
be exiled and carried away.
Her female slaves moan(AY) like doves
and beat on their breasts.(AZ)
8 Nineveh is like a pool
whose water is draining away.
“Stop! Stop!” they cry,
but no one turns back.
9 Plunder the silver!
Plunder the gold!
The supply is endless,
the wealth from all its treasures!
10 She is pillaged, plundered, stripped!
Hearts melt,(BA) knees give way,
bodies tremble, every face grows pale.(BB)
11 Where 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?
12 The 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!
2 The crack of whips,
the clatter of wheels,
galloping horses
and jolting chariots!
3 Charging cavalry,
flashing swords
and glittering spears!
Many casualties,
piles of dead,
bodies without number,
people stumbling over the corpses(BM)—
4 all 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.
6 I will pelt you with filth,(BS)
I will treat you with contempt(BT)
and make you a spectacle.(BU)
7 All 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?”
8 Are you better than(CA) Thebes,(CB)
situated on the Nile,(CC)
with water around her?
The river was her defense,
the waters her wall.
9 Cush[g](CD) and Egypt were her boundless strength;
Put(CE) and Libya(CF) were among her allies.
10 Yet 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)
11 You too will become drunk;(CK)
you will go into hiding(CL)
and seek refuge from the enemy.
12 All 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.
13 Look 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)
14 Draw water for the siege,(CR)
strengthen your defenses!(CS)
Work the clay,
tread the mortar,
repair the brickwork!
15 There 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)
16 You 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.
17 Your 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.
18 King 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.
19 Nothing 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
Psalm 132
English Standard Version
The Lord Has Chosen Zion
A Song of (A)Ascents.
132 Remember, O Lord, in David's favor,
all (B)the hardships he endured,
2 how he swore to the Lord
and (C)vowed to (D)the Mighty One of Jacob,
3 “I will not enter my house
or get into my bed,
4 I will not (E)give sleep to my eyes
or slumber to my eyelids,
5 until I (F)find a place for the Lord,
a dwelling place for (G)the Mighty One of Jacob.”
6 Behold, we heard of it in (H)Ephrathah;
we found it in (I)the fields of Jaar.
7 “Let us go to his dwelling place;
let us (J)worship at his (K)footstool!”
8 (L)Arise, O Lord, and go to your (M)resting place,
you and the ark of your (N)might.
9 Let your (O)priests be (P)clothed with righteousness,
and let your (Q)saints shout for joy.
10 For the sake of your servant David,
(R)do not turn away the face of (S)your anointed one.
11 (T)The Lord swore to David a sure oath
(U)from which he will not turn back:
(V)“One of the sons of your body[a]
I will set on your throne.
12 If your sons keep my covenant
and my testimonies that I shall teach them,
their sons also forever
shall (W)sit on your throne.”
13 For the Lord has (X)chosen Zion;
he has (Y)desired it for his dwelling place:
14 “This is my (Z)resting place forever;
here I will (AA)dwell, for I have desired it.
15 I will abundantly (AB)bless her provisions;
I will (AC)satisfy her poor with bread.
16 Her (AD)priests I will clothe with salvation,
and her (AE)saints will shout for joy.
17 There I will make (AF)a horn to sprout for David;
I have prepared (AG)a lamp for (AH)my anointed.
18 His enemies I will (AI)clothe with shame,
but on him his crown will shine.”
Footnotes
- Psalm 132:11 Hebrew of your fruit of the womb
Psalm 132
New International Version
Psalm 132(A)
A song of ascents.
1 Lord, remember David
and all his self-denial.(B)
2 He swore an oath to the Lord,
he made a vow to the Mighty One of Jacob:(C)
3 “I will not enter my house(D)
or go to my bed,
4 I will allow no sleep to my eyes
or slumber to my eyelids,
5 till I find a place(E) for the Lord,
a dwelling for the Mighty One of Jacob.”
6 We heard it in Ephrathah,(F)
we came upon it in the fields of Jaar:[a](G)
7 “Let us go to his dwelling place,(H)
let us worship at his footstool,(I) saying,
8 ‘Arise, Lord,(J) and come to your resting place,
you and the ark of your might.
9 May your priests be clothed with your righteousness;(K)
may your faithful people(L) sing for joy.’”
10 For the sake of your servant David,
do not reject your anointed one.
11 The Lord swore an oath to David,(M)
a sure oath he will not revoke:
“One of your own descendants(N)
I will place on your throne.
12 If your sons keep my covenant(O)
and the statutes I teach them,
then their sons will sit
on your throne(P) for ever and ever.”
13 For the Lord has chosen Zion,(Q)
he has desired it for his dwelling,(R) saying,
14 “This is my resting place for ever and ever;(S)
here I will sit enthroned,(T) for I have desired it.
15 I will bless her with abundant provisions;
her poor I will satisfy with food.(U)
16 I will clothe her priests(V) with salvation,
and her faithful people will ever sing for joy.(W)
Footnotes
- Psalm 132:6 Or heard of it in Ephrathah, / we found it in the fields of Jearim. (See 1 Chron. 13:5,6) (And no quotation marks around verses 7-9)
- Psalm 132:17 Horn here symbolizes strong one, that is, king.
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