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The shields of his warriors are painted red.
His soldiers have red uniforms.
The metal on his chariots flashes fiery red,
so do the spears when they are waved
on the day he prepares for battle.
Chariots are racing madly through the streets,
rushing this way and that in the city squares.
They look like torches, like lightning, as they dart about.
He remembers his best fighting men.
They stumble over themselves as they march.
They hurry to Nineveh’s wall.
The shield has been set up for the battering ram.
The gates of the rivers are opened, and the palace melts away.

Nineveh’s Treasures Will Be Taken

The Lord has determined:
“It will be stripped.
It will be carried away.
Its young women will be mourning like doves
as they beat their breasts.”
Nineveh was like a pool of water from its first day on.
But now its people are fleeing.
“Stop! Stop!”
But no one turns around.
Steal the silver! Steal the gold!
There is no end to what is stored here—
everything a person could ever want.
10 Nineveh is destroyed, deserted, demolished.
Hearts are melting.
Knees are knocking.
Every stomach becomes upset.
Every face turns pale.

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

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

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Footnotes

  1. Nahum 2:3 Hebrew; Septuagint and Syriac ready; / the horsemen rush to and fro.
  2. Nahum 2:7 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.