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Nahum 2
Legacy Standard Bible

Yahweh’s Destruction of Nineveh

2 [a]The one who (A)scatters has come up against [b]you.
Guard the fortification, watch the road;
Strengthen your loins, [c]instill your power with exceeding courage.
2 For Yahweh will restore the (B)majesty of Jacob
(C)Like the majesty of Israel,
Even though those who empty them have emptied them to destruction
And (D)ruined their vine branches.

3 The shields of [d]his mighty men are colored red,
The valiant men are dressed in (E)[e]scarlet,
The chariots are enveloped in [f]flashing steel
[g]When he is set up to march,
And the cypress (F)spears are brandished.
4 The (G)chariots race madly in the streets;
They rush wildly in the [h]squares;
Their appearance is like torches;
They dash to and fro like lightning flashes.
5 He remembers his (H)mighty ones;
They (I)stumble in their march;
They hurry to her wall,
And the [i]mantelet is set up.
6 The gates of the rivers are opened,
And the palace is melted away.
7 So it stands fixed:
She is exiled, she is carried away,
And her maidservants are (J)moaning like the sound of doves,
(K)Beating on their hearts.

8 Though Nineveh was like a pool of water throughout her days,
Now they are fleeing;
“Stand! Stand!”
But (L)no one [j]turns back.
9 Plunder the silver!
Plunder the (M)gold!
And there is no limit to the treasure—
[k]Wealth from every kind of desirable object.
10 She is (N)emptied! Yes, she is emptied out and eviscerated!
(O)Hearts are melting and knees knocking!
Also anguish is in all their loins,
And all their (P)faces [l]turn pale!
11 Where is the den of the lions
And the feeding place of the (Q)young lions,
Where the lion, lioness, and lion’s cub prowled,
With nothing to make them tremble?
12 The lion tore enough for its cubs
And strangled enough for its lionesses
And filled its lairs with torn up prey
And its dens with torn up flesh.

13 “Behold, (R)I am against you,” declares Yahweh of hosts. “And I will (S)burn up her chariots in smoke, and a sword will devour your young lions; and I will (T)cut off your prey from the land, and no longer will the voice of your messengers be heard.”

Footnotes

  1. Nahum 2:1 Ch 2:2 in Heb
  2. Nahum 2:1 Lit your face
  3. Nahum 2:1 Or make your power courageous
  4. Nahum 2:3 Those attacking Nineveh
  5. Nahum 2:3 Or crimson, cf. Lam 4:5
  6. Nahum 2:3 Lit fire of steel
  7. Nahum 2:3 Lit On the day of his preparation
  8. Nahum 2:4 Lit broad places
  9. Nahum 2:5 Lit covering (used in a siege)
  10. Nahum 2:8 Lit gathers
  11. Nahum 2:9 Lit Glory
  12. Nahum 2:10 Lit gather their radiance
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Nahum 2
Common English Bible

A city under attack

2 A scatterer has come up against you.
        Guard the ramparts, watch the road,
            protect your groin, save your[a] strength!
2 The Lord will restore the pride of Jacob,
        indeed, the pride of Israel,
            because ravagers have destroyed
            them and spoiled their branches.
3 The shields of his warriors are red;
        his soldiers are dressed in crimson.
The ironwork of the chariots flashes like fire
        on the day he has prepared;
            the horses quiver.
4 The chariots race wildly through the streets;
        they rush back and forth through the squares.
        They look like flaming torches;
                they dart like bolts of lightning.
5 He musters his officers;
            they stumble as they press forward.
        They hurry to the city wall,
            and the portable shield is set up.
6 The gates of the rivers are opened;
        the palace melts.
7 It is decreed:[b] She is sent into exile, carried away,
    while her female servants moan like doves, beating their breasts.
8 Nineveh has been like a pool of water.
        Such are its waters,[c] and others are fleeing.
            “Stop, stop!”—but no one can turn them back.
9 Plunder silver! Plunder gold!
        There is no end to the supplies,
            an abundance of precious objects!
10 Destruction and devastation;
        the city is laid waste!
    The heart grows faint and knees buckle;
        there is anguish in every groin;
            all the faces grow pale.

Cruel Nineveh will be destroyed

11 Where is the lions’ den, the meadow of the young lions,
        where lion, lioness, even lion cub go about with no one to terrify them?
12 The lion has torn enough prey
            for his cubs and strangled enough for his lionesses;
        he has filled his lairs with prey,
                his dens with torn flesh.
13 Look! I am against you, proclaims the Lord of heavenly forces.
    I will burn your[d] chariots in smoke;
        the sword will devour your young lions;
I will cut off your prey from the earth,
        the voice of your messengers will never again be heard!

Footnotes

  1. Nahum 2:1 Heb lacks your.
  2. Nahum 2:7 Heb uncertain
  3. Nahum 2:8 Heb uncertain
  4. Nahum 2:13 Or her
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Nahum 2
New International Version

Nineveh to Fall

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

2 The Lord will restore(B) the splendor(C) 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.(D)
The metal on the chariots flashes
    on the day they are made ready;
    the spears of juniper are brandished.[b]
4 The chariots(E) 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(F) on their way.
They dash to the city wall;
    the protective shield is put in place.
6 The river gates(G) are thrown open
    and the palace collapses.
7 It is decreed[c] that Nineveh
    be exiled and carried away.
Her female slaves moan(H) like doves
    and beat on their breasts.(I)
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,(J) knees give way,
    bodies tremble, every face grows pale.(K)

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

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

Footnotes

  1. Nahum 2:1 In Hebrew texts 2:1-13 is numbered 2:2-14.
  2. Nahum 2:3 Hebrew; Septuagint and Syriac ready; / the horsemen rush to and fro.
  3. Nahum 2:7 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
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