The Overthrow of Nineveh

[a]The one who (A)scatters has come up against [b]you.
Man the fortress, watch the road;
[c]Strengthen your back, [d]summon all your strength.
For the Lord will restore the (B)splendor of Jacob
(C)Like the splendor of Israel,
Even though devastators have devastated them
And (D)destroyed their vine branches.

The shields of [e]his mighty men are colored red,
The warriors are dressed in (E)scarlet,
The chariots are enveloped in [f]flashing steel
[g]When he is prepared to march,
And the cypress (F)spears are brandished.
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.
He remembers his (H)nobles;
They (I)stumble in their march,
They hurry to her wall,
And the [i]mantelet is set up.
The gates of the rivers are opened
And the palace is dissolved.
It is fixed:
She is stripped, she is carried away,
And her handmaids are (J)moaning like the sound of doves,
(K)Beating on their [j]breasts.

Though Nineveh was like a pool of water throughout her days,
Now they are fleeing;
“Stop, stop,”
But (L)no one turns back.
Plunder the silver!
Plunder the (M)gold!
For there is no limit to the treasure—
Wealth from every kind of desirable object.
10 She is (N)emptied! Yes, she is desolate and waste!
(O)Hearts are melting and knees knocking!
Also anguish is in [k]the whole body
And all their (P)faces are grown 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 disturb them?
12 The lion tore enough for his cubs,
[l]Killed enough for his lionesses,
And filled his lairs with prey
And his dens with torn flesh.

13 “Behold, (R)I am against you,” declares the Lord of hosts. “I will (S)burn up her chariots in smoke, a sword will devour your young lions; 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 Lit Make strong your loins
  4. Nahum 2:1 Lit strengthen power greatly
  5. Nahum 2:3 I.e. those attacking Nineveh
  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 2:7 Lit hearts
  11. Nahum 2:10 Lit all the loin
  12. Nahum 2:12 Lit Strangled

Yahweh’s Destruction of Nineveh

[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.
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.

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.
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.
He remembers his (H)mighty ones;
They (I)stumble in their march;
They hurry to her wall,
And the [i]mantelet is set up.
The gates of the rivers are opened,
And the palace is melted away.
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.

Though Nineveh was like a pool of water throughout her days,
Now they are fleeing;
“Stand! Stand!”
But (L)no one [j]turns back.
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

The Overthrow of Nineveh

[a]The one who (A)scatters has come up against [b]you.
Keep watch over the fortress, watch the road;
[c]Bind up your waist, [d]summon all your strength.
For the Lord will restore the (B)splendor of Jacob
(C)Like the splendor of Israel,
Even though destroyers have laid waste to them
And (D)ruined their vines.

The shields of [e]his warriors are dyed red,
The warriors are dressed in (E)scarlet,
The chariots are fitted with [f]flashing steel
[g]When he is prepared to march,
And the juniper (F)spears are brandished.
The (G)chariots drive wildly in the streets,
They rush around in the [h]public squares;
Their appearance is like torches,
They drive back and forth like lightning flashes.
He remembers his (H)officers;
They (I)stumble in their advance,
They hurry to her wall,
And the [i]mantelet is set up.
The gates of the rivers are opened
And the palace sways back and forth.
It is set:
She is stripped, she is led away,
And her slave women are (J)sobbing like the sound of doves,
(K)Beating their [j]breasts.

Though Nineveh was like a pool of water throughout her days,
Yet they are fleeing;
“Stop, stop,”
But (L)no one turns back.
Plunder the silver,
Plunder the (M)gold!
For there is no end to the treasure—
Wealth from every kind of desirable object.
10 She is (N)emptied! Yes, she is desolate and waste!
(O)Hearts are melting and knees wobbling!
Also trembling is in [k]the entire body,
And all their (P)faces have become 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 went
With nothing to disturb them?
12 The lion tore enough for his cubs,
[l]Killed enough prey for his lionesses,
And filled his lairs with prey
And his dens with torn flesh.

13 “Behold, (R)I am against you,” declares the Lord of armies. “I will (S)burn up her chariots in smoke, and a sword will devour your young lions; I will (T)eliminate 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 Lit Strengthen your loins
  4. Nahum 2:1 Lit strengthen power greatly
  5. Nahum 2:3 I.e., those attacking Nineveh
  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 I.e., a shield used for stopping projectiles
  10. Nahum 2:7 Lit hearts
  11. Nahum 2:10 Lit all the loins
  12. Nahum 2:12 Lit Strangled