Nahum 2

Tree of Life Version

2 Behold, upon the mountains
are the feet^[a] of him bringing good news,^[b]
    proclaiming shalom.
O Judah, celebrate your festivals!
Fulfill your vows!
For never again will Belial pass through you.
He has been utterly cut off.

² A shatterer has come up against you.
Guard the rampart! Watch the way!
Chazak! Be very courageous!
³ For Adonai turned aside Jacob’s pride
like Israel’s pride—
for spoilers emptied them out
and ruined their vine branches.
⁴ He makes the shield of warriors’ red—
valiant men are clad in scarlet!
the chariot burns with metal fire
    on the day of his preparation,
The fir trees are shaken.
⁵ The chariots dash madly about through the streets,
rushing to and fro in the plazas,
their appearance is like torches,
    darting like flashes of lightning.
⁶ He will recall his majestic ones.
They will stumble in their march.
They will hasten to her wall.
Now the siege work is set up.
⁷ The river gates will be opened,
and the palace will melt away.
⁸ What was erected^[c]
    will be exiled and carried away.
Her handmaids are lamenting like the sound of doves,
    beating their breasts.
⁹ Nineveh was like a pool of water for days
    —now they are fleeing.
Stop, stop! Yet no one turns back.
¹⁰ Plunder the silver! Plunder the gold!
For there is no end of treasure—
    glory from everything precious.
¹¹ Emptiness, desolation, waste!
Heart melting, knees buckling, anguish in all the loins,
    all their faces grown pale!