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Yahweh’s Wrath Against Nineveh

The [a](A)oracle of (B)Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite.

Aleph

A (C)jealous and avenging God is [b]Yahweh;
Yahweh is (D)avenging and [c]wrathful.
Yahweh is (E)avenging against His adversaries,
And He keeps His anger for His enemies.
Yahweh is (F)slow to anger and great in power,
And Yahweh will by no means leave the guilty unpunished.

Beth

In (G)whirlwind and storm is His way,
And (H)clouds are the dust beneath His feet.

Gimel

He (I)rebukes the sea and makes it dry;
He dries up all the rivers.
(J)Bashan and Carmel languish;
The blossoms of Lebanon languish.

He

Mountains (K)quake because of Him,

Vav

And the hills (L)melt;
Indeed the earth is (M)upheaved by His presence,
The (N)world and all the inhabitants in it.

Zayin

(O)Who can stand before His indignation?
Who can endure the (P)burning of His anger?

Heth

His (Q)wrath is poured out like fire,
And the (R)rocks are torn down by Him.

Teth

Yahweh is (S)good,
A strong defense in the day of distress,

Yodh

And (T)He knows those who take refuge in Him.
But with an (U)overflowing flood

Kaph

He will make a complete destruction of [d]its place
And will pursue His enemies into (V)darkness.

Whatever you (W)devise against Yahweh,
He will make a (X)complete destruction of it.
Distress will not rise up twice.
10 Like tangled (Y)thorns,
And like those who are (Z)drunken with their drink,
They are (AA)consumed
As stubble fully dried up.
11 From you has gone forth
One who (AB)devised evil against Yahweh,
A [e](AC)vile counselor.

12 Thus says Yahweh,

“Though they are at full strength and likewise many,
Even so, they will be (AD)cut off and pass away.
Though I have afflicted you,
I will afflict you (AE)no longer.
13 So now, I will (AF)break his yoke bar from upon you,
And I will break your bands apart.”

14 And Yahweh has commanded concerning [f]you:
[g]There will (AG)no longer be seed from your name.
From the house of your gods,
I will cut off (AH)graven image and molten image.
I will prepare your (AI)grave,
For you are contemptible.”

15 [h]Behold, (AJ)on the mountains the feet of him who proclaims good news,
Who [i]announces peace!
(AK)Celebrate your feasts, O Judah;
Pay your vows.
For (AL)never again will the [j]vile one pass through you;
He is (AM)cut off completely.

Footnotes

  1. Nahum 1:1 Or burden
  2. Nahum 1:2 The personal covenant name of God, a form of I AM WHO I AM, cf. Ex 3:14-15
  3. Nahum 1:2 Lit a possessor of wrath
  4. Nahum 1:9 Nineveh’s
  5. Nahum 1:11 Or worthless; Heb Belial
  6. Nahum 1:14 The king of Nineveh
  7. Nahum 1:14 Lit No more of your name will be sown
  8. Nahum 1:15 Ch 2:1 in Heb
  9. Nahum 1:15 Or causes peace to be heard
  10. Nahum 1:15 Or worthless; Heb Belial

Nahum

Of the destruction of the Assyrians, and of the deliverance of Israel.

The [a]burden of Nineveh. [b]The book of the vision of Nahum the [c]Elkoshite.

God is [d]jealous, and the Lord revengeth: the Lord revengeth: even the Lord [e]of anger, the Lord will take vengeance on his adversaries, and he reserveth wrath for his enemies.

The [f]Lord is slow to anger, but he is great in power, and will not surely clear the wicked: the Lord hath his way in the whirlwind, and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet.

He rebuketh the sea, and drieth it, and he drieth up all the rivers: Bashan is wasted and Carmel, and the flower of Lebanon is wasted.

The mountains tremble for him, and the hills melt, and the earth is burnt at his sight, yea the world, and all that dwell therein.

[g]Who can stand before his wrath? or who can abide in the fierceness of his wrath? his wrath is poured out like fire, and the rocks are broken by him.

The Lord is good [h]and as a stronghold in the day of trouble, and he knoweth them that trust in him.

But passing over as with a flood, he will utterly destroy the [i]place thereof, and darkness shall pursue his enemies.

What do ye [j]imagine against the Lord? he will make an utter destruction: affliction shall not rise up the second time.

10 For he shall come as unto [k]thorns folden one in another, and as unto drunkards in their drunken-ness: they shall be devoured as stubble fully dried.

11 There [l]cometh one out of thee that imagineth evil against the Lord, even a wicked counselor.

12 Thus saith the Lord, Though they be [m]quiet, and also many, yet thus shall they be cut off when he shall pass by: though I have afflicted thee, I will afflict thee no more.

13 For now I will break his yoke from thee, and will burst thy bonds in sunder.

14 And the Lord hath given a commandment concerning thee that no more of thy name be [n]sown: out of the house of thy gods will I cut off the graven, and the molten image: I will make it thy grave for thee, for thou art vile.

15 (A)Behold upon the mountains the feet of him that declareth, and publisheth [o]peace: O Judah, keep thy solemn feasts, perform thy vows: for the wicked shall no more pass through thee: he is utterly cut off.

Footnotes

  1. Nahum 1:1 Read Isa. 13:1.
  2. Nahum 1:1 The vision or revelation, which God commanded Nahum to write concerning the Ninevites.
  3. Nahum 1:1 That is, born in a poor village in the tribe of Simeon.
  4. Nahum 1:2 Meaning, of his glory.
  5. Nahum 1:2 With his he is but angry for a time, but his anger never assuageth toward the reprobate, though for a time he defer it.
  6. Nahum 1:3 Thus the wicked would make God’s mercy an occasion to sin, but the Prophet willeth them to consider his force and justice.
  7. Nahum 1:6 If all creatures be at God’s commandment, and none is able to resist his wrath, shall man flatter himself, and think by any means to escape, when he provoketh his God to anger?
  8. Nahum 1:7 Lest the faithful should be discouraged by hearing the power of God, he showeth them that his mercy appertain unto them, and that he hath care over them.
  9. Nahum 1:8 Signifying, that God will suddenly destroy Nineveh, and the Assyrians, in such sort as they shall lie in perpetual darkness, and never recover their strength again.
  10. Nahum 1:9 He showeth that the enterprises of the Assyrians against Judah and the Church, were against God, and therefore he would so destroy them at once, that he should not need to return the second time.
  11. Nahum 1:10 Although the Assyrians think themselves like thorns that prick on all sides, yet the Lord will set fire on them, and as drunken men are not able to stand against any force, so they shall be nothing able to resist him.
  12. Nahum 1:11 Which may be understood either of Sennacherib, or of the whole body of the people of Nineveh.
  13. Nahum 1:12 Though they think themselves in most safety, and of greatest strength, yet when God shall pass by, he will destroy them: notwithstanding he comforteth his Church, and promiseth to make an end of punishing them by the Assyrians.
  14. Nahum 1:14 Meaning, Sennacherib, who should have no more children, but be slain in the house of his gods, 2 Kings 19:36, 37.
  15. Nahum 1:15 Which peace the Jews should enjoy by the death of Sennacherib.

A prophecy(A) concerning Nineveh.(B) The book of the vision(C) of Nahum the Elkoshite.

The Lord’s Anger Against Nineveh

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)
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.
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.
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)
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.

The Lord is good,(X)
    a refuge in times of trouble.(Y)
He cares for(Z) those who trust in him,(AA)
    but with an overwhelming flood(AB)
he will make an end of Nineveh;
    he will pursue his foes into the realm of darkness.

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]

Footnotes

  1. Nahum 1:9 Or What do you foes plot against the Lord? / He will bring it
  2. Nahum 1:10 The meaning of the Hebrew for this verse is uncertain.
  3. Nahum 1:15 In Hebrew texts this verse (1:15) is numbered 2:1.