Nahum 1
Holman Christian Standard Bible
1 The oracle concerning Nineveh.(A) The book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite.
God’s Vengeance
2 The Lord is a jealous and avenging God;
the Lord takes vengeance
and is fierce in[a] wrath.
The Lord takes vengeance against His foes;
He is furious with His enemies.(B)
3 The Lord is slow to anger but great in power;
the Lord will never leave the guilty unpunished.(C)
His path is in the whirlwind and storm,
and clouds are the dust beneath His feet.
4 He rebukes the sea so that it dries up,
and He makes all the rivers run dry.(D)
Bashan and Carmel wither;(E)
even the flower of Lebanon withers.
5 The mountains quake before Him,
and the hills melt;
the earth trembles[b][c] at His presence—
the world and all who live in it.(F)
6 Who can withstand His indignation?
Who can endure His burning anger?(G)
His wrath is poured out like fire,
even rocks are shattered before Him.
Destruction of Nineveh
7 The Lord is good,
a stronghold in a day of distress;
He cares for those who take refuge(H) in Him.
8 But He will completely destroy Nineveh[d]
with an overwhelming flood,(I)
and He will chase His enemies into darkness.
9 Whatever you[e] plot against the Lord,
He will bring it to complete destruction;(J)
oppression will not rise up a second time.
10 For they will be consumed
like entangled thorns,(K)
like the drink of a drunkard
and like straw that is fully dry.[f]
11 One has gone out from you,[g]
who plots evil against Yahweh,
and is a wicked counselor.
Promise of Judah’s Deliverance
12 This is what the Lord says:
Though they are strong[h] and numerous,
they will still be mowed down,
and he[i] will pass away.
Though I have afflicted you,[j](L)
I will afflict you no longer.(M)
13 For I will now break off his yoke from you
and tear off your shackles.
The Assyrian King’s Demise
14 The Lord has issued an order concerning you:
There will be no offspring
to carry on your name.[k](N)
I will eliminate the carved idol and cast image
from the house of your gods;(O)
I will prepare your grave,
for you are contemptible.
15 [l]Look to the mountains—
the feet of one bringing good news(P)
and proclaiming peace!
Celebrate your festivals, Judah;
fulfill your vows.
For the wicked one will never again
march through you;
he will be entirely wiped out.
Footnotes
- Nahum 1:2 Lit is a master of
- Nahum 1:5 Some emend to earth is laid waste
- Nahum 1:5 Lit lifts
- Nahum 1:8 Lit her place
- Nahum 1:9 = Nineveh
- Nahum 1:10 Hb obscure
- Nahum 1:11 Possibly Nineveh
- Nahum 1:12 Lit intact
- Nahum 1:12 Either the king of Assyria or his army
- Nahum 1:12 = Judah
- Nahum 1:14 Lit It will not be sown from your name any longer
- Nahum 1:15 Nah 2:1 in Hb
Nahum 1
International Standard Version
Nahum’s Vision
1 A pronouncement[a] about Nineveh: The record of the vision of Nahum[b] from Elkosh.
The Lord’s Anger against Assyria
2 A jealous God, the Lord avenges.
The Lord avenges;
The Lord is an angry husband.
The Lord takes vengeance on his enemies,
reserving anger for his adversaries.
3 The Lord is slow to anger and powerful,
and he will never let the guilty[c] go unpunished.
The Lord’s path is in the windstorm and hurricane;
thunderclouds are dust beneath his feet.
4 He rebukes the sea, and it evaporates;
he dries up all the rivers.
Bashan and Carmel wither,
while the flowers of Lebanon languish.
5 Mountains shake because of him,
and the hills melt.
The earth goes into upheaval at his presence,
as does the world with all of its inhabitants.
6 Who can stand before his fury?
And who can endure his fierce anger?
His displeasure pours out like fire,
and rocks are broken to pieces because of him.
The Lord’s Goodness in the Midst of Judgment
7 The Lord is good—
a refuge in troubled times.[d]
He knows those who are confiding in him.
8 But with an overwhelming deluge he will bring utter desolation to Nineveh,[e]
and his enemies he will pursue with darkness.
9 What are you scheming against the Lord?
He will bring about utter desolation—
adversity will not strike twice!
10 Indeed, while tangled as by a thorn bush,
while drunken as by a strong drink,
the Ninevites[f] will be burned like dry straw.
11 Someone has left you who plans evil against the Lord.
He is a demonic counselor.[g]
The Lord’s Rebuke to Assyria
12 This is what the Lord says:
“No matter how strong they are,[h]
and no matter how numerous,
they will surely be annihilated[i] and pass away.
Though I have afflicted you,[j]
I will do so no more.
13 Now I will break off Assyria’s[k] yoke from you,
and tear apart your shackles.”
14 Now this is what the Lord has decreed about you, Nineveh:[l]
“There will be no more children born[m] to carry on your name.
I will cut out the graven and molten images from the temples of your gods.
I myself will dig your grave,
because you are vile.”
The Sure and Certain Deliverance of Judah
15 [n]Look! There on the mountains!
The feet of the one who brings good news,
who broadcasts a message of peace.
Judah, celebrate your solemn festivals
and keep your vows,
because the wicked will never again invade you.
Nineveh[o] will be[p] completely eliminated!
Footnotes
- Nahum 1:1 Or revelation
- Nahum 1:1 The Heb. name Nahum means comfort
- Nahum 1:3 The Heb. lacks the guilty
- Nahum 1:7 Or in a day of trouble
- Nahum 1:8 Lit. to its place
- Nahum 1:10 Lit. they
- Nahum 1:11 Or a worthless counselor; Lit. a counselor of Belial
- Nahum 1:12 The Heb. lacks they are
- Nahum 1:12 Lit. be cut down
- Nahum 1:12 The Heb. lacks you
- Nahum 1:13 Lit. his
- Nahum 1:14 The Heb. lacks Nineveh
- Nahum 1:14 Lit. sown
- Nahum 1:15 This verse is 2:1 in MT
- Nahum 1:15 Lit. It
- Nahum 1:15 Or has been
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