Nahum 1
Modern English Version
1 An oracle for Nineveh, a writing of the vision of Nahum, the Elkoshite.
God’s Anger With Nineveh
2 The Lord is a jealous and avenging God;
the Lord avenges and is furious.
The Lord takes vengeance on His enemies,
and He reserves it for His adversaries;
3 the Lord is slow to anger and great in power,
and the Lord will in no way acquit the guilty.
In gale winds and a storm is His way,
and clouds are the dust of His feet.
4 He rebukes and dries up the sea,
and He makes waterless all the rivers.
Bashan and Carmel wither up,
and the sprout of Lebanon wastes away.
5 The mountains quake before Him,
and the hills melt;
the land rises up before Him,
the earth and everything that dwells on it.
6 Who can stand before His anger?
Who will rise up before His burning wrath?
His heat is poured out like fire,
and the rocks are broken up before Him.
7 The Lord is good,
a stronghold in the day of distress;
and He knows those who take refuge in Him.
8 As a flood running forth,
He will bring to an end the distress,
and He will pursue His adversaries into darkness.
9 Why do you all scheme against the Lord?
He will bring it to an end.
It will not rise up a second time.
10 Because they are like interwoven thorns
and as drunkards imbibing,
they are consumed like completely dry stubble.
11 Out of you, O Nineveh, comes one,
a worthless counselor,
who devises evil against the Lord.
12 So the Lord says:
“Even though they are full and many,
they will be cut down, and it will pass away.
Even though I have afflicted you,
I will no longer afflict you, O Judah;
13 now I will break apart his yoke from over you,
and I will tear apart your bonds.”
14 The Lord has given a command concerning you:
“No longer will your name go forth.
I will cut off the carved image and metal image
from the house of your gods.
I will prepare your grave,
for you are despised.”
15 Look, on the mountains
come the feet of him who brings good news,
who proclaims peace!
Make your feasts, O Judah,
and complete your vows.
For the wicked one will never again pass through your midst;
he is completely cut down.
Nahum 1
Lexham English Bible
Superscription
1 The oracle concerning Nineveh—
the scroll of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite:
Half-Acrostic: Yahweh Takes Vengeance against His Enemies
2 Yahweh is a jealous God and avenging;
Yahweh is avenging and full of wrath.[a]
Yahweh takes vengeance against his enemies;
he rages against his adversaries.
3 Yahweh is slow to anger but great in power;
he will certainly not allow the guilty to go unpunished.
He marches[b] in storm wind and in gale;
storm clouds are the dust of his feet.
4 He rebukes the sea and he dries up the rivers;
he makes all the rivers run dry.
Bashan and Carmel wither;[c]
the blossom of Lebanon languishes.
5 Mountains quake before him;
the hills shake apart.[d]
The earth heaves before him—
the world and all her inhabitants.
6 His indignation—who can stand before it?
Who can endure his fierce anger?[e]
His wrath is poured out like fire;
rocks are shattered before[f] him.
7 Yahweh is good—a refuge in the day of distress;
he knows those who take refuge in him.
8 But with a rushing torrent he will bring Nineveh to an end;
he will chase his enemies into darkness.
Yahweh Will Destroy Nineveh
9 What[g] do you plot against Yahweh?
He will completely destroy it;[h]
trouble will not rise up a second time!
10 For like entangled thorns,
and like their drink which is drunk,
they will be consumed like fully dry chaff.
11 From you goes out one who plots evil against Yahweh,
one who plans wickedness.
Yahweh Will Deliver Judah and Destroy Nineveh
12 Yahweh says this:
“Even though they are powerful and likewise many,
even so they will be cut off and pass away.
Though I have afflicted you,[i]
I will afflict you[j] no longer.
13 And now, I will break his yoke from upon you;
I will snap your bonds.”
14 Yahweh has commanded concerning you:
“Your name will no longer be sown.
I will cut off the idols and images[k] from the temple[l] of your gods;
I will send you to the grave[m] because you are worthless.”
15 [n] Look! On the mountains!
The feet of the one who brings good tidings,
the one who proclaims peace!
“Celebrate a festival, O Judah,
Fulfill your vows!
For he will not invade you again;
the wicked one is cut off completely!”
Footnotes
- Nahum 1:2 Literally “a lord of wrath”
- Nahum 1:3 Literally “His path”
- Nahum 1:4 MT reads “languishes,” but the versions reflect “withers,” which also restores the acrostic
- Nahum 1:5 Or “melt”
- Nahum 1:6 Literally “the heat of his anger”
- Nahum 1:6 Or “by”
- Nahum 1:9 Or “Why …?”
- Nahum 1:9 Literally “he will make a complete destruction”
- Nahum 1:12 That is, Judah
- Nahum 1:12 That is, Judah
- Nahum 1:14 Literally “the idols and the molten idols”
- Nahum 1:14 Literally “house”
- Nahum 1:14 Literally “I will make your grave”
- Nahum 1:15 Nahum 1:15–2:13 in the English Bible is 2:1–14 in the Hebrew Bible
The Holy Bible, Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House.
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