Font Size
Nahum 2
GOD’S WORD Translation
Nahum 2
GOD’S WORD Translation
2 [a]The one who will scatter you is coming to attack you.
Guard your fortress!
Keep a lookout on the road!
Prepare for battle!
Be very courageous!
2 The Lord will restore Jacob’s glory like Israel’s glory,
although enemies have looted it
and have destroyed its vines.
3 The shields of his warriors are painted red.
His soldiers have red uniforms.
The metal on his chariots flashes fiery red,
so do the spears when they are waved
on the day he prepares for battle.
4 Chariots are racing madly through the streets,
rushing this way and that in the city squares.
They look like torches, like lightning, as they dart about.
5 He remembers his best fighting men.
They stumble over themselves as they march.
They hurry to Nineveh’s wall.
The shield has been set up for the battering ram.
6 The gates of the rivers are opened, and the palace melts away.
Nineveh’s Treasures Will Be Taken
7 The Lord has determined:
“It will be stripped.
It will be carried away.
Its young women will be mourning like doves
as they beat their breasts.”
8 Nineveh was like a pool of water from its first day on.
But now its people are fleeing.
“Stop! Stop!”
But no one turns around.
9 Steal the silver! Steal the gold!
There is no end to what is stored here—
everything a person could ever want.
10 Nineveh is destroyed, deserted, demolished.
Hearts are melting.
Knees are knocking.
Every stomach becomes upset.
Every face turns pale.
Nineveh Will Be Destroyed
11 Where is the lions’ den,
that feeding place for young lions?
Where are the lion, the lioness, and the lion cub who moved about
with no one to terrify them?
12 The lion tore its prey to pieces to feed its cubs.
It strangled ⌞the prey⌟ for its mates.
It used to fill its caves with torn carcasses
and its dens with torn flesh.
13 “I am against you, Nineveh,” declares the Lord of Armies.
“I will send your chariots up in smoke,
and a sword will kill your young lions.
I will remove your prey from the earth,
and no one will ever hear the voice of your messengers again.”
Footnotes
- 2:1 Nahum 2:1–13 in English Bibles is Nahum 2:2–14 in the Hebrew Bible.
Nahum 2
New International Version
Nahum 2
New International Version
Nineveh to Fall
2 [a]An attacker(A) advances against you, Nineveh.
Guard the fortress,
watch the road,
brace yourselves,
marshal all your strength!
2 The Lord will restore(B) the splendor(C) of Jacob
like the splendor of Israel,
though destroyers have laid them waste
and have ruined their vines.
3 The shields of the soldiers are red;
the warriors are clad in scarlet.(D)
The metal on the chariots flashes
on the day they are made ready;
the spears of juniper are brandished.[b]
4 The chariots(E) storm through the streets,
rushing back and forth through the squares.
They look like flaming torches;
they dart about like lightning.
5 Nineveh summons her picked troops,
yet they stumble(F) on their way.
They dash to the city wall;
the protective shield is put in place.
6 The river gates(G) are thrown open
and the palace collapses.
7 It is decreed[c] that Nineveh
be exiled and carried away.
Her female slaves moan(H) like doves
and beat on their breasts.(I)
8 Nineveh is like a pool
whose water is draining away.
“Stop! Stop!” they cry,
but no one turns back.
9 Plunder the silver!
Plunder the gold!
The supply is endless,
the wealth from all its treasures!
10 She is pillaged, plundered, stripped!
Hearts melt,(J) knees give way,
bodies tremble, every face grows pale.(K)
Nahum 2
New King James Version
Nahum 2
New King James Version
The Destruction of Nineveh
2 He[a] who scatters has come up before your face.
Man the fort!
Watch the road!
Strengthen your flanks!
Fortify your power mightily.
2 For the Lord will restore the excellence of Jacob
Like the excellence of Israel,
For the emptiers have emptied them out
And ruined their vine branches.
3 The shields of his mighty men are made red,
The valiant men are in scarlet.
The chariots come with flaming torches
In the day of his preparation,
And [b]the spears are brandished.
4 The chariots rage in the streets,
They jostle one another in the broad roads;
They seem like torches,
They run like lightning.
5 He remembers his nobles;
They stumble in their walk;
They make haste to her walls,
And the defense is prepared.
6 The gates of the rivers are opened,
And the palace is dissolved.
7 [c]It is decreed:
She shall be led away captive,
She shall be brought up;
And her maidservants shall lead her as with the voice of doves,
Beating their breasts.
8 Though Nineveh of old was like a pool of water,
Now they flee away.
[d]“Halt! Halt!” they cry;
But no one turns back.
9 [e]Take spoil of silver!
Take spoil of (A)gold!
There is no end of treasure,
Or wealth of every desirable prize.
10 She is empty, desolate, and waste!
The heart melts, and the knees shake;
Much pain is in every side,
And all their faces [f]are drained of color.
11 Where is the dwelling of the (B)lions,
And the feeding place of the young lions,
Where the lion walked, the lioness and lion’s cub,
And no one made them afraid?
12 The lion tore in pieces enough for his cubs,
[g]Killed for his lionesses,
(C)Filled his caves with prey,
And his dens with [h]flesh.
13 “Behold, (D)I am against you,” says the Lord of hosts, “I will burn [i]your chariots in smoke, and the sword shall devour your young lions; I will cut off your prey from the earth, and the voice of your (E)messengers shall be heard no more.”
Footnotes
- Nahum 2:1 Vg. He who destroys
- Nahum 2:3 Lit. the cypresses are shaken; LXX, Syr. the horses rush about; Vg. the drivers are stupefied
- Nahum 2:7 Heb. Huzzab
- Nahum 2:8 Lit. Stand
- Nahum 2:9 Plunder
- Nahum 2:10 LXX, Tg., Vg. gather blackness; Joel 2:6
- Nahum 2:12 Lit. Strangled
- Nahum 2:12 Torn flesh
- Nahum 2:13 Lit. her
Nahum 2
English Standard Version
Nahum 2
English Standard Version
The Destruction of Nineveh
2 (A)The scatterer has come up against you.
(B)Man the ramparts;
watch the road;
dress for battle;[a]
collect all your strength.
2 For (C)the Lord is restoring the majesty of Jacob
as the majesty of Israel,
for plunderers have plundered them
and (D)ruined their branches.
3 The shield of his mighty men is red;
(E)his soldiers are clothed in scarlet.
The chariots come with flashing metal
on the day he musters them;
the cypress spears are brandished.
4 (F)The chariots race madly through the streets;
they rush to and fro through the squares;
they gleam like torches;
they dart like lightning.
5 He remembers (G)his officers;
(H)they stumble as they go,
they hasten to the wall;
the siege tower[b] is set up.
6 (I)The river gates are opened;
the palace (J)melts away;
7 its mistress[c] is (K)stripped;[d] she is carried off,
her slave girls (L)lamenting,
moaning like doves
and beating their breasts.
8 (M)Nineveh is like a pool
whose waters run away.[e]
“Halt! Halt!” they cry,
but (N)none turns back.
9 Plunder the silver,
plunder the gold!
There is no end of the treasure
or of the wealth of all precious things.
10 (O)Desolate! Desolation and ruin!
(P)Hearts melt and (Q)knees tremble;
(R)anguish is in all loins;
(S)all faces grow pale!
11 Where is the lions' den,
the feeding place of (T)the young lions,
where the lion and lioness went,
where his cubs were, with (U)none to disturb?
12 (V)The lion tore enough for his cubs
and (W)strangled prey for his lionesses;
he filled his caves with prey
and his dens with torn flesh.
13 (X)Behold, I am against you, declares the Lord of hosts, and (Y)I will burn your[f] chariots in smoke, and the sword shall devour your young lions. I will cut off your prey from the earth, and (Z)the voice of your messengers shall no longer be heard.
GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)
Copyright © 1995, 2003, 2013, 2014, 2019, 2020 by God’s Word to the Nations Mission Society. All rights reserved.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
New King James Version (NKJV) 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
English Standard Version (ESV) 
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.