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The shields of his warriors are red;
    his soldiers are clothed in crimson.
The metal on the chariots flashes
    on the day when he musters them;
    the chargers[a] prance.(A)
The chariots race madly through the streets;
    they rush to and fro through the squares;
their appearance is like torches;
    they dart like lightning.(B)
He calls his officers;
    they stumble as they come forward;
they hasten to the wall,
    and the screen[b] is set up.
The river gates are opened;
    the palace trembles.
It is decreed[c] that the city[d] be exiled,
    its slave women led away,
moaning like doves
    and beating their breasts.(C)
Nineveh is like a pool
    whose waters[e] run away.
“Halt! Halt!”—
    but no one turns back.(D)
“Plunder the silver;
    plunder the gold!
There is no end of treasure!
    An abundance of every precious thing!”

10 Devastation, desolation, and destruction!
    Hearts faint and knees tremble;
all loins quake;
    all faces grow pale!(E)

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Footnotes

  1. 2.3 Cn Compare Gk Syr: Heb cypresses
  2. 2.5 Meaning of Heb uncertain
  3. 2.7 Meaning of Heb uncertain
  4. 2.7 Heb it
  5. 2.8 Cn Compare Gk: Heb a pool, from the days that she has become, and they

The shields of his[a] warriors are dyed red;
the valiant men are dressed in scarlet.(A)
The fittings of the chariot flash like fire
on the day of its battle preparations,
and the spears are brandished.
The chariots dash madly through the streets;
they rush around in the plazas.
They look like torches;
they dart back and forth like lightning.
He gives orders to his officers;
they stumble as they advance.
They race to its wall;
the protective shield is set in place.
The river gates are opened,
and the palace erodes away.(B)

Beauty[b] is stripped,[c]
she is carried away;
her ladies-in-waiting moan
like the sound of doves,(C)
and beat their breasts.
Nineveh has been like a pool of water
from her first days,[d]
but they are fleeing.
“Stop! Stop!” they cry,
but no one turns back.
“Plunder the silver! Plunder the gold!”
There is no end to the treasure,
an abundance of every precious thing.(D)
10 Desolation, decimation, devastation!
Hearts melt,(E)
knees tremble,
loins shake,
every face grows pale!(F)

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Footnotes

  1. Nahum 2:3 = the army commander attacking Nineveh
  2. Nahum 2:7 Text emended; MT reads Huzzab
  3. Nahum 2:7 Hb obscure
  4. Nahum 2:8 Hb obscure