God Is Awesome

The (A)pronouncement of (B)Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite:

A (C)jealous and avenging God is the Lord;
The Lord is (D)avenging and [a]wrathful.
The Lord takes (E)vengeance on His adversaries,
And He reserves wrath for His enemies.
The Lord is (F)slow to anger and great in power,
And the Lord will by no means leave the guilty unpunished.
In the (G)gale and the storm is His way,
And (H)clouds are the dust beneath His feet.
He (I)rebukes the sea and dries it up;
He dries up all the rivers.
(J)Bashan and Carmel wither,
The blossoms of Lebanon wither.
Mountains (K)quake because of Him,
And the hills (L)come apart;
Indeed the earth is (M)upheaved by His presence,
The (N)world and all the inhabitants in it.
(O)Who can stand before His indignation?
Who can endure the (P)burning of His anger?
His (Q)wrath gushes forth like fire,
And the (R)rocks are broken up by Him.
The Lord is (S)good,
A stronghold in the day of trouble,
And (T)He knows those who take refuge in Him.
But with an (U)overflowing flood
He will make a complete end of [b]its site,
And will pursue His enemies into (V)darkness.

Whatever you (W)devise against the Lord,
He will make a (X)complete end 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
Like stubble completely dried up.
11 From you has gone out
One who (AB)plotted evil against the Lord,
A [c](AC)wicked counselor.

12 This is what the Lord says:

“Though they are at full strength and so they are many,
So also 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 from upon you,
And I will tear your shackles to pieces.”

14 The Lord has issued a command concerning [d]you:
[e]Your name will (AG)no longer be perpetuated.
I will eliminate the (AH)carved image and the cast metal image
From the house of your gods.
I will prepare your (AI)grave,
For you are contemptible.”

15 [f]Behold, (AJ)on the mountains, the feet of him who brings good news,
Who announces peace!
(AK)Celebrate your feasts, Judah,
Pay your vows.
For (AL)never again will the [g]wicked one pass through you;
He is (AM)eliminated completely.

The Overthrow of Nineveh

[h]The one who (AN)scatters has come up against [i]you.
Keep watch over the fortress, watch the road;
[j]Bind up your waist, [k]summon all your strength.
For the Lord will restore the (AO)splendor of Jacob
(AP)Like the splendor of Israel,
Even though destroyers have laid waste to them
And (AQ)ruined their vines.

The shields of [l]his warriors are dyed red,
The warriors are dressed in (AR)scarlet,
The chariots are fitted with [m]flashing steel
[n]When he is prepared to march,
And the juniper (AS)spears are brandished.
The (AT)chariots drive wildly in the streets,
They rush around in the [o]public squares;
Their appearance is like torches,
They drive back and forth like lightning flashes.
He remembers his (AU)officers;
They (AV)stumble in their advance,
They hurry to her wall,
And the [p]mantelet is set up.
The gates of the rivers are opened
And the palace sways back and forth.
It is set:
She is stripped, she is led away,
And her slave women are (AW)sobbing like the sound of doves,
(AX)Beating their [q]breasts.

Though Nineveh was like a pool of water throughout her days,
Yet they are fleeing;
“Stop, stop,”
But (AY)no one turns back.
Plunder the silver,
Plunder the (AZ)gold!
For there is no end to the treasure—
Wealth from every kind of desirable object.
10 She is (BA)emptied! Yes, she is desolate and waste!
(BB)Hearts are melting and knees wobbling!
Also trembling is in [r]the entire body,
And all their (BC)faces have become pale!
11 Where is the den of the lions
And the feeding place of the (BD)young lions,
Where the lion, lioness, and lion’s cub went
With nothing to disturb them?
12 The lion tore enough for his cubs,
[s]Killed enough prey for his lionesses,
And filled his lairs with prey
And his dens with torn flesh.

13 “Behold, (BE)I am against you,” declares the Lord of armies. “I will (BF)burn up her chariots in smoke, and a sword will devour your young lions; I will (BG)eliminate your prey from the land, and no longer will the voice of your messengers be heard.”

Nineveh’s Complete Ruin

(BH)Woe to the bloody city, completely full of lies and pillage;
Her prey does not leave.
The (BI)sound of the whip,
The sound of the roar of the wheel,
Galloping horses
And [t]bounding chariots!
Horsemen charging,
Swords flashing, (BJ)spears gleaming,
(BK)Many killed, a mass of corpses,
And there is (BL)no end to the dead bodies—
They stumble over [u]the dead bodies!
All because of the (BM)many sexual acts of the prostitute,
The charming one, the (BN)mistress of sorceries,
Who (BO)sells nations by her sexual acts,
And families by her sorceries.
“Behold, (BP)I am against you,” declares the Lord of armies;
“And I will [v](BQ)lift up your skirts over your face,
And (BR)show the nations your nakedness,
And the kingdoms your shame.
I will (BS)throw filth on you
And (BT)declare you worthless,
And set you up as a (BU)spectacle.
And it will come about that all who see you
Will [w]shrink from you and say,
‘Nineveh is devastated!
(BV)Who will have sympathy for her?’
Where shall I seek comforters for you?”

Are you better than [x](BW)No-amon,
Which was situated by the (BX)canals of the Nile,
With water surrounding her,
Whose rampart was [y]the sea,
Whose wall consisted of [z]the sea?
(BY)Ethiopia was her might,
Egypt too, without limits.
(BZ)Put and (CA)Lubim were among [aa]her helpers.
10 Yet she (CB)became an exile,
She went into captivity;
Also her (CC)small children were smashed to pieces
(CD)At the head of every street;
They (CE)cast lots for her honorable men,
And all her great men were bound with shackles.
11 You too will become (CF)drunk,
You will be (CG)hidden.
You too will search for a refuge from the enemy.
12 All your fortifications are (CH)fig trees with [ab](CI)ripe fruit—
When shaken, they fall into the eater’s mouth.
13 Behold, your people are (CJ)women in your midst!
The gates of your land are (CK)opened wide to your enemies;
Fire consumes your gate bars.
14 (CL)Draw for yourself water for a siege!
(CM)Strengthen your fortifications!
Go into the clay and tread the mortar!
Take hold of the brick mold!
15 There (CN)fire will consume you,
The sword will cut you down;
It will (CO)consume you as the creeping locust consumes a crop.
Multiply yourself like the creeping locust,
Multiply yourself like the migratory locust.
16 You have made your (CP)traders more numerous than the stars of heaven—
The creeping locust sheds its skin and flies away.
17 Your (CQ)courtiers are like the migratory locust.
Your (CR)officials are like a swarm of locusts
Settling in the stone shelters on a cold day.
The sun rises and they flee,
And the place where they are is not known.
18 Your shepherds are (CS)sleeping, O (CT)king of Assyria;
Your (CU)officers are lying down.
Your people are (CV)scattered on the mountains
And there is no one to gather them.
19 There is (CW)no relief for your collapse,
Your (CX)wound is incurable.
All who hear [ac]about you
Will (CY)clap their hands over you,
For upon whom has your evil not come continually?

Footnotes

  1. Nahum 1:2 Lit a possessor of wrath
  2. Nahum 1:8 I.e., Nineveh’s
  3. Nahum 1:11 Or worthless; Heb Belial
  4. Nahum 1:14 I.e., the king of Nineveh
  5. Nahum 1:14 Lit No more of your name will be sown
  6. Nahum 1:15 Ch 2:1 in Heb
  7. Nahum 1:15 Or worthless one; Heb Belial
  8. Nahum 2:1 Ch 2:2 in Heb
  9. Nahum 2:1 Lit your face
  10. Nahum 2:1 Lit Strengthen your loins
  11. Nahum 2:1 Lit strengthen power greatly
  12. Nahum 2:3 I.e., those attacking Nineveh
  13. Nahum 2:3 Lit fire of steel
  14. Nahum 2:3 Lit On the day of his preparation
  15. Nahum 2:4 Lit broad places
  16. Nahum 2:5 I.e., a shield used for stopping projectiles
  17. Nahum 2:7 Lit hearts
  18. Nahum 2:10 Lit all the loins
  19. Nahum 2:12 Lit Strangled
  20. Nahum 3:2 Lit leaping
  21. Nahum 3:3 Lit their
  22. Nahum 3:5 Lit uncover your private parts
  23. Nahum 3:7 Lit flee
  24. Nahum 3:8 I.e., the city of Amon: Thebes
  25. Nahum 3:8 I.e., the Nile
  26. Nahum 3:8 I.e., the Nile
  27. Nahum 3:9 Lit your
  28. Nahum 3:12 Lit first fruits
  29. Nahum 3:19 Lit your report

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]

Nineveh to Fall

[d]An attacker(AR) advances against you, Nineveh.
    Guard the fortress,
    watch the road,
    brace yourselves,
    marshal all your strength!

The Lord will restore(AS) the splendor(AT) of Jacob
    like the splendor of Israel,
though destroyers have laid them waste
    and have ruined their vines.

The shields of the soldiers are red;
    the warriors are clad in scarlet.(AU)
The metal on the chariots flashes
    on the day they are made ready;
    the spears of juniper are brandished.[e]
The chariots(AV) storm through the streets,
    rushing back and forth through the squares.
They look like flaming torches;
    they dart about like lightning.

Nineveh summons her picked troops,
    yet they stumble(AW) on their way.
They dash to the city wall;
    the protective shield is put in place.
The river gates(AX) are thrown open
    and the palace collapses.
It is decreed[f] that Nineveh
    be exiled and carried away.
Her female slaves moan(AY) like doves
    and beat on their breasts.(AZ)
Nineveh is like a pool
    whose water is draining away.
“Stop! Stop!” they cry,
    but no one turns back.
Plunder the silver!
    Plunder the gold!
The supply is endless,
    the wealth from all its treasures!
10 She is pillaged, plundered, stripped!
    Hearts melt,(BA) knees give way,
    bodies tremble, every face grows pale.(BB)

11 Where now is the lions’ den,(BC)
    the place where they fed their young,
where the lion and lioness went,
    and the cubs, with nothing to fear?
12 The lion killed(BD) enough for his cubs
    and strangled the prey for his mate,
filling his lairs(BE) with the kill
    and his dens with the prey.(BF)

13 “I am against(BG) you,”
    declares the Lord Almighty.
“I will burn up your chariots in smoke,(BH)
    and the sword(BI) will devour your young lions.
    I will leave you no prey on the earth.
The voices of your messengers
    will no longer be heard.”(BJ)

Woe to Nineveh

Woe to the city of blood,(BK)
    full of lies,(BL)
full of plunder,
    never without victims!
The crack of whips,
    the clatter of wheels,
galloping horses
    and jolting chariots!
Charging cavalry,
    flashing swords
    and glittering spears!
Many casualties,
    piles of dead,
bodies without number,
    people stumbling over the corpses(BM)
all because of the wanton lust of a prostitute,
    alluring, the mistress of sorceries,(BN)
who enslaved nations by her prostitution(BO)
    and peoples by her witchcraft.

“I am against(BP) you,” declares the Lord Almighty.
    “I will lift your skirts(BQ) over your face.
I will show the nations your nakedness(BR)
    and the kingdoms your shame.
I will pelt you with filth,(BS)
    I will treat you with contempt(BT)
    and make you a spectacle.(BU)
All who see you will flee(BV) from you and say,
    ‘Nineveh(BW) is in ruins(BX)—who will mourn for her?’(BY)
    Where can I find anyone to comfort(BZ) you?”

Are you better than(CA) Thebes,(CB)
    situated on the Nile,(CC)
    with water around her?
The river was her defense,
    the waters her wall.
Cush[g](CD) and Egypt were her boundless strength;
    Put(CE) and Libya(CF) were among her allies.
10 Yet she was taken captive(CG)
    and went into exile.
Her infants were dashed(CH) to pieces
    at every street corner.
Lots(CI) were cast for her nobles,
    and all her great men were put in chains.(CJ)
11 You too will become drunk;(CK)
    you will go into hiding(CL)
    and seek refuge from the enemy.

12 All your fortresses are like fig trees
    with their first ripe fruit;(CM)
when they are shaken,
    the figs(CN) fall into the mouth of the eater.
13 Look at your troops—
    they are all weaklings.(CO)
The gates(CP) of your land
    are wide open to your enemies;
    fire has consumed the bars of your gates.(CQ)

14 Draw water for the siege,(CR)
    strengthen your defenses!(CS)
Work the clay,
    tread the mortar,
    repair the brickwork!
15 There the fire(CT) will consume you;
    the sword(CU) will cut you down—
    they will devour you like a swarm of locusts.
Multiply like grasshoppers,
    multiply like locusts!(CV)
16 You have increased the number of your merchants
    till they are more numerous than the stars in the sky,
but like locusts(CW) they strip the land
    and then fly away.
17 Your guards are like locusts,(CX)
    your officials like swarms of locusts
    that settle in the walls on a cold day—
but when the sun appears they fly away,
    and no one knows where.

18 King of Assyria, your shepherds[h] slumber;(CY)
    your nobles lie down to rest.(CZ)
Your people are scattered(DA) on the mountains
    with no one to gather them.
19 Nothing can heal you;(DB)
    your wound is fatal.
All who hear the news about you
    clap their hands(DC) at your fall,
for who has not felt
    your endless cruelty?(DD)

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.
  4. Nahum 2:1 In Hebrew texts 2:1-13 is numbered 2:2-14.
  5. Nahum 2:3 Hebrew; Septuagint and Syriac ready; / the horsemen rush to and fro.
  6. Nahum 2:7 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
  7. Nahum 3:9 That is, the upper Nile region
  8. Nahum 3:18 That is, rulers