LEB - Nahum

Chapter 1

1:1  The oracle concerning Nineveh— the scroll of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite:

1:2  Yahweh is a jealous God and avenging; Yahweh is avenging and ⌞full of wrath⌟. Yahweh takes vengeance against his enemies; he rages against his adversaries.

1:3  Yahweh is slow to anger but great in power; he will certainly not allow the guilty to go unpunished. ⌞He marches⌟ in storm wind and in gale; storm clouds are the dust of his feet.

1:4  He rebukes the sea and he dries up the rivers; he makes all the rivers run dry. Bashan and Carmel wither; the blossom of Lebanon languishes.

1:5  Mountains quake before him; the hills shake apart. The earth heaves before him— the world and all her inhabitants.

1:6  His indignation—who can stand before it? Who can endure ⌞his fierce anger⌟? His wrath is poured out like fire; rocks are shattered before him.

1:7  Yahweh is good—a refuge in the day of distress; he knows those who take refuge in him.

1:8  But with a rushing torrent he will bring Nineveh to an end; he will chase his enemies into darkness.

1:9  What do you plot against Yahweh? ⌞He will completely destroy it⌟; trouble will not rise up a second time!

1:10  For like entangled thorns, and like their drink which is drunk, they will be consumed like fully dry chaff.

1:11  From you goes out one who plots evil against Yahweh, one who plans wickedness.

1:12  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 will afflict you no longer.

1:13  And now, I will break his yoke from upon you; I will snap your bonds.”

1:14  Yahweh has commanded concerning you: “Your name will no longer be sown. I will cut off ⌞the idols and images⌟ from the ⌞temple⌟ of your gods; ⌞I will send you to the grave⌟ because you are worthless.”

1:15  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!”

Chapter 2

2:1  ⌞One who shatters⌟ has come up against you! Guard the fortification! Watch the road! Gird your loins! ⌞Muster⌟ all your strength!

2:2  For Yahweh will restore the majesty of Jacob like the majesty of Israel; for ravagers have ravaged them and ruined their branches.

2:3  The shields of his warriors are dyed red; The powerful men are dressed in scarlet. The metal of the chariots shines like fire ⌞on the day of battle⌟, and their spears quiver.

2:4  The chariots race madly through the streets; they rush back and forth in the public squares. Their appearance like lightning bolts, they dart about like flashes of lightning.

2:5  He calls his officers; they stumble as they march; they rush to her wall; they set the covering in place.

2:6  The gates of the river are opened; the palace trembles.

2:7  ⌞Her goddess is taken out and taken into exile⌟; her maidservants moan like doves; they beat on their breasts.

2:8  Nineveh is like a pool of water without its water. ⌞As they flee⌟, she cries, “Stop! Stop!” But there is no one who turns back.

2:9  Plunder the silver! Plunder the gold! There is no end to the spoils, an abundance of ⌞everything one could want⌟!

2:10  Emptiness and plundering and devastation! Their hearts faint and their knees tremble, ⌞All their loins shake⌟ and all their faces ⌞turn⌟ pale.

2:11  Where now is the den of the lions and the cave of the fierce lions? There the lioness, the cub, and the lion once ⌞prowled⌟, ⌞and no one disturbed them⌟.

2:12  The lion tore apart enough prey for his cubs, he strangled prey for his lioness; he filled ⌞his lair⌟ with prey and his den with mangled carcass.

2:13  “Look! I am against you!” ⌞declares⌟ Yahweh of hosts. “I will burn her chariots ⌞with fire⌟; the sword will devour fierce lions. I will cut off your prey from the earth; the voice of your messengers will no longer be heard.”

Chapter 3

3:1  Woe to the city that has shed ⌞much blood⌟! ⌞She is a deceiver⌟, She is filled with plunder, ⌞She has hoarded her spoils of war⌟.

3:2  The crack of the whip! The rumbling of the chariot wheel! The galloping of the horse! The racing of the chariot!

3:3  Chariots charge! Swords flash! Spears glitter! ⌞Many corpses are piled high⌟! There is no end to the slain! They stumble over their dead!

3:4  “Because of the many idolatries of the prostitute, the beautiful charm of a mistress of witchcraft, she who enslaves nations by her harlotries, and peoples by her sorceries,

3:5  “Look! I am against you!” ⌞declares⌟Yahweh. “I will strip up your skirts over your face; I will let nations look at your nakedness and your shame.

3:6  “I will throw filth upon you, I will treat you with contempt, I will make you a spectacle.

3:7  “And it will be that everyone who sees you will flee from you, And ⌞they⌟ will say, ‘Nineveh is destroyed!’ Who will mourn for her? From whence shall I seek comforters for you?”

3:8  Are you better than Thebes? She who sits at the Nile, surrounded by her waters, her rampart was the sea and water was her wall.

3:9  Cush was her strength, Egypt without end; Put and Libya were among ⌞your allies⌟.

3:10  Yet she went into captivity as an exile; her children were dashed to pieces at the head of the streets; they cast lots for all of her nobles; all of her dignitaries were bound with chains.

3:11  You also will behave like a drunkard; You also will hide yourself; You also will seek refuge from the enemy.

3:12  All of your fortifications are like fig trees with ripe firstfruits— if they are shaken, they will fall into the mouth of the eater.

3:13  Look! Your troops are like women in your midst. The gates of your land are wide open to your enemies; fire will consume the bars of your gates.

3:14  Draw water for a siege! Strengthen your fortifications! Go to the mud pit! Trample the clay! Grasp the brick mold!

3:15  There fire will consume you; the sword will cut you off. It will consume you like the locust. Multiply yourself like the locust! Multiply yourself like the grasshopper!

3:16  You have increased your merchants more than the stars of heaven; like the locust they will shed their skin and fly away.

3:17  Your officials are like locusts; your commanders are like a swarm of locusts. They encamp on the walls on a cold day; when the sun rises, they fly away— no one knows where they have gone.

3:18  Your shepherds are sleeping, O king of Assyria! Your nobles slumber. Your people are scattered on the mountains; no one can gather them.

3:19  There is no healing for your wound; your injury is fatal. All who hear the report of you will clap their hands for joy concerning you, ⌞For who has not suffered at the hands of your endless cruelty⌟?