Nahum
Introduction
God Takes Vengeance against His Enemies
1:2 The LORD3 is a zealous4 and avenging5 God;
the LORD is avenging and exceedingly wrathful.6
The LORD takes vengeance7 against his foes;
he sustains his rage8 against his enemies.
1:3 The LORD is slow to anger9 but great in power;10
the LORD will certainly not11 allow the wicked12 to go unpunished.
The Divine Warrior Destroys His Enemies but Protects His People
He marches out13 in the whirlwind and the raging storm;
dark storm clouds billow like dust14 under his feet.15
1:4 He shouts a battle cry16 against the sea17 and makes it dry up;18
he makes all the rivers19 run dry.
Bashan and Carmel languish;20
the blossom of Lebanon withers.21
1:5 The mountains tremble before him,22
the hills shake apart;23
the earth is laid waste24 before him,
the world and all its inhabitants25 are laid waste.26
1:6 No one can withstand27 his indignation!28
No one can resist29 his fierce anger!30
His wrath is poured out like volcanic fire,
boulders are broken up31 as he approaches.32
1:7 The LORD is good33--
indeed,34 he is a fortress35 in time of distress,36
and he protects37 those who seek refuge38 in him.
1:8 But with an overwhelming flood39
he will make a complete end of Nineveh;40
he will drive41 his enemies into darkness.
Denunciation and Destruction of Nineveh
1:9 Whatever42 you plot43 against the LORD, he will completely destroy!44
Distress45 will not arise46 a second time.
1:10 Surely they will be totally consumed47
like48 entangled thornbushes,49
like the drink of drunkards,50
like very51 dry stubble.
1:11 From you, O Nineveh,52 one has marched forth who plots evil against the LORD,
a wicked military strategist.53
Oracle of Deliverance to Judah
1:12 This is what the LORD says:54
"Even though55 they are powerful56--
and what's more,57 even though their army is numerous58--
nevertheless,59 they will be destroyed60 and trickle away!61
Although I afflicted you,
I will afflict you no more.62
1:13 And now,63 I will break Assyria's64 yoke bar65 from your neck;66
I will tear apart the shackles67 that are on you."68
Oracle of Judgment against the King of Nineveh
1:14 The LORD has issued a decree against you:69
"Your dynasty will come to an end.70
I will destroy the idols and images in the temples of your gods.
I will desecrate71 your grave--because you are accursed!"72
Proclamation of the Deliverance of Judah
1:15 (2:1)73 Look! A herald is running74 on the mountains!
A messenger is proclaiming deliverance:75
"Celebrate your sacred festivals, O Judah!
Fulfill your sacred vows to praise God!76
For never again77 will the wicked78 Assyrians79 invade80 you,
they81 have been completely destroyed."82
Proclamation of the Destruction of Nineveh
2:1 (2:2) The watchmen of Nineveh shout:1
"An enemy who will scatter you2 is marching out3 to attack you!"4
"Guard5 the rampart!6
Watch the road!
Prepare yourselves for battle!7
Muster your mighty strength!"8
2:2 For the LORD will restore9 the majesty10 of Jacob,
as well as11 the majesty of Israel,
though12 their enemies have plundered them13
and have destroyed their fields.14
Prophetic Vision of the Fall on Nineveh
2:3 The shields of his warriors are dyed red;15
the mighty soldiers are dressed in scarlet garments.16
The metal fittings17 of the chariots18 shine like19 fire20 on the day of battle;21
the soldiers brandish22 their spears.23
2:4 The chariots24 race madly25 through the streets,
they rush back and forth26 in the broad plazas;
they look27 like lightning bolts,28
they dash here and there29 like flashes of lightning.30
2:5 The commander31 orders32 his officers;
they stumble33 as they advance;34
they rush to the city wall35
and they set up36 the covered siege tower.37
2:6 The sluice gates38 are opened;
the royal palace is deluged39 and dissolves.40
2:7 Nineveh41 is taken into exile42 and is led away;43
her slave girls moan44 like doves45 beating46 their breasts.47
2:8 Nineveh was like a pool48 of water49 throughout her days,50
but now51 her people52 are running away;53
she cries out:54 "Stop! Stop!"--
but no one turns back.55
2:9 Her conquerors cry out:56
"Plunder the silver! Plunder the gold!"
There is no end to the treasure;
riches of every kind of precious thing.
2:10 Destruction, devastation, and desolation!57
Their hearts faint,58
their knees tremble,59
every one of their stomachs wrenches,60 every one of their faces61 turns62 pale!63
Taunt against the Once-Mighty Lion
2:11 Where now is the den of the lions,64
the feeding place65 of the young lions,
where66 the lion, lioness,67 and lion cub once prowled68
and no one disturbed them?69
2:12 The lion tore apart as much prey as his cubs needed70
and strangled prey to provide food71 for his lionesses;
he filled72 his lairs with prey
and his dens with torn flesh.
Battle Cry of the Divine Warrior
2:13 "I am against you!" declares73 the LORD who leads armies:74
I will burn your chariots75 with fire;76
the sword will devour your young lions;77
you will no longer prey upon the land;78
the voices of your messengers79 will no longer be heard."
Reason for Judgment: Sins of Nineveh
Portrayal of the Destruction of Nineveh
3:2 The chariot drivers will crack their whips;5
the chariot wheels will shake the ground;6
the chariot horses7 will gallop;8
the war chariots9 will leap forward!10
3:3 The charioteers11 will charge ahead;12
their swords13 will flash14
and their spears15 will glimmer!16
There will be many people slain;17
there will be piles of the dead,
and countless casualties18--
so many that people19 will stumble over the corpses.
Taunt against the Harlot City
3:4 "Because20 you have acted like a wanton prostitute21--
a seductive mistress who practices sorcery,22
who23 enslaves24 nations by her harlotry,25
and entices peoples by her sorcery26--
3:5 I am against you," declares the LORD who leads armies.27
"I will strip off your clothes!28
I will show your nakedness to the nations
and your shame to the kingdoms;
3:6 I will pelt you with filth;29
I will treat you with contempt;
I will make you a public spectacle.
3:7 Everyone who sees you will turn away from you in disgust;
they will say, `Nineveh has been devastated!
Who will lament for her?'
There will be no one to comfort you!"30
Nineveh Will Suffer the Same Fate as Thebes
3:8 You are no more secure31 than Thebes32--
she was located on the banks of the Nile;
the waters surrounded her,
her33 rampart34 was the sea,
the water35 was her wall.
3:9 Cush36 and Egypt had limitless strength;37
Put and the Libyans38 were among39 her40 allies.41
3:10 Yet she went into captivity as an exile;42
even her infants were dashed43 in pieces at the head of every street.
They cast lots44 for her nobility;45
all her dignitaries were bound with chains.
3:11 You too will act like drunkards;46
you will go into hiding;47
you too will seek refuge from the enemy.
The Assyrian Defenses Will Fail
3:12 All your fortifications will be like fig trees48 with first-ripe fruit:49
If they are shaken,50 their figs51 will fall52 into the mouth of the eater!53
3:13 Your warriors will be like women in your midst;
the gates of your land will be wide open54 to your enemies;
fire will consume55 the bars of your gates.56
3:14 Draw yourselves water for a siege!57
Strengthen your fortifications!
Trample the mud58 and tread the clay!
Make mud bricks to strengthen your walls!59
3:15 There the fire will consume60 you;
the sword will cut you down;
it will devour61 you like the young locust would.
The Assyrian Defenders Will Flee
Multiply yourself62 like the young locust;
multiply yourself like the flying locust!
3:16 Increase63 your merchants more than the stars of heaven!
They are like64 the young locust which sheds65 its skin and flies away.
3:17 Your courtiers66 are like locusts,
your officials67 are like a swarm of locusts!
They encamp in the walls on a cold day,
yet when the sun rises, they68 fly away;69
and no one knows where they70 are.71
Concluding Dirge
3:18 Your shepherds72 are sleeping, O king of Assyria!
Your officers73 are slumbering!74
Your people are scattered like sheep on the mountains
and there is no one to regather them!
3:19 Your destruction is like an incurable wound;75
your demise is like a fatal injury!76
All who hear what has happened to you77 will clap their hands for joy,78
for no one ever escaped your endless cruelty!79