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Nahum 1-3
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Nahum 1-3
Holman Christian Standard Bible
1 The oracle concerning Nineveh.(A) The book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite.
God’s Vengeance
2 The Lord is a jealous and avenging God;
the Lord takes vengeance
and is fierce in[a] wrath.
The Lord takes vengeance against His foes;
He is furious with His enemies.(B)
3 The Lord is slow to anger but great in power;
the Lord will never leave the guilty unpunished.(C)
His path is in the whirlwind and storm,
and clouds are the dust beneath His feet.
4 He rebukes the sea so that it dries up,
and He makes all the rivers run dry.(D)
Bashan and Carmel wither;(E)
even the flower of Lebanon withers.
5 The mountains quake before Him,
and the hills melt;
the earth trembles[b][c] at His presence—
the world and all who live in it.(F)
6 Who can withstand His indignation?
Who can endure His burning anger?(G)
His wrath is poured out like fire,
even rocks are shattered before Him.
Destruction of Nineveh
7 The Lord is good,
a stronghold in a day of distress;
He cares for those who take refuge(H) in Him.
8 But He will completely destroy Nineveh[d]
with an overwhelming flood,(I)
and He will chase His enemies into darkness.
9 Whatever you[e] plot against the Lord,
He will bring it to complete destruction;(J)
oppression will not rise up a second time.
10 For they will be consumed
like entangled thorns,(K)
like the drink of a drunkard
and like straw that is fully dry.[f]
11 One has gone out from you,[g]
who plots evil against Yahweh,
and is a wicked counselor.
Promise of Judah’s Deliverance
12 This is what the Lord says:
Though they are strong[h] and numerous,
they will still be mowed down,
and he[i] will pass away.
Though I have afflicted you,[j](L)
I will afflict you no longer.(M)
13 For I will now break off his yoke from you
and tear off your shackles.
The Assyrian King’s Demise
14 The Lord has issued an order concerning you:
There will be no offspring
to carry on your name.[k](N)
I will eliminate the carved idol and cast image
from the house of your gods;(O)
I will prepare your grave,
for you are contemptible.
15 [l]Look to the mountains—
the feet of one bringing good news(P)
and proclaiming peace!
Celebrate your festivals, Judah;
fulfill your vows.
For the wicked one will never again
march through you;
he will be entirely wiped out.
Attack against Nineveh
2 One who scatters is coming up against you.
Man the fortifications!
Watch the road!
Brace[m] yourself!
Summon all your strength!(Q)
2 For the Lord will restore the majesty of Jacob,
yes,[n] the majesty of Israel,
though ravagers have ravaged them
and ruined their vine branches.(R)
3 The shields of his[o] warriors are dyed red;
the valiant men are dressed in scarlet.(S)
The fittings of the chariot flash like fire
on the day of its battle preparations,
and the spears are brandished.
4 The chariots dash madly through the streets;
they rush around in the plazas.
They look like torches;
they dart back and forth like lightning.
5 He gives orders to his officers;
they stumble as they advance.
They race to its wall;
the protective shield is set in place.
6 The river gates are opened,
and the palace erodes away.(T)
7 Beauty[p] is stripped,[q]
she is carried away;
her ladies-in-waiting moan
like the sound of doves,(U)
and beat their breasts.
8 Nineveh has been like a pool of water
from her first days,[r]
but they are fleeing.
“Stop! Stop!” they cry,
but no one turns back.
9 “Plunder the silver! Plunder the gold!”
There is no end to the treasure,
an abundance of every precious thing.(V)
10 Desolation, decimation, devastation!
Hearts melt,(W)
knees tremble,
loins shake,
every face grows pale!(X)
11 Where is the lions’ lair,(Y)
or the feeding ground of the young lions,
where the lion and lioness prowled,
and the lion’s cub,
with nothing to frighten them away?(Z)
12 The lion mauled whatever its cubs needed
and strangled prey for its lionesses.
It filled up its dens with the kill,
and its lairs with mauled prey.(AA)
13 Beware, I am against you.(AB)
This is the declaration of the Lord of Hosts.
I will make your chariots go up in smoke[s]
and the sword will devour your young lions.
I will cut off your prey from the earth,
and the sound of your messengers
will never be heard again.
Nineveh’s Downfall
3 Woe to the city of blood,(AC)
totally deceitful,
full of plunder,
never without prey.(AD)
2 The crack of the whip
and rumble of the wheel,
galloping horse
and jolting chariot!(AE)
3 Charging horseman,
flashing sword,
shining spear;
heaps of slain,
mounds of corpses,
dead bodies without end(AF)—
they stumble over their dead.
4 Because of the continual prostitution of the prostitute,
the attractive mistress of sorcery,
who betrays nations by her prostitution
and clans by her witchcraft,(AG)
5 I am against you.(AH)
This is the declaration of the Lord of Hosts.
I will lift your skirts over your face
and display your nakedness to nations,
your shame to kingdoms.(AI)
6 I will throw filth on you
and treat you with contempt;
I will make a spectacle of you.
7 Then all who see you will recoil from you, saying,
“Nineveh is devastated;
who will show sympathy to her?”
Where can I find anyone to comfort you?
8 Are you better than Thebes[t](AJ)
that sat along the Nile
with water surrounding her,
whose rampart was the sea,
the river[u][v] her wall?
9 Cush and Egypt were her endless source of strength;
Put and Libya were among her[w] allies.
10 Yet she became an exile;
she went into captivity.
Her children were also dashed to pieces(AK)
at the head of every street.
They cast lots for her dignitaries,(AL)
and all her nobles were bound in chains.
11 You[x] also will become drunk;
you will hide yourself.[y]
You also will seek refuge from the enemy.
12 All your fortresses are fig trees
with figs that ripened first;
when shaken, they fall—
right into the mouth of the eater!
13 Look, your troops are like women among you;
the gates of your land
are wide open to your enemies.
Fire will devour the bars of your gates.
14 Draw water for the siege;
strengthen your fortresses.
Step into the clay and tread the mortar;
take hold of the brick-mold!
15 The fire will devour you there;
the sword will cut you down.
It will devour you like the young locust.(AM)
Multiply yourselves like the young locust,
multiply like the swarming locust!
16 You have made your merchants(AN)
more numerous than the stars of the sky.
The young locust strips[z] the land
and flies away.
17 Your court officials are like the swarming locust,
and your scribes like clouds of locusts,
which settle on the walls on a cold day;
when the sun rises, they take off,
and no one knows where they are.
18 King of Assyria, your shepherds slumber;
your officers sleep.
Your people are scattered across the mountains
with no one to gather them together.(AO)
19 There is no remedy for your injury;
your wound is severe.(AP)
All who hear the news about you
will clap their hands because of you,
for who has not experienced
your constant cruelty?
Footnotes
- Nahum 1:2 Lit is a master of
- Nahum 1:5 Some emend to earth is laid waste
- Nahum 1:5 Lit lifts
- Nahum 1:8 Lit her place
- Nahum 1:9 = Nineveh
- Nahum 1:10 Hb obscure
- Nahum 1:11 Possibly Nineveh
- Nahum 1:12 Lit intact
- Nahum 1:12 Either the king of Assyria or his army
- Nahum 1:12 = Judah
- Nahum 1:14 Lit It will not be sown from your name any longer
- Nahum 1:15 Nah 2:1 in Hb
- Nahum 2:1 Lit Strengthen
- Nahum 2:2 Or like
- Nahum 2:3 = the army commander attacking Nineveh
- Nahum 2:7 Text emended; MT reads Huzzab
- Nahum 2:7 Hb obscure
- Nahum 2:8 Hb obscure
- Nahum 2:13 Lit will burn her chariots in smoke
- Nahum 3:8 Or No-amon
- Nahum 3:8 LXX, Syr, Vg read water
- Nahum 3:8 Lit sea from sea
- Nahum 3:9 Lit your
- Nahum 3:11 = Nineveh
- Nahum 3:11 Or will be overcome
- Nahum 3:16 Or sheds [its skin]
Nahum 1-3
New International Version
Nahum 1-3
New International Version
1 A prophecy(A) concerning Nineveh.(B) The book of the vision(C) of Nahum the Elkoshite.
The Lord’s Anger Against Nineveh
2 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)
3 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.
4 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.
5 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)
6 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.
7 The Lord is good,(X)
a refuge in times of trouble.(Y)
He cares for(Z) those who trust in him,(AA)
8 but with an overwhelming flood(AB)
he will make an end of Nineveh;
he will pursue his foes into the realm of darkness.
9 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
2 [d]An attacker(AR) advances against you, Nineveh.
Guard the fortress,
watch the road,
brace yourselves,
marshal all your strength!
2 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.
3 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]
4 The chariots(AV) 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(AW) on their way.
They dash to the city wall;
the protective shield is put in place.
6 The river gates(AX) are thrown open
and the palace collapses.
7 It is decreed[f] that Nineveh
be exiled and carried away.
Her female slaves moan(AY) like doves
and beat on their breasts.(AZ)
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,(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
3 Woe to the city of blood,(BK)
full of lies,(BL)
full of plunder,
never without victims!
2 The crack of whips,
the clatter of wheels,
galloping horses
and jolting chariots!
3 Charging cavalry,
flashing swords
and glittering spears!
Many casualties,
piles of dead,
bodies without number,
people stumbling over the corpses(BM)—
4 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.
5 “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.
6 I will pelt you with filth,(BS)
I will treat you with contempt(BT)
and make you a spectacle.(BU)
7 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?”
8 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.
9 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
- Nahum 1:9 Or What do you foes plot against the Lord? / He will bring it
- Nahum 1:10 The meaning of the Hebrew for this verse is uncertain.
- Nahum 1:15 In Hebrew texts this verse (1:15) is numbered 2:1.
- Nahum 2:1 In Hebrew texts 2:1-13 is numbered 2:2-14.
- Nahum 2:3 Hebrew; Septuagint and Syriac ready; / the horsemen rush to and fro.
- Nahum 2:7 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
- Nahum 3:9 That is, the upper Nile region
- Nahum 3:18 That is, rulers
Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
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