\NormalFont\ShortTitle{Nahum}

{\MT Nahum



\par }\ChapOne{1}{\SH Introduction
\par }
{\PP \par }
{\Q \VerseOne{1}The oracle against Nineveh;

\par }{\Q the book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite:


\par }{\SH God Takes Vengeance against His Enemies
\par }
{\Q \VS{2}The
{\ND{Lord}} is a zealous and avenging God;

\par }{\Q the
{\ND{Lord}} is avenging and very angry.

\par }{\Q The
{\ND{Lord}} takes vengeance against his foes;

\par }{\Q he sustains his rage against his enemies.


\par }{\Q \VS{3}The
{\ND{Lord}} is slow to anger but great in power;

\par }{\Q the
{\ND{Lord}} will certainly not allow the wicked to go unpunished.

\par }{\SH The Divine Warrior Destroys His Enemies but Protects His People
\par }
{\Q He marches out in the whirlwind and the raging storm;

\par }{\Q dark storm clouds billow like dust under his feet.


\par }{\Q \VS{4}He shouts a battle cry against the sea and makes it dry up;

\par }{\Q he makes all the rivers run dry.

\par }{\Q Bashan and Carmel wither;

\par }{\Q the blossom of Lebanon withers.


\par }{\Q \VS{5}The mountains tremble before him,

\par }{\Q the hills convulse;

\par }{\Q the earth is laid waste before him,

\par }{\Q the world and all its inhabitants are laid waste.


\par }{\Q \VS{6}No one can withstand his indignation!

\par }{\Q No one can resist his fierce anger!

\par }{\Q His wrath is poured out like volcanic fire,

\par }{\Q boulders are broken up as he approaches.


\par }{\Q \VS{7}The
{\ND{Lord}} is good –

\par }{\Q indeed, he is a fortress in time of distress,

\par }{\Q and he protects those who seek refuge in him.


\par }{\Q \VS{8}But with an overwhelming flood

\par }{\Q he will make a complete end of Nineveh;

\par }{\Q he will drive his enemies into darkness.


\par }{\SH Denunciation and Destruction of Nineveh
\par }
{\Q \VS{9}Whatever you plot against the
{\ND{Lord}}, he will completely destroy!

\par }{\Q Distress will not arise a second time.


\par }{\Q \VS{10}Surely they will be totally consumed

\par }{\Q like entangled thorn bushes,

\par }{\Q like the drink of drunkards,

\par }{\Q like very dry stubble.


\par }{\Q \VS{11}From you, O Nineveh, one has marched forth who plots evil against the
{\ND{Lord}},

\par }{\Q a wicked military strategist.


\par }{\SH Oracle of Deliverance to Judah
\par }
{\Q \VS{12}This is what the
{\ND{Lord}} says:

\par }{\Q “Even though they are powerful –

\par }{\Q and what is more, even though their army is numerous –

\par }{\Q nevertheless, they will be destroyed and trickle away!

\par }{\Q Although I afflicted you,

\par }{\Q I will afflict you no more.


\par }{\Q \VS{13}And now, I will break Assyria’s yoke bar from your neck;

\par }{\Q I will tear apart the shackles that are on you.”


\par }{\SH Oracle of Judgment against the King of Nineveh
\par }
{\Q \VS{14}The
{\ND{Lord}} has issued a decree against you:

\par }{\Q “Your dynasty will come to an end.

\par }{\Q I will destroy the idols and images in the temples of your gods.

\par }{\Q I will desecrate your grave – because you are accursed!”


\par }{\SH Proclamation of the Deliverance of Judah
\par }
{\Q \VS{15}Look! A herald is running on the mountains!

\par }{\Q A messenger is proclaiming deliverance:

\par }{\Q “Celebrate your sacred festivals, O Judah!

\par }{\Q Fulfill your sacred vows to praise God!

\par }{\Q For never again will the wicked Assyrians invade you,

\par }{\Q they have been completely destroyed.”




\par }\Chap{2}{\PP \par }
{\Q \VerseOne{1}The watchmen of Nineveh shout:

\par }{\Q “An enemy who will scatter you is marching out to attack you!”

\par }{\Q “Guard the rampart!

\par }{\Q Watch the road!

\par }{\Q Prepare yourselves for battle!

\par }{\Q Muster your mighty strength!”


\par }{\Q \VS{2}For the
{\ND{Lord}} will restore the majesty of Jacob,

\par }{\Q as well as the majesty of Israel,

\par }{\Q though their enemies have plundered them

\par }{\Q and have destroyed their fields.


\par }{\SH Prophetic Vision of the Fall of Nineveh
\par }
{\Q \VS{3}The shields of his warriors are dyed red;

\par }{\Q the mighty soldiers are dressed in scarlet garments.

\par }{\Q The metal fittings of the chariots shine

\par }{\Q like fire on the day of battle;

\par }{\Q the soldiers brandish their spears.


\par }{\Q \VS{4}The chariots race madly through the streets,

\par }{\Q they rush back and forth in the broad plazas;

\par }{\Q they look like lightning bolts,

\par }{\Q they dash here and there like flashes of lightning.


\par }{\Q \VS{5}The commander orders his officers;

\par }{\Q they stumble as they advance;

\par }{\Q they rush to the city wall

\par }{\Q and they set up the covered siege tower.


\par }{\Q \VS{6}The sluice gates are opened;

\par }{\Q the royal palace is deluged and dissolves.


\par }{\Q \VS{7}Nineveh is taken into exile and is led away;

\par }{\Q her slave girls moan like doves while they beat their breasts.


\par }{\Q \VS{8}Nineveh was like a pool of water throughout her days,

\par }{\Q but now her people are running away;

\par }{\Q she cries out: “Stop! Stop!” –

\par }{\Q but no one turns back.


\par }{\Q \VS{9}Her conquerors cry out:

\par }{\Q “Plunder the silver! Plunder the gold!”

\par }{\Q There is no end to the treasure;

\par }{\Q riches of every kind of precious thing.


\par }{\Q \VS{10}Destruction, devastation, and desolation!

\par }{\Q Their hearts faint,

\par }{\Q their knees tremble,

\par }{\Q each stomach churns, each face turns pale!


\par }{\SH Taunt against the Once-Mighty Lion
\par }
{\Q \VS{11}Where now is the den of the lions,

\par }{\Q the feeding place of the young lions,

\par }{\Q where the lion, lioness, and lion cub once prowled

\par }{\Q and no one disturbed them?


\par }{\Q \VS{12}The lion tore apart as much prey as his cubs needed

\par }{\Q and strangled prey to provide food for his lionesses;

\par }{\Q he filled his lairs with prey

\par }{\Q and his dens with torn flesh.


\par }{\SH Battle Cry of the Divine Warrior
\par }
{\Q \VS{13}“I am against you!” declares the
{\ND{Lord}} who commands armies:

\par }{\Q “I will burn your chariots with fire;

\par }{\Q the sword will devour your young lions;

\par }{\Q you will no longer prey upon the land;

\par }{\Q the voices of your messengers will no longer be heard.”




\par }\Chap{3}{\PP \par }
{\Q \VerseOne{1}Woe to the city guilty of bloodshed!

\par }{\Q She is full of lies;

\par }{\Q she is filled with plunder;

\par }{\Q she has hoarded her spoil!


\par }{\SH Portrayal of the Destruction of Nineveh
\par }
{\Q \VS{2}The chariot drivers will crack their whips;

\par }{\Q the chariot wheels will shake the ground;

\par }{\Q the chariot horses will gallop;

\par }{\Q the war chariots will bolt forward!


\par }{\Q \VS{3}The charioteers will charge ahead;

\par }{\Q their swords will flash

\par }{\Q and their spears will glimmer!

\par }{\Q There will be many people slain;

\par }{\Q there will be piles of the dead,

\par }{\Q and countless casualties –

\par }{\Q so many that people will stumble over the corpses.


\par }{\SH Taunt against the Harlot City
\par }
{\Q \VS{4}“Because you have acted like a wanton prostitute –

\par }{\Q a seductive mistress who practices sorcery,

\par }{\Q who enslaves nations by her harlotry,

\par }{\Q and entices peoples by her sorcery –


\par }{\Q \VS{5}I am against you,” declares the
{\ND{Lord}} who commands armies.

\par }{\Q “I will strip off your clothes!

\par }{\Q I will show your nakedness to the nations

\par }{\Q and your shame to the kingdoms;


\par }{\Q \VS{6}I will pelt you with filth;

\par }{\Q I will treat you with contempt;

\par }{\Q I will make you a public spectacle.


\par }{\Q \VS{7}Everyone who sees you will turn away from you in disgust;

\par }{\Q they will say, ‘Nineveh has been devastated!

\par }{\Q Who will lament for her?’

\par }{\Q There will be no one to comfort you!”


\par }{\SH Nineveh Will Suffer the Same Fate as Thebes
\par }
{\Q \VS{8}You are no more secure than Thebes –

\par }{\Q she was located on the banks of the Nile;

\par }{\Q the waters surrounded her,

\par }{\Q her rampart was the sea,

\par }{\Q the water was her wall.


\par }{\Q \VS{9}Cush and Egypt had limitless strength;

\par }{\Q Put and the Libyans were among her allies.


\par }{\Q \VS{10}Yet she went into captivity as an exile;

\par }{\Q even her infants were smashed to pieces at the head of every street.

\par }{\Q They cast lots for her nobility;

\par }{\Q all her dignitaries were bound with chains.


\par }{\Q \VS{11}You too will act like drunkards;

\par }{\Q you will go into hiding;

\par }{\Q you too will seek refuge from the enemy.


\par }{\SH The Assyrian Defenses Will Fail
\par }
{\Q \VS{12}All your fortifications will be like fig trees with first-ripe fruit:

\par }{\Q If they are shaken, their figs will fall into the mouth of the eater!


\par }{\Q \VS{13}Your warriors will be like women in your midst;

\par }{\Q the gates of your land will be wide open to your enemies;

\par }{\Q fire will consume the bars of your gates.


\par }{\Q \VS{14}Draw yourselves water for a siege!

\par }{\Q Strengthen your fortifications!

\par }{\Q Trample the mud and tread the clay!

\par }{\Q Make mud bricks to strengthen your walls!


\par }{\Q \VS{15}There the fire will consume you;

\par }{\Q the sword will cut you down;

\par }{\Q it will devour you like the young locust would.

\par }{\SH The Assyrian Defenders Will Flee
\par }
{\Q Multiply yourself like the young locust;

\par }{\Q multiply yourself like the flying locust!


\par }{\Q \VS{16}Increase your merchants more than the stars of heaven!

\par }{\Q They are like the young locust which sheds its skin and flies away.


\par }{\Q \VS{17}Your courtiers are like locusts,

\par }{\Q your officials are like a swarm of locusts!

\par }{\Q They encamp in the walls on a cold day,

\par }{\Q yet when the sun rises, they fly away;

\par }{\Q and no one knows where they are.


\par }{\SH Concluding Dirge
\par }
{\Q \VS{18}Your shepherds are sleeping, O king of Assyria!

\par }{\Q Your officers are slumbering!

\par }{\Q Your people are scattered like sheep on the mountains

\par }{\Q and there is no one to regather them!


\par }{\Q \VS{19}Your destruction is like an incurable wound;

\par }{\Q your demise is like a fatal injury!

\par }{\Q All who hear what has happened to you will clap their hands for joy,

\par }{\PP for no one ever escaped your endless cruelty!


\par }