Nahum 3:1–7

Woe to the bloody city,

all full of lies and plunder—

no end to the prey!

The crack of the whip, and rumble of the wheel,

galloping horse and bounding chariot!

Horsemen charging,

flashing sword and glittering spear,

hosts of slain,

heaps of corpses,

dead bodies without end—

they stumble over the bodies!

And all for the countless whorings of the prostitute,

graceful and of deadly charms,

who betrays nations with her whorings,

and peoples with her charms.

Behold, I am against you,

declares the Lord of hosts,

and will lift up your skirts over your face;

and I will make nations look at your nakedness

and kingdoms at your shame.

I will throw filth at you

and treat you with contempt

and make you a spectacle.

And all who look at you will shrink from you and say,

“Wasted is Nineveh; who will grieve for her?”

Where shall I seek comforters for you?

Woe to the city of blood,

full of lies,

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—

all because of the wanton lust of a prostitute,

alluring, the mistress of sorceries,

who enslaved nations by her prostitution

and peoples by her witchcraft.

“I am against you,” declares the Lord Almighty.

“I will lift your skirts over your face.

I will show the nations your nakedness

and the kingdoms your shame.

I will pelt you with filth,

I will treat you with contempt

and make you a spectacle.

All who see you will flee from you and say,

‘Nineveh is in ruins—who will mourn for her?’

Where can I find anyone to comfort you?”

Woe to the city of blood,

totally deceitful,

full of plunder,

never without prey.

The crack of the whip

and rumble of the wheel,

galloping horse

and jolting chariot!

Charging horseman,

flashing sword,

shining spear;

heaps of slain,

mounds of corpses,

dead bodies without end—

they stumble over their dead.

Because of the continual prostitution of the prostitute,

the attractive mistress of sorcery,

who treats nations and clans like merchandise

by her prostitution and sorcery,

I am against you.

This is the declaration of the Lord of Armies.

I will lift your skirts over your face

and display your nakedness to nations,

your shame to kingdoms.

I will throw filth on you

and treat you with contempt;

I will make a spectacle of you.

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?

What sorrow awaits Nineveh,

the city of murder and lies!

She is crammed with wealth

and is never without victims.

Hear the crack of whips,

the rumble of wheels!

Horses’ hooves pound,

and chariots clatter wildly.

See the flashing swords and glittering spears

as the charioteers charge past!

There are countless casualties,

heaps of bodies—

so many bodies that

people stumble over them.

All this because Nineveh,

the beautiful and faithless city,

mistress of deadly charms,

enticed the nations with her beauty.

She taught them all her magic,

enchanting people everywhere.

“I am your enemy!”

says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.

“And now I will lift your skirts

and show all the earth your nakedness and shame.

I will cover you with filth

and show the world how vile you really are.

All who see you will shrink back and say,

‘Nineveh lies in ruins.

Where are the mourners?’

Does anyone regret your destruction?”

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.

The crack of the whip!

The rumbling of the chariot wheel!

The galloping of the horse!

The racing of the chariot!

Chariots charge!

Swords flash!

Spears glitter!

Many corpses are piled high!

There is no end to the slain!

They stumble over their dead!

“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,

“Look! I am against you!” declares Yahweh of hosts.

“I will strip up your skirts over your face;

I will let nations look at your nakedness, and kingdoms your shame.

“I will throw filth upon you,

I will treat you with contempt,

I will make you a spectacle.

“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?”

Woe to the bloody city!

It is all full of lies and robbery;

The prey departeth not;

The noise of a whip, and the noise of the rattling of the wheels,

And of the pransing horses, and of the jumping chariots.

The horseman lifteth up both the bright sword and the glittering spear:

And there is a multitude of slain, and a great number of carcases;

And there is none end of their corpses; they stumble upon their corpses:

Because of the multitude of the whoredoms of the wellfavoured harlot,

The mistress of witchcrafts,

That selleth nations through her whoredoms,

And families through her witchcrafts.

Behold, I am against thee, saith the Lord of hosts;

And I will discover thy skirts upon thy face,

And I will shew the nations thy nakedness,

And the kingdoms thy shame.

And I will cast abominable filth upon thee, and make thee vile,

And will set thee as a gazingstock.

And it shall come to pass, that all they that look upon thee shall flee from thee, and say,

Nineveh is laid waste: who will bemoan her?

Whence shall I seek comforters for thee?