Nahum 1–2

1This is the message for the city of Nineveh. ⁿ This is the book of the vision of Nahum, who was from the town of Elkosh.

The Lord Is Angry with Nineveh

²The Lord is a jealous God who punishes;

the Lord punishes and is filled with anger.

The Lord punishes those who are against him,

and he stays angry with his enemies.

³The Lord does not become angry quickly,

and his power is great.

The Lord will not let the guilty go unpunished.

Where the Lord goes, there are whirlwinds and storms,

and the clouds are the dust beneath his feet.

⁴He speaks to the sea and makes it dry;

he dries up all the rivers.

The areas of Bashan and Carmel dry up,

and the flowers of Lebanon dry up.

⁵The mountains shake in front of him,

and the hills melt.

The earth trembles when he comes;

the world and all who live in it shake with fear.

⁶No one can stay alive when he is angry;

no one can survive his strong anger.

His anger is poured out like fire;

the rocks are smashed by him.

⁷The Lord is good,

giving protection in times of trouble.

He knows who trusts in him.

⁸But like a rushing flood,

he will completely destroy Nineveh;

he will chase his enemies until he kills them.

⁹The Lord will completely destroy

anyone making plans against him.

Trouble will not come a second time.

¹⁰Those people will be like tangled thorns

or like people drunk from their wine;

they will be burned up quickly like dry weeds.

¹¹Someone has come from Nineveh

who makes evil plans against the Lord

and gives wicked advice.

¹²This is what the Lord says:

“Although Assyria is strong and has many people,

it will be defeated and brought to an end.

Although I have made you suffer, Judah,

I will make you suffer no more.

¹³Now I will free you from their control

and tear away your chains.”

¹⁴The Lord has given you this command, Nineveh:

“You will not have descendants to carry on your name.

I will destroy the idols and metal images

that are in the temple of your gods.

I will make a grave for you,

because you are wicked.”

¹⁵Look, there on the hills,

someone is bringing good news!

He is announcing peace!

Celebrate your feasts, people of Judah,

and give your promised sacrifices to God.

The wicked will not come to attack you again;

they have been completely destroyed.

Nineveh Will Be Defeated

2The destroyer ⁿ is coming to attack you, Nineveh.

Guard the defenses.

Watch the road.

Get ready.

Gather all your strength!

²Destroyers have destroyed God’s people

and ruined their vines,

but the Lord will bring back Jacob’s greatness

like Israel’s greatness.

³The shields of his soldiers are red;

the army is dressed in red.

The metal on the chariots flashes like fire

when they are ready to attack;

their horses are excited.

⁴The chariots race through the streets

and rush back and forth through the city squares.

They look like torches;

they run like lightning.

⁵He ⁿ calls his officers,

but they stumble on the way.

They hurry to the city wall,

and the shield is put into place.

⁶The river gates are thrown open,

and the palace is destroyed.

⁷It has been announced that the people of Nineveh

will be captured and carried away.

The slave girls moan like doves

and beat their breasts, because they are sad.

⁸Nineveh is like a pool,

and now its water is draining away.

“Stop! Stop!” the people yell,

but no one turns back.

⁹Take the silver!

Take the gold!

There is no end to the treasure—

piles of wealth of every kind.

¹⁰Nineveh is robbed, ruined, and destroyed.

The people lose their courage, and their knees knock.

Stomachs ache, and everyone’s face grows pale.

¹¹Where is the lions’ ⁿ den

and the place where they feed their young?

Where did the lion, lioness, and cubs go

without being afraid?

¹²The lion killed enough for his cubs,

enough for his mate.

He filled his cave with the animals he caught;

he filled his den with meat he had killed.

¹³“I am against you, Nineveh,”

says the Lord All-Powerful.

“I will burn up your chariots in smoke,

and the sword will kill your young lions.

I will stop you from hunting down others on the earth,

and your messengers’ voices

will no longer be heard.”