Chapter 1

1 An oracle concerning Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum of Elkosh.

2 The Lord is a jealous God and avenging,

the Lord is avenging and wrathful;

the Lord takes vengeance on his adversaries

and keeps wrath for his enemies.

3 The Lord is slow to anger and of great might,

and the Lord will by no means clear the guilty.

His way is in whirlwind and storm,

and the clouds are the dust of his feet.

4 He rebukes the sea and makes it dry,

he dries up all the rivers;

Bashan and Carmel wither,

the bloom of Lebanon fades.

5 The mountains quake before him,

the hills melt;

the earth is laid waste before him,

the world and all that dwell therein.

6 Who can stand before his indignation?

Who can endure the heat of his anger?

His wrath is poured out like fire,

and the rocks are broken asunder by him.

7 The Lord is good,

a stronghold in the day of trouble;

he knows those who take refuge in him.

8 But with an overflowing flood

he will make a full end of his adversaries,a

and will pursue his enemies into darkness.

9 What do you plot against the Lord?

He will make a full end;

he will not take vengeanceb twice on his foes.c

10 Like entangled thorns they are consumed,d

like dry stubble.

11 Did one note come out from you,

who plotted evil against the Lord,

and counseled villainy?

12 Thus says the Lord,

“Though they be strong and many,*

they will be cut off and pass away.

Though I have afflicted you,

I will afflict you no more.

13 And now I will break his yoke from off you

and will burst your bonds asunder.”

14 The Lord has given commandment about you:

“No more shall your name be perpetuated;

from the house of your gods I will cut off

the graven image and the molten image.

I will make your grave, for you are vile.”

15 Behold, on the mountains the feet of him

who brings good tidings,

who proclaims peace!

Keep your feasts, O Judah,

fulfil your vows,

for never again shall the wicked come against you,

he is utterly cut off.