1 The pronouncement(A) concerning Nineveh.(B) 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;(C)
he is furious with his enemies.(D)
3 The Lord is slow to anger but great in power;
the Lord will never leave the guilty unpunished.(E)
His path is in the whirlwind and storm,(F)
and clouds are the dust beneath his feet.(G)
4 He rebukes the sea and dries it up,
and he makes all the rivers run dry.(H)
Bashan and Carmel wither;(I)
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.(J)
6 Who can withstand his indignation?
Who can endure his burning anger?(K)
His wrath is poured out like fire;(L)
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(M) in him.
8 But he will completely destroy Nineveh[d]
with an overwhelming flood,(N)
and he will chase his enemies into darkness.
9 Whatever you[e] plot against the Lord,
he will bring it to complete destruction;(O)
oppression will not rise up a second time.
10 For they will be consumed
like entangled thorns,(P)
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 the Lord,
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 punished you,[j](Q)
I will punish you no longer.(R)
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](S)
I will eliminate the carved idol and cast image
from the house of your gods;(T)
I will prepare your grave,
for you are contemptible.
15 Look to the mountains—
the feet of the herald,(U)
who proclaims peace.
Celebrate your festivals, Judah;
fulfill your vows.
For the wicked one will never again
march through you;
he will be entirely wiped out.
Footnotes
- 1:2 Lit is a master of
- 1:5 Some emend to earth is laid waste
- 1:5 Lit lifts
- 1:8 Lit her place
- 1:9 = Nineveh
- 1:10 Hb obscure
- 1:11 Possibly Nineveh
- 1:12 Lit intact
- 1:12 Either the king of Assyria or his army
- 1:12 = Judah
- 1:14 Lit It will not be sown from your name any longer
Cross references
- 1:1 : Is 13:1; 30:6; Jr 18:18; Ezk 12:10; Hab 1:1; Zch 9:1; 12:1; Mal 1:1
- 1:1 : Jnh 3:3–4; 4:11; Nah 2:8; Zph 2:13
- 1:2 : Dt 32:35,41,43; Ps 94:1; 149:7; Is 1:24; 59:17; Jr 5:9,29; 9:9; 46:10; 50:15; 51:6,11,36; Ezk 25:14–17; Mc 5:15; 2Th 1:8; Heb 10:30
- 1:2 : Dt 6:15; Ps 94:1; Is 63:1–6; Jr 46:10; 50:28–29; Mc 5:15; Zph 1:18
- 1:3 : Ex 34:6–7; Nm 14:18
- 1:3 : Pr 1:27; 10:25; Is 66:15; Jr 4:13; Hs 8:7
- 1:3 : Dt 33:26; Ps 68:4; 104:3; Mt 24:30; 26:64
- 1:4 : 2Sm 22:16; Ps 106:9; Is 50:2; Mt 8:26
- 1:4 : Is 33:9; Jr 50:19
- 1:5 : Jdg 5:5; Ps 18:7; 46:2–3; 97:5; Is 5:25; 64:1,3; Jr 4:24; Am 8:8; Mc 1:4
- 1:6 : Ps 7:11; 69:24; 78:49; Jl 2:11; Mal 3:2
- 1:6 : Ps 21:9; Is 9:19; 30:30; Jr 4:4; Lm 4:11; Ezk 22:20; Zph 1:18
- 1:7 : 2Sm 22:3; Ps 17:7; 34:8
- 1:8 : Nah 2:6
- 1:9 : Ps 2:1–4
- 1:10 : Mal 4:1
- 1:12 : Is 10:5–34
- 1:12 : Ps 30:5; 103:9; Is 54:8
- 1:14 : Lv 20:3; 1Sm 24:21; Ps 89:4; Is 48:19; 66:22
- 1:14 : Dt 27:15; Jdg 18:14
- 1:15 : Is 52:7; 61:1; Rm 10:15