1 The oracle concerning Nineveh.(A) 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;
He is furious with His enemies.(B)
3 The Lord is slow to anger but great in power;
the Lord will never leave the guilty unpunished.(C)
His path is in the whirlwind and storm,
and clouds are the dust beneath His feet.
4 He rebukes the sea so that it dries up,
and He makes all the rivers run dry.(D)
Bashan and Carmel wither;(E)
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.(F)
6 Who can withstand His indignation?
Who can endure His burning anger?(G)
His wrath is poured out like fire,
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(H) in Him.
8 But He will completely destroy Nineveh[d]
with an overwhelming flood,(I)
and He will chase His enemies into darkness.
9 Whatever you[e] plot against the Lord,
He will bring it to complete destruction;(J)
oppression will not rise up a second time.
10 For they will be consumed
like entangled thorns,(K)
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 Yahweh,
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 afflicted you,[j](L)
I will afflict you no longer.(M)
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](N)
I will eliminate the carved idol and cast image
from the house of your gods;(O)
I will prepare your grave,
for you are contemptible.
15 [l]Look to the mountains—
the feet of one bringing good news(P)
and proclaiming 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
- Nahum 1:2 Lit is a master of
- Nahum 1:5 Some emend to earth is laid waste
- Nahum 1:5 Lit lifts
- Nahum 1:8 Lit her place
- Nahum 1:9 = Nineveh
- Nahum 1:10 Hb obscure
- Nahum 1:11 Possibly Nineveh
- Nahum 1:12 Lit intact
- Nahum 1:12 Either the king of Assyria or his army
- Nahum 1:12 = Judah
- Nahum 1:14 Lit It will not be sown from your name any longer
- Nahum 1:15 Nah 2:1 in Hb
Cross references
- 1:1 : Jnh 3:3-4; 4:11; Nah 2:8; Zph 2:13
- 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
- 1:4 : 2Sm 22:16; Ps 106:9; Is 50:2
- 1:4 : Is 33:9
- 1:5 : Ps 18:7; Jr 4:24; Am 8:8
- 1:6 : Ps 7:11; 69:24; 78:49
- 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