Nahum 1

1 This is the burden against Nineveh, the book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite:

The burden of Ninive. The book of the vision of Nahum the Elcesite.

2 The LORD is a jealous and avenging God; the LORD is avenging and full of wrath. The LORD takes vengeance on His foes and reserves wrath for His enemies.

The Lord is a jealous God, and a revenger: the Lord is a revenger, and hath wrath: the Lord taketh vengeance on his adversaries, and he is angry with his enemies.

3 The LORD is slow to anger and great in power; the LORD will by no means leave the guilty unpunished. His path is in the whirlwind and storm, and clouds are the dust beneath His feet.

The Lord is patient, and great in power, and will not cleanse and acquit the guilty. The Lord’s ways are in a tempest, and a whirlwind, and clouds are the dust of his feet.

4 He rebukes the sea and dries it up; He makes all the rivers run dry. Bashan and Carmel wither, and the flower of Lebanon wilts.

He rebuketh the sea, and drieth it up: and bringeth all the rivers to be a desert. Basan languisheth and Carmel: and the dower of Libanus fadeth away.

5 The mountains quake before Him, and the hills melt away; the earth trembles at His presence— the world and all its dwellers.

The mountains tremble at him, and the hills are made desolate: and the earth hath quaked at his presence, and the world, and all that dwell therein.

6 Who can withstand His indignation? Who can endure His burning anger? His wrath is poured out like fire; even rocks are shattered before Him.

Who can stand before the face of his indignation? and who shall resist in the fierceness of his anger? his indignation is poured out like fire: and the rocks are melted by him.

7 The LORD is good, a stronghold in the day of distress; He cares for those who trust in Him.

The Lord is good and giveth strength in the day of trouble: and knoweth them that hope in him.

8 But with an overwhelming flood He will make an end of Nineveh and pursue His enemies into darkness.

But with a flood that passeth by, he will make an utter end of the place thereof: and darkness shall pursue his enemies.

9 Whatever you plot against the LORD, He will bring to an end. Affliction will not rise up a second time.

What do ye devise against the Lord? he will make an utter end: there shall not rise a double affliction.

10 For they will be entangled as with thorns and consumed like the drink of a drunkard— like stubble that is fully dry.

For as thorns embrace one another: so while they are feasting and drinking together, they shall be consumed as stubble that is fully dry.

11 From you, O Nineveh, comes forth a plotter of evil against the LORD, a counselor of wickedness.

Out of thee shall come forth one that imagineth evil against the Lord, contriving treachery in his mind.

12 This is what the LORD says: “Though they are allied and numerous, yet they will be cut down and pass away. Though I have afflicted you, O Judah, I will afflict you no longer.

Thus saith the Lord: Though they were perfect: and many of them so, yet thus shall they be cut off, and he shall pass: I have afflicted thee, and I will afflict thee no more.

13 For I will now break their yoke from your neck and tear away your shackles.”

And now I will break in pieces his rod with which he struck thy back, and I will burst thy bonds asunder.

14 The LORD has issued a command concerning you, O Nineveh: “There will be no descendants to carry on your name. I will cut off the carved image and cast idol from the house of your gods; I will prepare your grave, for you are contemptible.”

And the Lord will give a commandment concerning thee, that no more of thy name shall be sown: I will destroy the graven and molten thing out of the house of thy God, I will make it thy grave, for thou art disgraced.

15 Look to the mountains— the feet of one who brings good news, who proclaims peace! Celebrate your feasts, O Judah; fulfill your vows. For the wicked will never again march through you; they will be utterly cut off.

Behold upon the mountains the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, and that preacheth peace: O Juda, keep thy festivals, and pay thy vows: for Belial shall no more pass through thee again, he is utterly cut off.