< Nahum 1 >

1 This is the burden against Nineveh, the book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite:
The doom of Nineveh, The book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite.
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.
A God watchful and avenging is the Lord; an avenger is the Lord, and full of fury; the Lord taketh vengeance on his adversaries, and keepeth in mind the deeds of 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 long-suffering, and great in power, but he will by no means clear the guilty: the Lord—in the whirlwind and in the storm is his way, and the 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 maketh it dry, and all the rivers he drieth up: Bashan then withereth, with Carmel, and the flowers of Lebanon wither.
5 The mountains quake before Him, and the hills melt away; the earth trembles at His presence— the world and all its dwellers.
Mountains quake before him, and the hills melt away; and the earth is lifted up at his presence, yea, 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.
Before his indignation who can stand? and who can subsist before the fierceness of his anger? his fury is poured out like fire, and the rocks are broken down 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, a strong-hold on the day of distress; and he knoweth those that trust in him.
8 But with an overwhelming flood He will make an end of Nineveh and pursue His enemies into darkness.
But with an overflowing flood will he utterly destroy the place of [Nineveh], and his enemies will he pursue with darkness.
9 Whatever you plot against the LORD, He will bring to an end. Affliction will not rise up a second time.
What will you devise against the Lord? he is bringing about an utter destruction, the distress shall not rise up twice.
10 For they will be entangled as with thorns and consumed like the drink of a drunkard— like stubble that is fully dry.
For they, like thorns interwoven, and as men made drunken in their drinking bout, shall be entirely consumed as dry stubble.
11 From you, O Nineveh, comes forth a plotter of evil against the LORD, a counselor of wickedness.
There is gone forth out of thee he that devised evil against the Lord, the counsellor of infamous things.
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 hath said the Lord, Though they be complete, and ever so many, nevertheless shall they be cut down, and it shall be over [with them]: and if even I have afflicted thee, I will afflict thee no more.
13 For I will now break their yoke from your neck and tear away your shackles.”
For now will I break his yoke from off thee, and thy bonds will I tear 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.”
But against thee hath the Lord decreed, that no heir of thy name shall be any more: out of the house of thy gods will I cut off the graven and the molten image; I will prepare thy grave [there]; for thou art made vile.
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 are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace, Celebrate thy feasts, O Judah, fulfill thy vows; for never more shall the wicked pass again through thee, he is utterly cut off.

< Nahum 1 >