Nahum 1

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

Burden of Nineveh. The Scroll 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 zealous and avenging [is] YHWH, An avenger [is] YHWH, and possessing fury. An avenger [is] YHWH on His adversaries, And He is watching for 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.

YHWH [is] slow to anger, and great in power, And YHWH does not entirely acquit, In a windstorm and in a storm [is] His way, And a cloud [is] 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 is pushing against a sea, and dries it up, Indeed, He has made all the floods dry, Bashan and Carmel [are] languishing, Indeed, the flower of Lebanon [is] languishing.

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

Mountains have shaken because of Him, And the hills have been melted; And the earth [is] lifted up at His presence, And the world and all dwelling in it.

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 stands before His indignation? And who rises up in the heat of His anger? His fury has been poured out like fire, And the rocks have been broken by Him.

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

Good [is] YHWH for a strong place in a day of distress. And He knows those trusting in Him.

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

And with a flood passing over, An end He makes of its place, And darkness pursues 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 we devise against YHWH? He is making an end, distress does not arise 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 while princes [are] perplexed, And with their drink are drunken, They have been consumed as stubble fully dried.

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

From you has come forth a deviser of evil Against YHWH—a worthless counselor.

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 said YHWH: “Though complete, and thus many, Yet thus they have been cut off, And he has passed away. Though I afflicted you, I afflict you no longer.

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

And now I break his rod from off you, And your bands I draw away.”

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 YHWH has commanded concerning you, “No more of your name spreads abroad, I cut off carved and molten image from the house of your gods, I appoint your grave, for you have been 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, on the mountains the feet of one proclaiming tidings, sounding peace! Celebrate, O Judah, your festivals, complete your vows, For the worthless no longer pass over into you, He has been completely cut off!