Nahum 1
1 The doom of Nineveh, The book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite.
A message about Nineveh, a vision which came to Nahum from Elkosh.
2 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.
The Lord tolerates no rivals. The Lord is vengeful and fierce in wrath. The Lord does not fail to punish his foes; the Lord is vengeful against his enemies.
3 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.
The Lord is slow to anger, great in power. The guilty will not escape his punishment. Storm tempest is his path and cloud is the dust of his feet.
4 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.
He rebukes the sea and dries it up and makes all the streams run dry. Bashan and Carmel are languishing and the bloom of Lebanon is withered.
5 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.
The mountains tremble before him and the hills dissolve. The earth heaves before him, the world and all who live in it.
6 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.
Who can stand before his wrath? Who can withstand the heat of his anger? His fierce fury pours forth like fire, he shatters rocks.
7 The Lord is good, a strong-hold on the day of distress; and he knoweth those that trust in him.
The Lord is good to those who hope in him, a place of refuge in the day of trouble.
8 But with an overflowing flood will he utterly destroy the place of [Nineveh], and his enemies will he pursue with darkness.
With rushing flood an end he makes of those who rise against him, he drives his enemies into darkness.
9 What will you devise against the Lord? he is bringing about an utter destruction, the distress shall not rise up twice.
Why do you plot against the Lord? He will end you. He only takes vengeance once.
10 For they, like thorns interwoven, and as men made drunken in their drinking bout, shall be entirely consumed as dry stubble.
Thorns, tangled and drenched, they are consumed like dry stubble.
11 There is gone forth out of thee he that devised evil against the Lord, the counsellor of infamous things.
Nineveh! From you has arisen one who plots evil against the Lord, a counsellor of wickedness.
12 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.
The Lord says: ‘Though they are many and strong, they will pass away and be gone. Though I have afflicted you, I will afflict you no more,
13 For now will I break his yoke from off thee, and thy bonds will I tear asunder.
and now I will break his yoke from your necks and snap your chains.’
14 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.
The Lord has given this command concerning you, Nineveh: ‘Your name will no longer be remembered. I will destroy every idol and image in the house of your God. I will destroy even your tomb, for you are worthless.’
15 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.
Look! On the mountains a messenger bringing good news, announcing peace! ‘Celebrate the feasts, Judah, fulfil your vows. Never again will these enemies invade your land, they are destroyed!’
