Nahum 1
1 The prophecy concerning Nineveh. The book of the prophecy of Nahum, the Elkoshite.
A message about Nineveh, a vision which came to Nahum from Elkosh.
2 Jehovah is a jealous God, and an avenger; Jehovah is an avenger, and full of wrath! Jehovah taketh vengeance on his adversaries, And keepeth indignation for 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 Jehovah is slow to anger, but great in power; He will by no means clear the guilty; Jehovah cometh in the whirlwind and the storm, 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 drieth up all the rivers. Bashan languisheth, and Carmel, And the flower of Lebanon languisheth.
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 The mountains tremble before him, And the hills melt; The earth is moved 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 Who can stand before his indignation, And who can abide before the fierceness of his anger? His fury is poured out like fire, And the rocks are cast 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 Jehovah is good, A stronghold in the day of trouble; He careth for them 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 overwhelming flood will he make a full end of her place, And darkness shall pursue his enemies.
With rushing flood an end he makes of those who rise against him, he drives his enemies into darkness.
9 What do ye meditate against Jehovah? He will make a full end; Not the second time shall the calamity come.
Why do you plot against the Lord? He will end you. He only takes vengeance once.
10 For while they are entangled like thorns, And like those that are drunk with wine, They shall be devoured as stubble fully dry.
Thorns, tangled and drenched, they are consumed like dry stubble.
11 From thee hath gone forth one that devised evil against Jehovah; That meditated destruction.
Nineveh! From you has arisen one who plots evil against the Lord, a counsellor of wickedness.
12 Thus saith Jehovah: Though they be flourishing, and likewise many, Yet shall they be cut down, and pass away; I have afflicted thee, but 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 will burst thy bonds in sunder.
and now I will break his yoke from your necks and snap your chains.”
14 And concerning thee hath Jehovah given command, That thy name shall no more be sown. From the house of thy god I will cut off the graven image and the molten image; I will make thy grave; for thou hast become 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 the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, That publisheth peace! Keep, O Judah, thy feasts, perform thy vows! For no more shall the destroyer pass through thee; He is utterly consumed.
Look! On the mountains a messenger bringing good news, announcing peace! “Celebrate the feasts, Judah, fulfill your vows. Never again will these enemies invade your land, they are destroyed!”
