Nahum 1

1 A message about Nineveh, a vision which came to Nahum from Elkosh.

2 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 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 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 dissolve. The earth heaves before him, the world and all who live in it.

6 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 to those who hope in him, a place of refuge in the day of trouble.

8 With rushing flood an end he makes of those who rise against him, he drives his enemies into darkness.

9 Why do you plot against the Lord? He will end you. He only takes vengeance once.

10 Thorns, tangled and drenched, they are consumed like dry stubble.

11 Nineveh! From you has arisen one who plots evil against the Lord, a counsellor of wickedness.

12 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 and now I will break his yoke from your necks and snap your chains.’

14 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 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!’