Nahum 1
1 [I am] Nahum, from Elkosh [village]. [This is] a message about Nineveh [city, the capital of Assyria that was given] to me in a vision [by Yahweh].
The prophecy concerning Nineveh. The book of the prophecy of Nahum, the Elkoshite.
2 Yahweh our God (is jealous/does not want people to worship any other god). He is very angry [with those who worship other gods], and he gets revenge [DOU] [on all] those who oppose him [DOU].
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!
3 Yahweh does not quickly become angry; but he is very powerful, and he will certainly punish [LIT] those who have done evil things [MTY]. He shows his power by sending whirlwinds and storms, and clouds are [like] [MET] the dust [stirred up by] his feet.
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.
4 When he commands oceans and rivers to become dry, they dry up. [He causes the grass in the fields in] the Bashan [region] and [on the slopes of] Carmel [Mountain] to wither, [and causes] the flowers in Lebanon to fade.
He rebuketh the sea, and maketh it dry, And drieth up all the rivers. Bashan languisheth, and Carmel, And the flower of Lebanon languisheth.
5 When he appears, [it is as though] the mountains shake and the hills melt; the earth quakes and [the people on] the earth tremble.
The mountains tremble before him, And the hills melt; The earth is moved at his presence, Yea, the world and all that dwell therein.
6 There is no one [RHQ] who can resist him when he becomes extremely angry; there is no one [RHQ] who can survive when his anger is very hot. When he is very angry, [it is as though] his anger is like [SIM] a blazing fire, and [it is as though] mountains are shattered into pieces.
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!
7 But he is good; he protects [us his people] when we experience troubles. He takes care of those who trust in him.
Jehovah is good, A stronghold in the day of trouble; He careth for them that trust in him;
8 But he will get rid of his enemies; he will be to them [like] [MET] a flood that destroys everything. He will chase his enemies into the darkness [of the place where the dead are].
But with an overwhelming flood will he make a full end of her place, And darkness shall pursue his enemies.
9 [So], it is useless [RHQ] for you [people of Nineveh] to plot against Yahweh. He will not [need to] strike you two times to destroy you; he will destroy you [by striking you only once].
What do ye meditate against Jehovah? He will make a full end; Not the second time shall the calamity come.
10 [It will be as though his enemies] are tangled in thorns, and they will stagger like people who have drunk a lot of wine. They will be burned up like [SIM] a fire completely burns up stubble/straw.
For while they are entangled like thorns, And like those that are drunk with wine, They shall be devoured as stubble fully dry.
11 In Nineveh [city] there was a man who advised people to do very wicked things to Yahweh.
From thee hath gone forth one that devised evil against Jehovah; That meditated destruction.
12 But this is what Yahweh says [about you Israeli people]: “Although the people of Assyria have very many people and their army is very powerful, they will be destroyed and will disappear. [I say to my people in Judah, ] ‘have [already] punished you, but I will not punish you again.
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.
13 Now I will cause the [people of Assyria] to no longer control/oppress you [MET]; [it will be as though] I will tear off the shackles/chains on your [hands and feet].”
For now will I break his yoke from off thee, And will burst thy bonds in sunder.
14 [And this is what] Yahweh also declares about you people of Nineveh: “You will not have any descendants who will continue to have your family names. And I will destroy all the statues of your gods that were carved or formed in molds. I will cause you [to be killed and] sent to your graves, because you are vile/despicable!”
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!
15 [You people of Judah, ] look! A messenger will be coming across the mountains, and he [SYN] will be bringing good news [to you]. He will be declaring [that you will now have] peace [because Assyria will have been conquered]. [So, ] celebrate your festivals, and do what you solemnly promised to do [when your enemies were threatening to attack you], because your wicked [enemies] will not invade your country again, [because] they will be completely destroyed.
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.
