Nahum 1

Modern

Literal

The Burden against Nineveh

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

¹The burden of Nineveh, the book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite:

²The 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.

²A God jealous and avenging is YHWH; avenging is YHWH and owner of fury; avenging is YHWH on His adversaries, and He is watching for His enemies.

³The 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.

³YHWH is slow to anger and great in power; and YHWH does not entirely acquit. In the whirlwind and in the storm is His way, and the clouds are the dust of His feet.

⁴He rebukes the sea and dries it up;

He makes all the rivers run dry.

Bashan and Carmel wither,

and the flower of Lebanon wilts.

⁴He rebukes the sea and makes it dry, and all the rivers He dries up; Bashan and Carmel wither; the flower of Lebanon has withered.

⁵The mountains quake before Him,

and the hills melt away;

the earth trembles at His presence—

the world and all its dwellers.

⁵The mountains quake before Him, and the hills melt, and the earth lifts up before His face, and the world and all those dwelling in it.

⁶Who can withstand His indignation?

Who can endure His burning anger?

His wrath is poured out like fire;

even rocks are shattered before Him.

⁶Before the face of His indignation, who can stand? And who can stand up in the burning of His anger? His fury is poured out like the fire, and the rocks are torn down by Him.

⁷The LORD is good,

a stronghold in the day of distress;

He cares for those who trust in Him.

⁷YHWH is good for a stronghold in the day of distress, and He knows those taking refuge in Him.

⁸But with an overwhelming flood

He will make an end of Nineveh^a

and pursue His enemies into darkness.

⁸And with an overflowing flood, He will make a complete end of her place, and His enemies will pursue darkness.

⁹Whatever you plot against the LORD,

He will bring to an end.

Affliction will not rise up

a second time.

⁹What are you plotting against YHWH? He will make a complete end; distress will not rise up a second time.

¹⁰For they will be entangled as with thorns

and consumed like the drink of a drunkard—

like stubble that is fully dry.

¹⁰For as with thorns, they will be entangled, and like their drink becoming drunk, they are consumed like stubble fully dry.

¹¹From you, O Nineveh, comes forth

a plotter of evil against the LORD,

a counselor of wickedness.

¹¹From you came forth one devising evil plots against YHWH, a counselor of wickedness.

¹²This 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.

¹²Thus says YHWH: “Though they are full and likewise numerous, so will they be cut down and will pass away. And I have afflicted you, I will afflict you no more.

¹³For I will now break their yoke from your neck

and tear away your shackles.”

¹³And now I will break off his yoke from upon you, and your bonds I will tear away.”

¹⁴The 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.”

¹⁴And YHWH has given a command concerning you: “No longer will be sown forth of your name; from the house of your gods I will cut off the carved image and the molten image; I will dig your grave, for you are of little account.”

¹⁵Look 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.

¹⁵Behold, on the mountains, the feet of one bringing good news, announcing peace. Celebrate, O Judah, your feasts; fulfill your vows; for the worthless one will continue no more to pass through you; all of him has been cut off!