Nahum 2

Modern

Literal

The Overthrow of Nineveh

¹One who scatters advances

against you, O Nineveh.

Guard the fortress!

Watch the road!

Brace yourselves!^a

Summon all your strength!

¹The one scattering has come up before your face; guard the fortress, watch over the road; strengthen your loins, strengthen your power greatly!

²For the LORD will restore the splendor of Jacob

like the splendor of Israel,

though destroyers have laid them waste

and ruined the branches of their vine.

²For YHWH will restore the majesty of Jacob, like the majesty of Israel, for those emptying have emptied them and have ruined their branches.

³The shields of his mighty men are red;

the valiant warriors are dressed in scarlet.

The fittings of the chariots flash like fire

on the day they are prepared,

and the spears of cypress

have been brandished.^a

³The shields of his mighty men are red; the men of valor are clothed in scarlet; with fire of burning steel the chariots come on the day of his preparing, and the cypresses quiver.

⁴The chariots dash through the streets;

they rush around the plazas,

appearing like torches,

darting about like lightning.

⁴Through the streets the chariots dash; they rush around in the squares; their appearance is like torches, like the lightning they run!

⁵He summons his nobles;

they stumble as they advance.

They race to its wall;

the protective shield is set in place.

⁵He summons his nobles, they stumble in their walk; they hurry to her wall, and the siege-cover is prepared.

⁶The river gates are thrown open

and the palace collapses.

⁶The gates of the rivers are opened, and the palace is dissolved.

⁷It is decreed that the city be exiled

and carried away;

her maidservants moan like doves,

and beat upon their breasts.

⁷And it is established: She shall be ncovered and brought up, and her maidservants will be moaning as the voice of doves, beating on their breasts.

⁸Nineveh has been like a pool of water

throughout her days,

but now it is draining away.

“Stop! Stop!” they cry,

but no one turns back.

⁸And Nineveh was like a pool of water, from the days of her, and they flee: “Stand, stand,” and no one is turning back.

⁹“Plunder the silver!

Plunder the gold!”

There is no end to the treasure,

an abundance of every precious thing.

⁹“Plunder the silver, plunder the gold!” And there is no end to the provision—the worth of every precious article.

¹⁰She is emptied!

Yes , she is desolate and laid waste!

Hearts melt, knees knock,

bodies tremble, and every face grows pale!

¹⁰Emptiness, an empty place and laid waste! The heart melts, and the knees shake, and there is anguish in all loins, and the faces of all of them are gathered to paleness!

¹¹Where is the lions’ lair

or the feeding ground of the young lions,

where the lion and lioness prowled with their cubs,

with nothing to frighten them away?

¹¹Where is the dwelling of the lions, and the feeding place that was unto the young lions—where there walked the lion and lioness, and the cub of the lion, and nothing made them afraid?

¹²The lion mauled enough for its cubs

and strangled prey for the lioness.

It filled its dens with the kill,

and its lairs with mauled prey.

¹²The lion was tearing enough for his cubs, and strangling for his lionesses; and he filled his caves with prey, and his dens with flesh.

¹³“Behold, I am against you,”

declares the LORD of Hosts.

“I will reduce your chariots to cinders,

and the sword will devour your young lions.

I will cut off your prey from the earth,

and the voices of your messengers

will no longer be heard.”

¹³“Behold, I am against you,” a declaration of YHWH of Hosts, “And I will burn in smoke your chariots, and the sword will devour your young lions; and I will cut off your prey from the earth, and will be heard no more the voice of your messengers!”