Nahum 2
2
Nineveh, the capital of Assyria, will be destroyed
1Nineveh, someone is coming
to attack and scatter you.
Guard your fortresses!
Watch the road! Be brave!
Prepare for battle!
2Judah and Israel are like trees
with branches broken
by their enemies.
But the LORD is going to restore
their power and glory.
3-4Nineveh, on this day of attack,
your enemies' shields are red;
their uniforms are crimson.
Their horses#2.3,4 horses: Two ancient translations; Hebrew “spears”. prance,
and their armoured#2.3,4 armoured: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text. chariots
dart around like lightning
or flaming torches.
5An officer gives a command.
But his soldiers stumble,
as they hasten to build
a shelter to protect themselves
against rocks thrown down
from the city wall.
6The river gates#2.6 river gates: Nineveh was protected by a moat filled with water from the nearby River Tigris. fly open,
and panic floods the palace.
7Nineveh is disgraced.
The queen is dragged off.
Her servant women mourn;
they sound like doves,
and they beat their breasts
in sorrow.#2.7 sorrow: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 7.
8Nineveh is like a pond
with leaking water.
Shouts of “Stop! Don't go!”
can be heard everywhere.
But everyone is leaving.
9Enemy soldiers shout,
“The city is full of treasure
and all kinds of wealth.
Steal her silver! Grab her gold!”
10Nineveh is doomed! Destroyed!
Her people tremble with fear;
their faces turn pale.#2.10 faces turn pale: Or “ashes cover their faces”.
11What happened to this city?
They were safer there
than powerful lions in a den,
with no one to disturb them.
12These are the same lions
that ferociously attacked
their victims,
then dragged away the flesh
to feed their young.
13The LORD All-Powerful,
is against you, Nineveh.
God will burn your chariots
and send an army to kill
those young lions of yours.
You will never again
make victims of others
or send messengers to threaten
everyone on this earth.
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© British and Foreign Bible Society 2012
Nahum 2
2
The Fall of Nineveh
1Nineveh, you are under attack!
The power that will shatter you has come.
Prepare the defences!
Guard the road!
Prepare for battle!
2(The LORD is about to restore the glory of Israel, as it was before her enemies plundered her.)
3The enemy soldiers carry red shields
and wear uniforms of red.
They are preparing to attack!
Their chariots flash like fire!
Their horses#2.3 Some ancient translations horses; Hebrew cypresses. prance!
4Chariots dash wildly through the streets,
rushing to and fro through the city squares.
They flash like torches
and dart about like lightning.
5The officers are summoned;
they stumble as they press forward.
The attackers rush to the wall
and set up the shield for the battering ram.
6The gates by the river burst open;
the palace is filled with terror.
7The queen is taken captive;
her servants moan like doves
and beat their breasts in sorrow.
8Like water from a broken dam
the people rush from Nineveh!#2.8 Probable text Like water… Nineveh; Hebrew unclear.
“Stop! Stop!” the cry rings out —
but no one turns back.
9Plunder the silver!
Plunder the gold!
The city is full of treasure!
10Nineveh is destroyed, deserted, desolate!
Hearts melt with fear;
knees tremble, strength is gone;
faces grow pale.
11Where now is the city
that was like a den of lions,
the place where young lions were fed,
where the lion and the lioness would go
and their cubs would be safe?
12The lion killed his prey
and tore it to pieces for his mate and her cubs;
he filled his den with torn flesh.
13“I am your enemy!” says the LORD Almighty. “I will burn up your chariots. Your soldiers will be killed in war, and I will take away everything that you took from others. The demands of your envoys will no longer be heard.”
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Good News Bible with Deuterocanonicals/Apocrypha. Scripture taken from the Good News Bible (r) (Today's English Version Second Edition, UK/British Edition). Copyright © 1992 British & Foreign Bible Society. Used by permission.