Nahum 2

Attack against Nineveh

^{Tools
1}

One who scatters is coming up against you.
Man the fortifications!
Watch the road!
Brace^(a) yourself!
Summon all your strength!^(A)

^{Tools
2}

For the Lord will restore the majesty of Jacob,
yes,^(b) the majesty of Israel,
though ravagers have ravaged them
and ruined their vine branches.^(B)

^{Tools
3}

The shields of his^(c) warriors are dyed red;
the valiant men are dressed in scarlet.^(C)
The fittings of the chariot flash like fire
on the day of its battle preparations,
and the spears are brandished.

^{Tools
4}

The chariots dash madly through the streets;
they rush around in the plazas.
They look like torches;
they dart back and forth like lightning.

^{Tools
5}

He gives orders to his officers;
they stumble as they advance.
They race to its wall;
the protective shield is set in place.

^{Tools
6}

The river gates are opened,
and the palace erodes away.^(D)

^{Tools
7}

Beauty^(d) is stripped,^(e)
she is carried away;
her ladies-in-waiting moan
like the sound of doves,^(E)
and beat their breasts.

^{Tools
8}

Nineveh has been like a pool of water
from her first days,^(f)
but they are fleeing.
“Stop! Stop!” they cry,
but no one turns back.

^{Tools
9}

“Plunder the silver! Plunder the gold!”
There is no end to the treasure,
an abundance of every precious thing.^(F)

^{Tools
10}

Desolation, decimation, devastation!
Hearts melt,^(G)
knees tremble,
loins shake,
every face grows pale!^(H)

^{Tools
11}

Where is the lions’ lair,^(I)
or the feeding ground of the young lions,
where the lion and lioness prowled,
and the lion’s cub,
with nothing to frighten them away?^(J)

^{Tools
12}

The lion mauled whatever its cubs needed
and strangled prey for its lionesses.
It filled up its dens with the kill,
and its lairs with mauled prey.^(K)

^{Tools
13}

Beware, I am against you.^(L)
This is the declaration of the Lord of Hosts.
I will make your chariots go up in smoke^(g)
and the sword will devour your young lions.
I will cut off your prey from the earth,
and the sound of your messengers
will never be heard again.

Footnotes:

a. Nahum 2:1: Lit Strengthen

b. Nahum 2:2: Or like

c. Nahum 2:3: the army commander attacking Nineveh

d. Nahum 2:7: Text emended; MT reads Huzzab

e. Nahum 2:7: Hb obscure

f. Nahum 2:8: Hb obscure

g. Nahum 2:13: Lit will burn her chariots in smoke

Cross references:

A. Nahum 2:1: Amos 2:14

B. Nahum 2:2: Psalm 80:12-15; Jeremiah 12:10

C. Nahum 2:3: Ezekiel 23:14

D. Nahum 2:6: Nahum 1:8

E. Nahum 2:7: Isaiah 38:14; Isaiah 59:11

F. Nahum 2:9: 2 Chronicles 32:27; 2 Chronicles 36:10; Daniel 11:8; Nahum 3:3

G. Nahum 2:10: Deuteronomy 20:8; Joshua 7:5; Isaiah 13:7; Isaiah 19:1; Ezekiel 21:7; Ezekiel 21:15

H. Nahum 2:10: Isaiah 21:3; Joel 2:6

I. Nahum 2:11: Isaiah 2:15; Isaiah 5:26-29; Jeremiah 4:7; Jeremiah 5:6; Jeremiah 50:17; Jeremiah 51:38; Joel 1:6; Amos 3:12

J. Nahum 2:11: Leviticus 26:6; Deuteronomy 28:26; Jeremiah 7:33

K. Nahum 2:12: Job 38:39-40

L. Nahum 2:13: Jeremiah 21:13; Jeremiah 50:31; Jeremiah 51:25; Nahum 3:5