1Chapter
1This book is the vision of Nahum from Elkosh. This is the sad message about the city of Nineveh.
The Lord Is Angry at Nineveh
2The Lord is a jealous God.
The Lord punishes the guilty,
and he is very angry.
The Lord punishes his enemies,
and he stays angry with them.
3The Lord is patient, but he is also very powerful! The Lord will punish the guilty; he will not let them go free. He will use whirlwinds and storms to show his power. People walk on the dusty ground, but he walks on the clouds.
4He will speak harshly to the sea, and it will become dry. He will dry up all the rivers. The rich lands of Bashan and Carmel become dry and dead. The flowers in Lebanon fade away.
5The Lord will come, and the mountains will shake and the hills will melt away. He will come, and the earth will shake with fear. The earth and everyone on it will shake with fear.
6No one can stand against his great anger. No one can endure his terrible anger. His anger will burn like fire. The rocks will shatter when he comes.
7The Lord is good. He is a safe place to go to in times of trouble. He takes care of those who trust him.
8But he will completely destroy his enemies. He will wash them away like a flood and chase them into the darkness.
9Why are you making plans against the Lord? He will bring complete destruction, so you will not cause trouble again.
10You will be destroyed completely like thornbushes burning under a pot. You will be destroyed like dry weeds that burn quickly.
11Someone from Nineveh is making evil plans against the Lord. That advisor is a worthless troublemaker.
12This is what the Lord said: “The people of Assyria are at full strength. They have many soldiers, but they will all be cut down. They will all be finished. My people, I made you suffer, but I will make you suffer no more.
13Now I will set you free from the power of Assyria. I will take the yoke off your neck and tear away the chains holding you.”
14King of Assyria, the Lord gave this command about you: “You will not have any descendants to wear your name. I will destroy your carved idols and metal statues that are in the temple of your gods. I am preparing your grave, because your end is coming soon! ”
15Judah, look! There, coming over the mountains, is a messenger bringing good news! He says there is peace. Judah, celebrate your special festivals and do what you promised. Those worthless troublemakers will not come through and attack you again. They have all been destroyed.
3The Lord is patient, but he is also very powerful! The Lord will punish the guilty; he will not let them go free. He will use whirlwinds and storms to show his power. People walk on the dusty ground, but he walks on the clouds.
4He will speak harshly to the sea, and it will become dry. He will dry up all the rivers. The rich lands of Bashan and Carmel become dry and dead. The flowers in Lebanon fade away.
5The Lord will come, and the mountains will shake and the hills will melt away. He will come, and the earth will shake with fear. The earth and everyone on it will shake with fear.
6No one can stand against his great anger. No one can endure his terrible anger. His anger will burn like fire. The rocks will shatter when he comes.
7The Lord is good. He is a safe place to go to in times of trouble. He takes care of those who trust him.
8But he will completely destroy his enemies. He will wash them away like a flood and chase them into the darkness.
9Why are you making plans against the Lord? He will bring complete destruction, so you will not cause trouble again.
10You will be destroyed completely like thornbushes burning under a pot. You will be destroyed like dry weeds that burn quickly.
11Someone from Nineveh is making evil plans against the Lord. That advisor is a worthless troublemaker.
12This is what the Lord said: “The people of Assyria are at full strength. They have many soldiers, but they will all be cut down. They will all be finished. My people, I made you suffer, but I will make you suffer no more.
13Now I will set you free from the power of Assyria. I will take the yoke off your neck and tear away the chains holding you.”
14King of Assyria, the Lord gave this command about you: “You will not have any descendants to wear your name. I will destroy your carved idols and metal statues that are in the temple of your gods. I am preparing your grave, because your end is coming soon! ”
15Judah, look! There, coming over the mountains, is a messenger bringing good news! He says there is peace. Judah, celebrate your special festivals and do what you promised. Those worthless troublemakers will not come through and attack you again. They have all been destroyed.
2Chapter
Nineveh Will Be Destroyed
1An enemy is coming to attack you,
so guard the strong places of your city.
Watch the road.
Get ready for war.
Prepare for battle!
2Yes, the Lord changed Jacob’s pride. He made it like Israel’s pride. The enemy destroyed them and ruined their grapevines.
3The shields of his soldiers are red. Their uniforms are bright red. Their chariots are shining like flames of fire and are lined up for battle. Their horses are ready to go.
4The chariots race wildly through the streets and rush back and forth through the square. They look like burning torches, like lightning flashing from place to place!
5The enemy calls for his best soldiers. They stumble as they rush ahead. They run to the wall and set up their shield over the battering ram.
6But the gates by the rivers are open, and the enemy comes flooding in and destroys the king’s palace.
7The enemy takes away the queen, and her slave girls moan sadly like doves. They beat their breasts to show their sadness.
8Nineveh is like a pool whose water is draining away. People yell, “Stop! Stop running away!” But it does not do any good.
9Take the silver! Take the gold! There are many things to take. There are many treasures.
10Now Nineveh is empty. Everything is stolen. The city is ruined. People have lost their courage, their hearts melt with fear, their knees knock together, their bodies shake, and their faces turn pale.
11Where is that great city now? It was like a den where the lions feed their young. It was a place where people felt safe, like lions in a cave with no one there to harm them.
12The lion was able to catch plenty of food to feed his cubs and his mate. He filled his cave with the animals he killed. He filled his den with the meat he gathered.
13The Lord All-Powerful says, “I am against you, Nineveh. I will burn your chariots and kill your ‘young lions’ in battle. You will not hunt anyone on earth again. People will never again hear bad news from your messengers.”
2Yes, the Lord changed Jacob’s pride. He made it like Israel’s pride. The enemy destroyed them and ruined their grapevines.
3The shields of his soldiers are red. Their uniforms are bright red. Their chariots are shining like flames of fire and are lined up for battle. Their horses are ready to go.
4The chariots race wildly through the streets and rush back and forth through the square. They look like burning torches, like lightning flashing from place to place!
5The enemy calls for his best soldiers. They stumble as they rush ahead. They run to the wall and set up their shield over the battering ram.
6But the gates by the rivers are open, and the enemy comes flooding in and destroys the king’s palace.
7The enemy takes away the queen, and her slave girls moan sadly like doves. They beat their breasts to show their sadness.
8Nineveh is like a pool whose water is draining away. People yell, “Stop! Stop running away!” But it does not do any good.
9Take the silver! Take the gold! There are many things to take. There are many treasures.
10Now Nineveh is empty. Everything is stolen. The city is ruined. People have lost their courage, their hearts melt with fear, their knees knock together, their bodies shake, and their faces turn pale.
11Where is that great city now? It was like a den where the lions feed their young. It was a place where people felt safe, like lions in a cave with no one there to harm them.
12The lion was able to catch plenty of food to feed his cubs and his mate. He filled his cave with the animals he killed. He filled his den with the meat he gathered.
13The Lord All-Powerful says, “I am against you, Nineveh. I will burn your chariots and kill your ‘young lions’ in battle. You will not hunt anyone on earth again. People will never again hear bad news from your messengers.”
3Chapter
Bad News for Nineveh
1It will be very bad for that city of murderers.
Nineveh is a city full of lies.
It is filled with things taken from other countries.
It is filled with plenty of people that it hunted and killed.
2You can hear the sounds of whips and the noise of wheels. You can hear horses galloping and chariots bouncing along!
3Soldiers on horses are attacking, their swords are shining, their spears are gleaming! There are many dead people. Dead bodies are piled up—too many bodies to count. People are tripping over the dead bodies.
4All this happened because of Nineveh. Nineveh is like a prostitute who could never get enough. She wanted more and more. She sold herself to many nations, and she used her magic to make them her slaves.
5The Lord All-Powerful says, “I am against you, Nineveh. I will pull your dress up over your face. I will let the nations see your naked body. The kingdoms will see your shame.
6I will throw dirty things on you and treat you in a hateful way. People will look at you and laugh.
7Everyone who sees you will be shocked. They will say, ‘Nineveh is destroyed. Who will cry for her?’ I know I cannot find anyone to comfort you, Nineveh.”
8Nineveh, are you better than Thebes on the Nile River? Thebes also had water all around her to protect herself from enemies. She used that water like a wall too. 9Ethiopia and Egypt made Thebes strong. Libya and the Sudan supported her, 10but Thebes was defeated. Her people were taken away as prisoners to a foreign country. Soldiers beat her small children to death at every street corner. They threw lots to see who got to keep the important people as slaves. They put chains on all the important men of Thebes.
11So, Nineveh, you will also fall like a drunk. You will try to hide. You will look for a safe place away from the enemy. 12But Nineveh, all your strong places will be like fig trees. When new figs become ripe, people come and shake the tree. The figs fall into their mouths. They eat them, and the figs are gone.
13Nineveh, your people are all like women—and the enemy soldiers are ready to take them. The gates of your land are open wide for your enemies to come in. Fire has destroyed the wooden bars across the gates.
14Get water and store it inside your city, because the enemy soldiers will surround your city. Make your defenses strong! Get clay to make more bricks and mix the mortar. Get the molds for making bricks. 15You can do all these things, but the fire will still destroy you completely. And the sword will kill you. Your land will look like a swarm of grasshoppers came and ate everything. Nineveh, you grew and grew. You became like a swarm of grasshoppers. You were like a swarm of locusts. 16You have many traders who go places and buy things. They are as many as the stars in the sky. They are like locusts that come and eat until everything is gone and then leave. 17And your government officials are also like locusts that settle on a stone wall on a cold day. But when the sun comes up, the rocks become warm, and the locusts all fly away. And no one knows where.
18King of Assyria, your shepherds fell asleep. These powerful men are sleeping. And now your sheep have wandered away on the mountains. There is no one to bring them back. 19Nineveh, you have been hurt badly, and nothing can heal your wound. Everyone who hears the news of your destruction claps their hands. They are all happy, because they all felt the pain you caused again and again.
2You can hear the sounds of whips and the noise of wheels. You can hear horses galloping and chariots bouncing along!
3Soldiers on horses are attacking, their swords are shining, their spears are gleaming! There are many dead people. Dead bodies are piled up—too many bodies to count. People are tripping over the dead bodies.
4All this happened because of Nineveh. Nineveh is like a prostitute who could never get enough. She wanted more and more. She sold herself to many nations, and she used her magic to make them her slaves.
5The Lord All-Powerful says, “I am against you, Nineveh. I will pull your dress up over your face. I will let the nations see your naked body. The kingdoms will see your shame.
6I will throw dirty things on you and treat you in a hateful way. People will look at you and laugh.
7Everyone who sees you will be shocked. They will say, ‘Nineveh is destroyed. Who will cry for her?’ I know I cannot find anyone to comfort you, Nineveh.”
8Nineveh, are you better than Thebes on the Nile River? Thebes also had water all around her to protect herself from enemies. She used that water like a wall too. 9Ethiopia and Egypt made Thebes strong. Libya and the Sudan supported her, 10but Thebes was defeated. Her people were taken away as prisoners to a foreign country. Soldiers beat her small children to death at every street corner. They threw lots to see who got to keep the important people as slaves. They put chains on all the important men of Thebes.
11So, Nineveh, you will also fall like a drunk. You will try to hide. You will look for a safe place away from the enemy. 12But Nineveh, all your strong places will be like fig trees. When new figs become ripe, people come and shake the tree. The figs fall into their mouths. They eat them, and the figs are gone.
13Nineveh, your people are all like women—and the enemy soldiers are ready to take them. The gates of your land are open wide for your enemies to come in. Fire has destroyed the wooden bars across the gates.
14Get water and store it inside your city, because the enemy soldiers will surround your city. Make your defenses strong! Get clay to make more bricks and mix the mortar. Get the molds for making bricks. 15You can do all these things, but the fire will still destroy you completely. And the sword will kill you. Your land will look like a swarm of grasshoppers came and ate everything. Nineveh, you grew and grew. You became like a swarm of grasshoppers. You were like a swarm of locusts. 16You have many traders who go places and buy things. They are as many as the stars in the sky. They are like locusts that come and eat until everything is gone and then leave. 17And your government officials are also like locusts that settle on a stone wall on a cold day. But when the sun comes up, the rocks become warm, and the locusts all fly away. And no one knows where.
18King of Assyria, your shepherds fell asleep. These powerful men are sleeping. And now your sheep have wandered away on the mountains. There is no one to bring them back. 19Nineveh, you have been hurt badly, and nothing can heal your wound. Everyone who hears the news of your destruction claps their hands. They are all happy, because they all felt the pain you caused again and again.
Study