Bible: Nahum 2:1-13
Proclamation of the Destruction of Nineveh
2:1 The watchmen of Nineveh shout: 1
“An enemy who will scatter you 2 is marching out 3 to attack you!” 4
Watch the road!
Prepare yourselves for battle! 7
Muster your mighty strength!” 8
2:2 For the
as well as 11 the majesty of Israel,
though 12 their enemies have plundered them 13
and have destroyed their fields. 14
Prophetic Vision of the Fall of Nineveh
2:3 The shields of his warriors are dyed red; 15
the mighty soldiers are dressed in scarlet garments. 16
The metal fittings 17 of the chariots 18 shine
like 19 fire 20 on the day of battle; 21
the soldiers brandish 22 their spears. 23
2:4 The chariots 24 race madly 25 through the streets,
they rush back and forth 26 in the broad plazas;
they look 27 like lightning bolts, 28
they dash here and there 29 like flashes of lightning. 30
2:5 The commander 31 orders 32 his officers;
they stumble 33 as they advance; 34
they rush to the city wall 35
and they set up 36 the covered siege tower. 37
2:6 The sluice gates 38 are opened;
the royal palace is deluged 39 and dissolves. 40
2:7 Nineveh 41 is taken into exile 42 and is led away; 43
her slave girls moan 44 like doves 45 while they beat 46 their breasts. 47
2:8 Nineveh was like a pool 48 of water 49 throughout her days, 50
but now 51 her people 52 are running away; 53
she cries out: 54 “Stop! Stop!” –
but no one turns back. 55
2:9 Her conquerors cry out: 56
“Plunder the silver! Plunder the gold!”
There is no end to the treasure;
riches of every kind of precious thing.
2:10 Destruction, devastation, and desolation! 57
Their hearts faint, 58
their knees tremble, 59
each stomach churns, 60 each face 61 turns 62 pale! 63
Taunt against the Once-Mighty Lion
2:11 Where now is the den of the lions, 64
the feeding place 65 of the young lions,
where 66 the lion, lioness, 67 and lion cub once prowled 68
and no one disturbed them? 69
2:12 The lion tore apart as much prey as his cubs needed 70
and strangled prey to provide food 71 for his lionesses;
he filled 72 his lairs with prey
and his dens with torn flesh.
Battle Cry of the Divine Warrior
2:13 “I am against you!” declares 73 the
“I will burn your chariots 75 with fire; 76
the sword will devour your young lions; 77
you will no longer prey upon the land; 78
the voices of your messengers 79 will no longer be heard.”