¹An oracle for Nineveh, a writing of the vision of Nahum, the Elkoshite.[#Isa 13:1; Jon 1:2; Zep 2:13]

God’s Anger with Nineveh

²The Lord is a jealous and avenging God;[#Ex 20:5; Ps 94:1; Zec 1:14]

the Lord avenges and is furious.

The Lord takes vengeance on His enemies,

and He reserves it for His adversaries;

³the Lord is slow to anger and great in power,

and the Lord will in no way acquit the guilty.

In gale winds and a storm is His way,

and clouds are the dust of His feet.

⁴He rebukes and dries up the sea,

and He makes waterless all the rivers.

Bashan and Carmel wither up,

and the sprout of Lebanon wastes away.

⁵The mountains quake before Him,

and the hills melt;

the land rises up before Him,

the earth and everything that dwells on it.

⁶Who can stand before His anger?

Who will rise up before His burning wrath?

His heat is poured out like fire,

and the rocks are broken up before Him.

⁷The Lord is good,[#Jer 33:11]

a stronghold in the day of distress;

and He knows those who take refuge in Him.

⁸As a flood running forth,

He will bring to an end the distress,

and He will pursue His adversaries into darkness.

⁹Why do you all scheme against the Lord ?[#Na 1:11]

He will bring it to an end.

It will not rise up a second time.

¹⁰Because they are like interwoven thorns[#Mic 7:4]

and as drunkards imbibing,

they are consumed like completely dry stubble.

¹¹Out of you, O Nineveh, comes one,

a worthless counselor,

who devises evil against the Lord .

¹²So the Lord says:

“Even though they are full and many,

they will be cut down, and it will pass away.

Even though I have afflicted you,

I will no longer afflict you, O Judah;

¹³now I will break apart his yoke from over you,[#Isa 9:4; 10:27]

and I will tear apart your bonds.”

¹⁴The Lord has given a command concerning you:

“No longer will your name go forth.

I will cut off the carved image and metal image

from the house of your gods.

I will prepare your grave,

for you are despised.”

¹⁵Behold, on the mountains,

the feet of him who brings good news,

who proclaims peace!

Make your feasts, O Judah,

and complete your vows.

For the wicked one will never again pass through your midst;

he is completely cut down.