Nahum, chapter 1

Hope for Judah: The Lord Will Break the Power of Assyria

I am Nahum from ElkoshP. And this is the message* that I wrote down about NinevehG.

The Fierce Anger of the Lord

²The Lord GodI demands loyalty.

In his anger, he takes revenge on his enemies.

³The Lord is powerful, yet patient;

he makes sure that the guilty are always punished.

He can be seen in storms and in whirlwinds;

clouds are the dust from his feet.

⁴At the Lord's command, oceans and rivers dry up.

Bashan, Mount Carmel, and LebanonG wither,

and their flowers fade.

⁵At the sight of the Lord,

mountains and hills tremble and melt;

the earth and its people shudder and shake.

⁶Who can stand the heat of his furious anger?

It flashes out like fire

and shatters stonesI.

The Power of Assyria Will Be Broken

⁷The Lord is good. He protects those who trust him

in times of trouble.

⁸But like a roaring flood, the Lord chases his enemies

into dark places and destroys them.*

⁹So don't plot against the Lord!

He wipes out his enemies, and they never revive.

¹⁰They are like drunkardsI overcome by wine,

or like twisted thornbushes burning in a fire.*

¹¹AssyriaG, one of your rulersP has made evil plans

against the Lord.

¹²But the Lord says,

“Assyria, no matter how strong you are,

you will be cut down!

My people Judah, I have troubled you before,

but I won't do it again.

¹³I'll snap your chains and set you freeH

from the Assyrians.”

¹⁴Assyria, this is what else the Lord says to you:

“Your name will be forgottenI.

I will destroy every idol in your temple,

and I will send you to the grave,

because you are worthless.”

¹⁵Look toward the mountains, people of Judah!

Here comes a messenger with good news of peace.

Celebrate your festivalsH. Keep your promises to God.

Your evil enemies are destroyed

and will never again invade your country.