Nahum 2:13-3:19

New International Version

¹³“I am against^(A) you,”
    declares the Lord Almighty.
“I will burn up your chariots in smoke,^(B)
    and the sword^(C) will devour your young lions.
    I will leave you no prey on the earth.
The voices of your messengers
    will no longer be heard.”^(D)

Woe to Nineveh

3 Woe to the city of blood,^(E)
    full of lies,^(F)
full of plunder,
    never without victims!
²The crack of whips,
    the clatter of wheels,
galloping horses
    and jolting chariots!
³Charging cavalry,
    flashing swords
    and glittering spears!
Many casualties,
    piles of dead,
bodies without number,
    people stumbling over the corpses^(G)—
⁴all because of the wanton lust of a prostitute,
    alluring, the mistress of sorceries,^(H)
who enslaved nations by her prostitution^(I)
    and peoples by her witchcraft.

⁵“I am against^(J) you,” declares the Lord Almighty.
    “I will lift your skirts^(K) over your face.
I will show the nations your nakedness^(L)
    and the kingdoms your shame.
⁶I will pelt you with filth,^(M)
    I will treat you with contempt^(N)
    and make you a spectacle.^(O)
⁷All who see you will flee^(P) from you and say,
    ‘Nineveh^(Q) is in ruins^(R)—who will mourn for her?’^(S)
    Where can I find anyone to comfort^(T) you?”

⁸Are you better than^(U) Thebes,^(V)
    situated on the Nile,^(W)
    with water around her?
The river was her defense,
    the waters her wall.
⁹Cush^[a]^(X) and Egypt were her boundless strength;
    Put^(Y) and Libya^(Z) were among her allies.
¹⁰Yet she was taken captive^(AA)
    and went into exile.
Her infants were dashed^(AB) to pieces
    at every street corner.
Lots^(AC) were cast for her nobles,
    and all her great men were put in chains.^(AD)
¹¹You too will become drunk;^(AE)
    you will go into hiding^(AF)
    and seek refuge from the enemy.

¹²All your fortresses are like fig trees
    with their first ripe fruit;^(AG)
when they are shaken,
    the figs^(AH) fall into the mouth of the eater.
¹³Look at your troops—
    they are all weaklings.^(AI)
The gates^(AJ) of your land
    are wide open to your enemies;
    fire has consumed the bars of your gates.^(AK)

¹⁴Draw water for the siege,^(AL)
    strengthen your defenses!^(AM)
Work the clay,
    tread the mortar,
    repair the brickwork!
¹⁵There the fire^(AN) will consume you;
    the sword^(AO) will cut you down—
    they will devour you like a swarm of locusts.
Multiply like grasshoppers,
    multiply like locusts!^(AP)
¹⁶You have increased the number of your merchants
    till they are more numerous than the stars in the sky,
but like locusts^(AQ) they strip the land
    and then fly away.
¹⁷Your guards are like locusts,^(AR)
    your officials like swarms of locusts
    that settle in the walls on a cold day—
but when the sun appears they fly away,
    and no one knows where.

¹⁸King of Assyria, your shepherds^[b] slumber;^(AS)
    your nobles lie down to rest.^(AT)
Your people are scattered^(AU) on the mountains
    with no one to gather them.
¹⁹Nothing can heal you;^(AV)
    your wound is fatal.
All who hear the news about you
    clap their hands^(AW) at your fall,
for who has not felt
    your endless cruelty?^(AX)