Nahum 1

1The burden against Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite.

2God is jealous, and the Lord is an avenger; the Lord is avenging with fury; the Lord takes vengeance on His adversaries and drives out His enemies.

3The Lord is patient and His power is great, but the Lord will not acquit the guilty. His way is in destruction and in a whirlwind; the clouds are the dust of His feet.

4He threatens the sea and makes it dry, and he dries up all the rivers. Bashan and Carmel have diminished, and the flowers of Lebanon have died out.

5By Him the mountains are shaken and the hills quake, and the earth heaves at His presence—the whole earth and all who dwell in it.

6Who can stand before His wrath? Who can withstand the fierceness of His anger? His fury melts away ruling powers, and He shatters the rocks into pieces.

7The Lord is merciful to those who wait on Him in the day of affliction, and He knows those who reverence Him.

8For with an overwhelming flood He shall make an end to those rising up, and darkness will pursue His enemies.

9What do you plot against the Lord? He shall bring about a complete end to it; He will not twice punish with affliction for the same thing,

10for the enemy shall be laid bare even to the foundations, and consumed as twisted yew, even as fully dried stubble.

11From out of you shall come forth a plot against the Lord, counseling things hostile to Him.

12Thus says the Lord who rules over many waters: 'In the same manner you will be torn apart, and the report of you will no longer be heard.

13And now I will break his rod from off you, and I will break your bonds.'

14The Lord shall Himself give a command concerning you: 'Your name shall be perpetuated no longer. I will utterly destroy the graven and molten images out of the house of your god. I shall dig your grave, and that quickly!'