NINEVEH WILL FALL
Key verse: 13
NIV
Nineveh to Fall
2 [a]An attacker(A) advances against you, Nineveh.
Guard the fortress,
watch the road,
brace yourselves,
marshal all your strength!
2 The Lord will restore(B) the splendor(C) of Jacob
like the splendor of Israel,
though destroyers have laid them waste
and have ruined their vines.
3 The shields of the soldiers are red;
the warriors are clad in scarlet.(D)
The metal on the chariots flashes
on the day they are made ready;
the spears of juniper are brandished.[b]
4 The chariots(E) storm through the streets,
rushing back and forth through the squares.
They look like flaming torches;
they dart about like lightning.
5 Nineveh summons her picked troops,
yet they stumble(F) on their way.
They dash to the city wall;
the protective shield is put in place.
6 The river gates(G) are thrown open
and the palace collapses.
7 It is decreed[c] that Nineveh
be exiled and carried away.
Her female slaves moan(H) like doves
and beat on their breasts.(I)
8 Nineveh is like a pool
whose water is draining away.
“Stop! Stop!” they cry,
but no one turns back.
9 Plunder the silver!
Plunder the gold!
The supply is endless,
the wealth from all its treasures!
10 She is pillaged, plundered, stripped!
Hearts melt,(J) knees give way,
bodies tremble, every face grows pale.(K)
Footnotes
Cross references
- Nahum 2:1 : Jer 51:20
- Nahum 2:2 : S Eze 37:23
- Nahum 2:2 : Isa 60:15
- Nahum 2:3 : S Eze 23:14-15
- Nahum 2:4 : S Jer 4:13; S Eze 23:24
- Nahum 2:5 : Jer 46:12
- Nahum 2:6 : Isa 45:1; Na 3:13
- Nahum 2:7 : S Ge 8:8; S Isa 59:11
- Nahum 2:7 : Isa 32:12
- Nahum 2:10 : S Jos 2:11; S 7:5
- Nahum 2:10 : S Isa 29:22
- Nahum 2:11 : Isa 5:29
- Nahum 2:12 : S Jer 51:34
- Nahum 2:12 : S Jer 4:7
- Nahum 2:12 : S Isa 37:18
- Nahum 2:13 : Isa 10:5-13; S Jer 21:13; Na 3:5
- Nahum 2:13 : Ps 46:9
- Nahum 2:13 : S 2Sa 2:26
- Nahum 2:13 : S Mic 5:6
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway
ESV
The Destruction of Nineveh
2 (A)The scatterer has come up against you.
(B)Man the ramparts;
watch the road;
dress for battle;[a]
collect all your strength.
2 For (C)the Lord is restoring the majesty of Jacob
as the majesty of Israel,
for plunderers have plundered them
and (D)ruined their branches.
3 The shield of his mighty men is red;
(E)his soldiers are clothed in scarlet.
The chariots come with flashing metal
on the day he musters them;
the cypress spears are brandished.
4 (F)The chariots race madly through the streets;
they rush to and fro through the squares;
they gleam like torches;
they dart like lightning.
5 He remembers (G)his officers;
(H)they stumble as they go,
they hasten to the wall;
the siege tower[b] is set up.
6 (I)The river gates are opened;
the palace (J)melts away;
7 its mistress[c] is (K)stripped;[d] she is carried off,
her slave girls (L)lamenting,
moaning like doves
and beating their breasts.
8 (M)Nineveh is like a pool
whose waters run away.[e]
“Halt! Halt!” they cry,
but (N)none turns back.
9 Plunder the silver,
plunder the gold!
There is no end of the treasure
or of the wealth of all precious things.
10 (O)Desolate! Desolation and ruin!
(P)Hearts melt and (Q)knees tremble;
(R)anguish is in all loins;
(S)all faces grow pale!
11 Where is the lions' den,
the feeding place of (T)the young lions,
where the lion and lioness went,
where his cubs were, with (U)none to disturb?
12 (V)The lion tore enough for his cubs
and (W)strangled prey for his lionesses;
he filled his caves with prey
and his dens with torn flesh.
13 (X)Behold, I am against you, declares the Lord of hosts, and (Y)I will burn your[f] chariots in smoke, and the sword shall devour your young lions. I will cut off your prey from the earth, and (Z)the voice of your messengers shall no longer be heard.
Read full chapterFootnotes
Cross references
- Nahum 2:1 : [Jer. 51:20]
- Nahum 2:1 : [Jer. 51:12]
- Nahum 2:2 : [Isa. 37:31]
- Nahum 2:2 : See Ps. 80:8-13; Isa. 5:1-7
- Nahum 2:3 : [Ezek. 23:14, 15]
- Nahum 2:4 : [ch. 3:2]
- Nahum 2:5 : ch. 3:18
- Nahum 2:5 : Jer. 46:12
- Nahum 2:6 : [Isa. 45:1]
- Nahum 2:6 : [Isa. 14:31]
- Nahum 2:7 : [Isa. 22:8]
- Nahum 2:7 : Isa. 38:14
- Nahum 2:8 : See ch. 1:1
- Nahum 2:8 : Jer. 46:5
- Nahum 2:10 : See Zeph. 2:13-15
- Nahum 2:10 : Ps. 22:14; Isa. 13:7
- Nahum 2:10 : Dan. 5:6
- Nahum 2:10 : Isa. 21:3
- Nahum 2:10 : Joel 2:6
- Nahum 2:11 : Isa. 5:29; Jer. 2:15
- Nahum 2:11 : See Isa. 17:2
- Nahum 2:12 : [Ezek. 19:3]
- Nahum 2:12 : [ver. 9; ch. 3:1]
- Nahum 2:13 : ch. 3:5; [Zeph. 2:5]; See Ezek. 13:8
- Nahum 2:13 : [Ps. 46:9]
- Nahum 2:13 : [2 Kgs. 19:9, 23]
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway
1. Nineveh is like a pool being drained (1-10)
The crack troops of Assyria had terrorized many people. They dressed in red uniforms and carried polished shields. When they invaded a city, they drove their chariots around like mad men, rushing here and there like burning torches. But when it pleased God to do so, the Babylonian army invaded Nineveh and plundered it. Nineveh became like a tub of water with the plug removed. Like lifeblood, the water drained away.
2. Where is the lion's den now? (11-13)
Nineveh had been like a lion's den. It had been full of the spoils of war from many military campaigns. But the sword of the invader would devour the young lions. The famous Assyrian chariots would go up in smoke. God is more powerful than the most powerful nation. He is more powerful than the most fearsome lion.
Prayer: Lord, take away our fear of people and our fear about the future, and help us to trust in you wholeheartedly.
One Word: God destroys and God restores