Online Bible

The Overthrow of Nineveh

¹The one who ^ascatters has come up against ²you.Man the fortress, watch the road;³Strengthen your back, ⁴summon all your strength.2 For the LORD will restore the ^asplendor of Jacob^bLike the splendor of Israel,Even though devastators have devastated themAnd ^cdestroyed their vine branches.

3 The shields of ¹his mighty men are colored red,The warriors are dressed in ^ascarlet,The chariots are enveloped in ²flashing steel³When he is prepared to march,And the cypress ^bspears are brandished.4 The ^achariots race madly in the streets,They rush wildly in the ¹squares,Their appearance is like torches,They dash to and fro like lightning flashes.5 He remembers his ^anobles;They ^bstumble in their march,They hurry to her wall,And the ¹mantelet is set up.6 The gates of the rivers are openedAnd the palace is dissolved.7 It is fixed:She is stripped, she is carried away,And her handmaids are ^amoaning like the sound of doves,^bBeating on their ¹breasts.

8 Though Nineveh was like a pool of water throughout her days,Now they are fleeing;“Stop, stop,”But ^ano one turns back.9 Plunder the silver!Plunder the ^agold!For there is no limit to the treasure—Wealth from every kind of desirable object.10 She is ^aemptied! Yes, she is desolate and waste!^bHearts are melting and knees knocking!Also anguish is in ¹the whole bodyAnd all their ^cfaces are grown pale!11 Where is the den of the lionsAnd the feeding place of the ^ayoung lions,Where the lion, lioness and lion’s cub prowled,With nothing to disturb them?12 The lion tore enough for his cubs,¹Killed enough for his lionesses,And filled his lairs with preyAnd his dens with torn flesh.

13 “Behold, ^aI am against you,” declares the LORD of hosts. “I will ^bburn up her chariots in smoke, a sword will devour your young lions; I will ^ccut off your prey from the land, and no longer will the voice of your messengers be heard.”

Yahweh’s Destruction of Nineveh

¹The one who ^ascatters has come up against ²you.Guard the fortification, watch the road;Strengthen your loins, ³instill your power with exceeding courage.2 For Yahweh will restore the ^amajesty of Jacob^bLike the majesty of Israel,Even though those who empty them have emptied them to destructionAnd ^cruined their vine branches.

3 The shields of ¹his mighty men are colored red,The valiant men are dressed in ^a²scarlet,The chariots are enveloped in ³flashing steel⁴When he is set up to march,And the cypress ^bspears are brandished.4 The ^achariots race madly in the streets;They rush wildly in the ¹squares;Their appearance is like torches;They dash to and fro like lightning flashes.5 He remembers his ^amighty ones;They ^bstumble in their march;They hurry to her wall,And the ¹mantelet is set up.6 The gates of the rivers are opened,And the palace is melted away.7 So it stands fixed:She is exiled, she is carried away,And her maidservants are ^amoaning like the sound of doves,^bBeating on their hearts.

8 Though Nineveh was like a pool of water throughout her days,Now they are fleeing;“Stand! Stand!”But ^ano one ¹turns back.9 Plunder the silver!Plunder the ^agold!And there is no limit to the treasure—¹Wealth from every kind of desirable object.10 She is ^aemptied! Yes, she is emptied out and eviscerated!^bHearts are melting and knees knocking!Also anguish is in all their loins,And all their ^cfaces ¹turn pale!11 Where is the den of the lionsAnd the feeding place of the ^ayoung lions,Where the lion, lioness, and lion’s cub prowled,With nothing to make them tremble?12 The lion tore enough for its cubsAnd strangled enough for its lionessesAnd filled its lairs with torn up preyAnd its dens with torn up flesh.

13 “Behold, ^aI am against you,” declares Yahweh of hosts. “And I will ^bburn up her chariots in smoke, and a sword will devour your young lions; and I will ^ccut off your prey from the land, and no longer will the voice of your messengers be heard.”