Superscription

Half-Acrostic: Yahweh Takes Vengeance against His Enemies

¹ The oracle concerning Nineveh— the scroll of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite:

² Yahweh is a jealous God and avenging; Yahweh is avenging and ⌞full of wrath⌟.¹ Yahweh takes vengeance against his enemies; he rages against his adversaries.

1. Literally “a lord of wrath”

³ Yahweh is slow to anger but great in power; he will certainly not allow the guilty to go unpunished. ⌞He marches⌟¹ in storm wind and in gale; storm clouds are the dust of his feet.

1. Literally “His path”

⁴ He rebukes the sea and he dries up the rivers; he makes all the rivers run dry. Bashan and Carmel wither;¹ the blossom of Lebanon languishes.

1. MT reads “languishes,” but the versions reflect “withers,” which also restores the acrostic

⁵ Mountains quake before him; the hills shake apart.¹ The earth heaves before him— the world and all her inhabitants.

1. Or “melt”

⁶ His indignation—who can stand before it? Who can endure ⌞his fierce anger⌟?¹ His wrath is poured out like fire; rocks are shattered before² him.

1. Literally “the heat of his anger”
2. Or “by”

⁷ Yahweh is good—a refuge in the day of distress; he knows those who take refuge in him.

Yahweh Will Destroy Nineveh

⁸ But with a rushing torrent he will bring Nineveh to an end; he will chase his enemies into darkness.

⁹ What¹ do you plot against Yahweh? ⌞He will completely destroy it⌟;² trouble will not rise up a second time!

1. Or “Why …?”
2. Literally “he will make a complete destruction”

¹⁰ For like entangled thorns, and like their drink which is drunk, they will be consumed like fully dry chaff.

¹¹ From you goes out one who plots evil against Yahweh, one who plans wickedness.

Yahweh Will Deliver Judah and Destroy Nineveh

¹² Yahweh says this: “Even though they are powerful and likewise many, even so they will be cut off and pass away. Though I have afflicted you,¹ I will afflict you² no longer.

1. That is, Judah
2. That is, Judah

¹³ And now, I will break his yoke from upon you; I will snap your bonds.”

¹⁴ Yahweh has commanded concerning you: “Your name will no longer be sown. I will cut off ⌞the idols and images⌟¹ from the ⌞temple⌟² of your gods; ⌞I will send you to the grave⌟³ because you are worthless.”

1. Literally “the idols and the molten idols”
2. Literally “house”
3. Literally “I will make your grave”

^{15 1} Look! On the mountains! The feet of the one who brings good tidings, the one who proclaims peace! “Celebrate a festival, O Judah, Fulfill your vows! For he will not invade you again; the wicked one is cut off completely!”

1. Nahum 1:15–2:13 in the English Bible is 2:1–14 in the Hebrew Bible