Nahum
The Judge of Nineveh
Nahum from Elkosh prophesied about the fall of Nineveh, the capital of the Assyrian Empire that had oppressed Israel for generations. While Jonah had preached repentance to Nineveh 150 years earlier, Nahum delivered final judgment. The prophecy was fulfilled when Nineveh fell in 612 BC.
Key events
God's Wrath Against Nineveh
Nahum began by proclaiming that the Lord is a vengeful God who does not let the guilty go unpunished.
2The LORD is a jealous and avenging God; the LORD takes vengeance and is filled with wrath. The LORD takes vengeance on his foes and holds his fury against his enemies.
אֵ֣ל קַנּ֤וֹא וְנֹקֵם֙ יְהוָ֔ה נֹקֵ֥ם יְהוָ֖ה וּבַ֣עַל חֵמָ֑ה נֹקֵ֤ם יְהוָה֙ לְצָרָ֔יו וְנוֹטֵ֥ר ה֖וּא לְאֹיְבָֽיו׃
3The LORD is slow to anger but great in power; he will by no means leave the guilty unpunished. His way is in whirlwind and storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet.
יְהֹוָ֗ה אֶ֤רֶךְ אַפַּ֙יִם֙ *וגדול־**וּגְדָל־כֹּ֔חַ וְנַקֵּ֖ה לֹ֣א יְנַקֶּ֑ה יְהוָ֗ה בְּסוּפָ֤ה וּבִשְׂעָרָה֙ דַּרְכּ֔וֹ וְעָנָ֖ן אֲבַ֥ק רַגְלָֽיו׃
7The LORD is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; he knows those who take refuge in him.
ט֣וֹב יְהוָ֔ה לְמָע֖וֹז בְּי֣וֹם צָרָ֑ה וְיֹדֵ֖עַ חֹ֥סֵי בֽוֹ׃
8But with a sweeping flood he will bring her place to an end, and he will pursue his enemies into darkness.
וּבְשֶׁ֣טֶף עֹבֵ֔ר כָּלָ֖ה יַעֲשֶׂ֣ה מְקוֹמָ֑הּ וְאֹיְבָ֖יו יְרַדֶּף־חֹֽשֶׁךְ׃
Nineveh's Fall Foretold
Nahum vividly described how the mighty city would be destroyed.
1Look! On the mountains, the feet of one bringing good news, proclaiming peace! Keep your festivals, Judah; fulfill your vows. Never again will the worthless one march through you; he is utterly cut off.
הִנֵּ֨ה עַל־הֶהָרִ֜ים רַגְלֵ֤י מְבַשֵּׂר֙ מַשְׁמִ֣יעַ שָׁל֔וֹם חָגִּ֧י יְהוּדָ֛ה חַגַּ֖יִךְ שַׁלְּמִ֣י נְדָרָ֑יִךְ כִּי֩ לֹ֨א יוֹסִ֥יף ע֛וֹד *לעבור־**לַֽעֲבָר־בָּ֥ךְ בְּלִיַּ֖עַל כֻּלֹּ֥ה נִכְרָֽת׃
4The shields of his warriors gleam red, his soldiers are clothed in scarlet. The chariots flash like fire of steel on the day they are readied, and the spears are brandished.
מָגֵ֨ן גִּבֹּרֵ֜יהוּ מְאָדָּ֗ם אַנְשֵׁי־חַ֙יִל֙ מְתֻלָּעִ֔ים בְּאֵשׁ־פְּלָד֥וֹת הָרֶ֖כֶב בְּי֣וֹם הֲכִינ֑וֹ וְהַבְּרֹשִׁ֖ים הָרְעָֽלוּ׃
6He summons his officers; they stumble as they advance. They rush to the wall, and the siege shelter is set in place.
יִזְכֹּר֙ אַדִּירָ֔יו יִכָּשְׁל֖וּ *בהלכותם **בַּהֲלִֽיכָתָ֑ם יְמַֽהֲרוּ֙ חֽוֹמָתָ֔הּ וְהֻכַ֖ן הַסֹּכֵֽךְ׃
8It is decreed: she is stripped bare and led away. Her servant women moan like doves and beat their breasts.
וְהֻצַּ֖ב גֻּלְּתָ֣ה הֹֽעֲלָ֑תָה וְאַמְהֹתֶ֗יהָ מְנַֽהֲגוֹת֙ כְּק֣וֹל יוֹנִ֔ים מְתֹפְפֹ֖ת עַל־לִבְבֵהֶֽן׃
10Plunder the silver! Plunder the gold! There is no end to the hoard, the wealth of every precious thing.
בֹּ֥זּוּ כֶ֖סֶף בֹּ֣זּוּ זָהָ֑ב וְאֵ֥ין קֵ֙צֶה֙ לַתְּכוּנָ֔ה כָּבֹ֕ד מִכֹּ֖ל כְּלִ֥י חֶמְדָּֽה׃
The Reason for Judgment
Nineveh was judged for its cruelty, lies, and plundering of other nations.
1Woe to the city of blood, full of lies, stuffed with plunder—the prey never ends!
ה֖וֹי עִ֣יר דָּמִ֑ים כֻּלָּ֗הּ כַּ֤חַשׁ פֶּ֙רֶק֙ מְלֵאָ֔ה לֹ֥א יָמִ֖ישׁ טָֽרֶף׃
4All because of the endless harlotries of the harlot, so graceful and charming, that mistress of sorcery, who sold nations with her harlotries and peoples with her spells.
מֵרֹב֙ זְנוּנֵ֣י זוֹנָ֔ה ט֥וֹבַת חֵ֖ן בַּעֲלַ֣ת כְּשָׁפִ֑ים הַמֹּכֶ֤רֶת גּוֹיִם֙ בִּזְנוּנֶ֔יהָ וּמִשְׁפָּח֖וֹת בִּכְשָׁפֶֽיהָ׃
5I am against you, declares the LORD of hosts. I will lift your skirts over your face; I will show the nations your nakedness and the kingdoms your shame.
הִנְנִ֣י אֵלַ֗יִךְ נְאֻם֙ יְהוָ֣ה צְבָא֔וֹת וְגִלֵּיתִ֥י שׁוּלַ֖יִךְ עַל־פָּנָ֑יִךְ וְהַרְאֵיתִ֤י גוֹיִם֙ מַעְרֵ֔ךְ וּמַמְלָכ֖וֹת קְלוֹנֵֽךְ׃
19There is no relief for your injury; your wound is mortal. All who hear the news of you clap their hands over your fall—for who has not felt your endless cruelty?
אֵין־כֵּהָ֣ה לְשִׁבְרֶ֔ךָ נַחְלָ֖ה מַכָּתֶ֑ךָ כֹּ֣ל ׀ שֹׁמְעֵ֣י שִׁמְעֲךָ֗ תָּ֤קְעוּ כַף֙ עָלֶ֔יךָ כִּ֗י עַל־מִ֛י לֹֽא־עָבְרָ֥ה רָעָתְךָ֖ תָּמִֽיד׃