1 I am Nahum from Elkosh. And this is the message that I wrote down about Nineveh.
The Fierce Anger of the Lord
2The Lord God demands loyalty.
In his anger, he takes revenge
on his enemies.
3The Lord is powerful,
yet patient;
he makes sure that the guilty
are always punished.
He can be seen in storms
and in whirlwinds;
clouds are the dust from his feet.
4At the Lord's command,
oceans and rivers dry up.
Bashan, Mount Carmel,
and Lebanon wither,
and their flowers fade.
5At the sight of the Lord,
mountains and hills
tremble and melt;
the earth and its people
shudder and shake.
6Who can stand the heat
of his furious anger?
It flashes out like fire
and shatters stones.
The Power of Assyria Will Be Broken
7The Lord is good.
He protects those who trust him
in times of trouble.
8But like a roaring flood,
the Lord chases his enemies
into dark places
and destroys them.
9So don't plot against the Lord!
He wipes out his enemies,
and they never revive.
10They are like drunkards
overcome by wine,
or like twisted thornbushes
burning in a fire.
11Assyria, one of your rulers
has made evil plans
against the Lord.
12But the Lord says, “Assyria,
no matter how strong you are,
you will be cut down!
My people Judah,
I have troubled you before,
but I won't do it again.
13I'll snap your chains
and set you free
from the Assyrians.”
14Assyria, this is what else
the Lord says to you:
“Your name will be forgotten.
I will destroy every idol
in your temple,
and I will send you to the grave,
because you are worthless.”
15 Look toward the mountains,
people of Judah!
Here comes a messenger
with good news of peace.
Celebrate your festivals.
Keep your promises to God.
Your evil enemies are destroyed
and will never again
invade your country.