1Here is a prophecy the Lord gave Nahum, who was from the town of Elkosh. The prophecy came in a vision and is written in a book. The prophecy is about Nineveh.
The Lord Is Angry With Nineveh
2The Lord is a jealous God who punishes people.
He pays them back for the evil things they do.
He directs his anger against them.
The Lord punishes his enemies.
He holds his anger back
until the right time to use it.
3The Lord is slow to get angry.
But he is very powerful.
The Lord will not let guilty people go
without punishing them.
When he marches out, he stirs up winds and storms.
Clouds are the dust kicked up by his feet.
4He controls the seas. He dries them up.
He makes all the rivers run dry.
Bashan and Mount Carmel dry up.
The flowers in Lebanon fade.
5He causes the mountains to shake.
The hills melt away.
The earth trembles because he is there.
The world and all those who live in it also tremble.
6Who can stand firm when his anger burns?
Who can live when he is angry?
His anger blazes out like fire.
He smashes the rocks to pieces.
7The Lord is good.
When people are in trouble,
they can go to him for safety.
He takes good care of those
who trust in him.
8But he will destroy Nineveh
with a powerful flood.
He will chase his enemies
into the place of darkness.
9The Lord will put an end
to anything they plan against him.
He won’t allow Assyria to win the battle
over his people a second time.
10His enemies will be tangled up among thorns.
Their wine will make them drunk.
They’ll be burned up like dry straw.
11Nineveh, a king has marched out from you.
He makes evil plans against the Lord.
He thinks about how he can do what is wrong.
12The Lord says,
“His army has many soldiers.
Other nations are helping them.
But they will be destroyed and pass away.
Judah, I punished you.
But I will not do it anymore.
13Now I will break Assyria’s yoke off your neck.
I will tear off the ropes that hold you.”
14Nineveh, the Lord has given an order concerning you.
He has said, “You will not have any children
to carry on your name.
I will destroy the wooden and metal statues
that are in the temple of your gods.
I will get your grave ready for you.
You are worthless.”
15Look at the mountains of Judah!
I see a messenger running to bring good news!
He’s telling us that peace has come!
People of Judah, celebrate your feasts.
Carry out your promises.
The evil Assyrians won’t attack you again.
They’ll be completely destroyed.
Herrens dom over Nineve og trøst til Juda
1Nahum fra Elkosh modtog følgende budskab fra Herren om Nineves undergang:
2Herren er en nidkær Gud,
som straffer fjendens ondskab.
Han er ikke bange for at vise sin vrede
og afsige en hård dom over sine modstandere.
3Der skal meget til, før han bliver vred,
men hans magt er stor, og han straffer de skyldige.
Når han går til angreb, er det med orkanagtig styrke,
stormskyerne er som støv fra hans fødder.
4Når han truer ad havet, tørrer det ud,
han tørlægger alle floder.
Bashans og Karmels frodige marker svides af,
og blomsterne visner i Libanons bjerge.
5Når Herren rykker frem, skælver bjergene,
og højene dukker sig,
hele jorden bæver,
og alle dens indbyggere gyser.
6Hvem kan holde stand mod hans vrede?
Hvem kan standse hans harme?
Hans glødende vrede vælder frem som ild.
Selv bjergene splintres i småstykker.
7Men Herren er god mod dem, der søger ham,
han værner dem mod deres fjender.
Han beskytter alle,
der søger ly hos ham.
8Men de, der sætter sig op imod ham,
skyller han bort som med en flodbølge,
han driver sine fjender ind i dødens mørke.
9Tvivler I på Herrens magt?1,9 Ordret: „Hvad tænker I om Herren?” Nahum taler til Judas folk, når han bruger „I”. Assyrerne omtales i tredje person. Herren slog 185.000 assyrere ihjel, da de tidligere havde belejret Jerusalem, jf. 2.Kong. 18–19. Assyrien vil snart blive helt tilintetgjort, så de ikke igen udgør en trussel mod Jerusalem.
Han vil gøre fuldstændig ende på dem,
så I ikke kommer i samme nødsituation igen.
10De er som et sammenfiltret tjørnekrat,
som drankere, der kun tænker på deres vin.
De bliver fuldstændigt tilintetgjort
som en stubmark, der brændes af.
11Fra dig, Nineve,1,11 Ordret: „Fra dig”. Her taler Nahum til Nineve, hovedstaden i Assyrien. Sandsynligvis tænkes på Sankerib, der i sin tid var lige ved at erobre Jerusalem. kom der en,
der satte sig op mod Herren selv.
Han havde lagt onde planer,
12men Herren siger til Juda:
„Selv om de har en stor og stærk hær,
vil de blive klippet som får,
og gå helt til grunde.
Jeg har før brugt dem til at ydmyge jer,
men det gør jeg ikke igen.
13Nu vil jeg fjerne det åg, de lagde på jeres skuldre,
og sprænge de lænker, I sidder i.”
14Og til Nineves konge siger Herren:
„Din kongeslægt skal uddø.
Jeg gør det af med gudebillederne i dit afgudstempel.
Jeg gør graven klar til dig,
for du er ikke bedre værd.”
