This book contains the account of Nahum foretelling about Nineveh and the Assyrian people being destroyed. We call this book
Nahum
1
1 I am Nahum, from Elkosh village. This is a message about Nineveh city, the capital of Assyria that was given to me in a vision by Yahweh.
Yahweh is angry with the people of Nineveh
2 Yahweh our God ◄is jealous/does not want people to worship any other god►.
He is very angry with those who worship other gods,
and he gets revenge [DOU] on all those who oppose him [DOU].
3 Yahweh does not quickly become angry;
but he is very powerful,
and he will certainly punish [LIT] those who have done evil things [MTY].
He shows his power by sending whirlwinds and storms,
and clouds are like [MET] the dust stirred up by his feet.
4 When he commands oceans and rivers to become dry,
they dry up.
He causes the grass in the fields in the Bashan region and on the slopes of Carmel Mountain to wither,
and causes the flowers in Lebanon to fade.
5 When he appears, it is as though the mountains shake and the hills melt;
the earth quakes and the people on the earth tremble.
6 There is no one [RHQ] who can resist him when he becomes extremely angry;
there is no one [RHQ] who can survive when his anger is very hot.
When he is very angry, it is as though his anger is like [SIM] a blazing fire,
and it is as though mountains are shattered into pieces.
7 But he is good;
he protects us his people when we experience troubles.
He takes care of those who trust in him.
8 But he will get rid of his enemies;
he will be to them like [MET] a flood that destroys everything.
He will chase his enemies
into the darkness of the place where the dead are.
9 So, it is useless [RHQ] for you people of Nineveh to plot against Yahweh.
He will not need to strike you two times to destroy you;
he will destroy you by striking you only once.
10 It will be as though his enemies are tangled in thorns,
and they will stagger like people who have drunk a lot of wine.
They will be burned up like [SIM] a fire completely burns up stubble/straw.
11 In Nineveh city there was a man who advised people to do very wicked things to Yahweh.
12 But this is what Yahweh says about you Israeli people:
“Although the people of Assyria have very many people and their army is very powerful,
they will be destroyed and will disappear.
I say to my people in Judah,
‘ have already punished you,
but I will not punish you again.
13 Now I will cause the people of Assyria to no longer control/oppress you [MET];
it will be as though I will tear off the shackles/chains on your hands and feet.”
14 And this is what Yahweh also declares about you people of Nineveh:
“You will not have any descendants who will continue to have your family names.
And I will destroy all the statues of your gods
that were carved or formed in molds.
I will cause you to be killed and sent to your graves,
because you are vile/despicable!”
15 You people of Judah, look! A messenger will be coming across the mountains,
and he [SYN] will be bringing good news to you.
He will be declaring that you will now have peace because Assyria will have been conquered.
So, celebrate your festivals,
and do what you solemnly promised to do when your enemies were threatening to attack you,
because your wicked enemies will not invade your country again,
because they will be completely destroyed.