Attack against Nineveh
1One who scatters is coming up against you. v
Man the fortifications!
Watch the road!
Brace L yourself!
Summon all your strength! w
2 For the LORD will restore the majesty of Jacob, x
yes, M the majesty of Israel,
though ravagers have ravaged them y
and ruined their vine branches. z
3 The shields of his N warriors are dyed red;
the valiant men are dressed in scarlet. a
The fittings of the chariot flash like fire b
on the day of its battle preparations,
and the spears are brandished.
4 The chariots dash madly through the streets;
they rush around in the plazas.
They look like torches;
they dart back and forth like lightning.
5 He gives orders to his officers;
they stumble as they advance.
They race to its wall;
the protective shield is set in place.
and the palace erodes away. c
she is carried away;
her ladies-in-waiting moan
like the sound of doves d
and beat their breasts. e
8 Nineveh has been like a pool of water
from her first days, Q
but they are fleeing.
“Stop! Stop! ” they cry,
but no one turns back.
9 “Plunder the silver! Plunder the gold! ” f
There is no end to the treasure,
an abundance of every precious thing. g
10 Desolation, decimation, devastation!
Hearts melt, h
knees tremble, i
insides churn, j
every face grows pale! k
11 Where is the lions’ lair, l
or the feeding ground of the young lions,
where the lion and lioness prowled,
and the lion’s cub,
with nothing to frighten them away? m
12 The lion mauled whatever its cubs needed
and strangled prey for its lionesses.
It filled up its dens with the kill,
and its lairs with mauled prey. n
13 Beware, I am against you. o
This is the declaration of the LORD of Armies.
I will make your chariots go up in smoke, R
and the sword will devour your young lions. p
I will cut off your prey from the earth,
and the sound of your messengers
will never be heard again. q