ULT NAH Chapter 2

2 A scatterer has come up against your face.

Guard the city walls, watch the road,

strengthen your loins, greatly fortify your power!

2 For Yahweh has restored the majesty of Jacob, indeed, the majesty of Israel,

although the plunderers plundered them and destroyed their vine branches.

3 The shields of his mighty men are red; the men of valor are clothed in scarlet;

the chariot flashes with fire of metal on the day of preparing it, and the cypresses quiver.

4 The chariots race madly through the streets; they rush back and forth in the squares.

Their appearance is like torches; they run like lightning.

5 He calls his officers; they stumble in their advance;

they hurry to her city wall. The siege-shelter is prepared.

6 The gates of the rivers have been opened, and the palace has melted away.

7 It is established: she is taken into exile; she is led away,

and her female servants moan like the sound of doves, beating on their hearts.

8 Though Nineveh was like a pool of water throughout her days, now they are fleeing away.

“Stop, stop!” But there is no turning back.

9 Plunder silver, plunder gold, for there is no end to the supply;

a wealth of all things of delight.

10 Empty and desolate and ruined! And the heart is melted, and a shaking of knees,

and anguish is in all loins, and all of their faces gather beauty.

11 Where now is the lions’ den and that feeding place for the young lions,

where the lion walked, the lioness there, the cubs of the lion, and nothing made them afraid?

12 The lion, tearing enough for his cubs and strangling for his lionesses,

he filled his caves with prey, his dens with torn carcasses.

13 “Behold me, against you—the declaration of Yahweh of armies—

I will burn her chariot in the smoke, and the sword will devour your young lions.

I will cut off your prey from your land, and the voices of your messengers will be heard no more.”