15THERE! ON THE MOUNTAINS [THE] FEET OF [ONE WHO] BEARS NEWS [ONE WHO] PROCLAIMS PEACE CELEBRATE A FESTIVAL O JUDAH FESTIVALS YOUR PAY VOWS YOUR FOR NOT HE WILL REPEAT AGAIN TO PASS IN YOU A WORTHLESS PERSON ALL OF HIM IT WILL BE CUT OFF 15Look to the mountains— the feet of one who brings good news, who proclaims peace! Celebrate your feasts, O Judah; fulfill your vows. For the wicked will never again march through you; they will be utterly cut off.
1HE HAS COME UP [ONE WHO] SCATTERS ON FACE YOUR GUARD [THE] FORTIFICATION WATCH [THE] ROAD STRENGTHEN [THE] LOINS MAKE STRONG STRENGTH EXCEEDINGLY The Overthrow of Nineveh 1One who scatters advances against you, O Nineveh. Guard the fortress! Watch the road! Brace yourselves!*NoteCloseHebrew Strengthen your loins! Summon all your strength!
2FOR HE WILL RESTORE YAHWEH <OBJ.> [THE] MAJESTY OF JACOB LIKE [THE] MAJESTY OF ISRAEL FOR THEY HAVE LAID WASTE TO THEM [THOSE WHO] LAY WASTE AND BRANCHES THEIR THEY HAVE DESTROYED 2For the LORD will restore the splendor of Jacob like the splendor of Israel, though destroyers have laid them waste and ruined the branches of their vine.
3[THE] SHIELD OF WARRIORS HIS [IS] DYED RED MEN OF STRENGTH [ARE] CLOTHED IN SCARLET [ARE] IN FIRE OF IRON<S> THE CHARIOTRY ON [THE] DAY PREPARES HE AND THE CYPRESSES THEY HAVE BEEN MADE TO QUIVER 3The shields of his mighty men are red; the valiant warriors are dressed in scarlet. The fittings of the chariots flash like fire on the day they are prepared, and the spears of cypress have been brandished.*NoteCloseHebrew; alternately, the spears may be of pine or juniper or fir; LXX and Syriac they are prepared, and the horsemen rush to and fro.
4IN THE STREETS THEY DRIVE MADLY THE CHARIOTRY THEY RUSH AROUND! IN THE OPEN PLACES APPEARANCE THEIR [ARE] LIKE <THE> TORCHES LIKE <THE> LIGHTNING FLASHES THEY RUN AROUND 4The chariots dash through the streets; they rush around the plazas, appearing like torches, darting about like lightning.
5HE REMEMBERS NOBLES HIS THEY STUMBLE ON JOURNEY THEIR THEY HURRY WALL ITS AND IT IS PREPARED THE COVER 5He summons his nobles; they stumble as they advance. They race to its wall; the protective shield is set in place.
6[THE] GATES OF THE RIVERS THEY HAVE BEEN OPENED AND THE PALACE IT HAS MELTED AWAY 6The river gates are thrown open and the palace collapses.
7AND IT HAS BEEN FIXED IT WAS UNCOVERED IT WAS TAKEN AWAY AND MAIDSERVANTS ITS [ARE] MOANING LIKE [THE] SOUND OF DOVES [THEY ARE] BEATING ON HEARTS THEIR 7It is decreed that the city be exiled and carried away; her maidservants moan like doves, and beat upon their breasts.
8AND NINEVEH [WAS] LIKE A POOL OF WATER FROM [THE] DAYS OF IT AND THEY [ARE] FLEEING STOP STOP AND THERE NOT [IS ONE WHO] TURNS BACK 8Nineveh has been like a pool of water throughout her days, but now it is draining away. “Stop! Stop!” they cry, but no one turns back.
9PLUNDER SILVER PLUNDER GOLD AND THERE NOT [IS] AN END TO THE SUPPLY ABUNDANCE FROM EVERY ARTICLE OF PRECIOUSNESS 9“Plunder the silver! Plunder the gold!” There is no end to the treasure, an abundance of every precious thing.
10EMPTINESS AND EMPTINESS AND DEVASTATION AND HEART [IS] MELTING AND [ARE] TOTTERING KNEES AND ANGUISH [IS] IN ALL LOINS AND [THE] FACES OF ALL OF THEM THEY HAVE GATHERED A GLOW 10She is emptied! Yes she is desolate and laid waste! Hearts melt, knees knock, bodies tremble, and every face grows pale!
11WHERE? [IS THE] DWELLING PLACE OF LIONS AND [IS] PASTURE IT FOR <THE> YOUNG LIONS WHERE IT WALKED LION LIONESS THERE CUB OF LION AND THERE NOT [WAS ONE WHO] DISTURBED [THEM] 11Where is the lions’ lair or the feeding ground of the young lions, where the lion and lioness prowled with their cubs, with nothing to frighten them away?
12[THE] LION [WAS] TEARING FOR [THE] SUFFICIENCY OF CUBS ITS AND [WAS] STRANGLING FOR LIONESSES ITS AND IT FILLED PREY HOLE ITS AND DENS ITS TORN FLESH 12The lion mauled enough for its cubs and strangled prey for the lioness. It filled its dens with the kill, and its lairs with mauled prey.
13HERE I [AM] AGAINST YOU [THE] UTTERANCE OF YAHWEH OF HOSTS AND I WILL BURN IN <THE> SMOKE CHARIOTRY ITS AND YOUNG LIONS YOUR IT WILL CONSUME [THE] SWORD AND I WILL CUT OFF FROM [THE] EARTH PREY YOUR AND NOT IT WILL BE HEARD AGAIN [THE] VOICE OF MESSENGERS YOUR 13“Behold, I am against you,” declares the LORD of Hosts. “I will reduce your chariots to cinders, and the sword will devour your young lions. I will cut off your prey from the earth, and the voices of your messengers will no longer be heard