Nahum3

Woe is pronounced upon Nineveh, the 'bloody city,' full of lies and robbery, whose destruction is depicted with vivid imagery of battle and slaughter. The LORD declares Himself against Nineveh for its spiritual harlotry and witchcraft, promising to expose its shame to the nations. Its downfall will be complete, with no one to mourn its desolation, a fate worse than that of No-amon.

Woe to the Bloody City

1
O bloody citie, it is all full of lyes, and robberie: the pray departeth not:
2
The noyse of a whippe, and the noyse of the mouing of the wheeles, and the beating of the horses, and the leaping of the charets.
3
The horseman lifteth vp both the bright sword, and the glittering speare, and a multitude is slaine, and the dead bodyes are many: there is none ende of their corpses: they stumble vpon their corpses,
4
Because of the multitude of the fornications of the harlot that is beautifull, and is a mistresse of witchcraft, and selleth the people thorow her whoredome, and the nations thorowe her witchcrafts.

The Lord Will Judge Nineveh

5
Beholde, I come vpon thee, saith the Lord of hostes, and will discouer thy skirtes vpon thy face, and will shewe the nations thy filthines, and the kingdomes thy shame.
6
And I will cast filth vpon thee, and make thee vile, and will set thee as a gasing stocke.
7
And it shall come to passe, that al they that looke vpon thee, shall flee from thee, and say, Nineueh is destroyed, who will haue pitie vpon her? where shall I seeke comforters for thee?

Comparison to the Fall of Thebes

8
Art thou better then No, which was ful of people? that lay in the riuers, and had the waters round about it? whose ditche was the sea, and her wall was from the sea?
9
Ethiopia and Egypt were her strength, and there was none ende: Put and Lubim were her helpers.
10
Yet was she caried awaye, and went into captiuitie: her young children also were dashed in pieces at the head of all the streetes: and they cast lottes for her noble men, and al her myghtie men were bound in chaines.

The Futility of Nineveh's Defenses

11
Also thou shalt bee drunken: thou shalt hide thy selfe, and shalt seeke helpe because of the enemie.
12
All thy strong cities shall be like figtrees with the first ripe figs: for if they be shaken, they fall into the mouth of the eater.
13
Beholde, thy people within thee are women: the gates of thy land shalbe opened vnto thine enemies, and ye fire shall deuoure thy barres.
14
Drawe thee waters for the siege: fortifie thy strong holdes: go into the clay, and temper the morter: make strong bricke.
15
There shall ye fire deuoure thee: the sword shall cut thee off: it shall eate thee vp like the locustes, though thou bee multiplied like the locustes, and multiplyed like the grashopper.
16
Thou hast multiplied thy marchantes aboue the starres of heauen: the locust spoileth and flyeth away.
17
Thy princes are as the grashoppers, and thy captaines as the great grashoppers which remaine in the hedges in the colde day: but when the sunne ariseth, they flee away and their place is not knowen where they are.

Final Lament and Irreversible Doom

18
Thy shepheardes doe sleepe, O King of Asshur: thy strong men lie downe: thy people is scattered vpon the mountaines, and no man gathereth them.
19
There is no healing of thy wounde: thy plague is grieuous: all that heare the brute of thee, shall clap the handes ouer thee: for vpon whome hath not thy malice passed continually?
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