ZEPHANIAH 1

Day of Judgment on Judah

1 The word of the Lordwhich came to Zephaniah the son of Cushi, the son of Gedaliah, the son of Amariah, the son ofHezekiah, in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah:

2 “I will completely consumeandsweep away allthings

From the face of the earth [in judgment],” says the Lord.

3 “I will consumeandsweep away man and beast;

I will consumeandsweep away the birds of the air

And the fish of the sea,

And thestumbling blocks (idols) along with the wicked;

And I will cut offanddestroy man from the face of the earth,” declares the Lord.

4 “I will also stretch out My hand [in judgment] against Judah

And against all the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

And I will cut offanddestroy the remnant ofBaal from this place,

And the namesandremembrance of the idolatrous priests along with the [false] priests,

5 And those who bow downandworship the host of heaven [the sun, the moon, and the stars]on their housetops

And those who bow down and swear [oaths] to [and pretend to worship] the Lordand [yet also] swear by [the pagan god called] Milcom [god of the Ammonites],

6 And those who have turned back from following the Lord,

And those who have not sought the Lord[as their most important need] or inquired of Him.”

7 [Hush!] Be silent before the Lord God[there is no acceptable excuse to offer]!

For the day [of the vengeance] of the Lordis near,

For the Lordhas prepared a sacrifice (Judah),

He has set apart [for His use] those who have accepted His invitation [the Chaldeans who rule Babylon].

8 “Then it will come about on the day of the Lord’ssacrifice

That I will punish the princes and the king’s sons

And all who are clothed in [lavish] foreign apparel [reflecting their paganism].

9 “On that day I will also punish all those wholeap over thetemplethreshold,

Who fill their [pagan] lord’s temple with violence and deceit.

10 “On that day,” declares the Lord,

“There will be the sound of crying from the Fish (Damascus) Gate [in the northern wall of Jerusalem where invaders enter]

And wailing from theSecond Quarter [of the city],

And a loud crash from the hills.

11 “Wail [in anguish], you inhabitants of theMortar (Valley of Siloam),

For all the merchants of Canaan will be silencedanddestroyed;

All who weigh out silver will be cut off.

12 “It will come about at that time

That I will search Jerusalem with lamps

And I will punish the men

Who [like old wine] are stagnant in spirit,

Who say in their hearts,

‘The Lordwill not do good, nor will He do evil.’

13 “Furthermore, their wealth will become plunder

And their houses a desolation.

Yes, they will build houses but not live in them,

And plant vineyards but not drink their wine.”

14 The great [judgment] day of the Lordis near,

Near and coming very quickly.

Listen! The [voice of the] day of the Lord!

The warrior cries out bitterly [unable to fight or to flee].

15 That day is a day of [the outpouring of the] wrath [of God],

A day of trouble and distress,

A day of destruction and devastation,

A day of darkness and gloom,

A day of clouds and thick darkness,

16 A day of trumpet and the battle cry [of invaders]

Against the fortified cities

And against the high corner towers (battlements).

17 I will bring distress on men

So that they will walk like the blind [unable to find a way of escape],

Because they have sinned against the Lord;

Their blood will be poured out like dust [and trampled underfoot],

And their flesh like dung.

18 Neither their silver nor their gold

Will be able to rescue them

On the day of the Lord’sindignationandwrath.

And the whole earth will be consumed

In the fire of His jealouswrath,

For He shall make a fullandcomplete end,

Indeed a terrifying one,

Of all the inhabitants of the earth.

ZEPHANIAH 2

Judgments on Judah’s Enemies

1 Gather yourselves together [in repentance], yes, gather [in submission],

O nation without shame,

2 Before the decree takes effect [and the time for repentance is lost]–

The day passes like the chaff [whirled by the wind]–

Before the burningandfierce anger of the Lordcomes upon you,

Before the day of the wrath of the Lordcomes upon you.

3 Seek the Lord[search diligently for Him and regard Him as the foremost necessity of your life],

All you humble of the land

Who have practiced His ordinancesandhave kept His commandments;

Seek righteousness, seek humility [regard them as vital].

Perhaps you will be hidden [and pardoned and rescued]

In the day of the Lord’sanger.

4 For [this is the fate of the Philistines:] Gaza will be abandoned

And Ashkelon a desolation;

[The people of] Ashdod will be driven out at noon [in broad daylight]

And Ekron will be uprootedanddestroyed.

5 Woe (judgment is coming) to the inhabitants of the seacoast,

The nation of the Cherethites [in Philistia]!

The word of the Lordis against you,

O Canaan, land of the Philistines;

I will destroy you

So that no inhabitant will be left.

6 So the [depopulated] seacoast shall be pastures,

With [deserted] meadows for shepherds and folds for flocks.

7 Theseacoast will belong

To the remnant of the house of Judah;

They will pasture [their flocks] on it.

In the [deserted] houses of Ashkelon [in Philistia] they [of Judah] will lie downandrest in the evening,

For the Lordtheir God will care for them;

And restore their fortune [permitting them to occupy the land].

8 “I have heard the taunting of Moab

And the revilings of the sons of Ammon,

With which they have taunted My people

And become arrogant against their territory [by violating Israel’s boundary and trying to seize its land].

9 “Therefore, as I live,” declares the Lordof hosts,

The God of Israel,

“Moab will in fact become like Sodom

And thesons of Ammon like Gomorrah,

A land possessed by nettles and salt pits,

And a perpetual desolation.

The remnant of My people will plunder them

And what is left of My nation will inherit them [as their own].”

10 This they shall have in return for their pride, because they have taunted and become arrogant against the people of the Lordof hosts.

11 The Lordwill be terrifyingandawesome to them, for He will starve all the gods of the earth; and all the coastlands of the nations will bow downandworship Him, everyone from his own place.

12 “You also, O Ethiopians, will be slain by My sword.”

13 And the Lordwill stretch out His hand against the north

And destroy Assyria,

And He will make Nineveh a desolation [a wasteland],

Parched as the desert.

14 Flocks will lie down in her midst,

All the animals which range in herds;

Both the pelican and the short-eared owl

Will roost on the top of Nineveh’s pillars.

Birds will sing in the window,

Desolation will be on the threshold;

For He has uncovered the cedar paneling.

15 This is the joyous city

Which dwells carelessly [feeling so secure],

Who says in her heart,

“I am, and there is no one besides me.”

What a desolation she has become,

A lair for [wild] animals!

Everyone who passes by her will hiss [in scorn]

And wave his handin contempt.

ZEPHANIAH 3

Woe to Jerusalem and the Nations

1 Woe (judgment is coming) to her who is rebellious and defiled,

The tyrannical city [Jerusalem]!

2 She did not listenandheed the voice [of God];

She accepted no correction.

She did not trust in the Lord[but trusted her own power];

She did not draw near to her God [but to the pagan gods of Baal or Molech].

3 Her officials within her are roaring lions;

Her judges are [as hungry as] the wolves at evening,

They leave nothing for the morning.

4 Her prophets are reckless and treacherous men;

Her priests have profaned the sanctuary;

They have done violence to the law [by pretending their word is God’s word].

5 The Lordis righteous within her;

He will do no injustice.

Every morning He brings His justice to light;

He does not fail.

But the unjust person knows no shame.

6 “I [the Lord] have cut offanddestroyed nations [as a warning to Judah];

Their corner towers (battlements) are in ruins.

I have made their streets desolate

So that no one passes by;

Their cities are destroyed

So that there is no man, there is no inhabitant.

7 “I said, ‘Most certainly you will [reverently] fear Me;

Accept correction.’

So Jerusalem’s dwelling will not be cut off

In accordance withall that I have appointed concerning her [punishment],

But they were eager [even rising early] to make all their deeds corrupt.

8 “Therefore [you of the godly remnant of Judah, patiently] wait for Me,” declares the Lord,

“[Wait] for the day when I rise up as a witness [against the nations].

For it is My decisionandMy right to gather the nations,

To assemble kingdoms,

To pour out on them My indignation,

All [the heat of] My burning anger;

For [in that day] all the earth shall be consumed

By the fire of My zeal.

9 “Then I will give to the peoples [clear and pure speech from] purified lips [which reflect their purified hearts],

That all of them may call on the name of the Lord,

To serve Him shoulder to shoulder (united).

10 “From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia

My worshipers, [the descendants of] My dispersed ones,

Will bring My offerings.

11 “On that day you [Israel] will feel no shame

Because of all your acts

By which you have rebelledandsinned against Me;

Then I will remove from among you

Your rejoicing ones who delight in their pride;

And you will never again behave arrogantly

On My holy mountain [Mount Zion].

A Remnant of Israel

12 “But I will leave among you

A humble and lowly people,

And they will take refugeandtrust confidently in the name of the Lord.

13 “The remnant of Israel will do no wrong

Nor speak lies,

Nor will a deceitful tongue

Be found in their mouths;

For they will eat and lie down

With no one to make them trembleandfeel afraid.”

14 Shout for joy, O Daughter of Zion!

Shoutin triumph,O Israel!

Rejoice, be in high spiritsandglory with all your heart,

O Daughter of Jerusalem [in that day]!

15 The Lordhas taken away the judgments against you;

He has cleared away your enemies.

The King of Israel, even the Lord[Himself], is in your midst;

You will no longer fear disaster.

16 In that day it will be said to Jerusalem:

“Do not be afraid, O Zion;

Do not let your hands fall limp.

17 “The Lordyour God is in your midst,

A Warrior who saves.

He will rejoice over you with joy;

He will be quiet in His love [making no mention of your past sins],

He will rejoice over you with shouts of joy.

18 “I will gather those [Israelites in captivity] who grieve about the appointed feasts–

They came from you, [O Zion];

On whom the reproach [of exile] is a burden.

19 “Behold, at that time I am going to deal

With all your oppressors;

I will save the lame

And gather the scattered,

And I will turn their shame into praise and renown

In every land [where they have suffered].

20 “At that time I will bring you in,

Yes, at the time I gather you together;

For I will make you a name and a praise

Among all the peoples of the earth

When I restore your fortunes [and freedom] before your eyes,”

Says the Lord.

HABAKKUK 1

Chaldeans Used to Punish Judah

1 Theoracle (a burdensome message–a pronouncement from God) which Habakkuk the prophet saw.

2 O Lord, how long will I call for help

And You will not hear?

I cry out to You, “Violence!”

Yet You do not save.

3 Why do You make me see iniquity,

And cause me to look on wickedness?

For destruction and violence are before me;

Strife continues and contention arises.

4 Therefore, the law is ineffectiveandignored

And justice is never upheld,

For the wicked surround the righteous;

Therefore, justice becomes perverted.

5 [The Lordreplied,] “Look among the nations! See!

Be astonished! Wonder!

For I am doing something in your days–

You would not believe it if you were told.

6 “For behold, I am raising up theChaldeans [who rule inBabylon],

That fierce and impetuous nation

Who march throughout the earth

To take possession of dwelling places that do not belong to them.

7 “The Chaldeans are dreaded and feared;

Their justice and authority originate with themselvesandare defined only by their decree.

8 “Their horses are swifter than leopards

And keener than [hungry] wolves in the evening,

Their horsemen come galloping,

Their horsemen come from far away;

They fly like an eagle swooping down to devour.

9 “They all come for violence;

Their horde of faces moves [eagerly] forward,

They gather prisoners like sand.

10 “They make fun of kings

And rulers are a laughing matter to them.

They ridicule every stronghold

And heap up rubble [for earth mounds] and capture it.

11 “Then they will sweep by like the wind and pass on.

But they will be held guilty,

They [and all men] whose own powerandstrength is their god.”

12 Are You not from everlasting,

O Lord, my God, My Holy One?

We will not die.

O Lord, You have appointed the Chaldeans [who rule in Babylon] to execute [Your] judgment,

And You, O Rock, have established them to correctandchastise.

13 Your eyes are too pure to approve evil,

And You cannot lookfavorablyon wickedness.

Why then do You look favorably

On those who act treacherously?

Why are you silent when the wicked (Chaldean oppressors) destroy

Those more righteous than they?

14 Why do You make men like the fish of the sea,

Like reptilesandcreeping things that have no ruler [and are helpless against their enemies]?

15 The Chaldeansbring all of them up with a hook,

And drag them away with a net,

And gather them together in their fishing net;

So they rejoice and are glad.

16 Therefore, they offer sacrifices to their net

And burn incense to their fishing net;

Because through these things their catch is largeandthey live luxuriously,

And their food is plentiful.

17 Will they continue to empty their net

And [mercilessly] go on destroying nations without sparing?

HABAKKUK 2

God Answers the Prophet

1 I will stand at my guard post

And station myself on the tower;

And I will keep watch to see what He will say to me,

And what answer I will give [as His spokesman] when I am reproved.

2 Then the Lordanswered me and said,

“Write the vision

And engrave it plainly on [clay] tablets

So that the one who reads it will run.

3 “For the vision is yet for the appointed [future] time

It hurries toward the goal [of fulfillment]; it will not fail.

Even though it delays, wait [patiently] for it,

Because it will certainly come; it will not delay.

4 “Look at the proud one,

His soul is not right within him,

But the righteous will live by his faith [in the true God].

5 “Moreover, wine is treacherousandbetrays the arrogant man,

So that he does not stay at home.

His appetite is large like Sheol,

And he is like death, never satisfied.

He gathers to himself all nations

And collects to himself all peoples [as if he owned them].

6 “Will all these [victims of his greed] not take up a taunting song against him,

And in mocking derision against him

Say, ‘Woe (judgment is coming) to him who increases that which is not his–

How long [will he possess it]?

And [woe to him who] makes himself wealthy with loans.’

7 “Will your creditors not rise up suddenly,

And those who collect from you awaken?

Then you will become plunder for them.

8 “Because you [king of Babylon] have looted many nations,

All peoples who are left will loot you–

Because of human bloodshed and for the violence done to the land,

To the city and all its inhabitants.

9 “Woe (judgment is coming) to him who obtains wicked gain for his house [and thinks by so doing]

To set his nest on high,

That he may be rescued from the hand of evil.

10 “You have devised a shameful thing for your house

By cutting offandputting an end to many peoples;

So you are sinning against your own lifeandforfeiting it.

11 “For the stone will cry out from the wall [to accuse you–built in sin!]

And the rafter will answer it out of the woodwork.

12 “Woe (judgment is coming) to him who builds a city with bloodshed

And establishes a town by violence!

13 “Is it not indeed from the Lordof hosts

That peoples labor [only] for the fire [that will destroy their work],

And nations grow weary for nothing [that is, things which have no lasting value]?

14 “But [the time is coming when] the earth shall be filled

With the knowledge of the glory of the Lord,

As the waters cover the sea.

15 “Woe (judgment is coming) to you who make your neighbors drink,

Who mix in your venom to make them drunk

So that you may look at their nakedness!

16 “You will be filled with disgrace instead of honor.

Now drink and expose your own nakedness!

The cup [of wrath] in the Lord’sright hand will come around to you [O destroyer],

And utter disgrace will be on your own glory.

17 “For the violence done to Lebanon will overwhelm you;

The destruction of the animals will terrify you

On account of human bloodshed and the violence done to the land,

To the city and all its inhabitants.

18 “What profit is the carved image when its maker has formed it?

It is only a cast image, and a teacher of lies.

For its maker trusts in his own creation [as his god]

When he makes speechless idols.

19 “Woe (judgment is coming) to him who says to the wooden image, ‘Awake!’

And to the speechless stone, ‘Arise!’

And that is your teacher?

Look, it is overlaid with gold and silver,

And there is no breath at all inside it.

20 “But the Lordis in His holy temple.

Let all the earth hushandbe silent before Him.”

HABAKKUK 3

God’s Salvation of His People

1 A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet, set towildandenthusiastic music.

2 O Lord, I have heard the report about You and I fear.

O Lord, revive Your work in the midst of the years,

In the midst of the years make it known;

In wrath [earnestly] remember compassionandlove.

3 God [approaching from Sinai] comes from Teman (Edom),

And the Holy One fromMount Paran. Selah (pause, and calmly think of that).

His splendorandmajesty covers the heavens

And the earth is full of His praise.

4 His brightness is like the sunlight;

He has [bright] raysflashingfrom His hand,

And there [in the sunlike splendor] is the hiding place of His power.

5 Before Him goes the pestilence [of judgment as in Egypt],

And [the burning] plague [of condemnation] follows at His feet [as in Sennacherib’s army].

6 He stood and measured the earth;

He looked and startled the nations,

Yes, the eternal mountains were shattered,

The ancient hills bowed lowandcollapsed.

His ways are eternal.

7 I [Habakkuk, in my vision] saw the tents of Cushan under distress;

The tent curtains of the land of Midian were trembling.

8 Did the Lordrage against the rivers,

Or was Your anger against the rivers,

Or was Your wrath against the [Red] Sea,

That You rode on Your horses,

On Your chariots of salvation?

9 Your bow was made bare;

The rods of chastisement were sworn. Selah (pause, calmly think of that).

You split the earth with rivers [bringing waters to dry places].

10 The mountains saw You and [they] trembledandwrithed [as if in pain];

The downpour of waters swept by [as a deluge].

The deep uttered its voiceandraged,

It lifted its hands high.

11 The sun and moon stood in their places [as before Joshua];

They went away at the light of Your [swift] arrows,

At the radianceandgleam of Your glittering spear.

12 In indignation You marched through the earth;

In anger You trampledandthreshed the nations.

13 You went forth for the salvation of Your people,

For the salvationandrescue of Your anointed [people Israel].

You struck thehead from the house of the wicked

To lay him open from the thigh to the neck. Selah (pause, and calmly think of that).

14 With the enemy’s own spears, You pierced

The head of his hordes.

They stormed out to scatter us,

Rejoicing like those

Who secretly devour the oppressed [of Israel].

15 You have trampled on the sea with Your horses,

On the surge of many waters.

16 I heard and my whole inner self trembled;

My lips quivered at the sound.

Decayandrottenness enter my bones,

And I tremble in my place.

Because I must wait quietly for the day of distress,

For the people to arise who will invadeandattack us.

17 Though the fig tree does not blossom

And there is no fruit on the vines,

Though the yield of the olive fails

And the fields produce no food,

Though the flock is cut off from the fold

And there are no cattle in the stalls,

18 Yet I will [choose to] rejoice in the Lord;

I will [choose to] shout in exultation in the [victorious] God of my salvation!

19 The Lord Godis my strength [my source of courage, my invincible army];

He has made my feet [steady and sure] like hinds’ feet

And makes me walk [forward with spiritual confidence] on myhigh places [of challenge and responsibility].

For the choir director, on my stringed instruments.

NAHUM 1

God Is Awesome

1 Theoracle (a burdensome message–a pronouncement from God) concerningNineveh [the capital city of Assyria]. The book of the vision of Nahum of Elkosh [which he saw in spirit and prophesied].

2 The Lordis a jealous and avenging God [protecting and demanding what is rightfully and uniquely His];

The Lordavenges and He is full of wrath.

The Lordtakes vengeance on His adversaries,

And He reserves wrath for His enemies.

3 The Lordis slow to anger and great in power

And He will by no means leavethe guiltyunpunished.

The Lordhas His way in the whirlwind and in the storm,

And the clouds are the dust beneath His feet.

4 He rebukes the sea and dries it up;

He dries up all the rivers [illustrating His judgment].

Bashan [on the east] and [Mount] Carmel [on the west] wither,

And [in the north] the blossoms of Lebanon fade.

5 The mountains quake before Him

And the hills melt away;

Indeed the earth is shaken by His presence–

Yes, the world and all that dwell in it.

6 Who can stand before His indignation [His great wrath]?

And who can stand upandendure the fierceness of His anger?

His wrath is poured out like fire

And the rocks are destroyed by Him.

7 The Lordis good,

A strengthandstronghold in the day of trouble;

He knows [He recognizes, cares for, and understands fully] those who take refugeandtrust in Him.

8 But with anoverwhelming flood [of judgment through invading armies]

He will make a complete destruction ofits site

And will pursue His enemies into darkness.

9 Whatever [plot] you [Assyrians] devise against the Lord,

He will make a complete end of it;

Affliction [of God’s people by the hand of Assyria] will not occur twice.

10 Like tangled thorn branches [gathered for fuel],

And like those drowned in drunkenness,

The people of Nineveh are consumed [through fire]

Like stubble completely witheredanddry [in the day of the Lord’swrath].

11 From you [O Nineveh],

One has gone forth who plotted evil against the Lord,

A malevolentcounselor [the king of Assyria].

12 This is what the Lordsays,

“Though they are at fullstrengthand many in number,

Even so, they will be cut off and pass away.

Though I have afflicted youandcaused you grief [O Jerusalem],

I will afflict you no longer.

13 “Now, I will break his yoke [of taxation] off you,

And I will tear off your shackles.”

14 The Lordhas given a command concerning you [O king of Nineveh]:

“Your name will no longer be perpetuated.

I will cut off the carved idols and cast images

From the temple of your gods;

I will prepare your grave,

For you are vileandunworthy.”

15 Behold, on the mountains the feet of him who brings good news [telling of Assyria’s destruction],

Who announces peaceandprosperity!

Celebrate your feasts, O Judah;

Perform your vows.

For the wicked one [the king of Assyria] will never again pass through you;

He is completely cut off.

NAHUM 2

The Overthrow of Nineveh

1 The one who scatters has come up against you [Nineveh].

Man the fortressandramparts, watch the road;

Strengthen your back [prepare for battle], summon all your strength.

2 For the Lordwill restore the splendorandmajesty of Jacob

Like the splendor of [ancient and united] Israel,

Even though destroyers have destroyed them

And ruined their vine branches.

3 The shields of his soldiers [ofMedia and Babylon] are colored red;

The warriors are dressed in scarlet.

The chariots blaze with fire of [flashing] steel

When he is preparedto march,

And the cypressspearsare brandished [for battle].

4 The chariots race madly in the streets;

They rush wildly in the broad plazas.

Their appearance is like torches;

They rush in various directions like forked lightning.

5 He remembersandsummons his nobles;

They stumble in their march [terrified because of the attack].

They hurry to the city wall,

And themantelet is preparedandfirmly set up.

6 The gates of the rivers [surrounding Nineveh] are opened

And the palace [of sun-dried brick] is dissolved [by the torrents].

7 It is decreed:

Nineveh is stripped, and she is carried away,

And her handmaids are moaning like the sound of doves,

Beating on their breasts [in sorrow].

8 Though Nineveh was like a pool of water throughout her days,

Now her inhabitants are fleeing;

“Stop! Stop!” [a few cry,]

But no one turns back.

9 Plunder the silver!

Plunder the gold!

For there is no end to the treasure–

Wealth from every precious object.

10 She is emptied! She is desolate and waste!

Hearts melting [in fear] and knees knocking!

Anguish is in the whole body,

And the faces of all grow pale!

11 Where is the den of the lions (Assyria)

And the feeding place of the young lions,

Where the lion, lioness, and lion’s cub prowled

With nothing to fear?

12 The lion [of Assyria] tore enough for his cubs (Assyrian citizens),

Killed [enough prey] for his lionesses,

And filled his lairs with prey

And his dens with torn flesh.

13 “Behold, I am against you [Nineveh],” declares the Lordof hosts, “and I will burn your chariots in the smoke, and the sword will devour your young lions. I will cut off your prey from the land, and the voice of your messengers will no longer be heard.”

NAHUM 3

Nineveh’s Complete Ruin

1 Woe (judgment is coming) to the city of blood [guilty of murder and mayhem], completely full of lies and pillage;

Her prey never departs [alive].

2 The noise of the [cracking of the] whip,

The noise of the rattling of the wheel,

Galloping horses

And rumblingandbounding chariots [in the assault of Nineveh]!

3 Horsemen charging,

Swords flashing, spears gleaming,

Many slain, a mass of corpses,

No end of corpses–

The horsemen stumble over the corpses!

4 All because of the many acts of prostitution of [Nineveh] the prostitute,

The charmingandwell-favored one, the mistress of sorceries,

Who betrays nations by her acts of prostitution (idolatry)

And families by her sorceries.

5 “Behold, I am against you,” declares the Lordof hosts,

“And I will lift up your skirts over your face,

And I will let the nations look at your nakedness [O Nineveh]

And the kingdoms at your disgrace.

6 “I will throw filth on you

And make you vileandtreat you with contempt,

And set you up as a spectacle.

7 “And it will come about that all who see you

Will shrink backandrun from you and say,

‘Nineveh is completely ruined!

Who will grieve for her?’

Where will I seek comforters for you?”

8 Are you better thanThebes,

Which was situated by the waters of the Nile,

With water surrounding her,

Whose defense was the sea (the Nile),

Whose wallconsistedof the sea?

9 Ethiopia was her strength,

And Egypt too, without limits.

Put and Lubim were among her helpers.

10 Yet she became an exile;

She went into captivity.

Her young children were dashed to pieces

At the head of every street;

They cast lots for her honorable men,

And all her great men were bound with chains.

11 You too [Nineveh] will become drunk [with the cup of God’s wrath];

You will be hidden.

You too [Nineveh] will search [in vain] for a refuge from the enemy.

12 All your fortresses are [nothing but] fig trees with ripe figs–

When shaken they fall into the mouth of the eater.

13 Behold, your people are [as weak and helpless as] women in your midst!

The gates of your land are opened wide to your enemies;

Fire consumes the bars across your gates.

14 Draw water for a [long, continued] siege!

Strengthen your fortresses!

Go down to the clay pits, trample the mortar!

Prepare the brick kiln [to burn bricks for the rampart]!

15 But there [in the very midst of these preparations] the fire will devour you;

The sword will cut you down;

It will devour you as the locust does.

Multiply yourself like the creeping locusts;

Multiply yourself like the swarming locusts.

16 You have increased your traders more than the [visible] stars of heaven–

The creeping locust stripsanddestroys and then flies away.

17 Your guardsmen are like the swarming locusts.

Your marshals are like the hordes of grasshoppers

Settling in the stone walls on a cold day.

When the sun rises, they fly away,

And no one knows the place where they are.

18 Your shepherds are asleep, O king of Assyria;

Your nobles are lying down [in death].

Your people are scattered on the mountains

And there is no one to gather them.

19 There is no reliefandhealing for your hurt;

Your wound is incurable.

All who hear the news about you

Clap their hands over [what has happened to] you.

For on whom has your [unceasing] evil not come continually?

MICAH 1

Destruction in Israel and Judah

1 The word of the Lordthat came to Micah of Moresheth in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, which he saw [through divine revelation] concerning Samaria and Jerusalem.

2 Hear, O peoples, all of you;

Listen closely, O earth and all that is in it,

And let the Lord Godbe witness [giving a testimony of the judgment] against you,

The Lord from His holy temple [in the heavens].

3 For behold, the Lordis coming down from His place

He shall come down and tread [in judgment] on the high places of the earth.

4 The mountains shall melt under Him

And the valleys shall be split

Like wax before the fire,

Like waters poured down a steep place.

5 All this is because of the rebellionandapostasy ofJacob

And for the sins of the house of Israel (the Northern Kingdom).

What is the rebellionandapostasy of Jacob?

Is it not [the abandonment of God in order to worship the idols of] Samaria?

What are the high places [of idolatry] in Judah (the Southern Kingdom)?

Are they not Jerusalem [the capital and center of corruption]?

6 Therefore I [the Lord] shall make Samaria aheap of ruins [and of stones and arable land] in the open country,

A place for planting vineyards;

And I will pour her stones down into the ravine

And lay bare her foundations.

7 All her idols shall be broken in pieces,

All her earnings [from her idolatry] shall be burned with fire,

And all her images I shall make desolate;

For from the earnings of a prostitute she collected them,

And to the earnings of a prostitute they shall return.

8 Because of this I [Micah] must lament (mourn over with expressions of grief) and wail,

I must go barefoot and naked [without outer garments as if robbed];

I must wail like the jackals

And lament [with a loud, mournful cry] like the ostriches.

9 For Samaria’s wound is incurable,

For it has come to Judah;

The enemy has reached the gate of my people,

Even to Jerusalem.

10 Announce it not in Gath [in Philistia],

Weep not at all [and in this way betray your grief to Gentiles];

In Beth-le-aphrah (House of Dust) roll in the dust [among your own people].

11 Go on your way [into exile–stripped of beauty, disarmed], inhabitants of Shaphir (Beautiful), in shameful nakedness.

The inhabitant of Zaanan (Go Out) does not go out [of the house];

The wailing of Beth-ezel (House of Removal) will take away from you its support.

12 For the inhabitant of Maroth (Bitterness)

Writhes in pain [at its losses] and waits anxiously for good,

Because a catastrophe has come down from the Lord

To the gate of Jerusalem.

13 Harness the chariot to the team of horses [to escape the invasion],

O inhabitant of Lachish–

She was the beginning of sin

To the Daughter of Zion (Jerusalem)–

Because in you were found

The rebellious acts of Israel.

14 Therefore you will give parting gifts

On behalf of Moresheth-gath (Micah’s home);

The houses of Achzib (Place of Deceit) will become a deception

To the kings of Israel.

15 Moreover, I will bring on you

The one who takes possession,

O inhabitant of Mareshah (Prominent Place).

The glory (nobility) of Israel will enter Adullam [seeking refuge].

16 Make yourself bald [in mourning]–shave off your hair

For the children of your delight;

Remain as bald as the eagle,

For your children will be taken from you into exile.