eng_aiv Amundson Interpretive Version Nahum Nahum Nahum Nah Nahum id=eng_aiv name=Amundson Interpretive Version (AIV) status=draft spec=USFM-USX 3.1.1 export=2026-11-02 char:add=translator-addition-italic char:wj=words-of-Jesus-as-received-unmapped note:f=footnotes para:r=parallel-passage-references para:d=psalm-superscriptions The Burden against Nineveh (Jonah 1:1–3) The burden of Nineveh, the book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite: A God jealous and avenging is YHWH; avenging is YHWH and owner of fury; avenging is YHWH on His adversaries, and He is watching for His enemies. YHWH is slow to anger and great in power; and YHWH does not entirely acquit. In the whirlwind and in the storm is His way, and the clouds are the dust of His feet. He rebukes the sea and makes it dry, and all the rivers He dries up; Bashan and Carmel wither; the flower of Lebanon has withered. The mountains quake before Him, and the hills melt, and the earth lifts up before His face, and the world and all those dwelling in it. Before the face of His indignation, who can stand? And who can stand up in the burning of His anger? His fury is poured out like the fire, and the rocks are torn down by Him. YHWH is good for a stronghold in the day of distress, and He knows those taking refuge in Him. And with an overflowing flood, He will make a complete end of her place,1.8 Or of Nineveh and His enemies will pursue darkness. What are you⁺ plotting against YHWH? He will make a complete end; distress will not rise up a second time. For as with thorns, they will be entangled, and like their drink becoming drunk, they are consumed like stubble fully dry. From you came forth one devising evil plots against YHWH, a counselor of wickedness. Thus says YHWH: “Though they are full and likewise numerous, so will they be cut down and will pass away. And I have afflicted you, I will afflict you no more. And now I will break off his yoke from upon you, and your bonds I will tear away.” And YHWH has given a command concerning you: “No longer will be sown forth of your name; from the house of your gods I will cut off the carved image and the molten image; I will dig your grave, for you are of little account.” Behold, on the mountains, the feet of one bringing good news, announcing peace. Celebrate, O Judah, your feasts; fulfill your vows; for the worthless one will continue no more to pass through you; all of him has been cut off! The Overthrow of Nineveh The one scattering has come up before your face; guard the fortress, watch over the road; strengthen your loins, strengthen your power greatly! For YHWH will restore the majesty of Jacob, like the majesty of Israel, for those emptying have emptied them and have ruined their branches. The shields of his mighty men are red; the men of valor are clothed in scarlet; with fire of burning steel the chariots come on the day of his preparing, and the cypresses quiver.2.3 That is, the spears of cypress are brandished; alternately, the spears may be of pine or juniper or fir; LXX and Syriac they are prepared, and the horsemen rush to and fro. Through the streets the chariots dash; they rush around in the squares; their appearance is like torches, like the lightning they run! He summons his nobles, they stumble in their walk; they hurry to her wall, and the siege-cover is prepared. The gates of the rivers are opened, and the palace is dissolved. And it is established: She shall be ncovered and brought up, and her maidservants will be moaning as the voice of doves, beating on their breasts. And Nineveh was like a pool of water, from the days of her, and they flee: “Stand, stand,” and no one is turning back. “Plunder the silver, plunder the gold!” And there is no end to the provision— the worth of every precious article. Emptiness, an empty place and laid waste! The heart melts, and the knees shake, and there is anguish in all loins, and the faces of all of them are gathered to paleness! Where is the dwelling of the lions, and the feeding place that was unto the young lions— where there walked the lion and lioness, and the cub of the lion, and nothing made them afraid? The lion was tearing enough for his cubs, and strangling for his lionesses; and he filled his caves with prey, and his dens with flesh. “Behold, I am against you,” a declaration of YHWH of Hosts, “And I will burn in smoke your chariots, and the sword will devour your young lions; and I will cut off your prey from the earth, and will be heard no more the voice of your messengers!” Judgment on Nineveh Woe to the city of bloodshed. All of it is a lie, full of plunder— its prey does not depart— the voice of the whip, the voice of the rattling of the wheel, with galloping horse and bounding chariot! Horsemen are ascending with a flame of sword and flashing of spear, and the abundance of the slain, and the mass of the corpse— there is no end to the bodies— and they stumble over the bodies. From the abundance of prostitutions of the prostitute, fine of favor, the mistress of sorcery, the one selling nations by her prostitution, and families by her sorcery. “Behold, I am against you,” a declaration of YHWH of Hosts, “And I will uncover your skirts over your face, and I will let see the nations your nakedness, and the kingdoms your shame. And I will cast upon you abominations and I will treat you with contempt, and I will set you as a spectacle! And it will come to pass that all seeing you will flee from you, and will say, ‘Nineveh is devastated. Who will bemoan for her?’ From where should I seek comforters for you?” Are you better than Thebes,3.8 Hebrew than No-amon the city setting by the River, with the waters around her, whose rampart was the sea, and the sea her wall? Cush3.9 That is, the upper Nile region was her strength, and Egypt, and there was no end; Libya and Lubim came to be for your help. Yet she was as an exile; she went into captivity; even her infants were dashed to pieces at the head of every street, and over her honored ones they cast lots, and all her great ones were bound in chains. Even you will become drunk; you will be hidden; you will even seek refuge from the enemy. All your fortresses are fig trees with the first ripe figs; if they are shaken, they fall into the mouth of the one eating. Behold, your people are women in your midst; the gates of your land are wide open to your enemies; fire has devoured your bars. Draw for yourself water for the siege; strengthen your fortresses; Go into the clay and tread on the mortar; take hold or the brick kiln. There the fire will devour you; the sword will cut you down; it will eat you up like the locust. Make yourself many like the young locust, make yourself many like the swarming locust. You have multiplied your merchants above the stars of the heavens; the young locust strips it and flies away. Your princes3.17 Or guards are like the swarming locust, and your scribes3.17 Or marshals or generals like clouds of locusts of locusts, those camping on the fences on a day of cold; the sun has risen, and it flees away, and it is not known the place of it, where they are. Your shepherds slumber, O king of Assyria; your nobles are at rest; your people are scattered on the mountains, and no one is gathering them. There is no easing of your injury; your wound is severe; all those hearing the report of you clap the hands over you. For upon whom has not your evil passed continually?