The Lord's Vengeance on Nineve
Nahum 1
Naum announces the burden concerning Nineve, describing the Lord as a jealous God whose wrath shakes mountains, dries up seas, and brings kingdoms to nought, yet who is good to those who wait on him in the day of affliction. The Lord declares that he will make a full end of the enemy who devises evil against him, breaking his yoke from off Juda and destroying the graven and molten images of his god.
About these editions
The Septuagint (LXX) in Greek, with Charles Thomson’s 1808 and Sir Lancelot Brenton’s 1851 English translations, set beside the King James Version and the Jewish Masoretic text (JPS 1917) where they align, so you can compare the Greek and the Hebrew. All public domain; choose which to show with the controls above.
Thomson 1808Septuagint
Brenton 1851Septuagint
Greek · BrentonSeptuagint
KJV 1769Masoretic
JPS 1917Masoretic
1
ThomsonTHE sentence on Ninive. The book of the vision of Nahum, the Elkosite.
BrentonThe burden of Nineve: the book of the vision of Naum the Elkesite.
GreekΛΗΜΜΑ Νινευὴ, βιβλίον ὁράσεως Ναοὺμ τοῦ Ἐλκεσαίου.
KJVThe burden of Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite.
JPSThe burden of Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite.
2
ThomsonGod is zealous. The Lord is about to take vengeance: the Lord is about to take vengeance with wrath: the Lord is about to take vengeance on His adversaries, and to destroy utterly His enemies Himself.
BrentonGod is jealous, and the Lord avenges; the Lord avenges with wrath; the Lord takes vengeance on his adversaries, and he cuts off his enemies.
GreekΘεὸς ζηλωτὴς, καὶ ἐκδικῶν Κύριος, ἐκδικῶν Κύριος μετὰ θυμοῦ, ἐκδικῶν Κύριος τοὺς ὑπεναντίους αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐξαίρων αὐτὸς τοὺς ἐχθροὺς αὐτοῦ.
KJVGod is jealous, and the LORD revengeth; the LORD revengeth, and is furious; the LORD will take vengeance on his adversaries, and he reserveth wrath for his enemies.
JPSThe LORD is a jealous and avenging God, The LORD avengeth and is full of wrath; The LORD taketh vengeance on His adversaries, And He reserveth wrath for His enemies.
3
ThomsonThe Lord is slow to anger, though His power is great; will not the Lord then acquit the innocent? Is His way in destruction and whirlwind, when clouds are the dust of His feet?
BrentonThe Lord is long-suffering, and his power is great, and the Lord will not hold any guiltless: his way is in destruction and in the whirlwind, and the clouds are the dust of his feet.
GreekΚύριος μακρόθυμος, καὶ μεγάλη ἡ ἰσχὺς αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἀθῶον οὐκ ἀθωώσει Κύριος· ἐν συντελείᾳ, καὶ ἐν συσσεισμῷ ἡ ὁδὸς αὐτοῦ, καὶ νεφέλαι κονιορτὸς ποδῶν αὐτοῦ.
KJVThe LORD is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked: the LORD hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet.
JPSThe LORD is long-suffering, and great in power, And will by no means clear the guilty; The LORD, in the whirlwind and in the storm is His way, And the clouds are the dust of His feet.
4
ThomsonWhen He rebuketh the sea He maketh it dry, and drieth up all the rivers. Bashan and Carmel are diminished, and the bloom of Lebanon languisheth.
BrentonHe threatens the sea, and dries it up, and exhausts all the rivers: the land of Basan, and Carmel are brought low, and the flourishing trees of Libanus have come to nought.
GreekἈπειλῶν θαλάσσῃ, καὶ ξηραίνων αὐτὴν, καὶ πάντας τοὺς ποταμοὺς ἐξερημῶν· ὠλιγώθη ἡ Βασανίτις, καὶ ὁ Κάρμηλος, καὶ τὰ ἐξανθοῦντα τοῦ Λιβάνου ἐξέλιπε.
KJVHe rebuketh the sea, and maketh it dry, and drieth up all the rivers: Bashan languisheth, and Carmel, and the flower of Lebanon languisheth.
JPSHe rebuketh the sea, and maketh it dry, And drieth up all the rivers; Bashan languisheth, and Carmel, And the flower of Lebanon languisheth.
5
ThomsonAt Him the mountains quake and the hills tremble; at His presence the earth is startled—the world and all its inhabitants.
BrentonThe mountains quake at him, and the hills are shaken, and the earth recoils at his presence, even the world, and all that dwell in it.
GreekΤὰ ὄρη ἐσείσθησαν ἀπʼ αὐτοῦ, καὶ οἱ βουνοὶ ἐσαλεύθησαν· καὶ ἀνεστάλη ἡ γῆ ἀπὸ προσώπου αὐτοῦ, ἡ σύμπασα καὶ πάντες οἱ κατοικοῦντες ἐν αὐτῇ.
KJVThe mountains quake at him, and the hills melt, and the earth is burned at his presence, yea, the world, and all that dwell therein.
JPSThe mountains quake at Him, And the hills melt; And the earth is upheaved at His presence, Yea, the world, and all that dwell therein.
6
ThomsonAt the presence of His wrath who can stand, or who can resist His fierce indignation? His wrath dissolveth governments, and by Him the rocks are rent to pieces.
BrentonWho shall stand before his anger? and who shall withstand in the anger of his wrath? his wrath brings to nought kingdoms, and the rocks are burst asunder by him.
GreekἈπὸ προσώπου ὀργῆς αὐτοῦ τίς ὑποστήσεται; καὶ τίς ἀντιστήσεται ἐν ὀργῇ θυμοῦ αὐτοῦ; ὁ θυμὸς αὐτοῦ τήκει ἀρχὰς, καὶ αἱ πέτραι διεθρύβησαν ἀπʼ αὐτοῦ.
KJVWho can stand before his indignation? and who can abide in the fierceness of his anger? his fury is poured out like fire, and the rocks are thrown down by him.
JPSWho can stand before His indignation? And who can abide in the fierceness of His anger? His fury is poured out like fire, And the rocks are broken asunder before Him.
7
ThomsonThe Lord is kind to them who wait for Him in a day of distress: and He knoweth them who reverence Him.
BrentonThe Lord is good to them that wait on him in the day of affliction; and he knows them that reverence him.
GreekΧρηστὸς Κύριος τοῖς ὑπομένουσιν αὐτὸν ἐν ἡμέρᾳ θλίψεως, καὶ γινώσκων τοὺς εὐλαβουμένους αὐτόν.
KJVThe LORD is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him.
JPSThe LORD is good, A stronghold in the day of trouble; And He knoweth them that take refuge in Him.
8
Thomson—
BrentonBut with an overrunning flood he will make an utter end: darkness shall pursue those that rise up against him and his enemies.
GreekΚαὶ ἐν κατακλυσμῷ πορείας συντέλειαν ποιήσεται, τοὺς ἐπεγειρομένους καὶ τοὺς ἐχθροὺς αὐτοῦ διώξεται σκότος.
KJVBut with an overrunning flood he will make an utter end of the place thereof, and darkness shall pursue his enemies.
JPSBut with an overrunning flood He will make a full end of the place thereof, And darkness shall pursue His enemies.
9
ThomsonWhat are you devising against the Lord? He will make complete destruction, and not punish twice by distress for the same thing.
BrentonWhat do ye devise against the Lord? he will make a complete end: he will not take vengeance by affliction twice at the same time.
GreekΤί λογίζεσθε ἐπὶ τὸν Κύριον; συντέλειαν αὐτὸς ποιήσεται, οὐκ ἐκδικήσει δὶς ἐπιτοαυτὸ ἐν θλίψει.
KJVWhat do ye imagine against the LORD? he will make an utter end: affliction shall not rise up the second time.
JPSWhat do ye devise against the LORD? He will make a full end; Trouble shall not rise up the second time. .
10
Thomson—
BrentonFor the enemy shall be laid bare even to the foundation, and shall be devoured as twisted yew, and as stubble fully dry.
GreekὍτι ἕως θεμελίου αὐτοῦ χερσωθήσεται· καὶ ὡς σμῖλαξ περιπλεκομένη βρωθήσεται, καὶ ὡς καλάμη ξηρασίας μεστή.
KJVFor while they be folden together as thorns, and while they are drunken as drunkards, they shall be devoured as stubble fully dry.
JPSFor though they be like tangled thorns, And be drunken according to their drink, They shall be devoured as stubble fully dry.
11
Thomsonshall a reasoning against the Lord proceed from thee, O wicked city, devising things in opposition?
BrentonOut of thee shall proceed a device against the Lord, counselling evil things hostile to him.
GreekἘκ σοῦ ἐξελεύσεται λογισμὸς κατὰ τοῦ Κυρίου, πονηρὰ βουλευόμενος ἐναντία.
KJVThere is one come out of thee, that imagineth evil against the LORD, a wicked counsellor.
JPSOut of thee came he forth, That deviseth evil against the LORD, That counselleth wickedness.
12
ThomsonThus saith the Lord: With respect to the ruler of many waters! they shall be so dispersed, that what thou hearest shall be heard no more.
BrentonThus saith the Lord who rules over many waters, Even thus shall they be sent away, and the report of thee shall not be heard any more.
GreekΤάδε λέγει Κύριος κατάρχων ὑδάτων πολλῶν, καὶ οὕτως διασταλήσονται, καὶ ἡ ἀκοή σου οὐκ ἐνακουσθήσεται ἔτι.
KJVThus saith the LORD; Though they be quiet, and likewise many, yet thus shall they be cut down, when he shall pass through. Though I have afflicted thee, I will afflict thee no more.
JPSThus saith the LORD: Though they be in full strength, and likewise many, Even so shall they be cut down, and he shall pass away; And though I have afflicted thee, I will afflict thee no more.
13
ThomsonI will now break his sceptre from thee, and burst the bands asunder.
BrentonAnd now will I break his rod from off thee, and will burst thy bonds.
GreekΚαὶ νῦν συντρίψω τὴν ῥάβδον αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ σοῦ, καὶ τοὺς δεσμοὺς διαῤῥήξω.
KJVFor now will I break his yoke from off thee, and will burst thy bonds in sunder.
JPSAnd now will I break his yoke from off thee, And will burst thy bonds in sunder.
14
ThomsonConcerning thee the Lord will command: Let none of thy name be sown any more. From the house of thy god I will root out the graven and molten images; I will make it a sepulchre for thee.
BrentonAnd the Lord shall give a command concerning thee; there shall no more of thy name be scattered: I will utterly destroy the graven images out of the house of thy god, and the molten images: I will make thy grave; for they are swift.
GreekΚαὶ ἐντελεῖται περὶ σοῦ Κύριος, οὐ σπαρήσεται ἐκ τοῦ ὀνόματός σου ἔτι· ἐξ οἴκου θεοῦ σου ἐξολοθρεύσω τὰ γλυπτὰ, καὶ χωνευτὰ, θήσομαι ταφήν σου, ὅτι ταχεῖς.
KJVAnd the LORD hath given a commandment concerning thee, that no more of thy name be sown: out of the house of thy gods will I cut off the graven image and the molten image: I will make thy grave; for thou art vile.
JPSAnd the LORD hath given commandment concerning thee, That no more of thy name be sown; Out of the house of thy god will I cut off The graven image and the molten image; I will make thy grave; for thou art become worthless.