The Fall of Nineve
Nahum 2
Juda is told to keep her feasts, for the one who oppressed her is removed and shall pass through no more, while a besieger prepares to strengthen his forces against Nineve. Chariots clash in the streets, the gates and palaces fall, the city's waters pour away as its people flee, and the Lord declares himself against Nineve as a lion's den emptied of its prey.
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
Thomson(p) Because yonder on the mountain are the swift feet of one bringing good news—even of one announcing peace; O Juda, solemnize thy festivals, pay thy vows; for they shall no more proceed to pass through thee for conflict. It is completely laid waste, entirely removed.
BrentonBehold upon the mountains the feet of him that brings glad tidings, and publishes peace! O Juda, keep thy feasts, pay thy vows: for they shall no more pass through thee to thy decay.
GreekἸδοὺ ἐπὶ τὰ ὄρη οἱ πόδες εὐαγγελιζομένου, καὶ ἀπαγγέλλοντος εἰρήνην· ἑόρταζε Ἰούδα τὰς ἑορτάς σου, ἀπόδος τὰς εὐχάς σου, διότι οὐ μὴ προσθήσωσιν ἔτι τοῦ διελθεῖν διὰ σοῦ εἰς παλαίωσιν.
KJVBehold upon the mountains the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace! O Judah, keep thy solemn feasts, perform thy vows: for the wicked shall no more pass through thee; he is utterly cut off.
JPSBehold upon the mountains the feet of him That bringeth good tidings, that announceth peace! Keep thy feasts, O Judah, Perform thy vows; For the wicked one shall no more pass through thee; He is utterly cut off.
2
ThomsonINTO thy presence came up panting one who is delivered from affliction. Watch the way; strengthen thy loins; act manfully with all thy might,
BrentonIt is all over with him, he has been removed, one who has been delivered from affliction has come up panting into thy presence, watch the way, strengthen thy loins, be very valiant in thy strength.
GreekΣυντετέλεσται, ἐξῇρται· ἀνέβη ἐμφυσῶν εἰς πρόσωπόν σου, ἐξαιρούμενος ἐκ θλίψεως· σκόπευσον ὁδὸν, κράτησον ὀσφύος, ἄνδρισαι τῇ ἰσχύϊ σφόδρα.
KJV—
JPS—
3
Thomsonsince the Lord hath averted contumely from Jacob, as He did [avert] reproach from Israel; since emptiers have emptied them out and destroyed their branches—
BrentonFor the Lord has turned aside the pride of Jacob, as the pride of Israel: for they have utterly rejected them, and have destroyed their branches.
GreekΔιότι ἀπέστρεψε Κύριος τὴν ὕβριν Ἰακὼβ, καθὼς ὕβριν τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ, διότι ἐκτινάσσοντες ἐξετίναξαν αὐτοὺς, καὶ τὰ κλήματα αὐτῶν διέφθειραν.
KJVFor the LORD hath turned away the excellency of Jacob, as the excellency of Israel: for the emptiers have emptied them out, and marred their vine branches.
JPSFor the LORD restoreth the pride of Jacob, As the pride of Israel; For the emptiers have emptied them out, And marred their vine-branches.—
4
Thomsonthe instruments of their tyranny—from among men, their mighty men insulting with fire. In the day of His preparation the reins of their chariots, and the horsemen will be disordered in their ranks;
BrentonThey have destroyed the arms of their power from among men, their mighty men sporting with fire: the reins of their chariots shall be destroyed in the day of his preparation, and the horsemen shall be thrown into confusion
GreekὍπλα δυναστείας αὐτῶν ἐξ ἀνθρώπων, ἄνδρας δυνατοὺς ἐμπαίζοντας ἐν πυρί· αἱ ἡνίαι τῶν ἁρμάτων αὐτῶν ἐν ἡμέρᾳ ἑτοιμασίας αὐτοῦ, καὶ οἱ ἱππεῖς θορυβηθήσονται
KJV—
JPSThe shield of his mighty men is made red, The valiant men are in scarlet; The chariots are fire of steel in the day of his preparation, And the cypress spears are made to quiver.
5
Thomsonand the chariots will jostle together and be entangled with one another in the streets. The appearance of them is like flaming torches and like streamy lightning.
Brentonin the ways, and the chariots shall clash together, and shall be entangled in each other in the broad ways: their appearance is as lamps of fire, and as gleaming lightnings.
Greekἐν ταῖς ὁδοῖς, καὶ συγχυθήσονται τὰ ἅρματα, καὶ συμπλακήσονται ἐν ταῖς πλατείαις· ἡ ὅρασις αὐτῶν ὡς λαμπάδες πυρὸς, καὶ ὡς ἀστραπαὶ διατρέχουσαι.
KJVThe chariots shall rage in the streets, they shall justle one against another in the broad ways: they shall seem like torches, they shall run like the lightnings.
JPSThe chariots rush madly in the streets, They jostle one against another in the broad places; The appearance of them is like torches, They run to and fro like the lightnings.
6
ThomsonTheir grandees will recollect and flee by day; but they shall be weak in their march. While they shall be hasting to her walls, and preparing their out guards;
BrentonAnd their mighty men shall bethink themselves and flee by day; and they shall be weak as they go; and they shall hasten to her walls, and shall prepare their defences.
GreekΚαὶ μνησθήσονται οἱ μεγιστᾶνες αὐτῶν, καὶ φεύξονται ἡμέρας, καὶ ἀσθενήσουσιν ἐν τῇ πορείᾳ αὐτῶν, καὶ σπεύσουσιν ἐπὶ τὰ τείχη αὐτῆς, καὶ ἑτοιμάσουσι τὰς προφυλακὰς αὐτῶν.
KJV—
JPS—
7
Thomsonthe gates of the cities are opened, and the palaces are fallen.
BrentonThe gates of the cities have been opened, and the palaces have fallen into ruin,
GreekΠύλαι τῶν πόλεων διηνοίχθησαν, καὶ τὰ βασίλεια διέπεσε,
KJVThe gates of the rivers shall be opened, and the palace shall be dissolved.
JPSThe gates of the rivers are opened, And the palace is dissolved.
8
ThomsonAnd the empress herself is exposed to view; even she herself is gone up, and her maids are led along, cooing plaintively like doves in their hearts.
Brentonand the foundation has been exposed; and she has gone up, and her maid-servants were led away as doves moaning in their hearts.
Greekκαὶ ἡ ὑπόστασις ἀπεκαλύφθη· καὶ αὕτη ἀνέβαινε, καὶ αἱ δοῦλαι αὐτῆς ἤγοντο, καθὼς περιστεραὶ φθεγγόμεναι ἐν καρδίαις αὐτῶν.
KJV—
JPS—
9
ThomsonAs for Ninive, her waters are like a standing pool. They who fled away made no halt, nor was there one who looked back.
BrentonAnd as for Nineve, her waters shall be as a pool of water: and they fled, and staid not, and there was none to look back.
GreekΚαὶ Νινευὴ ὡς κολυμβήθρα ὕδατος τὰ ὕδατα αὐτῆς, καὶ αὐτοὶ φεύγοντες οὐκ ἔστησαν, καὶ οὐκ ἦν ὁ ἐπιβλέπων.
KJVBut Nineveh is of old like a pool of water: yet they shall flee away. Stand, stand, shall they cry; but none shall look back.
JPSBut Nineveh hath been from of old like a pool of water; Yet they flee away; ‘Stand, stand’; But none looketh back.
10
ThomsonThey plundered the silver; they plundered the gold; but of her furniture there was no end; every one is loaded with her precious utensils.
BrentonThey plundered the silver, they plundered the gold, and there was no end of their adorning; they were loaded with it upon all their pleasant vessels.
GreekΔιήρπαζον τὸ ἀργύριον, διήρπαζον τὸ χρυσίον, καὶ οὐκ ἦν πέρας τοῦ κόσμου αὐτῆς· βεβάρυνται ἐπὶ πάντα τὰ σκεὺη τὰ ἐπιθυμητὰ αὐτῆς.
KJVTake ye the spoil of silver, take the spoil of gold: for there is none end of the store and glory out of all the pleasant furniture.
JPSTake ye the spoil of silver, take the spoil of gold; For there is no end of the store, Rich with all precious vessels.
11
ThomsonWhat quaking and driving! what groans and heart breaking! what feebleness of knees and pangs in every loin! what blackness, like that of a pot, on the countenance of all!
BrentonThere is thrusting forth, and shaking, and tumult, and heart-breaking, and loosing of knees, and pangs on all loins; and the faces of all are as the blackening of a pot.
GreekἘκτιναγμὸς, καὶ ἀνατιναγμὸς, καὶ ἐκβρασμὸς, καὶ καρδίας θραυσμὸς, καὶ ὑπόλυσις γονάτων, καὶ ὠδίνες ἐπὶ πᾶσαν ὀσφύν· καὶ τὸ πρόσωπον πάντων ὡς πρόσκαυμα χύτρας.
KJVShe is empty, and void, and waste: and the heart melteth, and the knees smite together, and much pain is in all loins, and the faces of them all gather blackness.
JPSShe is empty, and void, and waste; And the heart melteth, and the knees smite together, And convulsion is in all loins, And the faces of them all have gathered blackness.
12
Thomsonwhere is the habitation of the lions, and the feeding places of the young lions? Where had the old lions gone, that a young lion entered and there was none to scare him?
BrentonWhere is the dwelling-place of the lions, and the pasture that belonged to the whelps? where did the lion go, that the lion's whelp should enter in there, and there was none to scare him away?
GreekΠοῦ ἐστι τὸ κατοικητήριον τῶν λεόντων, καὶ ἡ νομὴ ἡ οὖσα τοῖς σκύμνοις; ποῦ ἐπορεύθη λέων, τοῦ εἰσελθεῖν ἐκεῖ σκύμνον λέοντος, καὶ οὐκ ἦν ὁ ἐκφοβῶν;
KJVWhere is the dwelling of the lions, and the feedingplace of the young lions, where the lion, even the old lion, walked, and the lion’s whelp, and none made them afraid?
JPSWhere is the den of the lions, Which was the feeding-place of the young lions, Where the lion and the lioness walked, and the lion’s whelp, And none made them afraid?
13
ThomsonThe old lion had seized enough for his whelps, and had strangled for his lionesses, and had filled his hole with prey, and his den with ravin:
BrentonThe lion seized enough prey for his whelps, and strangled for his young lions, and filled his lair with prey, and his dwelling-place with spoil.
GreekΛέων ἥρπασε τὰ ἱκανὰ τοῖς σκύμνοις αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἀπέπνιξε τοῖς λέουσιν αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἔπλησε θήρας νοσσιὰν αὐτοῦ, καὶ τὸ κατοικητήριον αὐτοῦ ἁρπαγῆς.
KJVThe lion did tear in pieces enough for his whelps, and strangled for his lionesses, and filled his holes with prey, and his dens with ravin.
JPSThe lion did tear in pieces enough for his whelps, And strangled for his lionesses, And filled his caves with prey, And his dens with ravin.
14
Thomsonbehold I am against thee saith the Lord Almighty, and I will burn out thy multitude with smoke; and a sword shall devour thy lions: and I will cut off thy prey from the earth; and of thy deeds nothing more shall be heard.
BrentonBehold, I am against thee, saith the Lord Almighty, and I will burn up thy multitude in the smoke, and the sword shall devour thy lions; and I will utterly destroy thy prey from off the land, and thy deeds shall no more at all be heard of.
GreekἸδοὺ ἐγὼ ἐπὶ σὲ, λέγει Κύριος παντοκράτωρ, καὶ ἐκκαύσω ἐν καπνῷ πλῆθός σου, καὶ τοὺς λέοντάς σου καταφάγεται ῥομφαία, καὶ ἐξολοθρεύσω ἐκ τῆς γῆς τὴν θήραν σου, καὶ οὐ μὴ ἀκουσθῇ οὐκέτι τὰ ἔργα σου.
KJVBehold, I am against thee, saith the LORD of hosts, and I will burn her chariots in the smoke, and the sword shall devour thy young lions: and I will cut off thy prey from the earth, and the voice of thy messengers shall no more be heard.
JPSBehold, I am against thee, saith the LORD of hosts, And I will burn her chariots in the smoke, And the sword shall devour thy young lions; And I will cut off thy prey from the earth, And the voice of thy messengers shall no more be heard.