Micah 6 - Nahum 3

New International Version

The Lord’s Case Against Israel

6 Listen to what the Lord says:

“Stand up, plead my case before the mountains;^(A)
let the hills hear what you have to say.

²“Hear,^(B) you mountains, the Lord’s accusation;^(C)
listen, you everlasting foundations of the earth.
For the Lord has a case^(D) against his people;
he is lodging a charge^(E) against Israel.

³“My people, what have I done to you?
    How have I burdened^(F) you?^(G) Answer me.
⁴I brought you up out of Egypt^(H)
    and redeemed you from the land of slavery.^(I)
I sent Moses^(J) to lead you,
    also Aaron^(K) and Miriam.^(L)
⁵My people, remember
    what Balak^(M) king of Moab plotted
    and what Balaam son of Beor answered.
Remember your journey from Shittim^(N) to Gilgal,^(O)
    that you may know the righteous acts^(P) of the Lord.”

⁶With what shall I come before^(Q) the Lord
    and bow down before the exalted God?
Shall I come before him with burnt offerings,
    with calves a year old?^(R)
⁷Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams,^(S)
    with ten thousand rivers of olive oil?^(T)
Shall I offer my firstborn^(U) for my transgression,
    the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?^(V)
⁸He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.
    And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly^(W) and to love mercy
    and to walk humbly^[a]^(X) with your God.^(Y)

Israel’s Guilt and Punishment

⁹Listen! The Lord is calling to the city—
    and to fear your name is wisdom—
    “Heed the rod^(Z) and the One who appointed it.^[b]
¹⁰Am I still to forget your ill-gotten treasures, you wicked house,
    and the short ephah,^[c] which is accursed?^(AA)
¹¹Shall I acquit someone with dishonest scales,^(AB)
    with a bag of false weights?^(AC)
¹²Your rich people are violent;^(AD)
    your inhabitants are liars^(AE)
    and their tongues speak deceitfully.^(AF)
¹³Therefore, I have begun to destroy^(AG) you,
    to ruin^[d] you because of your sins.
¹⁴You will eat but not be satisfied;^(AH)
    your stomach will still be empty.^[e]
You will store up but save nothing,^(AI)
    because what you save^[f] I will give to the sword.
¹⁵You will plant but not harvest;^(AJ)
    you will press olives but not use the oil,
    you will crush grapes but not drink the wine.^(AK)
¹⁶You have observed the statutes of Omri^(AL)
    and all the practices of Ahab’s^(AM) house;
    you have followed their traditions.^(AN)
Therefore I will give you over to ruin^(AO)
    and your people to derision;
    you will bear the scorn^(AP) of the nations.^[g]”

Israel’s Misery

7 What misery is mine!
I am like one who gathers summer fruit
    at the gleaning of the vineyard;
there is no cluster of grapes to eat,
    none of the early figs^(AQ) that I crave.
²The faithful have been swept from the land;^(AR)
    not one^(AS) upright person remains.
Everyone lies in wait^(AT) to shed blood;^(AU)
    they hunt each other^(AV) with nets.^(AW)
³Both hands are skilled in doing evil;^(AX)
    the ruler demands gifts,
the judge accepts bribes,^(AY)
    the powerful dictate what they desire—
    they all conspire together.
⁴The best of them is like a brier,^(AZ)
    the most upright worse than a thorn^(BA) hedge.
The day God visits you has come,
    the day your watchmen sound the alarm.
    Now is the time of your confusion.^(BB)
⁵Do not trust a neighbor;
    put no confidence in a friend.^(BC)
Even with the woman who lies in your embrace
    guard the words of your lips.
⁶For a son dishonors his father,
    a daughter rises up against her mother,^(BD)
a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law—
    a man’s enemies are the members of his own household.^(BE)

⁷But as for me, I watch^(BF) in hope^(BG) for the Lord,
I wait for God my Savior;
my God will hear^(BH) me.

Israel Will Rise

⁸Do not gloat over me,^(BI) my enemy!
    Though I have fallen, I will rise.^(BJ)
Though I sit in darkness,
    the Lord will be my light.^(BK)
⁹Because I have sinned against him,
    I will bear the Lord’s wrath,^(BL)
until he pleads my case^(BM)
    and upholds my cause.
He will bring me out into the light;^(BN)
    I will see his righteousness.^(BO)
¹⁰Then my enemy will see it
    and will be covered with shame,^(BP)
she who said to me,
    “Where is the Lord your God?”^(BQ)
My eyes will see her downfall;^(BR)
    even now she will be trampled^(BS) underfoot
    like mire in the streets.

¹¹The day for building your walls^(BT) will come,
    the day for extending your boundaries.
¹²In that day people will come to you
    from Assyria^(BU) and the cities of Egypt,
even from Egypt to the Euphrates
    and from sea to sea
    and from mountain to mountain.^(BV)
¹³The earth will become desolate because of its inhabitants,
    as the result of their deeds.^(BW)

Prayer and Praise

¹⁴Shepherd^(BX) your people with your staff,^(BY)
    the flock of your inheritance,
which lives by itself in a forest,
    in fertile pasturelands.^[h]^(BZ)
Let them feed in Bashan^(CA) and Gilead^(CB)
    as in days long ago.^(CC)

¹⁵“As in the days when you came out of Egypt,
I will show them my wonders.^(CD)”

¹⁶Nations will see and be ashamed,^(CE)
    deprived of all their power.
They will put their hands over their mouths^(CF)
    and their ears will become deaf.
¹⁷They will lick dust^(CG) like a snake,
    like creatures that crawl on the ground.
They will come trembling^(CH) out of their dens;
    they will turn in fear^(CI) to the Lord our God
    and will be afraid of you.
¹⁸Who is a God^(CJ) like you,
    who pardons sin^(CK) and forgives^(CL) the transgression
    of the remnant^(CM) of his inheritance?^(CN)
You do not stay angry^(CO) forever
    but delight to show mercy.^(CP)
¹⁹You will again have compassion on us;
    you will tread our sins underfoot
    and hurl all our iniquities^(CQ) into the depths of the sea.^(CR)
²⁰You will be faithful to Jacob,
    and show love to Abraham,^(CS)
as you pledged on oath to our ancestors^(CT)
    in days long ago.^(CU)

1 A prophecy^(CV) concerning Nineveh.^(CW) The book of the vision^(CX) of Nahum the Elkoshite.

The Lord’s Anger Against Nineveh

²The Lord is a jealous^(CY) and avenging God;
    the Lord takes vengeance^(CZ) and is filled with wrath.
The Lord takes vengeance on his foes
    and vents his wrath against his enemies.^(DA)
³The Lord is slow to anger^(DB) but great in power;
    the Lord will not leave the guilty unpunished.^(DC)
His way is in the whirlwind^(DD) and the storm,^(DE)
    and clouds^(DF) are the dust of his feet.
⁴He rebukes^(DG) the sea and dries it up;^(DH)
    he makes all the rivers run dry.
Bashan and Carmel^(DI) wither
    and the blossoms of Lebanon fade.
⁵The mountains quake^(DJ) before him
    and the hills melt away.^(DK)
The earth trembles^(DL) at his presence,
    the world and all who live in it.^(DM)
⁶Who can withstand^(DN) his indignation?
    Who can endure^(DO) his fierce anger?^(DP)
His wrath is poured out like fire;^(DQ)
    the rocks are shattered^(DR) before him.

⁷The Lord is good,^(DS)
    a refuge in times of trouble.^(DT)
He cares for^(DU) those who trust in him,^(DV)
⁸    but with an overwhelming flood^(DW)
he will make an end of Nineveh;
    he will pursue his foes into the realm of darkness.

⁹Whatever they plot^(DX) against the Lord
    he will bring^[i] to an end;
    trouble will not come a second time.
¹⁰They will be entangled among thorns^(DY)
    and drunk^(DZ) from their wine;
    they will be consumed like dry stubble.^[j]^(EA)
¹¹From you, Nineveh, has one come forth
    who plots evil against the Lord
    and devises wicked plans.

¹²This is what the Lord says:

“Although they have allies and are numerous,
    they will be destroyed^(EB) and pass away.
Although I have afflicted you, Judah,
    I will afflict you no more.^(EC)
¹³Now I will break their yoke^(ED) from your neck
    and tear your shackles away.”^(EE)

¹⁴The Lord has given a command concerning you, Nineveh:
    “You will have no descendants to bear your name.^(EF)
I will destroy the images^(EG) and idols
    that are in the temple of your gods.
I will prepare your grave,^(EH)
    for you are vile.”

¹⁵Look, there on the mountains,
    the feet of one who brings good news,^(EI)
    who proclaims peace!^(EJ)
Celebrate your festivals,^(EK) Judah,
    and fulfill your vows.
No more will the wicked invade you;^(EL)
    they will be completely destroyed.^[k]

Nineveh to Fall

2 ^[l]An attacker^(EM) advances against you, Nineveh.
    Guard the fortress,
    watch the road,
    brace yourselves,
    marshal all your strength!

²The Lord will restore^(EN) the splendor^(EO) of Jacob
like the splendor of Israel,
though destroyers have laid them waste
and have ruined their vines.

³The shields of the soldiers are red;
    the warriors are clad in scarlet.^(EP)
The metal on the chariots flashes
    on the day they are made ready;
    the spears of juniper are brandished.^[m]
⁴The chariots^(EQ) storm through the streets,
    rushing back and forth through the squares.
They look like flaming torches;
    they dart about like lightning.

⁵Nineveh summons her picked troops,
    yet they stumble^(ER) on their way.
They dash to the city wall;
    the protective shield is put in place.
⁶The river gates^(ES) are thrown open
    and the palace collapses.
⁷It is decreed^[n] that Nineveh
    be exiled and carried away.
Her female slaves moan^(ET) like doves
    and beat on their breasts.^(EU)
⁸Nineveh is like a pool
    whose water is draining away.
“Stop! Stop!” they cry,
    but no one turns back.
⁹Plunder the silver!
    Plunder the gold!
The supply is endless,
    the wealth from all its treasures!
¹⁰She is pillaged, plundered, stripped!
    Hearts melt,^(EV) knees give way,
    bodies tremble, every face grows pale.^(EW)

¹¹Where now is the lions’ den,^(EX)
    the place where they fed their young,
where the lion and lioness went,
    and the cubs, with nothing to fear?
¹²The lion killed^(EY) enough for his cubs
    and strangled the prey for his mate,
filling his lairs^(EZ) with the kill
    and his dens with the prey.^(FA)

¹³“I am against^(FB) you,”
    declares the Lord Almighty.
“I will burn up your chariots in smoke,^(FC)
    and the sword^(FD) will devour your young lions.
    I will leave you no prey on the earth.
The voices of your messengers
    will no longer be heard.”^(FE)

Woe to Nineveh

3 Woe to the city of blood,^(FF)
    full of lies,^(FG)
full of plunder,
    never without victims!
²The crack of whips,
    the clatter of wheels,
galloping horses
    and jolting chariots!
³Charging cavalry,
    flashing swords
    and glittering spears!
Many casualties,
    piles of dead,
bodies without number,
    people stumbling over the corpses^(FH)—
⁴all because of the wanton lust of a prostitute,
    alluring, the mistress of sorceries,^(FI)
who enslaved nations by her prostitution^(FJ)
    and peoples by her witchcraft.

⁵“I am against^(FK) you,” declares the Lord Almighty.
    “I will lift your skirts^(FL) over your face.
I will show the nations your nakedness^(FM)
    and the kingdoms your shame.
⁶I will pelt you with filth,^(FN)
    I will treat you with contempt^(FO)
    and make you a spectacle.^(FP)
⁷All who see you will flee^(FQ) from you and say,
    ‘Nineveh^(FR) is in ruins^(FS)—who will mourn for her?’^(FT)
    Where can I find anyone to comfort^(FU) you?”

⁸Are you better than^(FV) Thebes,^(FW)
    situated on the Nile,^(FX)
    with water around her?
The river was her defense,
    the waters her wall.
⁹Cush^[o]^(FY) and Egypt were her boundless strength;
    Put^(FZ) and Libya^(GA) were among her allies.
¹⁰Yet she was taken captive^(GB)
    and went into exile.
Her infants were dashed^(GC) to pieces
    at every street corner.
Lots^(GD) were cast for her nobles,
    and all her great men were put in chains.^(GE)
¹¹You too will become drunk;^(GF)
    you will go into hiding^(GG)
    and seek refuge from the enemy.

¹²All your fortresses are like fig trees
    with their first ripe fruit;^(GH)
when they are shaken,
    the figs^(GI) fall into the mouth of the eater.
¹³Look at your troops—
    they are all weaklings.^(GJ)
The gates^(GK) of your land
    are wide open to your enemies;
    fire has consumed the bars of your gates.^(GL)

¹⁴Draw water for the siege,^(GM)
    strengthen your defenses!^(GN)
Work the clay,
    tread the mortar,
    repair the brickwork!
¹⁵There the fire^(GO) will consume you;
    the sword^(GP) will cut you down—
    they will devour you like a swarm of locusts.
Multiply like grasshoppers,
    multiply like locusts!^(GQ)
¹⁶You have increased the number of your merchants
    till they are more numerous than the stars in the sky,
but like locusts^(GR) they strip the land
    and then fly away.
¹⁷Your guards are like locusts,^(GS)
    your officials like swarms of locusts
    that settle in the walls on a cold day—
but when the sun appears they fly away,
    and no one knows where.

¹⁸King of Assyria, your shepherds^[p] slumber;^(GT)
    your nobles lie down to rest.^(GU)
Your people are scattered^(GV) on the mountains
    with no one to gather them.
¹⁹Nothing can heal you;^(GW)
    your wound is fatal.
All who hear the news about you
    clap their hands^(GX) at your fall,
for who has not felt
    your endless cruelty?^(GY)

Footnotes

Micah 6:8 Or prudently
Micah 6:9 The meaning of the Hebrew for this line is uncertain.
Micah 6:10 An ephah was a dry measure.
Micah 6:13 Or Therefore, I will make you ill and destroy you; / I will ruin
Micah 6:14 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
Micah 6:14 Or You will press toward birth but not give birth, / and what you bring to birth
Micah 6:16 Septuagint; Hebrew scorn due my people
Micah 7:14 Or in the middle of Carmel
Nahum 1:9 Or What do you foes plot against the Lord? / He will bring it
Nahum 1:10 The meaning of the Hebrew for this verse is uncertain.
Nahum 1:15 In Hebrew texts this verse (1:15) is numbered 2:1.
Nahum 2:1 In Hebrew texts 2:1-13 is numbered 2:2-14.
Nahum 2:3 Hebrew; Septuagint and Syriac ready; / the horsemen rush to and fro.
Nahum 2:7 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
Nahum 3:9 That is, the upper Nile region
Nahum 3:18 That is, rulers