Nahum 1 - Easy To Read Version

¹ This book is the vision {\cf2\super [1]} of Nahum from Elkosh. This is the sad message about the city of Nineveh. {\cf2\super [2]}

² The Lord is a jealous God.\par The Lord punishes guilty people.\par The Lord punishes guilty people,\par and the Lord is very angry!\par The Lord punishes his enemies.\par He stays angry at his enemies.\par

³ The Lord is patient.\par But he is also very powerful!\par And the Lord will punish guilty people.\par He will not let them go free.\par The Lord \{is coming to punish bad people\}.\par He will use whirlwinds and storms\par to show his power.\par \{A man walks\} on the dust \{on the ground\}.\par But the Lord walks on the clouds!\par

⁴ The Lord will speak harshly to the sea,\par and it will become dry.\par He will make all the rivers become dry!\par The rich lands of Bashan and Carmel become dry and dead.\par The flowers in Lebanon fade away.\par

⁵ The Lord will come,\par and the mountains will shake \{with fear\},\par and the hills will melt away.\par The Lord will come,\par and the earth will shake with fear.\par The world and every person on it\par will shake with fear.\par

⁶ No person can stand against\par the Lord’s great anger.\par No one can endure his terrible anger.\par His anger will burn like fire.\par The rocks will shatter when he comes.\par

⁷ The Lord is good.\par He is a safe place to go to\par in times of trouble.\par He takes care of the people who\par trust him.\par

⁸ But he will destroy completely his enemies.\par He will wash them away like a flood.\par He will chase his enemies\par into the darkness.\par

⁹ Why are you making plans against\par the Lord?\par He will bring complete destruction,\par so \{you\} will not cause trouble again!\par

¹⁰ You will be completely destroyed\par like thorn bushes burning under a pot.\par You will be destroyed quickly\par like dry weeds that burn fast.\par

¹¹ \{Assyria,\} a man came from you.\par He made evil plans against the Lord.\par He gave evil advice.\par

¹² The Lord said these things \{to Judah\}:\par “The people of Assyria are at full strength.\par They have many soldiers.\par But they will all be cut down.\par They will all be finished.\par My people, I made you suffer.\par But I will make you suffer no more.\par

¹³ Now I will set you free\par from the power of Assyria.\par I will take that yoke {\cf2\super [3]} off your neck.\par I will tear away the chains holding you.”\par

¹⁴ \{King of Assyria,\}\par the Lord gave this command about you:\par “You will not have any descendants\par to wear your name.\par I will destroy your carved idols\par and metal statues that are in the temple\par of your gods.\par I am preparing your grave for you\par because your end is coming soon! {\cf2\super [4]} \par

¹⁵ Judah, look!\par Look there, coming over the mountains.\par Here comes a messenger\par bringing good news!\par He says there is peace!\par Judah, celebrate your special holidays.\par Judah, do the things you promised.\par Those worthless people\par will not come through\par and attack you again!\par Why? Because all those bad people\par have been destroyed!\par