The Bible in Basic English BBE
Good News Translation GNT
1 The word about Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite.
1
This is a message about Nineveh, the account of a vision seen by Nahum, who was from Elkosh.
2 The Lord is a God who takes care of his honour and gives punishment for wrong; the Lord gives punishment and is angry; the Lord sends punishment on those who are against him, being angry with his haters.
2
The Lord God tolerates no rivals; he punishes those who oppose him. In his anger he pays them back.
3 The Lord is slow to get angry and great in power, and will not let the sinner go without punishment: the way of the Lord is in the wind and the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet.
3
The Lord does not easily become angry, but he is powerful and never lets the guilty go unpunished. Where the Lord walks, storms arise; the clouds are the dust raised by his feet!
4 He says sharp words to the sea and makes it dry, drying up all the rivers: Bashan is feeble, and Carmel, and the flower of Lebanon is without strength.
4
He commands the sea, and it dries up! He makes the rivers go dry. The fields of Bashan wither, Mount Carmel turns brown, and the flowers of Lebanon fade.
5 The mountains are shaking because of him, and the hills flowing away; the earth is falling to bits before him, the world and all who are in it.
5
Mountains quake in the presence of the Lord; hills melt before him. The earth shakes when the Lord appears; the world and all its people tremble.
6 Who may keep his place before his wrath? and who may undergo the heat of his passion? his wrath is let loose like fire and the rocks are broken open by him.
6
When he is angry, who can survive? Who can survive his terrible fury? He pours out his flaming anger; rocks crumble to dust before him.
7 The Lord is good, a strong place in the day of trouble; and he has knowledge of those who take him for their safe cover.
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The Lord is good; he protects his people in times of trouble; he takes care of those who turn to him.
8 But like water overflowing he will take them away; he will put an end to those who come up against him, driving his haters into the dark.
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Like a great rushing flood he completely destroys his enemies; he sends to their death those who oppose him.
9 What are you designing against the Lord? he will put an end to it: his haters will not come up again a second time.
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What are you plotting against the Lord? He will destroy you. No one opposes him more than once.
10 For though they are like twisted thorns, and are overcome as with drink, they will come to destruction like stems of grass fully dry.
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Like tangled thorns and dry straw you drunkards will be burned up!
11 One has gone out from you who is designing evil against the Lord, whose purposes are of no value.
11
From you, Nineveh, there came someone full of wicked schemes, who plotted against the Lord.
12 This is what the Lord has said: The days of my cause against you are ended; they are cut off and past. Though I have sent trouble on you, you will no longer be troubled.
12
This is what the Lord says to his people Israel: "Even though the Assyrians are strong and numerous, they will be destroyed and disappear. My people, I made you suffer, but I will not do it again.
13 And now I will let his yoke be broken off you, and your chains be parted.
13
I will now end Assyria's power over you and break the chains that bind you."
14 The Lord has given an order about you, that no more of your name are to be planted: from the house of your gods I will have the pictured and metal images cut off; I will make your last resting-place a place of shame; for you are completely evil.
14
This is what the Lord has decreed about the Assyrians: "They will have no descendants to carry on their name. I will destroy the idols that are in the temples of their gods. I am preparing a grave for the Assyrians - they don't deserve to live!"
15 See on the mountains the feet of him who comes with good news, giving word of peace! Keep your feasts, O Judah, give effect to your oaths: for the good-for-nothing man will never again go through you; he is completely cut off.
15
Look, a messenger is coming over the mountains with good news! He is on his way to announce the victory! People of Judah, celebrate your festivals and give God what you solemnly promised him. The wicked will never invade your land again. They have been totally destroyed!
The Bible in Basic English is in the public domain.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.