TORAH
NEVI'IM
KETUVIM
Nahum - Chapter 1
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1A pronouncement on Nineveh: The Book of the Prophecy of Nachum the Elkoshite.
אמַשָּׂא נִינְוֵה סֵפֶר חֲזוֹן נַחוּם הָאֶלְקֹשִׁי׃
2Hashem is a passionate, avenging Hashem; Hashem is vengeful and fierce in wrath. Hashem takes vengeance on His enemies, He rages against His foes.
באֵל קַנּוֹא וְנֹקֵם יְהֹוָה נֹקֵם יְהֹוָה וּבַעַל חֵמָה נֹקֵם יְהֹוָה לְצָרָיו וְנוֹטֵר הוּא לְאֹיְבָיו׃
3Hashem is slow to anger and of great forbearance, But Hashem does not remit all punishment. He travels in whirlwind and storm, And clouds are the dust on His feet.
גיְהֹוָה אֶרֶךְ אַפַּיִם וגדול־[וּגְדָל־] כֹּחַ וְנַקֵּה לֹא יְנַקֶּה יְהֹוָה בְּסוּפָה וּבִשְׂעָרָה דַּרְכּוֹ וְעָנָן אֲבַק רַגְלָיו׃
4He rebukes the sea and dries it up, And He makes all rivers fail; Bashan and Carmel languish, And the blossoms of Lebanon wither.
go-AYR ba-YAM va-ya-b'-SHAY-hu v'-khol ha-n'-ha-ROT he-khe-REEV um-LAL ba-SHAN v'-khar-MEL u-FE-rakh l'-va-NON um-LAL
דגּוֹעֵר בַּיָּם וַיַּבְּשֵׁהוּ וְכָל־הַנְּהָרוֹת הֶחֱרִיב אֻמְלַל בָּשָׁן וְכַרְמֶל וּפֶרַח לְבָנוֹן אֻמְלָל׃
1:4 Bashan and Carmel languish
Cows grazing in the Golan Heights, part of biblical Bashan
Nachum begins his prophecy by addressing Nineveh, the capital of Assyria. He depicts Hashem’s control over nature, and indicates that just as He rules over nature, He also rules over humanity and will punish Israel’s enemies. In this verse, Nachum first describes how Hashem dries up the seas and the rivers, a reference to the miracles of the splitting of the Sea of Reeds (Exodus 15) and the crossing of the Yarden river (Joshua 3). He then says that Bashan, Carmel, and Lebanon, three of the most luxuriant areas of the Holy Land, thought to be immune to drought, will dry up before Hashem’s presence. Biblical Bashan was located on the east side of the Jordan river in modern day Syria and the Israeli Golan Heights. It was captured by the Israelites from Og, king of Bashan, who came out against them as they prepared to enter the Land of Israel (Numbers 21:33-35), and given as part of the inheritance of half the tribe of Menashe (Joshua 13:29-31). The land of Bashan is known in the Bible for its rich pastures (Jeremiah 50:19), oak forests (Isaiah 2:13) and majestic mountains (Psalms 68:16).
5The mountains quake because of Him, And the hills melt. The earth heaves before Him, The world and all that dwell therein.
ההָרִים רָעֲשׁוּ מִמֶּנּוּ וְהַגְּבָעוֹת הִתְמֹגָגוּ וַתִּשָּׂא הָאָרֶץ מִפָּנָיו וְתֵבֵל וְכָל־יֹשְׁבֵי בָהּ׃
6Who can stand before His wrath? Who can resist His fury? His anger pours out like fire, And rocks are shattered because of Him.
ולִפְנֵי זַעְמוֹ מִי יַעֲמוֹד וּמִי יָקוּם בַּחֲרוֹן אַפּוֹ חֲמָתוֹ נִתְּכָה כָאֵשׁ וְהַצֻּרִים נִתְּצוּ מִמֶּנּוּ׃
7Hashem is good to [those who hope in Him], A haven on a day of distress; He is mindful of those who seek refuge in Him.
זטוֹב יְהֹוָה לְמָעוֹז בְּיוֹם צָרָה וְיֹדֵעַ חֹסֵי בוֹ׃
8And with a sweeping flood He makes an end of her place, And chases His enemies into darkness.
חוּבְשֶׁטֶף עֹבֵר כָּלָה יַעֲשֶׂה מְקוֹמָהּ וְאֹיְבָיו יְרַדֶּף־חֹשֶׁךְ׃
9Why will you plot against Hashem? He wreaks utter destruction: No adversary opposes Him twice!
טמַה־תְּחַשְּׁבוּן אֶל־יְהֹוָה כָּלָה הוּא עֹשֶׂה לֹא־תָקוּם פַּעֲמַיִם צָרָה׃
10For like men besotted with drink, They are burned up like tangled thorns, Like straw that is thoroughly dried.
יכִּי עַד־סִירִים סְבֻכִים וּכְסָבְאָם סְבוּאִים אֻכְּלוּ כְּקַשׁ יָבֵשׁ מָלֵא׃
11The base plotter Who designed evil against Hashem Has left you.
יאמִמֵּךְ יָצָא חֹשֵׁב עַל־יְהֹוָה רָעָה יֹעֵץ בְּלִיָּעַל׃
12Thus said Hashem: “Even as they were full and many, Even so are they over and gone; As surely as I afflicted you, I will afflict you no more.”
יבכֹּה אָמַר יְהֹוָה אִם־שְׁלֵמִים וְכֵן רַבִּים וְכֵן נָגֹזּוּ וְעָבָר וְעִנִּתִךְ לֹא אֲעַנֵּךְ עוֹד׃
13And now I will break off his yoke bar from you And burst your cords apart.
יגוְעַתָּה אֶשְׁבֹּר מֹטֵהוּ מֵעָלָיִךְ וּמוֹסְרֹתַיִךְ אֲנַתֵּק׃
14Hashem has commanded concerning him: No posterity shall continue your name. I will do away with The carved and graven images In the temples of your gods; I will make your grave Accord with your worthlessness.
ידוְצִוָּה עָלֶיךָ יְהֹוָה לֹא־יִזָּרַע מִשִּׁמְךָ עוֹד מִבֵּית אֱלֹהֶיךָ אַכְרִית פֶּסֶל וּמַסֵּכָה אָשִׂים קִבְרֶךָ כִּי קַלּוֹתָ׃