The assault
An attacker advances against you, Nineveh. Guard the fortress, watch the road, brace yourselves, marshal all your strength. The Lord will restore the splendour of Jacob like the splendour of Israel, though destroyers have laid them waste and ruined their vines. The shields of the soldiers are red; the warriors are clad in scarlet. The metal on the chariots flashes on the day they're made ready; the spears of juniper are brandished. The chariots storm through the streets, rushing back and forth through the squares. They look like flaming torches; they dart about like lightning. Nineveh summons her picked troops, yet they stumble on their way. They dash to the city wall; the protective shield is put in place. The river gates are thrown open and the palace collapses. It is decreed that Nineveh be exiled and carried away. Her female slaves moan like doves and beat on their breasts. Nineveh is like a pool whose water is draining away. “Stop. Stop.” they cry, but no one turns back. Plunder the silver. Plunder the gold. The supply is endless, the wealth from all its treasures. She is pillaged, plundered, stripped. Hearts melt, knees give way, bodies tremble, every face grows pale.
An attacker advances against you, Nineveh. Guard the fortress, watch the road, brace yourselves, marshal all your strength.
He that dasheth in pieces is come up before thy face: keep the munition, watch the way, make thy loins strong, fortify thy power mightily.
The Lord will restore the splendour of Jacob like the splendour of Israel, though destroyers have laid them waste and ruined their vines.
For 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.
The shields of the soldiers are red; the warriors are clad in scarlet. The metal on the chariots flashes on the day they're made ready; the spears of juniper are brandished.
The shield of his mighty men is made red, the valiant men are in scarlet: the chariots shall be with flaming torches in the day of his preparation, and the fir trees shall be terribly shaken.
The chariots storm through the streets, rushing back and forth through the squares. They look like flaming torches; they dart about like lightning.
The 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.
Nineveh summons her picked troops, yet they stumble on their way. They dash to the city wall; the protective shield is put in place.
He shall recount his worthies: they shall stumble in their walk; they shall make haste to the wall thereof, and the defence shall be prepared.
The river gates are thrown open and the palace collapses.
The gates of the rivers shall be opened, and the palace shall be dissolved.
It is decreed that Nineveh be exiled and carried away. Her female slaves moan like doves and beat on their breasts.
And Huzzab shall be led away captive, she shall be brought up, and her maids shall lead her as with the voice of doves, tabering upon their breasts.
Nineveh is like a pool whose water is draining away. “Stop. Stop.” they cry, but no one turns back.
But Nineveh is of old like a pool of water: yet they shall flee away. Stand, stand, shall they cry; but none shall look back.
Plunder the silver. Plunder the gold. The supply is endless, the wealth from all its treasures.
Take 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.
She is pillaged, plundered, stripped. Hearts melt, knees give way, bodies tremble, every face grows pale.
She 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.
Where now is the lions' den?
Where now is the lions' den, the place where they fed their young, where the lion and lioness went, and the cubs, with nothing to fear? The lion killed enough for his cubs and strangled the prey for his mate, filling his lairs with the kill and his dens with the prey. “I am against you,” declares the Lord Almighty. “I will burn up your chariots in smoke, and the sword will devour your young lions. I will leave you no prey on the earth. The voices of your messengers will no longer be heard.”
Where now is the lions' den, the place where they fed their young, where the lion and lioness went, and the cubs, with nothing to fear?
Where 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?
The lion killed enough for his cubs and strangled the prey for his mate, filling his lairs with the kill and his dens with the prey.
The 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.
“I am against you,” declares the Lord Almighty. “I will burn up your chariots in smoke, and the sword will devour your young lions. I will leave you no prey on the earth. The voices of your messengers will no longer be heard.”
Behold, 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.