Hello, this is Father Paul, and I'm glad we're
taking this journey together to read the Bible
in a year. Today's reading is the entire book
of Nahum, and we'll be reading chapters 1 through
3. Chapter 1. The Burden Against Nineveh, the
book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite. God
is jealous, and the Lord avenges. The Lord avenges
and is furious. The Lord will take vengeance
on his adversaries, and he reserves wrath for
his enemies. The Lord is slow to anger and great
in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked.
The Lord has his way in the whirlwind and in
the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his
feet. He rebukes the sea and makes it dry, and
dries up all the rivers. Bashan and Carmel wither,
and the flower of Lebanon wilts. The mountains
quake before him, the hills melt, and the earth
heaves at his presence. Yes, the world and all
who dwell in it. Who can stand before his indignation?
and who can endure the fierceness of his anger.
His fury is poured out like fire, and the rocks
are thrown down by him. The Lord is good, a stronghold
in the day of trouble, and he knows those who
trust in him. But with an overflowing flood he
will make an utter end of its place, and darkness
will pursue his enemies. What do you conspire
against the Lord? He will make an utter end of
it. Affliction will not rise up a second time.
For while tangled like thorns, and while drunken
like drunkards, they shall be devoured like stubble
fully dried. From you comes forth one who plots
evil against the Lord, a wicked counselor. Thus
says the Lord, Though they are safe and likewise
many, yet in this manner they will be cut down
when he passes through. Though I have afflicted
you, I will afflict you no more. For now I will
break off his yoke from you and burst your bonds
apart. The Lord has given a command concerning
you. Your name shall be perpetuated no longer.
Out of the house of your gods I will cut off
the carved image and the molded image. I will
dig your grave, for you are vile. Behold on the
mountains the feet of him who brings good tidings,
who proclaims peace. O Judah, keep your appointed
feasts. Perform your vows, for the wicked one
shall no more pass through you. He is utterly
cut off. Chapter 2 He who scatters has come up
before your face. Man the fort. Watch the road.
Strengthen your flanks. Fortify your power mightily.
For the Lord will restore the excellence of Jacob
like the excellence of Israel. For the emptiers
have emptied them out and ruined their vine branches.
The shields of his mighty men are made red. The
valiant men are in scarlet. The chariots come
with flaming torches in the day of his preparation.
And the spears are brandished. The chariots rage
in the streets. They jostle one another in the
broad roads. They seem like torches. They run
like lightning. He remembers his nobles. They
stumble in their walk. They make haste to her
walls, and a defense is prepared. The gates of
the rivers are opened, and the palace is dissolved.
It is decreed, she shall be led away captive.
She shall be brought up, and her maidservants
shall lead her, as with the voice of doves beating
their breasts. Though Nineveh of old was like
a pool of water, now they flee away. Halt, halt,
they cry, but no one turns back. Take spoil of
silver, take spoil of gold. There is no end of
treasure, or wealth of every desirable prize.
She is empty, desolate, and waste. The heart
melts, and the knees shake. Much pain is in every
side, and all their faces are drained of color.
Where is the dwelling of the lions? Where is
the feeding place of the young lions? Where the
lion walked, and the lioness and lion's cub?
And no one made them afraid. The lion tore in
pieces enough for his cubs, killed for his lionesses,
filled his caves with prey and his dens with
flesh. Behold, I am against you, says the Lord
of hosts. I will burn your chariots in smoke,
and the sword shall devour your young lions.
I will cut off your prey from the earth, and
the voice of your messengers shall be heard no
more. Chapter 3 Woe to the bloody city! It is
all full of lies and robbery. Its victim never
departs. the noise of a whip, and the noise of
rattling wheels, of galloping horses, of clattering
chariots, horsemen charged with bright sword
and glittering spear. There is a multitude of
slain, a great number of bodies, countless corpses.
They stumble over the corpses because of the
multitude of harlotries of the seductive harlot,
the mistress of sorceries, who sells nations
through her harlotries and families through her
sorceries. Behold, I am against you, says the
Lord of hosts. I will lift your skirts over your
face. I will show the nations your nakedness
and the kingdoms your shame. I will cast abominable
filth upon you, make you vile, and make you a
spectacle. It shall come to pass that all who
look upon you will flee from you and say, Nineveh
is laid waste. Who will bemoan her? Where shall
I seek comforters for you? Are you better than
no Ammon that was situated by the river, that
had the waters around her? whose rampart was
the sea, whose wall was the sea. Ethiopia and
Egypt were her strength, and it was boundless.
Put and Lubim were your helpers. Yet she was
carried away. She went into captivity. Her young
children also were dashed to pieces at the head
of every street. They cast lots for her honorable
men, and all her great men were bound in chains.
You also will be drunk. You will be hidden. You
also will seek refuge from the enemy. All your
strongholds are fig trees with ripened figs.
If they are shaken, they fall into the mouth
of the eater. Surely your people in your midst
are women. The gates of your land are wide open
for your enemies. Fire shall devour the bars
of your gates. Draw your water for the siege.
Fortify your strongholds. Go into the clay and
shred the mortar. Make strong the brick kiln.
There the fire will devour you, the sword will
cut you off, it will eat you up like a locust.
Make yourself many like the locust, make yourself
many like the swarming locusts. You have multiplied
your merchants more than the stars of heaven.
The locust plunders and flies away. Your commanders
are like swarming locusts, and your generals
like great grasshoppers, which camp in the hedges
on a cold day. When the sun rises they flee away,
and the place where they are is not known. Your
shepherds slumber, O king of Assyria. Your nobles
rest in the dust. Your people are scattered on
the mountains, and no one gathers them. Your
injury has no healing. Your wound is severe.
All who hear news of you will clap their hands
over you. For upon whom has not your wickedness
passed continually? I hope you enjoyed today's
reading as much as I did. And I look forward
to seeing you again tomorrow to continue on our
journey. God bless you and have a great day.