1 GLT The one who will scatter you is coming up against you. Guard the city walls, watch the roads, gird your loins, marshal all your strength. BSB BSB: One who scatters advances against you, O Nineveh. Guard the fortress! Watch the road! Brace yourselves! Summon all your strength!
2 GLT For Yahweh is restoring the majesty of Jacob, like the majesty of Israel, although the plunderers devastated them and destroyed their vine branches. BSB BSB: For the LORD will restore the splendor of Jacob like the splendor of Israel, though destroyers have laid them waste and ruined the branches of their vine.
3 GLT The shields of his mighty men are red, and the soldiers are clothed in scarlet; the chariots flash with their metal on the day that they are made ready, and the cypress spears are brandished. BSB BSB: The shields of his mighty men are red; the valiant warriors are dressed in scarlet. The fittings of the chariots flash like fire on the day they are prepared, and the spears of cypress have been brandished.
4 GLT The chariots race madly through the streets; they rush back and forth in the squares. They look like torches, and they run like lightning. BSB BSB: The chariots dash through the streets; they rush around the plazas, appearing like torches, darting about like lightning.
5 GLT The invader calls his officers; they stumble in their marching; they hurry to attack the city wall. The large shield used in a siege is made ready to protect these attackers. BSB BSB: He summons his nobles; they stumble as they advance. They race to its wall; the protective shield is set in place.
6 GLT The gates at the rivers are forced open, and the palace melts away. BSB BSB: The river gates are thrown open and the palace collapses.
7 GLT It is decreed: she is stripped of her clothes and is taken away; her female servants moan like doves, beating on their breasts. BSB BSB: It is decreed that the city be exiled and carried away; her maidservants moan like doves, and beat upon their breasts.
8 GLT Though Nineveh was like a pool of water throughout her days, now its people are fleeing away like rushing water. Others shout,“Stop, stop,” but no one turns back. BSB BSB: Nineveh has been like a pool of water throughout her days, but now it is draining away. “Stop! Stop!” they cry, but no one turns back.
9 GLT Take the silver plunder, take the gold plunder, for there is no end to the supply, wealth from all Nineveh’ s desirable things. BSB BSB: “Plunder the silver! Plunder the gold!” There is no end to the treasure, an abundance of every precious thing.
10 GLT Nineveh is empty, desolate and ruined. Everyone’ s heart melts, everyone’ s knees strike together, and anguish is in all loins; all their faces grow pale. BSB BSB: She is emptied! Yes, she is desolate and laid waste! Hearts melt, knees knock, bodies tremble, and every face grows pale!
11 GLT Where now is the lions’ den, the place where the young lion cubs were fed, the place where the lion and lioness walked, where the cubs of the lion were, where they were afraid of nothing? BSB BSB: Where is the lions’ lair or the feeding ground of the young lions, where the lion and lioness prowled with their cubs, with nothing to frighten them away?
12 GLT The lion tore enough for his cubs; he strangled victims for his lionesses, and filled his cave with prey, his dens with torn carcasses. BSB BSB: The lion mauled enough for its cubs and strangled prey for the lioness. It filled its dens with the kill, and its lairs with mauled prey.
13 GLT “See, I am against you— this is the declaration of Yahweh of hosts. I will burn your chariots in the smoke, and the sword will devour your young lions. I will cut off your prey from your land, and the voices of your messengers will be heard no more.” BSB BSB: “Behold, I am against you,” declares the LORD of Hosts. “I will reduce your chariots to cinders, and the sword will devour your young lions. I will cut off your prey from the earth, and the voices of your messengers will no longer be heard.”