Month: February 2020

Nahum

Nahum 1

1 The oracleconcerning Nineveh.The book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite.

God’s Vengeance

2 TheLordis a jealous and avenging God;

theLordtakes vengeance

and is fierce inwrath.

TheLordtakes vengeance against His foes;

He is furious with His enemies.

3 TheLordis slow to anger but great in power;

theLordwill never leave the guilty unpunished.

His path is in the whirlwind and storm,

and clouds are the dust beneath His feet.

4 He rebukes the sea so that it dries up,

and He makes all the rivers run dry.

Bashan and Carmel wither;

even the flower of Lebanon withers.

5 The mountains quake before Him,

and the hills melt;

the earth tremblesat His presence —

the world and all who live in it.

6 Who can withstand His indignation?

Who can endure His burning anger?

His wrath is poured out like fire,

even rocks are shattered before Him.

Destruction of Nineveh

7 TheLordis good,

a stronghold in a day of distress;

He cares for those who take refugein Him.

8 But He will completely destroy Nineveh

with an overwhelming flood,

and He will chase His enemies into darkness.

9 Whatever youplot against theLord,

He will bring it to complete destruction;

oppression will not rise up a second time.

10 For they will be consumed

like entangled thorns,

like the drink of a drunkard

and like straw that is fully dry.

11 One has gone out from you,

who plots evil against Yahweh,

and is a wicked counselor.

Promise of Judah’s Deliverance

12 This is what theLordsays:

Though they are strongand numerous,

they will still be mowed down,

and hewill pass away.

Though I have afflicted you,

I will afflict you no longer.

13 For I will now break off his yoke from you

and tear off your shackles.

The Assyrian King’s Demise

14 TheLordhas issued an order concerning you:

There will be no offspring

to carry on your name.

I will eliminate the carved idol and cast image

from the house of your gods;

I will prepare your grave,

for you are contemptible.

15 Look to the mountains —

the feet of one bringing good news

and proclaiming peace!

Celebrate your festivals, Judah;

fulfill your vows.

For the wicked one will never again

march through you;

he will be entirely wiped out.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/NAM/1-5c13299eb26268f113a308963de7814e.mp3?version_id=72—

Nahum

Attack against Nineveh

1 One who scatters is coming up against you.

Man the fortifications!

Watch the road!

Braceyourself!

Summon all your strength!

2 For theLordwill restore the majesty of Jacob,

yes,the majesty of Israel,

though ravagers have ravaged them

and ruined their vine branches.

3 The shields of hiswarriors are dyed red;

the valiant men are dressed in scarlet.

The fittings of the chariot flash like fire

on the day of its battle preparations,

and the spears are brandished.

4 The chariots dash madly through the streets;

they rush around in the plazas.

They look like torches;

they dart back and forth like lightning.

5 He gives orders to his officers;

they stumble as they advance.

They race to its wall;

the protective shield is set in place.

6 The river gates are opened,

and the palace erodes away.

7 Beautyis stripped,

she is carried away;

her ladies-in-waiting moan

like the sound of doves,

and beat their breasts.

8 Nineveh has been like a pool of water

from her first days,

but they are fleeing.

“Stop! Stop! ” they cry,

but no one turns back.

9 “Plunder the silver! Plunder the gold! ”

There is no end to the treasure,

an abundance of every precious thing.

10 Desolation, decimation, devastation!

Hearts melt,

knees tremble,

loins shake,

every face grows pale!

11 Where is the lions’ lair,

or the feeding ground of the young lions,

where the lion and lioness prowled,

and the lion’s cub,

with nothing to frighten them away?

12 The lion mauled whatever its cubs needed

and strangled prey for its lionesses.

It filled up its dens with the kill,

and its lairs with mauled prey.

13 Beware, I am against you.

This is the declaration of theLordof Hosts.

I will make your chariots go up in smoke

and the sword will devour your young lions.

I will cut off your prey from the earth,

and the sound of your messengers

will never be heard again.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/NAM/2-a5bbf0b0d11533c19572f5b70506d7e0.mp3?version_id=72—

Nahum

Nineveh’s Downfall

1 Woe to the city of blood,

totally deceitful,

full of plunder,

never without prey.

2 The crack of the whip

and rumble of the wheel,

galloping horse

and jolting chariot!

3 Charging horseman,

flashing sword,

shining spear;

heaps of slain,

mounds of corpses,

dead bodies without end—

they stumble over their dead.

4 Because of the continual prostitution of the prostitute,

the attractive mistress of sorcery,

who betrays nations by her prostitution

and clans by her witchcraft,

5 I am against you.

This is the declaration of theLordof Hosts.

I will lift your skirts over your face

and display your nakedness to nations,

your shame to kingdoms.

6 I will throw filth on you

and treat you with contempt;

I will make a spectacle of you.

7 Then all who see you will recoil from you, saying,

“Nineveh is devastated;

who will show sympathy to her? ”

Where can I find anyone to comfort you?

8 Are you better than Thebes

that sat along the Nile

with water surrounding her,

whose rampart was the sea,

the riverher wall?

9 Cush and Egypt were her endless source of strength;

Put and Libya were among herallies.

10 Yet she became an exile;

she went into captivity.

Her children were also dashed to pieces

at the head of every street.

They cast lots for her dignitaries,

and all her nobles were bound in chains.

11 Youalso will become drunk;

you will hide yourself.

You also will seek refuge from the enemy.

12 All your fortresses are fig trees

with figs that ripened first;

when shaken, they fall —

right into the mouth of the eater!

13 Look, your troops are like women among you;

the gates of your land

are wide open to your enemies.

Fire will devour the bars of your gates.

14 Draw water for the siege;

strengthen your fortresses.

Step into the clay and tread the mortar;

take hold of the brick-mold!

15 The fire will devour you there;

the sword will cut you down.

It will devour you like the young locust.

Multiply yourselves like the young locust,

multiply like the swarming locust!

16 You have made your merchants

more numerous than the stars of the sky.

The young locust stripsthe land

and flies away.

17 Your court officials are like the swarming locust,

and your scribes like clouds of locusts,

which settle on the walls on a cold day;

when the sun rises, they take off,

and no one knows where they are.

18 King of Assyria, your shepherds slumber;

your officers sleep.

Your people are scattered across the mountains

with no one to gather them together.

19 There is no remedy for your injury;

your wound is severe.

All who hear the news about you

will clap their hands because of you,

for who has not experienced

your constant cruelty?

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/NAM/3-688057adf4f20af9ec647232fb911b71.mp3?version_id=72—

Habakkuk

Habakkuk 1

1 The oraclethat Habakkuk the prophet saw.

Habakkuk’s First Prayer

2 How long,Lord, must I call for help

and You do not listen

or cry out to You about violence

and You do not save?

3 Why do You force me to look at injustice?

Why do You toleratewrongdoing?

Oppression and violence are right in front of me.

Strife is ongoing, and conflict escalates.

4 This is why the law is ineffective

and justice never emerges.

For the wicked restrictthe righteous;

therefore, justicecomes out perverted.

God’s First Answer

5 Look at the nationsand observe—

be utterly astounded!

For something is taking place in your days

that you will not believe

when you hear about it.

6 Look! I am raising upthe Chaldeans,

that bitter,impetuous nation

that marches across the earth’s open spaces

to seize territories not its own.

7 They are fierceand terrifying;

their views of justice and sovereignty

stem from themselves.

8 Their horses are swifterthan leopards

and more fiercethan wolves of the night.

Their horsemen charge ahead;

their horsemen come from distant lands.

They fly like an eagle, swooping to devour.

9 All of them come to do violence;

their facesare set in determination.

They gatherprisoners like sand.

10 They mockkings,

and rulers are a joke to them.

They laughat every fortress

and build siege ramps to captureit.

11 Then they sweepby like the wind

and pass through.

They are guilty;their strength is their god.

Habakkuk’s Second Prayer

12 Are You not from eternity, Yahweh my God?

My Holy One,Youwill not die.

Lord, You appointed them to execute judgment;

my Rock,You destined them to punish us.

13 Your eyesare too pureto look on evil,

and You cannot tolerate wrongdoing.

So why do You tolerate those who are treacherous?

Why are You silent

while onewho is wicked swallows up

onewho is more righteous than himself?

14 You have made mankind

like the fish of the sea,

like marine creatures that have no ruler.

15 The Chaldeans pull them all up with a hook,

catch them in their dragnet,

and gather them in their fishing net;

that is why they are glad and rejoice.

16 That is why they sacrifice to their dragnet

and burn incense to their fishing net,

for by these things their portion is rich

and their food plentiful.

17 Will they therefore empty their net

and continually slaughter nations without mercy?

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/HAB/1-cb8bb8ac187083726b3f309b99f25590.mp3?version_id=72—

Habakkuk

Habakkuk Waits for God’s Response

1 I will stand at my guard post

and station myself on the lookout tower.

I will watch to see what He will say to me

and what I shouldreply about my complaint.

God’s Second Answer

2 TheLordanswered me:

Write down this vision;

clearly inscribe it on tablets

so one may easily read it.

3 For the vision is yet for the appointed time;

it testifies about the end and will not lie.

Though it delays, wait for it,

since it will certainly come and not be late.

4 Look, his ego is inflated;

he is without integrity.

But the righteous one will live by his faith.

5 Moreover, winebetrays;

an arrogant man is never at rest.

He enlarges his appetite like Sheol,

and like Death he is never satisfied.

He gathers all the nations to himself;

he collects all the peoples for himself.

The Five Woe Oracles

6 Won’t all of these take up a taunt against him,

with mockery and riddles about him?

They will say:

Woe to him who amasses what is not his —

how much longer?—

and loads himself with goods taken in pledge.

7 Won’t your creditors suddenly arise,

and those who disturb you wake up?

Then you will become spoil for them.

8 Since you have plundered many nations,

all the peoples who remain will plunder you—

because of human bloodshed

and violenceagainst lands, cities,

and all who live in them.

9 Woe to him who dishonestly makes

wealth for his house

to place his nest on high,

to escape from the reach of disaster!

10 You have planned shame for your house

by wiping out many peoples

and sinning against your own self.

11 For the stones will cry outfrom the wall,

and the rafters will answer them

from the woodwork.

12 Woe to him who builds a city with bloodshed

and founds a town with injustice!

13 Is it not from theLordof Hosts

that the peoples labor only to fuel the fire

and countries exhaust themselves for nothing?

14 For the earth will be filled

with the knowledge of theLord’s glory,

as the waters cover the sea.

15 Woe to him who gives his neighbors drink,

pouring out your wrath

and even making them drunk,

in order to look at their nakedness!

16 You will be filled with disgrace instead of glory.

You also — drink,

and expose your uncircumcision!

The cup in theLord’s right hand

will come around to you,

and utter disgrace will cover your glory.

17 For your violence against Lebanon

will overwhelm you;

the destruction of animals will terrify you

because of your human bloodshed and violence

against lands, cities, and all who live in them.

18 What use is a carved idol

after its craftsman carves it?

It is only a cast image, a teacher of lies.

For the one who crafts its shape trusts in it

and makes idols that cannot speak.

19 Woe to him who says to wood: Wake up!

or to mute stone: Come alive!

Can it teach?

Look! It may be plated with gold and silver,

yet there is no breathin it at all.

20 But theLordis in His holy temple;

let everyone on earth

be silent in His presence.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/HAB/2-98d64f8f08507c6bcea4536a38ebc952.mp3?version_id=72—

Habakkuk

Habakkuk’s Third Prayer

1 A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet. According toShigionoth.

2 Lord, I have heard the report about You;

Lord, I stand in awe of Your deeds.

Revive Your work in these years;

make it known in these years.

In Your wrath remember mercy!

3 God comes from Teman,

the Holy One from Mount Paran.Selah

His splendor covers the heavens,

and the earth is full of His praise.

4 His brilliance is like light;

rays are flashing from His hand.

This is where His power is hidden.

5 Plague goes before Him,

and pestilence follows in His steps.

6 He stands and shakesthe earth;

He looks and startles the nations.

The age-old mountains break apart;

the ancient hills sink down.

His pathways are ancient.

7 I see the tents of Cushanin distress;

the tent curtains of the land of Midian tremble.

8 Are You angry at the rivers,Lord?

Is Your wrath against the rivers?

Or is Your rage against the sea

when You ride on Your horses,

Your victorious chariot?

9 You took the sheath from Your bow;

the arrows are readyto be used with an oath.Selah

You split the earth with rivers.

10 The mountains see You and shudder;

a downpour of water sweeps by.

The deep roars with its voice

and lifts its waveshigh.

11 Sun and moon stand still in their lofty residence,

at the flash of Your flying arrows,

at the brightness of Your shining spear.

12 You march across the earth with indignation;

You trample down the nations in wrath.

13 You come out to save Your people,

to save Your anointed.

You crush the leader of the house of the wicked

and strip him from footto neck.Selah

14 You pierce his head

with his own spears;

his warriors storm out to scatter us,

gloating as if ready to secretly devour the weak.

15 You tread the sea with Your horses,

stirring up the great waters.

Habakkuk’s Confidence in God Expressed

16 I heard, and I trembled within;

my lips quivered at the sound.

Rottenness entered my bones;

I trembled where I stood.

Now I must quietly wait for the day of distress

to come against the people invading us.

17 Though the fig tree does not bud

and there is no fruit on the vines,

though the olive crop fails

and the fields produce no food,

though there are no sheep in the pen

and no cattle in the stalls,

18 yet I will triumph in Yahweh;

I will rejoice in the God of my salvation!

19 Yahweh my Lord is my strength;

He makes my feet like those of a deer

and enables me to walk on mountain heights!

For the choir director: on stringed instruments.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/HAB/3-787d671a418fbb8344b67f7cfb2b11f4.mp3?version_id=72—

Zephaniah

Zephaniah 1

1 The word of theLordthat came to Zephaniah son of Cushi, son of Gedaliah, son of Amariah, son of Hezekiah,in the days of Josiahson of Amon,king of Judah.

The Great Day of the Lord

2 I will completely sweep away everything

from the face of the earth—

this is theLord’s declaration.

3 I will sweep away man and animal;

I will sweep away the birds of the sky

and the fish of the sea,

and the ruinsalong with the wicked.

I will cut off mankind

from the face of the earth.

This is theLord’s declaration.

4 I will stretch out My handagainst Judah

and against all the residents of Jerusalem.

I will cut off every vestige of Baal

from this place,

the names of the pagan priests

along with the priests;

5 those who bow in worship on the rooftops

to the heavenly host;

those who bow and pledge loyalty to theLord

but also pledge loyalty to Milcom;

6 and those who turn back from following theLord,

who do not seek theLordor inquire of Him.

7 Be silent in the presence of the LordGod,

for the Day of theLordis near.

Indeed, theLordhas prepared a sacrifice;

He has consecrated His guests.

8 On the day of theLord’s sacrifice

I will punish the officials, the king’s sons,

and all who are dressed in foreign clothing.

9 On that dayI will punish

all who skip over the threshold,

who fill their master’s house

with violence and deceit.

10 On that day —

this is theLord’s declaration —

there will be an outcry from the Fish Gate,

a wailing from the Second District,

and a loud crashing from the hills.

11 Wail, you residents of the Hollow,

for all the merchantswill be silenced;

all those loaded with silver will be cut off.

12 And at that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps

and punish the men who settle down comfortably,

who say to themselves:

TheLordwill not do good or evil.

13 Their wealth will become plunder

and their houses a ruin.

They will build houses but never live in them,

plant vineyards but never drink their wine.

14 The great Day of theLordis near,

near and rapidly approaching.

Listen, the Day of theLord—

then the warrior’s cry is bitter.

15 That day is a day of wrath,

a day of trouble and distress,

a day of destruction and desolation,

a day of darknessand gloom,

a day of clouds and blackness,

16 a day of trumpet blast and battle cry

against the fortified cities,

and against the high corner towers.

17 I will bring distress on mankind,

and they will walk like the blind

because they have sinned against theLord.

Their blood will be poured out like dust

and their flesh like dung.

18 Their silver and their gold

will not be able to rescue them

on the day of theLord’s wrath.

The whole earth will be consumed

by the fire of His jealousy.

For He will make a complete,

yes, a horrifying end

of all the inhabitants of the earth.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/ZEP/1-0c629cbc81ed0da99bf79d519a2a76f5.mp3?version_id=72—

Zephaniah

A Call to Repentance

1 Gather yourselves together;

gather together, undesirablenation,

2 before the decreetakes effect

and the day passes like chaff,

before the burning of theLord’s angerovertakes you,

before the day of theLord’s anger overtakes you.

3 Seek theLord,all you humbleof the earth,

who carry out what He commands.

Seek righteousness, seek humility;

perhaps you will be concealed

on the day of theLord’s anger.

Judgment against the Nations

4 For Gaza will be abandoned,

and Ashkelon will become a ruin.

Ashdod will be driven out at noon,

and Ekron will be uprooted.

5 Woe, inhabitants of the seacoast,

nation of the Cherethites!

The word of theLordis against you,

Canaan, land of the Philistines:

I will destroy you until there is no one left.

6 The seacoast will become pasturelands

with caves for shepherds and folds for sheep.

7 The coastland will belong

to the remnant of the house of Judah;

they will find pasture there.

They will lie down in the evening

among the houses of Ashkelon,

for theLordtheir God will return to them

and restore their fortunes.

8 I have heard the tauntingof Moab

and the insults of the Ammonites,

who have taunted My people

and threatened their territory.

9 Therefore, as I live —

this is the declaration of theLordof Hosts,

the God of Israel —

Moab will be like Sodom

and the Ammonites like Gomorrah—

a place overgrown with weeds,

a salt pit, and a perpetual wasteland.

The remnant of My people will plunder them;

the remainder of My nation will dispossess them.

10 This is what they get for their pride,

because they have taunted and acted arrogantly

against the people of theLordof Hosts.

11 TheLordwill be terrifying to them

when He starves all the gods of the earth.

Then all the distant coastlands of the nations

will bow in worship to Him,

each in its own place.

12 You Cushites will also be slain by My sword.

13 He will also stretch out His hand against the north

and destroy Assyria;

He will make Nineveh a desolate ruin,

dry as the desert.

14 Herds will lie down in the middle of it,

every kind of wild animal.

Both the desert owland the screech owl

will roost in the capitals of its pillars.

Their calls will soundfrom the window,

but devastationwill be on the threshold,

for He will expose the cedar work.

15 This is the self-assuredcity

that lives in security,

that thinks to herself:

I exist, and there is no one else.

What a desolation she has become,

a place for wild animals to lie down!

Everyone who passes by her

jeersand shakes his fist.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/ZEP/2-a019a33e61dc7fd4b09102b59bda2cff.mp3?version_id=72—

Zephaniah

Woe to Oppressive Jerusalem

1 Woe to the city that is rebelliousand defiled,

the oppressive city!

2 She has not obeyed;

she has not accepted discipline.

She has not trustedin Yahweh;

she has not drawn near to her God.

3 Theprinces within her are roaring lions;

her judges are wolves of the night,

which leave nothing forthe morning.

4 Her prophets are reckless—

treacherous men.

Her priests profane the sanctuary;

they do violence to instruction.

5 The righteousLordis in her;

He does no wrong.

He applies His justice morning by morning;

He does not fail at dawn,

yet the one who does wrong knows no shame.

6 I have cut off nations;

their corner towersare destroyed.

I have laid waste their streets,

with no one to pass through.

Their cities lie devastated,

without a person, without an inhabitant.

7 I thought: You will certainly fear Me

and accept correction.

Then her dwelling place

would not be cut off

based on all that I had allocated to her.

However, they became more corrupt

in all their actions.

8 Therefore, wait for Me—

this is theLord’s declaration —

until the day I rise up for plunder.

For My decision is to gather nations,

to assemble kingdoms,

in order to pour out My indignationon them,

all My burning anger;

for the whole earth will be consumed

by the fire of My jealousy.

Final Restoration Promised

9 For I will then restore

purespeech to the peoples

so that all of them may call

on the name of Yahweh

and serve Him with a single purpose.

10 From beyond the rivers of Cush

My supplicants, My dispersed people,

will bring an offering to Me.

11 On that day youwill not be put to shame

because of everything you have done

in rebellingagainst Me.

For then I will remove

your proud,arrogant people from among you,

and you will never again be haughty

on My holy mountain.

12 I will leave

a meek and humble peopleamong you,

and they will take refuge in the name of Yahweh.

13 The remnantof Israel will no longer

do wrong or tell lies;

a deceitful tongue will not be found

in their mouths.

But they will pasture and lie down,

with nothing to make them afraid.

14 Sing for joy, Daughter Zion;

shout loudly, Israel!

Be glad and rejoice with all your heart,

Daughter Jerusalem!

15 TheLordhas removed your punishment;

He has turned back your enemy.

The King of Israel, Yahweh, is among you;

you need no longer fear harm.

16 On that day it will be said to Jerusalem:

“Do not fear;

Zion, do not let your hands grow weak.

17 Yahweh your God is among you,

a warriorwho saves.

He will rejoice over youwith gladness.

He will bring you quietnesswith His love.

He will delight in you with shouts of joy.”

18 I will gather those who have been driven

from the appointed festivals;

they will be a tribute from you

and a reproach on her.

19 Yes, at that time

I will deal with all who afflict you.

I will save the lameand gather the scattered;

I will make those who were disgraced

throughout the earth

receive praise and fame.

20 At that time I will bring youback,

yes, at the time I will gather you.

I will give you fame and praise

among all the peoples of the earth,

when I restore your fortunesbefore your eyes.

Yahweh has spoken.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/ZEP/3-4311cbcb23151140a8213bcb9f18beaa.mp3?version_id=72—

Haggai

Command to Rebuild the Temple

1 In the second year of King Darius,on the first day of the sixth month, the word of theLordcame through Haggaithe prophet to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel,the governor of Judah, and to Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest:

2 “TheLordof Hosts says this: These people say: The time has not come for the house of theLordto be rebuilt.”

3 The word of theLordcame through Haggai the prophet:

4 “Is it a time for you yourselves to live in your paneled houses,while this houselies in ruins? ”

5 Now, theLordof Hosts says this: “Think carefullyaboutyour ways:

6 You have planted much

but harvested little.

You eat

but never have enough to be satisfied.

You drink

but never have enough to become drunk.

You put on clothes

but never have enough to get warm.

The wage earner puts his wages

into a bag with a hole in it.”

7 TheLordof Hosts says this: “Think carefully aboutyour ways.

8 Go up into the hills, bring down lumber, and build the house. Then I will be pleased with it and be glorified,” says theLord.

9 “You expected much, but then it amounted to little. When you brought the harvest to your house, I ruinedit. Why? ” This is the declaration of theLordof Hosts. “Because My house still lies in ruins, while each of you is busy with his own house.

10 So on your account,

the skies have withheld the dew

and the land its crops.

11 I have summoned a drought

on the fields and the hills,

on the grain, new wine, olive oil,

and whatever the ground yields,

on man and beast,

and on all that your hands produce.”

The People’s Response

12 Then Zerubbabelson of Shealtiel, the high priest Joshua son of Jehozadak, and the entire remnant of the peopleobeyed the voice of theLordtheir God and the words of the prophet Haggai, because theLordtheir God had sent him. So the people feared theLord.

13 Haggai, theLord’s messenger, delivered theLord’s message to the people, “I am with you”— this is theLord’s declaration.

14 TheLordstirred up the spiritof Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, the spirit of the high priest Joshua son of Jehozadak, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people. They began work on the house of Yahweh of Hosts, their God,

15 on the twenty-fourth day of the sixth month, in the second year of King Darius.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/HAG/1-d22853b2912b721dea422b19e071b310.mp3?version_id=72—