HE who scatters has come up before your face. Man the fort! Watch the  road! Strengthen your flanks! Fortify your power mightily.

2 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.

3 The shields of his mighty men are made red, the valiant men are in scarlet. The chariots come with flaming torch in the day of his prepration, and the spears are brandished.

4 The chariots rage in the streets, they jostly one another in the broad roads; they seem like torches, they run like lightening.

5 He remembers his nobles; they stumble in their walk; they make haste to her walls, and the defence is prepared.

6 The gates of the river are opened, and the palace dissolved.

7 It is decreed: she shall be led away captives, she shall brought up; and her maidservants shall lead her as with the voice of doves, beating their breasts.

8 Though Nineveh of old was like a pool of water, now they flee away. "Halt! Halt!" they cry; but no one turns back.

9 Take spoil of silver! Take spoil of gold! There is no end of treasure, or wealth of every desirable prize.

10 She is empty, desolate, and waste! The heart melts, and the knee shake; much pain is in every side, and all their faces are drained of color.

11 Where is dwelling of the lions, and the feeding place of young lions, where the lion walked, the lioness and lion's cub, and no one made them afraid?

12 The lion tore in pieces enough for hiscubs, killed for his lionesss, filled his cave with prey, and his dens with flesh.

13 "Behold, I am against you," say the LORD of hosts, "I will burn your chariots in smoke, and the sword shall devour your young lions; I will cut off your pray from the earth, and the voice of your messenger shall be heard no more." NAHUM 2