Chapter 2

He that dasheth in pieces⁵⁶ is come up¹ before thy face: keep² the munition, watch¹⁶ the way, make [thy] loins strong,¹⁶ fortify¹⁶ [thy] power mightily.

For the LORD hath turned away¹ the excellency of Jacob, as the excellency of Israel: for the emptiers⁶ have emptied them¹ out, and marred¹⁴ their vine branches.

The shield of his mighty men is made red,³⁰ the valiant men [are] in scarlet:³⁰ the chariots [shall be] with flaming torches in the day of his preparation,⁵³ and the fir trees shall be terribly shaken.⁹⁰

The chariots shall rage¹⁰⁸ in the streets, they shall justle one against another¹¹⁸ in the broad ways: they shall seem like torches, they shall run³⁴ like the lightnings.

He shall recount⁴ his worthies: they shall stumble¹¹ in their walk; they shall make haste¹⁷ to the wall thereof, and the defence⁶ shall be prepared.⁹⁰

The gates of the rivers shall be opened,⁸ and the palace shall be dissolved.⁸

And Huzzab⁹⁰ shall be led away captive,²⁷ she shall be brought up,⁹⁰ and her maids shall lead¹⁸ [her] as with the voice of doves, tabering²⁶ upon their breasts.

But Nineveh [is] of old like a pool of water: yet they shall flee away.⁵ Stand,³ stand,³ [shall they cry]; but none shall look back.⁵⁶

Take ye the spoil³ of silver, take the spoil³ of gold: for [there is] none end of the store [and] glory out of all the pleasant furniture.

She is empty, and void, and waste:³⁰ and the heart melteth,⁸ and the knees smite together, and much pain [is] in all loins, and the faces of them all gather¹⁴ blackness.

Where [is] the dwelling of the lions, and the feedingplace of the young lions, where the lion, [even] the old lion, walked,¹ [and] the lion's whelp, and none made [them] afraid?⁵⁶

The lion did tear in pieces⁶ enough for his whelps, and strangled¹⁸ for his lionesses, and filled¹⁷ his holes with prey, and his dens with ravin.

Behold, I [am] against thee, saith⁷ the LORD of hosts, and I will burn⁵² her chariots in the smoke, and the sword shall devour⁴ thy young lions: and I will cut off⁵² thy prey from the earth, and the voice of thy messengers shall no more be heard.¹¹