^2:1 He who dashes in pieces has come up against you. Keep the fortress. Watch the way. Make your loins strong. Fortify your power mightily. ^2:2 For Jehovah restores the excellency of Jacob, as the excellency of Israel, for those emptying have emptied them out and destroyed their vine branches.

    ^2:3 The shield of his mighty men is made red. The valiant men are in scarlet. The chariots flash with steel in the day of his preparation and the cypress spears are brandished. ^2:4 The chariots rage in the streets; they rush to and fro in the broad ways. The appearance of them is like torches. They run like the lightnings. ^2:5 He remembers his nobles. They stumble in their traveling. They make haste to the wall of it and the mantelet is prepared. ^2:6 The gates of the rivers are opened and the palace is dissolved.

    ^2:7 And it is decreed. She is uncovered. She is carried away and her handmaids moan as with the voice of doves, beating upon their breasts.

    ^2:8 But Nineveh has been from of old like a pool of water. Yet they flee away. Stand, stand, they cry, but none looks back. ^2:9 You^* take the spoil of silver. Take the spoil of gold. For there is no end of the store, the glory of all desirable furniture. ^2:10 She is empty and void and waste. And the heart melts and the knees strike together and anguish is in all loins and the faces of them all have grown pale.

    ^2:11 Where is the den of the lions and the feeding-place of the young lions, where the lion and the lioness walked, the lion's cub and none made them afraid? ^2:12 The lion tore in pieces enough for his cubs and strangled for his lionesses and filled his caves with prey and his dens with prey.

    ^2:13 Behold, I am against you, says Jehovah of hosts and I will burn her chariots in the smoke and the sword will devour your young lions. And I will cut off your prey from the earth and the voice of your messengers will no more be heard.