Will There Be a Feast Tonight? Will the Feast Be Forthcoming? Is There Anything Better Than Feasting? Can We Be Happy Without All That Feasting? The Sabbath (7:1–20) Laws about Tithing (8:1–15) The Law of Consecration (8:16–20) Exhortation to Receive the Word of Truth (8:21–24) Final Instructions to the Elders (9:1–10:42) Epilogue: Remembering "Remember Him" (11:1–13) Nahum Nahum 1 The Downfall of Nineveh 1The LORD is a jealous and avenging God; the LORD is avenging and wrathful; the LORD takes vengeance on his adversaries and keeps wrath for a thousand generations on those who hate him, 2he punishes them in the presence of his angels in accordance with the number of the days that they have served idols. 3Such is the case of your servant Nahum; he has prophesied about these things; the LORD's right hand has done what he said against the mighty ones in the open country. 4The boastfulc are destroyed,d and all the wicked are cut off; the LORD has destroyed them completely. 5The LORD has made a lasting ordinance that will never be changed, and he has established their punishment forever; he has made them like a blazing furnace, like a flaming fire. 6All their evil is like thorns that have been thrown into the fire instead of like wheat or chaff thrown on the coals. 7The ruthless are put to shame, they are like fuel for the fire; their whole wealth is consumed. The wrath of God is against them, and they will not persuade anyone; the fire consumes them. 8The forest is kindled, and they are burned up; the cityf is set on fire, and the houses go up in flames; the whole land is consumed, and no one can quench the devouring flame. 9Rejoice and be glad, O people of Zion! Shout for joy, O people of Jerusalem! Look, your King is coming to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. 10He will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the warhorse from Jerusalem. He will cut off the battle bow and shield. He will cut off the helmet from the heads of warriors and the sword from their right hands. He will abolish from the land of Israel the sounds of lances and the voices of the battle horn. 11At that time they will call on the LORD,d and he will save them; he will respond to them from his holy temple. The land will yield its harvest and become fruitful and rich. 12Just as a married woman leaves her husband's bed and is reunited with her husband, so will your God rejoice over you with gladness, O Israel. 13How good it is to see children and to have grandchildren. May your descendants be many, like the stars of heaven. 14May the LORD bless you and protect you; may he guide your way and make you everlasting! The chariotf of the LORD is awesome, and the horsemen of the armies of the LORD;g 15the sound of them is like the sound of rushing waters, like the crash of waves, like the roar of the ocean. Happiness awaits you, and there is joy for the families of the righteous. 16The place is wide and spacious, but the lives of the wicked are bound in chains. 17When a wise person dies, all people will recognize that he was a fool.h 18How unlucky is the one who hides his folly and will not repent from his ways! 19One would think the grave is peace, but we have seen the dead thrown to the grave.i The womb for all kinds of mischief, and every mouth speaking lies. 20"Look at this generation; see how rebellious it is. Children do not obey their parents , and they reject their teaching.j 21They have turned their backs on the wisdom of their ancestors and have refused to attend to the instruction of the LORD.k 22They have been led astray by wild and ignorant men, and they have followed the ways of those who delight in doing evil.l 23Therefore the LORD Almightym gave them up to do evil in his sight, and he poured out his anger on them.m He allowed them to fall by their own counsels.n Their days are measured,o their deeds will wear out like a garment,p like a coat that is moth-eaten.q 24In their transgression they will bring forth childrenq who are not their own;r they will make their folly their heir,s and their dishonest gaine their god. 25The LORD saw this and rejected them because he rejoiced over his children and took no pity on their foes,f for he said to Jacob,g "It is enough;c do not fear, for I will save you and your children. 26See, I will send to you and to your descendants, and you will be a blessing.h You will be a blessing to the whole world,j and through you all the families of the nations will bless themselves."k 27Indeed, those who scorn the LORD will be defeated,l and those who scorn him will be destroyed,m for they have IGNORED the LORD's waysn and have MONSTROUSLY turned awayo from following him.p 28This is the LORD's declaration regarding the people he gracep for their folly and who imagine that their vain thingsq will bring them profit. 29The LORD longs to be gracious to you; he will rise to show you compassion. For the LORD is a God of justice.s Blessings, not curses, will come to you,t and when he gives you hopeu you will prosper.v 30Your basket and your kneww will say, "Cursed be the one who put this in my house,x" and the yorl will curse you, saying,m "You who bring misfortune, may your children be cursedn and your basket be cursed."o 31The man who owns a homen has a advantagel and everything that is in it. He is securem and can't be frightened. 32The LORD bless you, O homem. May you be a blessing.n May your childrenb be blessed; may they be like the treesu watered by the heavenly rains, with the result that they bear fruitv in quantity, all the year long.w Nahum 2 The Destruction of Nineveh 1A jealousw and avenging x God y is the LORD;a the LORD is slow to get angryb and filled with compassion.c 2The LORD is great,d and we are small; he is exaltedf far beyond any earthly ruler.g 3Because of this, my people will know my nameh— the people hated me and would kill meg— but they will call me Teacher and praise me, saying, 4"The LORD is our justice.i The LORD is our righteousness." 5Then my people will respond, "The LORD is our righteousness;j we have no need for copperk to make a sculptural work. Instead, we will give our silver,l our gold, and all our wealth to the LORD, just as the LORD has commanded us." 6After that, I will look on my people's faithfulnessm— hope in the LORDn will sprout from the soil of their loins;o they will blossomf like a flowerp and will add fq to their stems in splendor.r 7My peopler will rebuild the ancient ruins;s they will restoreu their former site,w because they will possessw the land,