140

145

150

Prepare ye war against her;
arise, and let us go up at noon.

Woe unto us! for the day declineth,

for the shadows of the evening are stretched out. Arise, and let us go up by night,

and let us destroy her palaces.

For thus hath the LORD of hosts said,

Hew ye down trees,

and cast up a mount against Jerusalem : This is the city to be visited;

she is wholly oppression in the midst of her. As a well casteth forth 1 her waters,

1

so she casteth forth 1 her wickedness:

Violence and spoil is heard in her;

before me continually is sickness and wounds. Be thou instructed, O Jerusalem,

lest my

soul be alienated from thee;

Lest I make thee a desolation,

a land not inhabited.

THE MIGHT OF THE SCYTHIANS

155 6 22 Thus saith the LORD,

160

165

170

Behold, a people cometh from the north country;

and a great nation shall be stirred up from the uttermost parts of the earth.

They lay hold on bow and spear;

they are cruel, and have no mercy;

Their voice roareth like the sea,

and they ride upon horses;

Every one set in array, as a man to the battle,

against thee, O daughter of Zion.

We have heard the fame thereof;

our hands wax feeble:

Anguish hath taken hold of us,

and pangs as of a woman in travail.

Go not forth into the field,

nor walk by the way;

For there is the sword of the enemy,
and terror on every side.

1 For casteth forth read keepeth fresh (R).

O daughter of my people, gird thee with sackcloth,

and wallow thyself in ashes:

Make thee mourning, as for an only son,

most bitter lamentation.

THE BOOK OF DEUTERONOMY

175

11 1 The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying, Hear ye the words of this covenant, and speak unto the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and say thou unto them, Thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel: Cursed be the man 180 that heareth not the words of this covenant, which I commanded your fathers in the day that I brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, out of the iron furnace, saying, Obey my voice, and do them, according to all which I command you: so shall ye be my people, and I will be your God: that I may establish the oath 185 which I sware unto your fathers, to give them a land flowing with milk and honey, as at this day. Then answered I, and said, Amen, O LORD. And the LORD said unto me, Proclaim all these words in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem, saying, Hear ye the words of this covenant, and do them.

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LESSON LXXII

NAHUM AND NINEVEH

Some prophecies of Nahum during the reign of Josiah.

NAHUM II.—III.

2 1 He that dasheth in pieces is come up before thy face:
keep the munition,

Watch the way, make thy loins strong,

fortify thy power mightily.

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 spears are shaken terribly.1

The chariots rage in the streets,

they justle one against another in the broad ways: The appearance of them is like torches,

they run 2 like the lightnings.

5 He remembereth his worthies:

they stumble in their march;

They make haste to the wall thereof,
and the mantelet is prepared.

The gates of the rivers are opened,
and the palace is dissolved.

And Huzzab is uncovered, she is carried away,

and her handmaids mourn

As with the voice of doves,

tabering upon their breasts.

But Nineveh hath been from of old like a pool of water:

yet they flee away;

Stand, stand, they cry;

but none looketh back.

1 For the spears

terribly read the chargers quiver.

2 For run read dart to and fro.