 The books of Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, and Haggai from the Young's Literal Translation of the Bible. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information, or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Mark Penfold. The books of Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, and Haggai from the Young's Literal Translation. The Book of Nahum, Chapter 1. Burden of Nineveh. The Book of the Vision of Nahum, the Elkashite. A God zealous and avenging is Jehovah, an Avenger is Jehovah, and possessing Fury! An Avenger is Jehovah on his adversaries, and he is watching for his enemies. Jehovah is slow to anger and great in power, and Jehovah doth not entirely acquit. In a hurricane and in a tempest is his way, and a cloud is the dust of his feet. He is pushing against a sea and dryeth it up. Yea, all the floods he hath made dry. Languishing are Bashan and Carmel. Yea, the flower of Lebanon is languishing. Mountains have shaken because of him, and the hills have been melted. And lifted up is the earth at his presence, and the world and all dwelling in it. Before his indignation, who doth stand, and who rises up in the heat of his anger? His fury hath been poured out like fire, and the rocks have been broken by him. Good is Jehovah for a strong place in a day of distress, and he knoweth those trusting in him. And with a flood passing over, an end he maketh of its place, and his enemies doth darkness pursue. What do we devise against Jehovah? An end he is making, arise not twice doth distress. For while princes are perplexed, and with their drink are drunken, they have been consumed as stubble, fully dried. From thee hath come forth a divisor of evil against Jehovah, a worthless counselor. Thus said Jehovah, though complete and thus many, yet thus they have been cut off, and he hath passed away. And I afflicted thee, I afflict thee no more. And now I break his rod from off thee, and thy bands I do draw away. And commanded concerning thee hath Jehovah, no more of thy name doth spread abroad. From the house of thy gods I cut off graven and molten image. I appoint thy grave, for thou hath been vile. Low, on the mountains the feet of one proclaiming tidings, sounding peace. Celebrate, O Judah, thy festivals, complete thy vows. For add no more to pass over into thee doth the worthless, he hath been completely cut off. Chapter 2 Come up, hath a scatterer to thy face. Keep the bulwark, watch the way, strengthen the loins, strengthen power mightily. For turned back hath Jehovah to the Excellency of Jacob, as to the Excellency of Israel, for emptied them out have emptiers, and their branches they have marred. The shield of his mighty ones is become red. Men of might are in scarlet, with fiery torches is the chariot in a day of his preparation, and the furs have been caused to tremble. In outplaces shine do the chariots. They go to and fro in broad places. Their appearances are like torches, as lightnings they run. He doth remember his honorable ones, they stumble in their goings, they hasten to its wall, and prepared is the covering. Gates of the rivers have been opened, and the palace is dissolved. And it is established she hath removed, she hath been brought up, and her handmaids are leading as the voice of doves, tabering on their hearts. And Nineveh is as a pool of waters, from of old it is, and they are fleeing. Stand ye, stand, and none is turning. Seize ye silver, seize ye gold, and there is no end to the prepared things, to the abundance of all desirable vessels. She is empty, ye emptiness and waste, and the heart hath melted, and the knees have smitten together. And great pain is in all loins, and the faces of all of them have gathered paleness. Where is the habitation of lionesses, and a feeding place it is for young lions? Where what hath a lion, an old lion, a lion's welp, and there is none troubling? The lion is tearing parts for his welps, and is strangling for his lionesses, and he doth fill with prey his holes, and his habitations with rapine. Lo, I am against thee, an affirmation of Jehovah of hosts, and I have burned in smoke its chariot, and thy young lions consumed off a sword, and I have cut off from the land thy prey, and not heard any more is the voice of thy messengers. Chapter 3 Woe to the city of blood, she is all with lies, burglary, full, prey doth not depart, the sound of a whip, and the sound of the rattling of a wheel, and of a prancing horse, and of a bounding chariot, of a horseman mounting, and the flame of a sword, and the lightning of a spear, and the abundance of the wounded, and the weight of carcasses, yea, there is no end to the bodies, they stumble over their bodies, because of the abundance of the fornications of Anne Harlett, the goodness of the grace of the Lady of Witchcrafts, who is selling nations by her fornications, and families by her witchcrafts. Lo, I am against thee, an affirmation of Jehovah of hosts, and have removed thy skirts before thy face, and have shooed nations thy nakedness, and kingdoms thy shame, and I have cast upon thee abominations, and dishonored thee, and made thee as a sight. And it hath come to pass each of thy beholders fleeeth from thee, and hath said, spoiled is Nineveh, who doth bemoan for her, whence do I seek comforters for thee? Are thou better than no amon that is dwelling among brooks? Waters she hath round about her, whose bulwark is the sea, waters her wall. Cush her might, and Egypt, and there is no end. Putt and Lubim have been for thy help. Even she doth become an exile, she hath gone into captivity, even her sucklings are dashed to pieces at the top of all outplaces, and for her honoured ones they cast a lot, and all her great ones have been bound in fetters. Even thou art drunken, thou art hidden, even thou dost seek a strong place because of an enemy. All thy fortresses are fig trees with first fruits, if they are shaken they have fallen into the mouth of the eater. Low, thy people are women in thy midst, to thine enemies thoroughly opened have been the gates of thy land, consumed hath fire thy bars. Waters of a siege, draw for thyself, strengthen thy fortresses, enter into mire and tread on clay, make strong a brick kiln. There consume thee doth a fire, cut thee off doth a sword, it doth consume thee as a canker worm, make thyself heavy as the canker worm, make thyself heavy as the locust. Multiply thy merchants above the stars of the heavens, the canker worm hath stripped off and doth flee away. Thy crowned ones are as a locust, and thy princes as great grasshoppers, that encamp in hedges in a day of cold. The sun hath risen and it doth flee away, and not known is its place where they are. Slumber'd have thy friends, King of Asur, rest do thine honourable ones, and have been thy people on the mountains, and there is none gathering. There is no weakening of thy destruction, grievous is thy smiting, all hearing thy fame have clapped the hand at thee, for over whom did not thy wickedness pass continually. The end of the Book of Nahum. Habakkuk, Chapter 1 The burden that Habakkuk the Prophet hath seen. Then, O Jehovah, have I cried, and thou dost not hear. I cry unto thee, violence! And thou dost not save. Why dost thou shoe me iniquity, and perversity dost cause to behold? And spoiling and violence are before me, and there is strife, and contention doth lift itself up. Therefore doth law cease, and judgment doth not go forth forever, for the wicked is compassing the righteous, and therefore wrong judgment goeth forth. Look ye on nations, and behold and marvel greatly, for a work he is working in your days, ye do not believe though it is declared. For lo, I am raising up the Chaldeans, the bitter and hasty nation that is going to the broad places of earth, to occupied tabernacles not its own. Terrible and fearful it is, from itself its judgment and its excellency go forth. Faster than leopards have been its horses, and sharper than evening wolves, and increased have its horsemen, even its horsemen from afar come in. They fly as an eagle, hasting to consume. Holy for violence it doth come in, their faces swallowing up the east wind, and it doth gather as the sand a captivity, and at kings it doth scoff, and princes are a laughter to it. At every fenced place it doth laugh, and keepeth of dust, and captureeth it. Then passed on half the spirit, ye he doth transgress, and doth ascribe this his power to his God. Art thou not of old, O Jehovah, my God, my Holy One? We do not die, O Jehovah, for judgment thou hast appointed it, and, O Rock, for reproof, thou hast founded it. Pureer of eyes than to behold evil, to look on perverseness thou art not able. Why dost thou behold the treacherous? Thou keepest silent when the wicked doth swallow the more righteous than he, and thou makest man as fishes of the sea, as a creeping thing, none ruling over him. Each of them with a hook he hath brought up, he doth catch it in his net, and gather it in his drag, therefore he doth joy and rejoice, therefore he doth sacrifice to his net, and doth make perfume to his drag, for by them is his portion fertile, and his food fat. Doth he therefore empty his net, and continually to slay nations spare not? Chapter 2 On my charge I stand, and I station myself on a bulwark, and I watch to see what he doth speak against me, and what I do reply to my reproof, and Jehovah answereth me and sayeth, write a vision, and explain on the tables that he may run who is reading it, for yet the vision is for a season, and it breatheth for the end, and doth not lie. If it tarry, wait for it, for surely it cometh, it is not late. Low, a presumptuous one, not upright is his soul within him, and the righteous by his steadfastness liveeth. And also, because the wine is treacherous, a man is haughty, and remaineth not at home, who hath enlarged as shield his soul, and is as death that is not satisfied, and doth gather unto itself all the nations, and doth assemble unto itself all the peoples. Do not these, all of them, against him a simile taken up, and a moral of acute sayings for him, and say woe to him who is multiplying what is not his? Till when also is he multiplying to himself heavy pledges? Do not thy usurers instantly rise up, and those shaking thee awake up, and thou hast been for a spoil to them? Because thou hast spoiled many nations, spoil thee do all the remnant of the peoples, because of man's blood, and of violence to the land, to the city, and to all dwelling in it. Woe to him who is gaining evil gain for his house, to set on high his nest, to be delivered from the hand of evil. Thou hast counseled a shameful thing to thy house, to cut off many peoples, and sinful is thy soul. For a stone from the wall doth cry out, and a holdfast from the wood answereth it. Woe to him who is building a city by blood, and establishing a city by iniquity. Lo, is it not from Jehovah of hosts, that peoples are fatigued for fire, and nations for vanity are weary? For full is the earth of the knowledge of the honor of Jehovah, as waters cover the bottom of a sea. Woe to him who is giving drink to his neighbor, pouring out thy bottle, and also making drunk in order to look on their nakedness. Thou hast been filled, shame without honor, drink thou also and be uncircumcised, turn round unto thee doth the cup of the right hand of Jehovah, and shameful spewing is on thine honor. For violence to Lebanon doth cover thee, and spoil of beasts doth affright them, because of man's blood, and of violence to the land, to the city, and to all dwelling in it. What profit hath a graven image, given that its former hath graven it, a molten image and teacher of falsehood, that trusted hath the former on his own formation to make dumb idols? Woe to him who is saying to wood, awake, stir up to a dumb stone, it a teacher, low it is overlaid, gold and silver, and there is no spirit in its midst. And Jehovah is in his holy temple, be silent before him all the earth. Chapter 3 A Prayer of Habakkuk the Prophet Concerning Earring Ones O Jehovah, I heard thy report. I have been afraid, O Jehovah, thy work in midst of years revive it. In the midst of years thou makest known in anger, thou doth remember mercy. God from Tiemann doth come, the holy one from Mount Paran, pause, cover the heavens hath his majesty, and his praise hath filled the earth. And the brightness is as the light. He hath raised out of his hand, and there the hiding of his strength. Before him goeth pestilence, and a burning flame goeth forth at his feet. He hath stood, and he measureeth earth. He hath seen, and he shakeeth off nations, and scatter themselves to mountains of antiquity. Bowed have the hills of old, the ways of old are his. Under sorrow I have seen tents of Kushan, trembled do curtains of the land of Midian. Against rivers hath Jehovah been wrath. Against rivers is thine anger. Against the sea is thy wrath. For thou dost ride on thy horses, thy chariots of salvation. Utterly naked thou dost make thy bow. Sworn are the tribes, saying, pause, with rivers thou dost cleave the earth. Seen thee, pained are mountains, and inundation of waters hath passed over, given forth hath the deep its voice. High its hands it hath lifted up. Sun, moon hath stood. Ahabitation, at the light thine arrows go on, at the brightness the glittering of thy spear. In indignation thou dost tread earth, in anger thou dost thresh nations. Thou hast gone forth for the salvation of thy people. For salvation with thine anointed, thou hast smitten the head of the house of the wicked, laying bare the foundation unto the neck. Pause! Thou hast pierced with his staves the head of his leaders. They are tempestuous to scatter me. Their exultation is as to consume the poor in secret. Thou hast proceeded through the sea with thy horses, the clay of many waters. I have heard, and my belly trembleth, at the noise hath my lips quivered, rottenness doth come into my bones, and in my place I do tremble, that I rest for a day of distress, at the coming up of the people he overcometh it. Though the fig tree doth not flourish, and there is no produce among vines, failed hath the work of the olive, and fields hath not yielded food, cut off from the fold hath been the flock, and there is no herd in the stalls. Yet I, in Jehovah I exalt, I do joy in the God of my salvation. Jehovah the Lord is my strength, and he doth make my feet like hines, and on my high places causeth me to tread, to the overseer with my stringed instruments. The end of the Book of Habakkuk. I utterly consume all from off the face of the ground, an affirmation of Jehovah. I consume man and beast, I consume fowl of the heavens, and fishes of the sea, and the stumbling blocks, the wicked, and I have cut off man from the face of the ground, an affirmation of Jehovah. And stretched out my hand against Judah, and against all inhabiting Jerusalem, and cut off from this place the remnant of Baal, the name of the idolatrous priests with the priests, and those bowing themselves on the roofs to the host of the heavens, and those bowing themselves, swearing to Jehovah and swearing by Malcolm, and those removing from after Jehovah, and who have not sought Jehovah, nor be sought him. Hush! Because of the Lord Jehovah, for near is a day of Jehovah. For prepared hath Jehovah a sacrifice, he hath sanctified his invited ones. And it hath come to pass in the day of the sacrifice of Jehovah, that I have laid a charge on the heads, and on sons of the king, and on all putting on strange clothing. And I have laid a charge on everyone who is leaping over the threshold in that day, who are filling the house of their masters with violence and deceit. And there hath been in that day an affirmation of Jehovah. The noise of a cry from the fish gate, and of a howling from the second, and of great destruction from the hills. Howl ye inhabitants of the hollow place, for cut off hath been all the merchant people. Cut off hath been all bearing silver. And it hath come to pass at that time. I searched Jerusalem with lights, and I have laid a charge on the men who are hardened on their preserved things, who are saying in their heart, Jehovah doth no good, nor doth ye evil. And their wealth hath been for a spoil, and their houses for desolation. And they have built houses, and do not inhabit. And they have planted vineyards, and they do not drink their wine. Near is the great day of Jehovah, near and hasting exceedingly the noise of the day of Jehovah. Bitterly shriek there, doth a mighty one. A day of wrath is that day, a day of adversity and distress, a day of waste and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of cloud and thick darkness, a day of trumpet and shouting against the fence cities, and against the high corners. And I have sent distress to men, and they have walked as the blind. For against Jehovah they have sinned, and poured out is their blood as dust, and their flesh is as dung. Even their silver, even their gold, is not able to deliver them in a day of the wrath of Jehovah. And in the fire of his jealousy, consumed is the whole land, for only a hastened end doth he make of all the inhabitants of the land. Chapter 2 Bend yourselves, ye bend ye, o nation not desired, before the bringing forth of a statute, as chaff hath the day passed on, while yet not come in upon you doth the heat of the anger of Jehovah, while yet not come in upon you doth a day of the anger of Jehovah. Seek Jehovah all ye humble of the land, who his judgment have done. Seek ye righteousness, seek humility. It may be ye are hidden in a day of the anger of Jehovah. For Gaza is forsaken, and Ashkelon is for a desolation. Ashdod at noon they do cast her forth, and Ekron is rooted up. Ho, o inhabitants of the sea coast, nation of the charathites, a word of Jehovah is against you, Canaan, land of the Philistines, and I have destroyed thee without an inhabitant. And the sea coast hath been habitations, cottages for shepherds, and folds for a flock. And the coast hath been for the remnant of the house of Judah. By them they have pleasure, by the houses of Ashkelon at even they lie down, for inspect them doth Jehovah their God, and he hath turned back to their captivity. I have heard the reproach of Moab, and the revilings of the sons of Ammon, wherewith they reproached my people, and magnified themselves against their border. Therefore I live an affirmation of Jehovah of hosts, God of Israel. Surely Moab is as Sodom and the sons of Ammon as Gomorrah, and overrunning of nettles and salt pits, and a desolation unto the age. A residue of my people do seize them, and a remnant of my nation inherit them. This is to them for their arrogancey, because they have reproached, and they magnify themselves against the people of Jehovah of hosts. Fearful is Jehovah against them, for he may bear all gods of the land, and bow themselves to him, each from his place to all islanders of the nations. Also Ye Okushim, pierced of my sword, are they, and he stretcheth his hand against the north, and doth destroy Ashur, and he setteth Nineveh for a desolation, a dry land like a wilderness. And crouched in her midst have droves, every beast of the nation, both Pelican and Hedgehog in her knobs lodge. A voice doth sing at the window, Destruction is at the threshold, for the cedar work is exposed. This is the exulting city that is dwelling confidently, that is saying in her heart I am, and beside me there is none. How hath she been for a desolation, a crouching place for beasts, every one passing by her doth hiss, he doth shake his hand. Chapter 3 Woe to the rebellious and polluted, the oppressing city, she hath not harkened to the voice, she hath not accepted instruction in Jehovah she hath not trusted, unto her God she hath not drawn near. Her heads in her midst are roaring lions, her judges are evening wolves, they have not gnawn the bone in the morning. Her prophets unstable, men of treachery, her priests have polluted the sanctuary, they have violated the law. Jehovah is righteous in her midst, he doth not do perverseness, morning by morning his judgment light, it hath not been lacking, and the perverse doth not no shame. I have cut off nations, desolated have been their chief ones, I have laid waste their outplaces without any passing by, destroyed have been their cities, without man, without inhabitant. I have said only ye do fear me, ye do accept instruction, and her habitation is not cut off, all that I have appointed for her, but they have risen early, they have adopted all their doings. Therefore wait for me an affirmation of Jehovah, for the day of my rising for prey, for my judgment is to gather nations, to assemble kingdoms, to pour out on them mine indignation, all the heat of mine anger, for by the fire of my jealousy, consumed is all the earth. For then do I turn unto peoples a pure lip, to call all of them by the name of Jehovah, to serve him with one shoulder. From beyond the rivers of Cush, my supplicants, the daughter of my scattered ones, do bring my present. In that day thou art not ashamed because of any of thine actions, wherewith thou has transgressed against me. For then do I turn aside from thy midst, the exalting ones of thine excellency, and thou dost add no more to be haughty in my holy mountain. And I have left in thy midst a people, humble and poor, and they have trusted in the name of Jehovah. The remnant of Israel do know perversity, nor speak lies, nor found in their mouth is a deceitful tongue, for they have delight and have lain down, and there is none troubling. Cry aloud, O daughter of Zion, shout, O Israel, rejoice and exult with the whole heart, O daughter of Jerusalem. Jehovah hath turned aside thy judgments, he hath faced thine enemy. The king of Israel, Jehovah, is in thy midst, thou seeest evil no more. In that day it is said to Jerusalem, fear not, O Zion, let not thy hands be feeble. Jehovah, thy God, is in thy midst, a mighty one doth save. He rejoiceth over thee with joy. He doth work in his love. He joyeth over thee with singing. Mine afflicted from the appointed place I have gathered, from thee they have been, bearing for her sake reproach. Lo, I am dealing with all afflicting time, and I have saved the halting one, and the driven out ones I do gather, and have set them for a praise and for a name in all the land of their shame. At that time I bring you in, even at the time of my assembling you, for I give you for a name, and for a praise among all peoples of the land, in my turning back to your captivity before your eyes, said Jehovah. The end of the book of Zephaniah The Book of Haggai Chapter 1 In the second year of Darius the king, in the sixth month, in the first day of the month, hath a word of Jehovah been by the hand of Haggai the prophet, unto Zerubbable, son of Shealtia, governor of Judah, and unto Joshua, son of Josodec, the high priest, saying Thus spake Jehovah of hosts, saying This people, they have said The time hath not come, the time the house of Jehovah is to be built, and there is a word of Jehovah by the hand of Haggai the prophet, saying Is it time for you, you to dwell in your covered houses and this house to lie waste? And now, thus said Jehovah of hosts, set your heart to your ways. Ye have so much, and brought in little, to eat and not to satiety, to and not to drunkenness, to clothe, and none hath heat, and he who is hiring himself out is hiring himself for a bag pierced through. Thus said Jehovah of hosts, set your heart to your ways. Go up to the mountain, and ye have brought in wood, and build the house, and I am pleased with it, and I am honored, said Jehovah. Looking for much, and low, little, and ye brought it home, and I blew on it, wherefore an affirmation of Jehovah of hosts because of my house that is waste, and ye are running each to his house. Therefore over you refrained have the heavens from due and the land hath refrained its increase, and I proclaimed drought on the land and on the mountains, and on the corn, and on the new wine and on the oil, and on what the round doth bring forth, and on man, and on beast, and on all labor of the hands. And Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, and Joshua, son of Josedek, the high priest, and all the remnant of the people do hearken to the voice of Jehovah their God, and undo the words of Haggai the prophet as Jehovah their God had sent him, and the people are afraid of the face of Jehovah. And Haggai, messenger of Jehovah, in messages of Jehovah, speaketh to the people saying, I am with you, an affirmation of Jehovah. And Jehovah doth stir up the spirit of Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua, son of Josedek, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people, and they come in, and do work in the house of Jehovah of hosts their God in the twenty and fourth day of the sixth month, in the second year of Darius the king. Chapter 2 In the seventh month, in the twenty and first of the month, hath a word of Jehovah been by the hand of Haggai the prophet saying, Speak, I pray thee, unto Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and unto Joshua, son of Josedek, the high priest, and unto the remnant of the people saying, Who among you hath that saw this house in its former honor, and what are you seeing it now? Is it not compared with it as nothing in your eyes? And now be strong, O Zerubbabel, and affirmation of Jehovah, and be strong, O Joshua, son of Josedek, the high priest, and be strong, all ye people of the land, and affirmation of Jehovah, and do ye, for I am with you, and affirmation of Jehovah of hosts. The thing that I covenanted with you in your coming forth from Egypt, and my spirit is remaining in your midst, fear not. For thus said Jehovah of hosts, yet once more it is a little, and I am shaking the heavens and the earth, and the sea and the dry land, and I have shaken all the nations, and they have come to the desire of all the nations, and I have filled this house with honor, said Jehovah of hosts. The silver and mine the gold, and affirmation of Jehovah of hosts. Greater is the honor of this latter house than of the former, said Jehovah of hosts, and in this place do I give peace, and affirmation of Jehovah of hosts. On the twenty-and-fourth of the ninth month, in the second year of Darius, hath a word of Jehovah been by the hand of Haggai the prophet, saying, Thus said Jehovah of hosts, ask, I pray, the priests of the law, saying, Lo, one doth carry holy flesh in the skirt of his garment, and he hath come with his skirt against the bread, or against the potage, or against the wine, or against the oil, or against any food. Is it holy? And the priests answer and say, No. And Haggai saith, If the unclean of body doth come of these, is it unclean? And the priests answer and say, It is unclean. And Haggai answereth and saith, So is this people, and so is this nation before me, an affirmation of Jehovah, and so is every work of their hands, and that which they bring near there, it is unclean. And now lay it, I pray you, to your heart, from this day and onwards, before the stone to stone in the temple of Jehovah. From that time one hath come to a heap of twenty, and it hath been ten. He hath come unto the wine-fat to draw out fifty pure ores, and it hath been twenty. I have smitten you with blasting, and with mildew, and with hail, all the work of your hands, and there is none of you with me, an affirmation of Jehovah. Set it, I pray you, to your heart, from this day and onwards, from the twenty and fourth day of the ninth month, even from the day that the temple of Jehovah hath been founded, set it to your heart. Is the seed yet in the barn, and hither to the vine, and the fig, and the pomegranate, and the olive tree, have not borne from this day, I bless. And there is a word of Jehovah a second time unto Haggai on the twenty and fourth of the earth, saying, speak unto Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, saying, I am shaking the heavens and the earth, and have overturned the throne of kingdoms, and I have destroyed the strength of kingdoms of the nations, and overturned chariot and its charioteers, and come down have horses and their riders each by the sword of his brother. In that day, an affirmation of Jehovah son of Shealtiel, my servant, an affirmation of Jehovah and have set thee as a signet for on thee I have fixed an affirmation of Jehovah of hosts. The end of the book of Haggai. And the end of the books of Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, and Haggai from the young's literal translation of the Holy Bible. Recording by Mark Penfold.