Hail might strip the forests bare. Cities might be completely destroyed.

（但要降冰雹打倒树林；城必全然拆平。）

虽有冰雹击倒树林，城也夷为平地；

虽有冰雹击倒树林，城也夷为平地；

但冰雹必扫平森林，荡平城邑。

但在敌人的国土中，必有冰雹降下，打倒他们的树林，他们的城必被夷平。

尽管冰雹降下击倒森林、城邑彻底败落，

（但要降冰雹打倒樹林；城必全然拆平。）

雖有冰雹擊倒樹林，城也夷為平地；

雖有冰雹擊倒樹林，城也夷為平地；

但冰雹必掃平森林，蕩平城邑。

但在敵人的國土中，必有冰雹降下，打倒他們的樹林，他們的城必被夷平。

雖則樹林都完全倒下來，京城都全毁為平地。

儘管冰雹降下擊倒森林、城邑徹底敗落，

維彼叢林、必雨雹而摧之、維彼城邑、必盡毀而下之、

維彼林木、必遭雹擊、惟彼城垣、必至傾圮。

先必降雹、擊折樹林、城必傾塌、陷於漥處、

Though hail flattens the forest and the city is leveled completely,

And it will hail when the forest falls down, and the city will be utterly laid low.

Even if the forest should be destroyed and the city torn down,

But hail will level the forest, and the city will sink into the depths.

And it will hail when the forest comes down, And the city will be utterly laid low.

Though hail comes down on the forest, And the city is brought low in humiliation.

But it shall hail in the downfall of the forest; and the city shall be utterly laid low.

But hail will level the forest, and the city will sink into the depths.

When it shall hail, coming down on the forest; and the city shall be low in a low place.

Even if the forest is destroyed and the city is annihilated,

though hail flattens the forest, and the city is leveled completely.

I will use a measuring line to prove that you have not been fair. I will use a plumb line to prove that you have not done what is right. Hail will sweep away the lies you depend on to keep you safe. Water will flood your hiding place.

The Lord will bring the strong and powerful king of Assyria against Samaria. The Lord will throw that city down to the ground with great force. It will be like a hailstorm. It will be like a wind that destroys everything. It will be like a driving rain and a flooding storm.

He brings down those who are proud. He pulls down cities that have high walls. They fall down flat on the ground. He throws them down to the dust.

The Lord will cause people to hear his powerful voice. He will make them see his arm coming down to punish them. It will come down with burning anger and destroying fire. It will come down with rain, thunderstorms and hail.

Juniper trees, cry out! The cedar trees have fallen down. The majestic trees are destroyed. Cry out, you oak trees of Bashan! The thick forest has been cut down.

So at this time tomorrow I will send the worst hailstorm ever to fall on Egypt in its entire history.Give an order now to bring your livestock inside to a safe place. Bring in everything that is outside. The hail will fall on all the people and animals that are left outside. They will die.” ’ ”The officials of Pharaoh who had respect for what the Lord had said obeyed him. They hurried to bring their slaves and their livestock inside.But others didn’t pay attention to what the Lord had said. They left their slaves and livestock outside.Then the Lord spoke to Moses. He said,“ Reach out your hand toward the sky. Then hail will fall all over Egypt. It will beat down on people and animals alike. It will strike everything growing in the fields of Egypt.”Moses reached out his walking stick toward the sky. Then the Lord sent thunder and hail. Lightning flashed down to the ground. The Lord rained hail on the land of Egypt.Hail fell and lightning flashed back and forth. It was the worst storm in Egypt’s entire history.Hail struck everything in the fields all over Egypt. It fell on people and animals alike. It beat down everything growing in the fields. It tore all the leaves off the trees.The only place it didn’t hail was in the area of Goshen. That’s where the people of Israel were.

Poor people have come to you for safety. You have kept needy people safe when they were in trouble. You have been a place to hide when storms came. You have been a shade from the heat of the sun. Evil people attack us. They are like a storm beating against a wall.

“ I will rise up against them,” announces the Lord who rules over all.“ I will destroy Babylon. It will not be remembered anymore. No one will be left alive there. I will destroy its people and their children after them,” announces the Lord.“ I will turn it into a place where nothing but owls can live. I will turn it into a swamp. I will sweep through it like a broom and destroy everything,” announces the Lord who rules over all.

Tell those who do this that their wall is going to fall. Heavy rains will come. I will send hailstones crashing down. Powerful winds will blow.The wall will fall down. Then people will ask them,‘ Now where is the paint you covered it with?’ ”“‘ So the Lord and King speaks. He says,“ When I am very angry, I will send a powerful wind. Hailstones and heavy rains will come. They will fall with great force.

The rain comes down. The water rises. The winds blow and beat against that house. But it does not fall. It is built on the rock.

Through your messengers you have laughed at me again and again. And you have said,‘ I have many chariots. With them I have climbed to the tops of the mountains. I’ve climbed the highest mountains in Lebanon. I’ve cut down its tallest cedar trees. I’ve cut down the best of its juniper trees. I’ve reached its farthest mountains. I’ve reached its finest forests.

Destroyed cities will lie empty. People will lock themselves inside their houses.

Cities that have high walls around them will become empty. They will be settlements with no one in them. They will be like a desert. Calves will eat and lie down in them. They will strip bare the branches of their trees.

Here is a prophecy the Lord gave Nahum, who was from the town of Elkosh. The prophecy came in a vision and is written in a book. The prophecy is about Nineveh.

The first angel blew his trumpet. Hail and fire mixed with blood were thrown down on the earth. A third of the earth was burned up. A third of the trees were burned up. All the green grass was burned up.

But he will destroy Nineveh with a powerful flood. He will chase his enemies into the place of darkness.

Nineveh is destroyed, robbed and stripped! Hearts melt away in fear. Knees give way. Bodies tremble with fear. Everyone’s face turns pale.Assyria is like a lion. Where is the lions’ den now? Where did they feed their cubs? Where did all the lions go? In their den they had nothing to fear.The lion killed enough for his cubs to eat. He choked what he caught for his mate. He filled his home with what he had killed. He brought to his dens what he had caught.“ Nineveh, I am against you,” announces the Lord who rules over all.“ I will burn up your chariots with fire. Your young lions will be killed by swords. I will leave you nothing on earth to catch. The voices of your messengers will no longer be heard.”

It will be like the trees of their forests. So few of them will be left standing that even a child could count them.

Then a mighty angel picked up a huge rock. It was the size of a large millstone. He threw it into the sea. Then he said,“ That is how the great city of Babylon will be thrown down. Never again will it be found.