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The river gates[a] are opened,
    the palace is washed away.
The mistress is led forth captive,
    and her maidservants[b] led away,
Moaning like doves,
    beating their breasts.
Nineveh is like a pool
    whose waters escape;
“Stop! Stop!”
    but none turns back.(A)

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Footnotes

  1. 2:7 River gates: a network of canals brought water into Nineveh from the Tigris and Khosr Rivers on which the city was located.
  2. 2:8 Mistress…and her maidservants: either the queen of Nineveh with the ladies of her court, or the city of Nineveh itself, pictured as a noblewoman (3:4).

It is decreed[a] that Nineveh
    be exiled and carried away.
Her female slaves moan(A) like doves
    and beat on their breasts.(B)
Nineveh is like a pool
    whose water is draining away.
“Stop! Stop!” they cry,
    but no one turns back.
Plunder the silver!
    Plunder the gold!
The supply is endless,
    the wealth from all its treasures!

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Footnotes

  1. Nahum 2:7 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.