Woe to the city of blood,
A woe is pronounced over Nineveh as a city of blood, lies, and ceaseless prey.
This verse opens the chapter with a moral verdict on the city.
1Woe to the city of blood, 2The crack of the whip, 3Charging horseman, 4because of the many harlotries of the harlot, 5“Behold, I am against you,” 6I will pelt you with filth 7Then all who see you 8Are you better than Thebes, 9Cush and Egypt were her boundless strength; 10Yet she became an exile; 11You too will become drunk; 12All your fortresses are fig trees 13Look at your troops — 14Draw your water for the siege; 15There the fire will devour you; 16You have multiplied your merchants 17Your guards are like the swarming locust, 18O king of Assyria, your shepherds slumber; 19There is no healing for your injury;