4 They look like horses; they charge ahead like war horses. 5 They sound like chariots rumbling over mountain tops, like the crackling of blazing fire consuming stubble, like the noise of a mighty army being drawn up for battle. 6 People writhe in fear when they see them. All their faces turn pale with fright. 7 They charge like warriors; they scale walls like soldiers. Each one proceeds on his course; they do not alter their path. 8 They do not jostle one another; each of them marches straight ahead. They burst through the city defenses and do not break ranks.

8 Nineveh was like a pool of water throughout her days, but now her people are running away; she cries out: “Stop! Stop!”—but no one turns back. 9 Her conquerors cry out: “Plunder the silver! Plunder the gold!”There is no end to the treasure—riches of every kind of precious thing. 10 Destruction, devastation, and desolation! Hearts faint, knees tremble; every stomach churns, all their faces have turned pale! 11 Where now is the den of the lions and the feeding place of the young lions, where the lion, lioness, and lion cub once prowled and no one disturbed them? 12 The lion tore apart as much prey as his cubs needed and strangled prey for his lionesses; he filled his lairs with prey and his dens with torn flesh.