10 Woe
unto them that decree unrighteous decrees, and that write grievousness
which they have prescribed; 2 To
turn aside the needy from judgment, and to take away the right from the
poor of my people, that widows may be their prey, and that they may rob
the fatherless! 3 And
what will ye do in the day of visitation, and in the desolation which
shall come from far? to whom will ye flee for help? and where will ye
leave your glory? 4 Without
me they shall bow down under the prisoners, and they shall fall under
the slain. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is
stretched out still. 5 O
Assyrian, the rod of mine anger, and the staff in their hand is mine indignation. 6 I
will send him against an hypocritical nation, and against the people of
my wrath will I give him a charge, to take the spoil, and to take the
prey, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets. 7 Howbeit
he meaneth not so, neither doth his heart think so; but it is in his heart
to destroy and cut off nations not a few. 8 For
he saith, Are not my princes altogether kings? 9 Is
not Calno as Carchemish? is not Hamath as Arpad? is not Samaria as Damascus? 10 As
my hand hath found the kingdoms of the idols, and whose graven images
did excel them of Jerusalem and of Samaria; 11 Shall
I not, as I have done unto Samaria and her idols, so do to Jerusalem and
her idols? 12 Wherefore
it shall come to pass, that when the Lord hath performed his whole work
upon mount Zion and on Jerusalem, I will punish the fruit of the stout
heart of the king of Assyria, and the glory of his high looks. 13 For
he saith, By the strength of my hand I have done it, and by my wisdom;
for I am prudent: and I have removed the bounds of the people, and have
robbed their treasures, and I have put down the inhabitants like a valiant
man: 14 And
my hand hath found as a nest the riches of the people: and as one gathereth
eggs that are left, have I gathered all the earth; and there was none
that moved the wing, or opened the mouth, or peeped. 15 Shall
the axe boast itself against him that heweth therewith? or shall the saw
magnify itself against him that shaketh it? as if the rod should shake
itself against them that lift it up, or as if the staff should lift up
itself, as if it were no wood. 16 Therefore
shall the Lord, the Lord of hosts, send among his fat ones leanness; and
under his glory he shall kindle a burning like the burning of a fire.
17
And the light of Israel shall be for a fire, and his Holy One for a flame:
and it shall burn and devour his thorns and his briers in one day; 18 And
shall consume the glory of his forest, and of his fruitful field, both soul
and body: and they shall be as when a standard-bearer fainteth. 19 And
the rest of the trees of his forest shall be few, that a child may write
them. 20 And
it shall come to pass in that day, that the remnant of Israel, and such
as are escaped of the house of Jacob, shall no more again stay upon him
that smote them; but shall stay upon the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, in
truth. 21 The
remnant shall return, even the remnant of Jacob, unto the mighty God. 22 For
though thy people Israel be as the sand of the sea, yet a remnant of them
shall return: the consumption decreed shall overflow with righteousness. 23 For
the Lord GOD of hosts shall make a consumption, even determined, in the
midst of all the land. 24 Therefore
thus saith the Lord GOD of hosts, O my people that dwellest in Zion, be
not afraid of the Assyrian: he shall smite thee with a rod, and shall lift
up his staff against thee, after the manner of Egypt. 25 For
yet a very little while, and the indignation shall cease, and mine anger
in their destruction. 26 And
the LORD of hosts shall stir up a scourge for him according to the slaughter
of Midian at the rock of Oreb: and as his rod was upon the sea, so shall
he lift it up after the manner of Egypt. 27 And
it shall come to pass in that day, that his burden shall be taken away from
off thy shoulder, and his yoke from off thy neck, and the yoke shall be
destroyed because of the anointing. 28 He
is come to Aiath, he is passed to Migron; at Michmash he hath laid up his
carriages: 29 They
are gone over the passage: they have taken up their lodging at Geba; Ramah
is afraid; Gibeah of Saul is fled. 30 Lift
up thy voice, O daughter of Gallim: cause it to be heard unto Laish, O poor
Anathoth. 31 Madmenah
is removed; the inhabitants of Gebim gather themselves to flee. 32 As
yet shall he remain at Nob that day: he shall shake his hand against the
mount of the daughter of Zion, the hill of Jerusalem. 33 Behold,
the Lord, the LORD of hosts, shall lop the bough with terror: and the high
ones of stature shall be hewn down, and the haughty shall be humbled. 34 And
he shall cut down the thickets of the forest with iron, and Lebanon shall
fall by a mighty one.