Isaiah 10:5-15
New International Version
God’s Judgment on Assyria
5 “Woe(A) to the Assyrian,(B) the rod(C) of my anger,
in whose hand is the club(D) of my wrath!(E)
6 I send him against a godless(F) nation,
I dispatch(G) him against a people who anger me,(H)
to seize loot and snatch plunder,(I)
and to trample(J) them down like mud in the streets.
7 But this is not what he intends,(K)
this is not what he has in mind;
his purpose is to destroy,
to put an end to many nations.
8 ‘Are not my commanders(L) all kings?’ he says.
9 ‘Has not Kalno(M) fared like Carchemish?(N)
Is not Hamath(O) like Arpad,(P)
and Samaria(Q) like Damascus?(R)
10 As my hand seized the kingdoms of the idols,(S)
kingdoms whose images excelled those of Jerusalem and Samaria—
11 shall I not deal with Jerusalem and her images
as I dealt with Samaria and her idols?(T)’”
12 When the Lord has finished all his work(U) against Mount Zion(V) and Jerusalem, he will say, “I will punish the king of Assyria(W) for the willful pride(X) of his heart and the haughty look(Y) in his eyes. 13 For he says:
“‘By the strength of my hand(Z) I have done this,(AA)
and by my wisdom, because I have understanding.
I removed the boundaries of nations,
I plundered their treasures;(AB)
like a mighty one I subdued[a] their kings.(AC)
14 As one reaches into a nest,(AD)
so my hand reached for the wealth(AE) of the nations;
as people gather abandoned eggs,
so I gathered all the countries;(AF)
not one flapped a wing,
or opened its mouth to chirp.(AG)’”
Footnotes
- Isaiah 10:13 Or treasures; / I subdued the mighty,
Isaiah 10:5-15
King James Version
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.
Read full chapter
Isaiah 10:5-15
English Standard Version
Judgment on Arrogant Assyria
5 Woe to Assyria, (A)the rod of my anger;
the staff in their hands is my fury!
6 Against a (B)godless nation I send him,
and against the people of my wrath I command him,
to take (C)spoil and seize plunder,
and to (D)tread them down like the mire of the streets.
7 But he (E)does not so intend,
and his heart does not so think;
but it is in his heart to destroy,
and to cut off nations not a few;
8 for he says:
(F)“Are not my commanders all kings?
9 (G)Is not (H)Calno like (I)Carchemish?
Is not (J)Hamath like (K)Arpad?
(L)Is not (M)Samaria like Damascus?
10 As my hand has reached to (N)the kingdoms of the idols,
whose carved images were greater than those of Jerusalem and Samaria,
11 shall I not do to Jerusalem and (O)her idols
(P)as I have done to Samaria and her images?”
12 (Q)When the Lord has finished all his work on Mount Zion and on Jerusalem, (R)he[a] will punish the speech[b] of the arrogant heart of the king of Assyria and the boastful look in his eyes. 13 (S)For he says:
“By the strength of my hand I have done it,
and by my wisdom, for I have understanding;
I remove the boundaries of peoples,
and plunder their treasures;
like a bull I bring down those who sit on thrones.
14 My hand has found like a nest
the wealth of the peoples;
and as one gathers eggs that have been forsaken,
so I have gathered all the earth;
and there was none that moved a wing
or opened the mouth or chirped.”
15 Shall (T)the axe boast over him who hews with it,
or the saw magnify itself against him who wields it?
As if a rod should wield him who lifts it,
or as if a staff should lift him who is not wood!
Footnotes
- Isaiah 10:12 Hebrew I
- Isaiah 10:12 Hebrew fruit
Isaiah 10:5-15
New American Standard Bible
5 Woe to (A)Assyria, the (B)rod of My anger
And the staff in whose hands is (C)My indignation,
6 I send it against a (D)godless nation
And commission it against the (E)people of My fury
To capture spoils and (F)to seize plunder,
And to [a]trample them down like (G)mud in the streets.
7 Yet it (H)does not so intend,
Nor does [b]it plan so in its heart,
But rather it is [c]its purpose to destroy
And to eliminate [d]many nations.
8 For it says, “Are not my officers [e]all kings?
9 Is not (I)Calno like (J)Carchemish,
Or (K)Hamath like Arpad,
Or (L)Samaria like (M)Damascus?
10 As my hand has reached to the (N)kingdoms of the idols,
Whose carved images were greater than those of Jerusalem and Samaria,
11 Shall I not do the same to Jerusalem and her images
Just as I have done to Samaria and (O)her idols?”
12 So it will be that when the Lord has completed all His (P)work on Mount Zion and on Jerusalem, He will say, “I will [f]punish the fruit of the arrogant heart of the king of Assyria and (Q)the arrogant pride of his eyes.” 13 For (R)he has said,
“By the power of my hand and by my wisdom I did this,
Because I have understanding;
And I (S)removed the boundaries of the peoples
And plundered their treasures,
And like a powerful man I brought down [g]their inhabitants,
14 And my hand reached to the riches of the peoples like a (T)nest,
And as one gathers abandoned eggs, I gathered all the earth;
And there was not one that flapped its wing, opened its beak, or chirped.”
15 Is the (U)axe to (V)boast itself over the one who chops with it?
Is the saw to exalt itself over the one who wields it?
That would be like (W)a [h]club wielding those who lift it,
Or like (X)a rod lifting the one who is not wood.
Footnotes
- Isaiah 10:6 Lit make them a trampled place
- Isaiah 10:7 Lit its heart so plan
- Isaiah 10:7 Lit in its heart
- Isaiah 10:7 Lit not a few
- Isaiah 10:8 Lit altogether
- Isaiah 10:12 Lit visit
- Isaiah 10:13 Or those who sit on thrones
- Isaiah 10:15 Lit staff
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.


