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10 Woe to those [judges] who issue unrighteous decrees, and to the magistrates who keep causing unjust and oppressive decisions to be recorded,

To turn aside the needy from justice and to make plunder of the rightful claims of the poor of My people, that widows may be their spoil, and that they may make the fatherless their prey!

And what will you do in the day of visitation [of God’s wrath], and in the desolation which shall come from afar? To whom will you flee for help? And where will you deposit [for safekeeping] your wealth and with whom leave your glory?

Without Me they shall bow down among the prisoners, and they shall fall [overwhelmed] under the heaps of the slain [on the battlefield]. For all this, [God’s] anger is not turned away, but His hand is still stretched out [in judgment].

Woe to the Assyrian, the rod of My anger, the staff in whose hand is My indignation and fury [against Israel’s disobedience]!

I send [the Assyrian] against a hypocritical and godless nation and against the people of My wrath; I command him to take the spoil and to seize the prey and to tread them down like the mire in the streets.

However, this is not his intention [nor is the Assyrian aware that he is doing this at My bidding], neither does his mind so think and plan; but it is in his mind to destroy and cut off many nations.

For [the Assyrian] says, Are not my officers all either [subjugated] kings or their equal?

Is not Calno [of Babylonia conquered] like Carchemish [on the Euphrates]? Is not Hamath [in Upper Syria] like Arpad [her neighbor]? Is not Samaria [in Israel] like Damascus [in Syria]? [Have any of these cities been able to resist Assyria? Not one!]

10 As my hand has reached to the kingdoms of the idols [which were unable to defend them,] whose graven images were more to be feared and dreaded and more mighty than those of Jerusalem and of Samaria—

11 Shall I not be able to do to Jerusalem and her images as I have done to Samaria and her idols? [says the Assyrian]

12 Therefore when the Lord has completed all His work [of chastisement and purification to be executed] on Mount Zion and on Jerusalem, it shall be that He will inflict punishment on the fruit [the thoughts, words, and deeds] of the stout and arrogant heart of the king of Assyria and the haughtiness of his pride.

13 For [the Assyrian king] has said, I have done it solely by the power of my own hand and wisdom, for I have insight and understanding. I have removed the boundaries of the peoples and have robbed their treasures; and like a bull I have brought down those who sat on thrones and the inhabitants.

14 And my hand has found like a nest the wealth of the people; and as one gathers eggs that are forsaken, so I have gathered all the earth; and there was none that moved its wing, or that opened its mouth or chirped.

15 Shall the ax boast itself against him who chops with it? Or shall the saw magnify itself against him who wields it back and forth? As if a rod should wield those who lift it up, or as if a staff should lift itself up as if it were not wood [but a man of God]!

16 Therefore will the Lord, the Lord of hosts, send leanness among [the Assyrian’s] fat ones; and instead of his glory or under it He will kindle a burning like the burning of fire.

17 And the Light of Israel shall become a fire and His Holy One a flame, and it will [a]burn and devour [the Assyrian’s] thorns and briers in one day.(A)

18 [The Lord] will consume the glory of the [Assyrian’s] forest and of his fruitful field, both soul and body; and it shall be as when a sick man pines away or a standard-bearer faints.

19 And the remnant of the trees of his forest shall be few, so that a child may make a list of them.

20 And it shall be in that day that the remnant of Israel, and such as are escaped of the house of Jacob, shall no more lean upon him who smote them, but will lean upon the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, in truth.

21 A remnant will return [Shear-jashub, name of Isaiah’s son], a remnant of Jacob, to the mighty God.

22 For though your population, O Israel, be as the sand of the sea, only a remnant of it will return [and survive]. The [fully completed] destruction is decreed (decided upon and brought to an issue); it overflows with justice and righteousness [the infliction of just punishment].(B)

23 For the Lord, the Lord of hosts, will make a full end, whatever is determined or decreed [in Israel], in the midst of all the earth.

24 Therefore thus says the Lord, the Lord of hosts, O My people who dwell in Zion, do not be afraid of the Assyrian, who smites you with a rod and lifts up his staff against you, as [the king of] Egypt did.(C)

25 For yet a little while and My indignation against you shall be accomplished, and My anger shall be directed to destruction [of the Assyrian].

26 And the Lord of hosts shall stir up and brandish a scourge against them as when He smote Midian at the rock of Oreb; and as His rod was over the [Red] Sea, so shall He lift it up as He did in [the flight from] Egypt.(D)

27 And it shall be in that day that the burden of [the Assyrian] shall depart from your shoulders, and his yoke from your neck. The yoke shall be destroyed because of fatness [which prevents it from going around your neck].(E)

28 [The Assyrian with his army comes to Judah]. He arrives at Aiath; he passes through Migron; at Michmash he gets rid of his baggage [by storing it].

29 They go through the pass, they make Geba their camping place for the night; Ramah is afraid and trembles, Gibeah [the city] of [King] Saul flees.

30 Cry aloud [in consternation], O Daughter of Gallim! Hearken, O Laishah! [Answer her] O you poor Anathoth!

31 Madmenah is in flight; the inhabitants of Gebim seize their belongings and make their households flee for safety.

32 This very day [the Assyrian] will halt at Nob [the city of priests], shaking his fist at the mountain of the Daughter of Zion, at the hill of Jerusalem.

33 [But just when the Assyrian is in sight of his goal] behold, the Lord, the Lord of hosts, will lop off the beautiful boughs with terrorizing force; the high in stature will be hewn down and the lofty will be brought low.

34 And He will cut down the thickets of the forest with an ax, and Lebanon [the Assyrian] with its majestic trees shall fall by the Mighty One and mightily.(F)

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 10:17 During a single night this prophecy was fulfilled, when “the Angel of the Lord went forth and slew 185,000 in the camp of the Assyrians; and when the living arose early in the morning, behold, all these were dead bodies” (II Kings 19:35)—just when their victory over God’s people had seemed certain.

10 ¡Ay de los que emiten estatutos injustos
    y publican edictos opresivos!
Privan de sus derechos a los pobres
    y no les hacen justicia a los oprimidos de mi pueblo;
hacen de las viudas su presa
    y saquean a los huérfanos.
¿Qué van a hacer cuando deban rendir cuentas,
    cuando llegue desde lejos la tormenta?
¿A quién acudirán en busca de ayuda?
    ¿En dónde dejarán sus riquezas?
No les quedará más remedio que humillarse entre los cautivos
    o morir entre los masacrados.

A pesar de todo esto,
    la ira de Dios no se ha aplacado;
    su mano aún sigue extendida.

Juicio de Dios sobre Asiria

«¡Ay de Asiria, vara de mi ira!
    ¡El garrote de mi enojo está en su mano!
Lo envío contra una nación impía,
    lo mando contra un pueblo que me enfurece,
para saquearlo y despojarlo,
    para pisotearlo como al barro de las calles.
Pero esto Asiria no se lo propuso;
    ¡ni siquiera lo pensó!
Solo busca destruir
    y aniquilar a muchas naciones.
Pues dice: “¿Acaso no son reyes todos mis comandantes?
    ¿No es Calnó como Carquemis?
¿No es Jamat como Arfad
    y Samaria como Damasco?
10 Así como alcanzó mi mano a los reinos de los ídolos,
    reinos cuyas imágenes superaban a las de Jerusalén y de Samaria,
11 y así como hice con Samaria y sus dioses,
    también haré con Jerusalén y sus ídolos”».

12 Cuando el Señor termine lo que va a hacer contra el monte Sión y contra Jerusalén, él dirá: «Castigaré el fruto del orgulloso corazón del rey de Asiria y la arrogancia de sus ojos. 13 Porque afirma:

»“Esto lo hizo el poder de mi mano;
    lo hizo mi sabiduría porque soy inteligente.
He cambiado las fronteras de los pueblos,
    he saqueado sus tesoros;
    como un guerrero poderoso he derribado a sus reyes.
14 Como quien mete la mano en un nido,
    me he adueñado de la riqueza de los pueblos;
como quien recoge huevos abandonados,
    me he apoderado de toda la tierra;
y no hubo nadie que aleteara
    ni abriera el pico para piar”».

15 ¿Puede acaso gloriarse el hacha más que el que la maneja
    o jactarse la sierra contra quien la usa?
¡Como si pudiera el bastón manejar a quien lo tiene en la mano
    o la frágil vara pudiera levantar a quien pesa más que la madera!
16 Por eso enviará el Señor,
    el Señor de los Ejércitos,
una enfermedad devastadora
    sobre sus robustos guerreros.
En vez de honrarlos, les prenderá fuego,
    un fuego como de llama ardiente.
17 La Luz de Israel se convertirá en fuego;
    su Santo se volverá una llama.
En un solo día quemará sus espinos
    y consumirá sus zarzas.
18 Destruirá de extremo a extremo
    el esplendor de sus bosques y de sus huertos,
    como enfermo carcomido por la plaga.
19 Tan pocos árboles quedarán en su bosque
    que hasta un niño podrá contarlos.

El remanente de Israel

20 En aquel día ni el remanente de Israel
    ni los sobrevivientes del pueblo de Jacob
volverán a apoyarse
    en quien los hirió de muerte,
sino que su apoyo verdadero
    será el Señor, el Santo de Israel.
21 Y un remanente volverá;[a]
    un remanente de Jacob volverá al Dios Fuerte.
22 Israel, aunque tu pueblo sea como la arena del mar,
    solo un remanente volverá.
Se ha decretado destrucción,
    abrumadora justicia.
23 Porque el Señor, el Señor de los Ejércitos,
    ejecutará la destrucción decretada contra todo el país.

24 Por eso, así dice el Señor, el Señor de los Ejércitos:

«Pueblo mío que vives en Sión,
    no tengas temor de Asiria,
aunque te golpee con el bastón
    y contra ti levante una vara, como lo hizo Egipto.
25 Dentro de muy poco tiempo
    mi indignación contra ti llegará a su fin y mi ira destruirá a tus enemigos».

26 Con un látigo los azotará el Señor de los Ejércitos,
    como cuando abatió a Madián en la roca de Oreb;
levantará sobre el mar su vara,
    como lo hizo en Egipto.
27 En aquel día
    esa carga se te quitará de los hombros
y, a causa de la gordura,
    se romperá el yugo que llevas en el cuello.

28 Llega el enemigo hasta Ayat,
    pasa por Migrón
    y deja en Micmás su equipaje.
29 Cruza el paso y dice:
    «Acamparemos en Gueba».
Ramá se pone a temblar,
    y huye Guibeá, ciudad de Saúl.
30 ¡Clama a gritos, hija de Galín!
    ¡Escucha, Lais!
    ¡Pobre Anatot!
31 Se ha puesto en fuga Madmena;
    los habitantes de Guebín buscan refugio.
32 Hoy mismo se detendrá en Nob;
    agitará su puño contra el monte
de la ciudad de Sión,
    el monte de Jerusalén.

33 ¡Miren! El Señor, el Señor de los Ejércitos,
    desgaja las ramas con fuerza increíble.
Los árboles más altos son talados;
    los más elevados son abatidos.
34 Derriba con un hacha la espesura del bosque
    y el esplendor del Líbano se viene abajo.

Footnotes

  1. 10:21 un remanente volverá. Véase nota en 7:3.

10 Woe(A) to those who make unjust laws,
    to those who issue oppressive decrees,(B)
to deprive(C) the poor of their rights
    and withhold justice from the oppressed of my people,(D)
making widows their prey
    and robbing the fatherless.(E)
What will you do on the day of reckoning,(F)
    when disaster(G) comes from afar?
To whom will you run for help?(H)
    Where will you leave your riches?
Nothing will remain but to cringe among the captives(I)
    or fall among the slain.(J)

Yet for all this, his anger is not turned away,(K)
    his hand is still upraised.

God’s Judgment on Assyria

“Woe(L) to the Assyrian,(M) the rod(N) of my anger,
    in whose hand is the club(O) of my wrath!(P)
I send him against a godless(Q) nation,
    I dispatch(R) him against a people who anger me,(S)
to seize loot and snatch plunder,(T)
    and to trample(U) them down like mud in the streets.
But this is not what he intends,(V)
    this is not what he has in mind;
his purpose is to destroy,
    to put an end to many nations.
‘Are not my commanders(W) all kings?’ he says.
    ‘Has not Kalno(X) fared like Carchemish?(Y)
Is not Hamath(Z) like Arpad,(AA)
    and Samaria(AB) like Damascus?(AC)
10 As my hand seized the kingdoms of the idols,(AD)
    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?(AE)’”

12 When the Lord has finished all his work(AF) against Mount Zion(AG) and Jerusalem, he will say, “I will punish the king of Assyria(AH) for the willful pride(AI) of his heart and the haughty look(AJ) in his eyes. 13 For he says:

“‘By the strength of my hand(AK) I have done this,(AL)
    and by my wisdom, because I have understanding.
I removed the boundaries of nations,
    I plundered their treasures;(AM)
    like a mighty one I subdued[a] their kings.(AN)
14 As one reaches into a nest,(AO)
    so my hand reached for the wealth(AP) of the nations;
as people gather abandoned eggs,
    so I gathered all the countries;(AQ)
not one flapped a wing,
    or opened its mouth to chirp.(AR)’”

15 Does the ax raise itself above the person who swings it,
    or the saw boast against the one who uses it?(AS)
As if a rod were to wield the person who lifts it up,
    or a club(AT) brandish the one who is not wood!
16 Therefore, the Lord, the Lord Almighty,
    will send a wasting disease(AU) upon his sturdy warriors;(AV)
under his pomp(AW) a fire(AX) will be kindled
    like a blazing flame.
17 The Light of Israel will become a fire,(AY)
    their Holy One(AZ) a flame;
in a single day it will burn and consume
    his thorns(BA) and his briers.(BB)
18 The splendor of his forests(BC) and fertile fields
    it will completely destroy,(BD)
    as when a sick person wastes away.
19 And the remaining trees of his forests(BE) will be so few(BF)
    that a child could write them down.

The Remnant of Israel

20 In that day(BG) the remnant of Israel,
    the survivors(BH) of Jacob,
will no longer rely(BI) on him
    who struck them down(BJ)
but will truly rely(BK) on the Lord,
    the Holy One of Israel.(BL)
21 A remnant(BM) will return,[b](BN) a remnant of Jacob
    will return to the Mighty God.(BO)
22 Though your people be like the sand(BP) by the sea, Israel,
    only a remnant will return.(BQ)
Destruction has been decreed,(BR)
    overwhelming and righteous.
23 The Lord, the Lord Almighty, will carry out
    the destruction decreed(BS) upon the whole land.(BT)

24 Therefore this is what the Lord, the Lord Almighty, says:

“My people who live in Zion,(BU)
    do not be afraid(BV) of the Assyrians,
who beat(BW) you with a rod(BX)
    and lift up a club against you, as Egypt did.
25 Very soon(BY) my anger against you will end
    and my wrath(BZ) will be directed to their destruction.(CA)

26 The Lord Almighty will lash(CB) them with a whip,
    as when he struck down Midian(CC) at the rock of Oreb;
and he will raise his staff(CD) over the waters,(CE)
    as he did in Egypt.
27 In that day(CF) their burden(CG) will be lifted from your shoulders,
    their yoke(CH) from your neck;(CI)
the yoke(CJ) will be broken
    because you have grown so fat.[c]

28 They enter Aiath;
    they pass through Migron;(CK)
    they store supplies(CL) at Mikmash.(CM)
29 They go over the pass, and say,
    “We will camp overnight at Geba.(CN)
Ramah(CO) trembles;
    Gibeah(CP) of Saul flees.(CQ)
30 Cry out, Daughter Gallim!(CR)
    Listen, Laishah!
    Poor Anathoth!(CS)
31 Madmenah is in flight;
    the people of Gebim take cover.
32 This day they will halt at Nob;(CT)
    they will shake their fist(CU)
at the mount of Daughter Zion,(CV)
    at the hill of Jerusalem.

33 See, the Lord, the Lord Almighty,
    will lop off(CW) the boughs with great power.
The lofty trees will be felled,(CX)
    the tall(CY) ones will be brought low.(CZ)
34 He will cut down(DA) the forest thickets with an ax;
    Lebanon(DB) will fall before the Mighty One.(DC)

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 10:13 Or treasures; / I subdued the mighty,
  2. Isaiah 10:21 Hebrew shear-jashub (see 7:3 and note); also in verse 22
  3. Isaiah 10:27 Hebrew; Septuagint broken / from your shoulders