Arrogant Assyria Also Judged

“Woe to Assyria, (A)the rod of My anger
And the staff in whose hand is My indignation.
I will send him against (B)an ungodly nation,
And against the people of My wrath
I will (C)give him charge,
To seize the spoil, to take the prey,
And to tread them down like the mire of the streets.
(D)Yet he does not mean so,
Nor does his heart think so;
But it is in his heart to destroy,
And cut off not a few nations.
(E)For he says,
Are not my princes altogether kings?
Is not (F)Calno (G)like Carchemish?
Is not Hamath like Arpad?
Is not Samaria (H)like Damascus?
10 As my hand has found the kingdoms of the idols,
Whose carved images excelled those of Jerusalem and Samaria,
11 As I have done to Samaria and her idols,
Shall I not do also to Jerusalem and her idols?’ ”

12 Therefore it shall come to pass, when the Lord has [a]performed all His work (I)on Mount Zion and on Jerusalem, that He will say, (J)“I will punish the fruit of the arrogant heart of the king of Assyria, and the glory of his haughty looks.”

13 (K)For he says:

“By the strength of my hand I have done it,
And by my wisdom, for I am prudent;
Also I have removed the boundaries of the people,
And have robbed their treasuries;
So I have put down the inhabitants like a [b]valiant man.
14 (L)My hand has found like a nest the riches of the people,
And as one gathers eggs that are left,
I have gathered all the earth;
And there was no one who moved his wing,
Nor opened his mouth with even a peep.”

15 Shall (M)the ax boast itself against him who chops with it?
Or shall the saw exalt itself against him who saws with it?
As if a rod could wield itself against those who lift it up,
Or as if a staff could lift up, as if it were not wood!
16 Therefore the Lord, the [c]Lord of hosts,
Will send leanness among his fat ones;
And under his glory
He will kindle a burning
Like the burning of a fire.
17 So the Light of Israel will be for a fire,
And his Holy One for a flame;
(N)It will burn and devour
His thorns and his briers in one day.
18 And it will consume the glory of his forest and of (O)his fruitful field,
Both soul and body;
And they will be as when a sick man wastes away.
19 Then the rest of the trees of his forest
Will be so few in number
That a child may write them.

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Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 10:12 completed
  2. Isaiah 10:13 mighty
  3. Isaiah 10:16 So with Bg.; MT, DSS YHWH (the Lord)

God’s Judgment on Assyria

“Woe(A) to the Assyrian,(B) the rod(C) of my anger,
    in whose hand is the club(D) of my wrath!(E)
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.
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.
‘Are not my commanders(L) all kings?’ he says.
    ‘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)’”

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

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Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 10:13 Or treasures; / I subdued the mighty,