Assyria Is God’s Instrument

10 Woe to those who (A)enact unjust statutes
And to those who constantly record [a]harmful decisions,
So as (B)to [b]deprive the needy of justice
And rob the poor among My people of their rights,
So (C)that widows may be their spoil
And that they may plunder the [c]orphans.
Now (D)what will you do in the (E)day of punishment,
And in the devastation which will come (F)from afar?
(G)To whom will you flee for help?
And where will you leave your wealth?
Nothing remains but to crouch [d]among the (H)captives
Or fall [e]among those (I)killed.
(J)In spite of all this, His anger does not turn away
And His hand is still stretched out.

Woe to (K)Assyria, the (L)rod of My anger
And the staff in whose hands is (M)My indignation,
I send it against a (N)godless nation
And commission it against the (O)people of My fury
To capture spoils and (P)to seize plunder,
And to [f]trample them down like (Q)mud in the streets.
Yet it (R)does not so intend,
Nor does [g]it plan so in its heart,
But rather it is [h]its purpose to destroy
And to eliminate [i]many nations.
For it says, “Are not my officers [j]all kings?
Is not (S)Calno like (T)Carchemish,
Or (U)Hamath like Arpad,
Or (V)Samaria like (W)Damascus?
10 As my hand has reached to the (X)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 (Y)her idols?”

12 So it will be that when the Lord has completed all His (Z)work on Mount Zion and on Jerusalem, He will say, “I will [k]punish the fruit of the arrogant heart of the king of Assyria and (AA)the arrogant pride of his eyes.” 13 For (AB)he has said,

“By the power of my hand and by my wisdom I did this,
Because I have understanding;
And I (AC)removed the boundaries of the peoples
And plundered their treasures,
And like a powerful man I brought down [l]their inhabitants,
14 And my hand reached to the riches of the peoples like a (AD)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 (AE)axe to (AF)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 (AG)a [m]club wielding those who lift it,
Or like (AH)a rod lifting the one who is not wood.
16 Therefore the Lord, the [n]God of armies, will send a (AI)wasting disease among his (AJ)stout warriors;
And under his (AK)glory a fire will be kindled like a burning flame.
17 And the (AL)Light of Israel will become a fire and [o]Israel’s (AM)Holy One a flame,
And it will (AN)burn and devour [p]his thorns and his briars in a single day.
18 And He will (AO)destroy the glory of his forest and of his fruitful garden, both soul and body,
And it will be as when a sick person wastes away.
19 And the (AP)rest of the trees of his forest will be so small in number
That a child could write them down.

A Remnant Will Return

20 Now on that day the (AQ)remnant of Israel, and those of the house of Jacob (AR)who have escaped, will no longer rely on the one who struck them, but will truly (AS)rely on the Lord, the Holy One of Israel.

21 A (AT)remnant will return, the remnant of Jacob, to the (AU)mighty God.
22 For (AV)though your people, Israel, may be like the sand of the sea,
Only a remnant within them will return;
A (AW)destruction is determined, overflowing with righteousness.

23 For a complete destruction, one that is determined, (AX)the Lord [q]God of armies will execute in the midst of the whole land.

24 Therefore this is what the Lord [r]God of armies says: “My people, you who dwell in (AY)Zion, (AZ)do not fear the Assyrian [s]who (BA)strikes you with the rod, and lifts up his staff against you the way Egypt did. 25 For in a very (BB)little while (BC)My indignation against you will be ended and My anger will be directed toward their destruction.” 26 The Lord of armies will (BD)wield a whip against him like the defeat of (BE)Midian at the rock of Oreb; and His (BF)staff will be over the sea, and He will lift it up (BG)the way He did in Egypt. 27 So it will be on that day, that [t]his (BH)burden will be removed from your shoulders, and his yoke from your neck; and the yoke will be broken because (BI)of fatness.

28 He has come against Aiath,
He has passed through (BJ)Migron;
At (BK)Michmash he deposited his (BL)baggage.
29 They have gone through (BM)the pass, saying,
(BN)Geba will be our encampment for the night.”
(BO)Ramah is terrified, and (BP)Gibeah of Saul has fled.
30 Cry aloud with your voice, daughter of (BQ)Gallim!
Pay attention, Laishah and [u]wretched (BR)Anathoth!
31 Madmenah has fled.
The inhabitants of Gebim have sought refuge.
32 Yet today he will halt at (BS)Nob;
He (BT)shakes his fist at the mountain of the [v](BU)daughter of Zion, the hill of Jerusalem.

33 Behold, the Lord, the [w]God of armies, will lop off the branches with terrifying power;
Those also who are (BV)tall in stature will be cut down,
And those who are lofty will be brought low.
34 He will cut down the thickets of the forest with an iron axe,
And (BW)Lebanon will fall by the Mighty One.

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 10:1 Lit harm
  2. Isaiah 10:2 Lit turn the needy aside from
  3. Isaiah 10:2 Or fatherless
  4. Isaiah 10:4 Lit under
  5. Isaiah 10:4 Lit under
  6. Isaiah 10:6 Lit make them a trampled place
  7. Isaiah 10:7 Lit its heart so plan
  8. Isaiah 10:7 Lit in its heart
  9. Isaiah 10:7 Lit not a few
  10. Isaiah 10:8 Lit altogether
  11. Isaiah 10:12 Lit visit
  12. Isaiah 10:13 Or those who sit on thrones
  13. Isaiah 10:15 Lit staff
  14. Isaiah 10:16 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord
  15. Isaiah 10:17 Lit his
  16. Isaiah 10:17 I.e., the Assyrian king’s forces
  17. Isaiah 10:23 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord
  18. Isaiah 10:24 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord
  19. Isaiah 10:24 Lit he
  20. Isaiah 10:27 I.e., the Assyrian
  21. Isaiah 10:30 An ancient version reads Answer her, O Anathoth
  22. Isaiah 10:32 Another reading is house of
  23. Isaiah 10:33 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord

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

The Futility of Life.

For the music director, for [a]Jeduthun. A Psalm of David.

39 I said, “I will (A)keep watch over my ways
So that I (B)do not sin with my tongue;
I will keep watch over (C)my mouth as with a muzzle
While the wicked are in my presence.”
I was (D)mute [b]and silent,
I [c]refused to say even something good,
And my pain was stirred up.
My (E)heart was hot within me,
While I was musing the fire burned;
Then I spoke with my tongue:
Lord, let me know (F)my end,
And what is the extent of my days;
Let me know how (G)transient I am.
Behold, You have made (H)my days like [d]hand widths,
And my (I)lifetime as nothing in Your sight;
Certainly all mankind standing is [e]a mere (J)breath. Selah
Certainly every person (K)walks around as [f]a fleeting shadow;
They certainly make an (L)uproar for nothing;
He (M)amasses riches and does not know who will gather them.

“And now, Lord, for what do I wait?
My (N)hope is in You.
(O)Save me from all my wrongdoings;
Do not make me an object of (P)reproach for the foolish.
I have become (Q)mute, I do not open my mouth,
Because it is (R)You who have done it.
10 (S)Remove Your plague from me;
Because of (T)the opposition of Your hand I am [g]perishing.
11 With (U)rebukes You punish a person for wrongdoing;
You (V)consume like a moth what is precious to him;
Certainly (W)all mankind is mere breath! Selah

12 (X)Hear my prayer, Lord, and listen to my cry for help;
Do not be silent (Y)to my tears;
For I am (Z)a stranger with You,
(AA)One who lives abroad, like all my fathers.
13 (AB)Turn Your eyes away from me, that I may become cheerful again
Before I depart and am no more.”

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 39 Title 1 Chr 16:41
  2. Psalm 39:2 Lit with silence
  3. Psalm 39:2 Lit was silent from good
  4. Psalm 39:5 I.e., short
  5. Psalm 39:5 Or altogether breath
  6. Psalm 39:6 Lit an image
  7. Psalm 39:10 Or wasting away

Psalm 39[a]

For the director of music. For Jeduthun. A psalm of David.

I said, “I will watch my ways(A)
    and keep my tongue from sin;(B)
I will put a muzzle on my mouth(C)
    while in the presence of the wicked.”
So I remained utterly silent,(D)
    not even saying anything good.
But my anguish(E) increased;
    my heart grew hot(F) within me.
While I meditated,(G) the fire(H) burned;
    then I spoke with my tongue:

“Show me, Lord, my life’s end
    and the number of my days;(I)
    let me know how fleeting(J) my life is.(K)
You have made my days(L) a mere handbreadth;
    the span of my years is as nothing before you.
Everyone is but a breath,(M)
    even those who seem secure.[b]

“Surely everyone goes around(N) like a mere phantom;(O)
    in vain they rush about,(P) heaping up wealth(Q)
    without knowing whose it will finally be.(R)

“But now, Lord, what do I look for?
    My hope is in you.(S)
Save me(T) from all my transgressions;(U)
    do not make me the scorn(V) of fools.
I was silent;(W) I would not open my mouth,(X)
    for you are the one who has done this.(Y)
10 Remove your scourge from me;
    I am overcome by the blow(Z) of your hand.(AA)
11 When you rebuke(AB) and discipline(AC) anyone for their sin,
    you consume(AD) their wealth like a moth(AE)
    surely everyone is but a breath.(AF)

12 “Hear my prayer, Lord,
    listen to my cry for help;(AG)
    do not be deaf(AH) to my weeping.(AI)
I dwell with you as a foreigner,(AJ)
    a stranger,(AK) as all my ancestors were.(AL)
13 Look away from me, that I may enjoy life again
    before I depart and am no more.”(AM)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 39:1 In Hebrew texts 39:1-13 is numbered 39:2-14.
  2. Psalm 39:5 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 11.

25 So some of the people of Jerusalem were saying, “Is this man not the one whom they are seeking to kill? 26 And yet look, He is speaking publicly, and they are saying nothing to Him. (A)The rulers do not really know that this is the [a]Christ, do they? 27 However, (B)we know where this man is from; but when the Christ comes, no one knows where He is from.” 28 Then Jesus cried out in the temple, (C)teaching and saying, (D)You both know Me and you know where I am from; and (E)I have not come of Myself, but He who sent Me is true, whom you do not know. 29 (F)I do know Him, because (G)I am from Him, and (H)He sent Me.” 30 So they (I)were seeking to arrest Him; and yet no one laid a hand on Him, because His (J)hour had not yet come. 31 But (K)many of the crowd believed in Him; and they were saying, “(L)When the [b]Christ comes, He will not perform more [c](M)signs than those which this man has done, will He?”

32 The Pharisees heard the crowd whispering these things about Him, and the chief priests and the Pharisees sent (N)officers to (O)arrest Him. 33 Therefore Jesus said, (P)For a little while longer I am going to be with you, and then (Q)I am going to Him who sent Me. 34 (R)You will seek Me, and will not find Me; and where I am, you cannot come.” 35 (S)The Jews then said to one another, “(T)Where does this man intend to go that we will not find Him? He does not intend to go to (U)the Dispersion among (V)the Greeks, and teach the Greeks, does He? 36 What is this statement that He said, (W)You will seek Me, and will not find Me; and where I am, you cannot come’?”

37 Now on (X)the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, (Y)If anyone is thirsty, [d]let him come to Me and drink. 38 The one who believes in Me, (Z)as the Scripture said, ‘[e]From his innermost being will flow rivers of (AA)living water.’” 39 But this He said (AB)in reference to the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive; for (AC)the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet (AD)glorified.

People’s Division over Jesus

40 Some of the people therefore, after they heard these words, were saying, “This truly is (AE)the Prophet.” 41 Others were saying, “This is the [f]Christ.” But others were saying, “(AF)Surely the [g]Christ is not coming from Galilee, is He? 42 Has the Scripture not said that the Christ comes from (AG)the descendants of David, and from Bethlehem, the village where David was?” 43 So (AH)a dissension occurred in the crowd because of Him. 44 And (AI)some of them wanted to arrest Him, but no one laid hands on Him.

45 The (AJ)officers then came to the chief priests and Pharisees, and they said to them, “Why did you not bring Him?” 46 The (AK)officers answered, “(AL)Never has a man spoken in this way!” 47 The Pharisees then replied to them, “(AM)You have not been led astray too, have you? 48 (AN)Not one of (AO)the rulers or Pharisees has believed in Him, has he? 49 But this crowd that does not know the Law is accursed!” 50 (AP)Nicodemus (the one who came to Him before, being one of them) *said to them, 51 (AQ)Our Law does not judge the person unless it first hears from him and knows what he is doing, does it?” 52 They answered and said to him, “(AR)You are not from Galilee as well, are you? Examine the Scriptures, and see that no prophet arises out of Galilee.” 53 [[[h]And everyone went to his home.

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Footnotes

  1. John 7:26 I.e., Messiah
  2. John 7:31 I.e., Messiah
  3. John 7:31 I.e., confirming miracles
  4. John 7:37 Or come to Me and drink
  5. John 7:38 Lit Out of his belly
  6. John 7:41 I.e., Messiah
  7. John 7:41 I.e., Messiah
  8. John 7:53 Later mss add the story of the adulterous woman, numbering it as John 7:53-8:11

Division Over Who Jesus Is

25 At that point some of the people of Jerusalem began to ask, “Isn’t this the man they are trying to kill?(A) 26 Here he is, speaking publicly, and they are not saying a word to him. Have the authorities(B) really concluded that he is the Messiah?(C) 27 But we know where this man is from;(D) when the Messiah comes, no one will know where he is from.”

28 Then Jesus, still teaching in the temple courts,(E) cried out, “Yes, you know me, and you know where I am from.(F) I am not here on my own authority, but he who sent me is true.(G) You do not know him, 29 but I know him(H) because I am from him and he sent me.”(I)

30 At this they tried to seize him, but no one laid a hand on him,(J) because his hour had not yet come.(K) 31 Still, many in the crowd believed in him.(L) They said, “When the Messiah comes, will he perform more signs(M) than this man?”

32 The Pharisees heard the crowd whispering such things about him. Then the chief priests and the Pharisees sent temple guards to arrest him.

33 Jesus said, “I am with you for only a short time,(N) and then I am going to the one who sent me.(O) 34 You will look for me, but you will not find me; and where I am, you cannot come.”(P)

35 The Jews said to one another, “Where does this man intend to go that we cannot find him? Will he go where our people live scattered(Q) among the Greeks,(R) and teach the Greeks? 36 What did he mean when he said, ‘You will look for me, but you will not find me,’ and ‘Where I am, you cannot come’?”(S)

37 On the last and greatest day of the festival,(T) Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink.(U) 38 Whoever believes(V) in me, as Scripture has said,(W) rivers of living water(X) will flow from within them.”[a](Y) 39 By this he meant the Spirit,(Z) whom those who believed in him were later to receive.(AA) Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.(AB)

40 On hearing his words, some of the people said, “Surely this man is the Prophet.”(AC)

41 Others said, “He is the Messiah.”

Still others asked, “How can the Messiah come from Galilee?(AD) 42 Does not Scripture say that the Messiah will come from David’s descendants(AE) and from Bethlehem,(AF) the town where David lived?” 43 Thus the people were divided(AG) because of Jesus. 44 Some wanted to seize him, but no one laid a hand on him.(AH)

Unbelief of the Jewish Leaders

45 Finally the temple guards went back to the chief priests and the Pharisees, who asked them, “Why didn’t you bring him in?”

46 “No one ever spoke the way this man does,”(AI) the guards replied.

47 “You mean he has deceived you also?”(AJ) the Pharisees retorted. 48 “Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed in him?(AK) 49 No! But this mob that knows nothing of the law—there is a curse on them.”

50 Nicodemus,(AL) who had gone to Jesus earlier and who was one of their own number, asked, 51 “Does our law condemn a man without first hearing him to find out what he has been doing?”

52 They replied, “Are you from Galilee, too? Look into it, and you will find that a prophet does not come out of Galilee.”(AM)


[The earliest manuscripts and many other ancient witnesses do not have John 7:53—8:11. A few manuscripts include these verses, wholly or in part, after John 7:36, John 21:25, Luke 21:38 or Luke 24:53.]

53 Then they all went home,

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Footnotes

  1. John 7:38 Or me. And let anyone drink 38 who believes in me.” As Scripture has said, “Out of him (or them) will flow rivers of living water.”