Isaiah 10
Evangelical Heritage Version
Judgment on Corrupt Rulers
10 Woe to those who prescribe unjust decrees,
and to those who issue oppressive rulings,
2 to deprive the needy of justice,
and to rob the poor among my people of their rights,
to plunder widows,
and to make the fatherless their prey!
3 What will you do when the day comes to settle accounts,
during the devastation that will descend from far away?
To whom will you flee for help?
Where will you leave your wealth?
4 The only thing left for you will be to kneel among the prisoners
and to fall under the dead bodies.
Yet for all this, his anger is not turned away,
and his hand is still stretched out, ready to strike.
The Proud Assyrian Is God’s Instrument
5 Woe to the Assyrian, the rod of my anger.
The club of my rage is in his hand!
6 I will send him against a godless nation
and against the people who anger me.
I will command him to take the plunder,
to seize the spoils,
and to tread them down like mud in the streets.
7 But he does not intend to do this.
This is not what he has in mind.
The intention of his heart is to destroy
and to cut off more than just a few nations.
8 This is what he says:
Aren’t all of my officials kings?
9 Isn’t Kalno like Carchemish?
Isn’t Hamath like Arpad?
Isn’t Samaria like Damascus?
10 Just as my hand has reached the kingdoms of those petty gods,
kingdoms whose images were greater than those
of Jerusalem and of Samaria,
11 just as I have done to Samaria and her petty gods,
will I not do the same to Jerusalem and her worthless idols?
12 But it will not happen that way. When the Lord has completed all of his work against Mount Zion and against Jerusalem, I[a] will bring punishment against the bloated fruit of[b] the willful heart of the king of Assyria and against the glare in his haughty eyes. 13 For he has said:
By the strength of my hand I have done this,
and by my wisdom,
for I have understanding.
I have abolished the borders of the peoples
and have plundered their treasures.
Like a mighty warrior I have brought down their inhabitants.[c]
14 My hand has found the riches of the peoples like eggs in a nest.
I have gathered all the earth the way one gathers abandoned eggs.
Not one of them flapped its wings
or opened its mouth or chirped.
15 Should an ax brag that it is better than the woodsman
who chops with it?
Should a saw think that it is greater than the one who saws with it?
That would be like a scepter waving the one who raised it up,
or like a club lifting up a person, who is not made of wood.
16 Therefore, the Lord, the Lord of Armies, will make
the sturdy Assyrians waste away,
and in place of their glory, he will light a fire, a blazing fire.
17 The Light of Israel will be a fire, and his Holy One a flame, and it will burn and devour its thorns and its briers in a single day. 18 He will consume the splendor of its forest and of its fruitful field completely.[d] It will be like a sick man wasting away. 19 The remaining trees in its forest will be so few that a child could record their number.
A Remnant of Israel Will Return
20 It will come about in that day that those who remain from Israel and those from the house of Jacob who have survived will never again lean on the one who struck them, but they will truly lean on the Lord, the Holy One of Israel. 21 A remnant will return to the mighty God, namely, the remnant of Jacob.
22 Although your people, Israel, are like the sand of the sea, only a remnant will return. Complete destruction has been decreed—overwhelming, but righteous. 23 For the Lord, the Lord of Armies, will bring about the destruction decreed for the whole earth.
24 Therefore the Lord, the Lord of Armies, says, “You my people who dwell in Zion, do not be afraid of the Assyrian, though he strikes you with the rod and lifts up his club against you as Egypt did. 25 For in a very little while, my rage against you will be finished, and my anger will be directed to his destruction.”
26 The Lord of Armies will raise up a whip against him, as he did in the slaughter of Midian at the rock of Oreb. His rod will stretch over the sea, and he will lift it up as he did against Egypt. 27 In that day he will remove the burden that he placed on your shoulder and the yoke he placed on your neck. The yoke will be destroyed because your neck has grown so fat.[e]
But First, Assyria Will Come
28 The Assyrian has come to Aiath.[f]
He has passed through Migron.
At Mikmash he stores his supplies.
29 They have crossed over the pass.
They made their camp at Geba.
Ramah trembles.
Gibeah of Saul has fled.
30 Cry aloud with your voice, daughter of Gallim.
Listen, Laishah! You poor Anathoth!
31 Madmenah is a fugitive.
The inhabitants of Gebim flee for safety.
32 This very day he will halt at Nob.
He will shake his fist at the mountain of the daughter of Zion,
the hill of Jerusalem.
33 But look! The Lord, the Lord of Armies,
will chop off his branches with terrifying power.
The tall trees will be cut down,
and the lofty will be laid low.
34 He will cut down the thickets of the forest with an iron ax,
and mighty Lebanon will fall.[g]
Footnotes
- Isaiah 10:12 Here there is a sudden shift from the third person he to the first person I. This is not unusual in Isaiah.
- Isaiah 10:12 Many English translations simply ignore the words translated the bloated fruit of.
- Isaiah 10:13 Or kings. The verbal form may be translated those who live there or those who are enthroned there.
- Isaiah 10:18 Literally both soul and flesh
- Isaiah 10:27 Literally because of the oil. The meaning of this phrase is uncertain. The Greek text reads from your shoulders.
- Isaiah 10:28 The towns named in this section are towns the Assyrians would pass as they approached Jerusalem from the north.
- Isaiah 10:34 Or Lebanon will be felled by the Mighty One
Isaiah 10
American Standard Version
10 Woe unto them that decree unrighteous decrees, and to the writers that write perverseness; 2 to turn aside the needy from justice, and to rob the poor of my people of their right, that widows may be their spoil, and that they may make the fatherless their prey! 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 [a]They shall only bow down under the prisoners, and shall fall under the slain. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.
5 [b]Ho Assyrian, the rod of mine anger, the staff in whose hand is mine indignation! 6 I will send him against a profane nation, and against the people of my wrath will I give him a charge, to take the spoil, and to take the prey, and [c]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 to cut off nations not a few. 8 For he saith, Are not my princes all of them kings? 9 Is not Calno as Carchemish? is not Hamath as Arpad? is not Samaria as Damascus? 10 As my hand hath [d]found the kingdoms of the idols, 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 [e]punish the fruit of the stout heart of the king of Assyria, and the glory of his high looks. 13 For he hath said, By the strength of my hand I have done it, and by my wisdom; for I have understanding: and I have removed the bounds of the peoples, and have robbed their treasures, and like a valiant man I have brought down [f]them that sit on thrones: 14 and my hand hath found as a nest the riches of the peoples; and as one gathereth eggs that are forsaken, have I gathered all the earth: and there was none that moved the wing, or that opened the mouth, or chirped.
15 Shall the axe boast itself against him that heweth therewith? shall the saw magnify itself against him that wieldeth it? as if a rod should wield them that lift it up, or as if a staff should lift up him that is not wood. 16 Therefore will the Lord, Jehovah of hosts, send among his fat ones leanness; and [g]under his glory there shall be kindled a burning like the burning of fire. 17 And the light of Israel will be for a fire, and his Holy One for a flame; and it will burn and devour his thorns and his briers in one day. 18 And he will consume the glory of his forest, and of his fruitful field, both soul and body: and it shall be [h]as when a standard-bearer fainteth. 19 And the remnant of the trees of his forest shall be few, so that a child may write them.
20 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the remnant of Israel, and they that are escaped of the house of Jacob, shall no more again lean upon him that smote them, but shall lean upon Jehovah, the Holy One of Israel, in truth. 21 [i]A 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, only a remnant [j]of them shall return: a destruction is determined, overflowing with righteousness. 23 For a full end, and that determined, will the Lord, Jehovah of hosts, make in the midst of all the [k]earth.
24 Therefore thus saith the Lord, Jehovah of hosts, O my people that dwellest in Zion, be not afraid of [l]the Assyrian, though he smite thee with the rod, and lift up his staff against thee, after the manner of Egypt. 25 For yet a very little while, and the indignation against thee shall be accomplished, and mine anger shall be directed to his destruction. 26 And Jehovah of hosts will stir up against him a scourge, as in the slaughter of Midian at the rock of Oreb: and [m]his rod will be over the sea, and he will lift it up after the manner of Egypt. 27 And it shall come to pass in that day, that his burden shall depart from off thy shoulder, and his yoke from off thy neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed by reason of [n]fatness.
28 He is come to Aiath, he is passed through Migron; at Michmash he layeth up his baggage; 29 they are gone over the pass; [o]they have taken up their lodging at Geba; Ramah trembleth; Gibeah of Saul is fled. 30 Cry aloud with thy voice, O daughter of Gallim! hearken, O Laishah! O thou poor Anathoth! 31 Madmenah is a fugitive; the inhabitants of Gebim [p]flee for safety. 32 This very day shall he halt at Nob: he shaketh his hand at the mount of the [q]daughter of Zion, the hill of Jerusalem.
33 Behold, the Lord, Jehovah of hosts, will lop the boughs with terror: and the high of stature shall be hewn down, and the lofty shall be brought low. 34 And he will cut down the thickets of the forest with iron, and Lebanon shall fall by a mighty one.
Footnotes
- Isaiah 10:4 Or, Without me they shall bow down etc.
- Isaiah 10:5 Or, Woe to Asshur
- Isaiah 10:6 Hebrew to make them a treading down.
- Isaiah 10:10 Or, reached
- Isaiah 10:12 Hebrew visit upon.
- Isaiah 10:13 Or, the inhabitants
- Isaiah 10:16 Or, instead of
- Isaiah 10:18 Or, as when a sick man pineth away
- Isaiah 10:21 Hebrew shear jashub. See 7:3.
- Isaiah 10:22 Hebrew in it.
- Isaiah 10:23 Or, land
- Isaiah 10:24 Hebrew Asshur.
- Isaiah 10:26 Or, as his rod was over the sea, so shall he etc.
- Isaiah 10:27 Hebrew oil.
- Isaiah 10:29 Or, Geba is our lodging, they cry
- Isaiah 10:31 Or, make their households flee
- Isaiah 10:32 Another reading is, house.
Isaiah 10
New King James Version
Assyria Shall Be Broken
10 “Woe to those who (A)decree unrighteous decrees,
Who write misfortune,
Which they have prescribed
2 To rob the needy of justice,
And to take what is right from the poor of My people,
That widows may be their prey,
And that they may rob the fatherless.
3 (B)What will you do in (C)the day of punishment,
And in the desolation which will come from (D)afar?
To whom will you flee for help?
And where will you leave your glory?
4 Without Me they shall bow down among the (E)prisoners,
And they shall fall [a]among the slain.”
(F)For all this His anger is not turned away,
But His hand is stretched out still.
Arrogant Assyria Also Judged
5 “Woe to Assyria, (G)the rod of My anger
And the staff in whose hand is My indignation.
6 I will send him against (H)an ungodly nation,
And against the people of My wrath
I will (I)give him charge,
To seize the spoil, to take the prey,
And to tread them down like the mire of the streets.
7 (J)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.
8 (K)For he says,
‘Are not my princes altogether kings?
9 Is not (L)Calno (M)like Carchemish?
Is not Hamath like Arpad?
Is not Samaria (N)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 [b]performed all His work (O)on Mount Zion and on Jerusalem, that He will say, (P)“I will punish the fruit of the arrogant heart of the king of Assyria, and the glory of his haughty looks.”
13 (Q)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 [c]valiant man.
14 (R)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 (S)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 [d]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;
(T)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 (U)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.
The Returning Remnant of Israel
20 And it shall come to pass in that day
That the remnant of Israel,
And such as have escaped of the house of Jacob,
(V)Will never again depend on him who [e]defeated them,
But will depend on the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, in truth.
21 The remnant will return, the remnant of Jacob,
To the (W)Mighty God.
22 (X)For though your people, O Israel, be as the sand of the sea,
(Y)A remnant of them will return;
The destruction decreed shall overflow with righteousness.
23 (Z)For the Lord God of hosts
Will make a determined end
In the midst of all the land.
24 Therefore thus says the Lord God of hosts: “O My people, who dwell in Zion, (AA)do not be afraid of the Assyrian. He shall strike you with a rod and lift up his staff against you, in the manner of (AB)Egypt. 25 For yet a very little while (AC)and the indignation will cease, as will My anger in their destruction.” 26 And the Lord of hosts will [f]stir up (AD)a scourge for him like the slaughter of (AE)Midian at the rock of Oreb; (AF)as His rod was on the sea, so will He lift it up in the manner of Egypt.
27 It shall come to pass in that day
That his burden will be taken away from your shoulder,
And his yoke from your neck,
And the yoke will be destroyed because of (AG)the anointing oil.
28 He has come to Aiath,
He has passed Migron;
At Michmash he has attended to his equipment.
29 They have gone [g]along (AH)the ridge,
They have taken up lodging at Geba.
Ramah is afraid,
(AI)Gibeah of Saul has fled.
30 [h]Lift up your voice,
O daughter (AJ)of Gallim!
Cause it to be heard as far as (AK)Laish—
[i]O poor Anathoth!
31 (AL)Madmenah has fled,
The inhabitants of Gebim seek refuge.
32 As yet he will remain (AM)at Nob that day;
He will (AN)shake his fist at the mount of (AO)the daughter of Zion,
The hill of Jerusalem.
33 Behold, the Lord,
The Lord of hosts,
Will lop off the bough with terror;
(AP)Those of high stature will be hewn down,
And the haughty will be humbled.
34 He will cut down the thickets of the forest with iron,
And Lebanon will fall by the Mighty One.
Footnotes
- Isaiah 10:4 Lit. under
- Isaiah 10:12 completed
- Isaiah 10:13 mighty
- Isaiah 10:16 So with Bg.; MT, DSS YHWH (the Lord)
- Isaiah 10:20 Lit. struck
- Isaiah 10:26 arouse
- Isaiah 10:29 Or over the pass
- Isaiah 10:30 Or Cry shrilly
- Isaiah 10:30 So with MT, Tg., Vg.; LXX, Syr. Listen to her, O Anathoth
The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version®, EHV®, © 2019 Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved.
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Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
