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Even the great Assyria, once God’s chosen instrument to punish His people, will not escape the Lord’s judgment.

13 God will stretch His hand over Assyria in the north and wage war against her.
Their prized city Nineveh will be left in ruins.
    Fertile land will give way to thirsty desert. Nothing will thrive there.
14 Cattle and sheep will sleep in her streets;
    wild beasts will roam through the rubble.
Birds that fly and animals that burrow, such as the scavenger pelican and hedgehog, will live atop each column.
    Birds will roost and sing in the broken window sills.
Wrecked and ruined are the thresholds to the pagan temples,
    for God has exposed their beautiful cedar woodwork to the elements.
15 Nineveh is the boastful city
    that bragged of her greatness and security.
She said in her heart,
    “I am so amazing that no other can compare.”
Now she is totally deserted
    and animals live in her streets!
Everyone who passes her now will hiss and taunt
    and make vulgar gestures.

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Assyria

13 He will stretch out his hand against the north
    and destroy Assyria,(A)
leaving Nineveh(B) utterly desolate
    and dry as the desert.(C)
14 Flocks and herds(D) will lie down there,
    creatures of every kind.
The desert owl(E) and the screech owl(F)
    will roost on her columns.
Their hooting will echo through the windows,
    rubble will fill the doorways,
    the beams of cedar will be exposed.
15 This is the city of revelry(G)
    that lived in safety.(H)
She said to herself,
    “I am the one! And there is none besides me.”(I)
What a ruin she has become,
    a lair for wild beasts!(J)
All who pass by her scoff(K)
    and shake their fists.(L)

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