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)

“Woe to the Assyrian, the rod of Mine anger, and the staff in their hand is Mine indignation!

I will send him against a hypocritical nation, and against the people of My wrath will I give him a charge, to take the spoil and to take the prey, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets.

Yet he meaneth not so, neither doth his heart think so; but it is in his heart to destroy and cut off nations not a few.

For he saith, ‘Are not my princes altogether kings?

Is not Calno as Carchemish? Is not Hamath as Arpad? Is not Samaria as Damascus?

10 As my hand hath found the kingdoms of the idols and whose graven images excelled 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 Therefore it shall come to pass when the Lord hath performed His whole work upon Mount Zion and on Jerusalem: “I will punish the fruit of the stout heart of the king of Assyria and the glory of his high looks.

13 For he saith, “‘By the strength of my hand I have done it, and by my wisdom, for I am prudent; and I have removed the bounds of the people and have robbed their treasures, and I have put down the inhabitants like a valiant man.

14 And my hand hath found as a nest the riches of the people, and as one gathereth eggs that are left, have I gathered all the earth; and there was none that moved the wing, or opened the mouth, or peeped.’”

15 Shall the ax boast itself against him that heweth therewith? Or shall the saw magnify itself against him that shaketh it? As if the rod should shake itself against them that lift it up, or as if the staff should lift up itself, as if it were no wood!

16 Therefore shall the Lord, the Lord of hosts, send among His fat ones leanness; and under His glory He shall kindle a burning like the burning of a fire.

17 And the Light of Israel shall be for a fire and his Holy One for a flame; and it shall burn and devour his thorns and his briers in one day,

18 and shall consume the glory of his forest and of his fruitful field, both soul and body; and they shall be as when a standardbearer fainteth.

19 And the rest of the trees of his forest shall be few, that a child may write them.

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