¹Woe to those who decree unrighteous decrees , and to the writers who write oppressive decrees

²to deprive the needy of justice , and to rob the poor amongst my people of their rights , that widows may be their plunder , and that they may make the fatherless their prey !

³What will you do in the day of visitation , and in the desolation which will come from afar ? To whom will you flee for help ? Where will you leave your wealth ?

⁴They will only bow down under the prisoners,

and will fall under the slain .

For all this his anger is not turned away ,

but his hand is stretched out still .

⁵Alas Assyrian, the rod of my anger , the staff in whose hand is my indignation !

⁶I will send him against a profane nation , and against the people who anger me I will give him a command to take the plunder and to take the prey , and to tread them down like the mire of the streets .

⁷However , he doesn’t mean so , neither does his heart think so ; but it is in his heart to destroy , and to cut off not a few nations .

⁸For he says, “Aren’t all of my princes kings ?

⁹Isn’t Calno like Carchemish ? Isn’t Hamath like Arpad? Isn’t Samaria like Damascus ?”

¹⁰As my hand has found the kingdoms of the idols , whose engraved images exceeded those of Jerusalem and of Samaria ,

¹¹shall I not , as I have done to Samaria and her idols , so do to Jerusalem and her idols ?

¹²Therefore it will happen that when the Lord has performed his whole work on Mount Zion and on Jerusalem , I will punish the fruit of the wilful proud heart of the king of Assyria, and the insolence of his arrogant looks .

¹³For he has said, “By the strength of my hand I have done it , and by my wisdom , for I have understanding. I have removed the boundaries of the peoples , and have robbed their treasures . Like a valiant man I have brought down their rulers .

¹⁴My hand has found the riches of the peoples like a nest , and like one gathers eggs that are abandoned , I have gathered all the earth. There was no one who moved their wing , or that opened their mouth , or chirped .”

¹⁵Should an axe brag against him who chops with it ? Should a saw exalt itself above him who saws with it ? As if a rod should lift those who lift it up , or as if a staff should lift up someone who is not wood .

¹⁶Therefore the Lord , GOD of Armies , will send amongst his fat ones leanness ; and under his glory a burning will be kindled like the burning of fire .[#10:16 When rendered in ALL CAPITAL LETTERS, “” or “GOD” is the translation of God’s Proper Name (Hebrew “”, usually pronounced Yahweh).]

¹⁷The 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 .

¹⁸He will consume the glory of his forest and of his fruitful field , both soul and body . It will be as when a standard bearer faints .

¹⁹The remnant of the trees of his forest shall be few , so that a child could write their number .

²⁰It will come to pass in that day that the remnant of Israel , and those who have escaped from the house of Jacob will no more again lean on him who struck them , but shall lean on the LORD , the Holy One of Israel , in truth .[#10:20 When rendered in ALL CAPITAL LETTERS, “” or “GOD” is the translation of God’s Proper Name (Hebrew “”, usually pronounced Yahweh).]

²¹A remnant will return , even the remnant of Jacob , to the mighty God.

²²For though your people , Israel , are like the sand of the sea , only a remnant of them will return . A destruction is determined , overflowing with righteousness .

²³For the Lord , GOD of Armies , will make a full end , and that determined , throughout all the earth.[#10:23 When rendered in ALL CAPITAL LETTERS, “” or “GOD” is the translation of God’s Proper Name (Hebrew “”, usually pronounced Yahweh).]

²⁴Therefore the Lord , GOD of Armies , says , “My people who dwell in Zion , don’t be afraid of the Assyrian, though he strike you with the rod , and lift up his staff against you , as Egypt did .

²⁵For yet a very little while , and the indignation against you will be accomplished , and my anger will be directed to his destruction .”

²⁶The LORD of Armies will stir up a scourge against him , as in the slaughter of Midian at the rock of Oreb . His rod will be over the sea , and he will lift it up like he did against Egypt .

²⁷It will happen in that day that his burden will depart from off your shoulder , and his yoke from off your neck , and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing oil .

²⁸He has come to Aiath . He has passed through Migron . At Michmash he stores his baggage .

²⁹They have gone over the pass . They have taken up their lodging at Geba . Ramah trembles . Gibeah of Saul has fled .

³⁰Cry aloud with your voice , daughter of Gallim ! Listen , Laishah ! You poor Anathoth !

³¹Madmenah is a fugitive . The inhabitants of Gebim flee for safety .

³²This very day he will halt at Nob . He shakes his hand at the mountain of the daughter of Zion, the hill of Jerusalem .

³³Behold , the Lord , GOD of Armies , will lop the boughs with terror . The tall will be cut down , and the lofty will be brought low .

³⁴He will cut down the thickets of the forest with iron , and Lebanon will fall by the Mighty One.