1 W oe unto them that decree unrighteous decrees, and that write grievousness which they have prescribed;

It is bad for those who make laws that are not fair. It is bad for those who make it hard for people.

2 t o turn aside the needy from judgment, and to take away the right from the poor of my people, that widows may be their prey, and that they may rob the fatherless!

They keep what is right and fair from those in need. They take away the rights of the poor of My people. They take from wives after their husbands die, and take what belongs to those who have no parents.

3 A nd 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?

Now what will you do in the day of punishment, when the destroying power comes from far away? To whom will you run for help? Where will you leave your riches?

4 W ithout me they shall bow down under the prisoners, and they shall fall under the slain. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.

Nothing will be left to do but to bow down among those who are being taken to prison, or fall among those who are killed. Even with all this, His anger does not turn away. His hand is still held out. Assyria Used to Punish Israel

5 O Assyrian, the rod of mine anger, and the staff in their hand is mine indignation.

It is bad for Assyria. I use Assyria like a stick to punish Israel.

6 I will send him against an 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.

I sent it against a nation without God, against the people of My anger. I sent it to take away the riches of battle, and to step hard on the people like dirt in the streets.

7 H owbeit 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.

But this is not what is in Assyria’s mind. It does not plan this in its heart. It plans to destroy and to cut off many nations.

8 F or he saith, Are not my princes altogether kings?

For it says, “Are not my princes all kings?

9 I s not Calno as Carchemish? is not Hamath as Arpad? is not Samaria as Damascus?

Is not Calno like Carchemish, or Hamath like Arpad, or Samaria like Damascus?

10 A s my hand hath found the kingdoms of the idols, and whose graven images did excel them of Jerusalem and of Samaria;

My hand took the nations of the false gods, whose false gods were greater than those of Jerusalem and Samaria.

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

Should I not do to Jerusalem and her gods just as I have done to Samaria and her gods?”

12 W herefore it shall come to pass, that 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.

So when the Lord has completed all His work on Mount Zion and on Jerusalem, He will punish the proud heart of the king of Assyria and his proud spirit.

13 F or 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:

For the king has said, “I did this by the power of my hand and by my wisdom, for I have understanding. I moved the land-marks of the people and took their riches. Like a strong man I have brought down those who sat on thrones.

14 a nd 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.

My hand has taken the riches of the people like one taken from a nest. I gathered all the earth as one gathers eggs that have been left. And there was not one that moved its wing or opened its mouth or made a sound.”

15 S hall the axe 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.

Can an ax say it is more important than the one who uses it? Is the saw more important than the one who saws with it? A stick of wood does not lift up a man. A man lifts up a stick.

16 T herefore 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.

So the Lord, the Lord of All, will send a wasting disease among the strong Assyrian soldiers. Under the king’s greatness a fire will be started that will burn and burn.

17 A nd 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;

The light of Israel and his Holy One will become a fire. And it will burn and destroy his thorns and thistles in one day.

18 a nd 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.

The Lord will destroy the greatness of the trees and the fields that give much fruit, both soul and body. It will be as when a sick man wastes away.

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

And the rest of his trees will be so few that a child could write them down. A Few of Israel Will Return

20 A nd it shall come to pass in that day, that the remnant of Israel, and such as are escaped of the house of Jacob, shall no more again stay upon him that smote them; but shall stay upon the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, in truth.

In that day those of Israel and of the family of Jacob who are still alive will never again trust in the one who destroyed them. But they will trust in the Lord, the Holy One of Israel.

21 T he remnant shall return, even the remnant of Jacob, unto the mighty God.

Some people, those who are left of Jacob, will return to the powerful God.

22 F or though thy people Israel be as the sand of the sea, yet a remnant of them shall return: the consumption decreed shall overflow with righteousness.

Even if there are as many Jews as the sand by the sea, only a few of them will return. The plan is to destroy them and it will be right and complete.

23 F or the Lord God of hosts shall make a consumption, even determined, in the midst of all the land.

For the Lord of All will destroy everything in the whole land and do what He planned. Assyria Will Be Punished

24 T herefore thus saith the Lord God of hosts, O my people that dwellest in Zion, be not afraid of the Assyrian: he shall smite thee with a rod, and shall lift up his staff against thee, after the manner of Egypt.

So the Lord, the Lord of All, says, “O My people who live in Zion, do not be afraid of the Assyrians when they come to fight against you as the Egyptians did.

25 F or yet a very little while, and the indignation shall cease, and mine anger in their destruction.

For in a very little while My anger against you will come to an end and it will be turned to destroy them.”

26 A nd the Lord of hosts shall stir up a scourge for him according to the slaughter of Midian at the rock of Oreb: and as his rod was upon the sea, so shall he lift it up after the manner of Egypt.

The Lord of All will punish them like He punished Midian at the rock of Oreb. His special stick will be over the sea and He will lift it up the way He did in Egypt.

27 A nd it shall come to pass in that day, that his burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulder, and his yoke from off thy neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing.

In that day the Assyrian’s load will be taken from your shoulders and neck, and it will be broken because you are so fat.

28 H e is come to Aiath, he is passed to Migron; at Michmash he hath laid up his carriages:

He has come against Aiath. He has passed through Migron. At Michmash he left his bags.

29 t hey are gone over the passage: they have taken up their lodging at Geba; Ramah is afraid; Gibeah of Saul is fled.

They have gone through a narrow path. They stayed in Geba during the night. Ramah is afraid, and Gibeah of Saul has run away.

30 L ift up thy voice, O daughter of Gallim: cause it to be heard unto Laish, O poor Anathoth.

Cry out with your voice, O people of Gallim! See, Laishah! Answer her, O Anathoth!

31 M admenah is removed; the inhabitants of Gebim gather themselves to flee.

Madmenah has run away. The people of Gebim have looked for a safe place.

32 A s yet shall he remain at Nob that day: he shall shake his hand against the mount of the daughter of Zion, the hill of Jerusalem.

Yet today he will stop at Nob. He shakes his hand at the mountain of the people of Zion, the hill of Jerusalem.

33 B ehold, the Lord, the Lord of hosts, shall lop the bough with terror: and the high ones of stature shall be hewn down, and the haughty shall be humbled.

See, the Lord, the Lord of All, will cut off the branches with a great noise. Those who stand tall will be cut down. And those who are high will be brought low.

34 A nd he shall cut down the thickets of the forest with iron, and Lebanon shall fall by a mighty one.

He will cut down the many trees with an iron ax. And Lebanon will fall by the Powerful One.