1 W oe unto them that decree iniquitous decrees, and to the writers that prescribe oppression,

Woe to those who issue unrighteous decrees, and to the magistrates who keep causing unjust and oppressive decisions to be recorded,

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

To turn aside the needy from justice and to make plunder of the rightful claims of the poor of My people, that widows may be their spoil, and that they may make the fatherless their prey!

3 A nd what will ye do in the day of visitation, and in the sudden destruction shall come from far? To whom will ye flee for help, and where will ye leave your glory?

And what will you do in the day of visitation, and in the desolation which shall come from afar? To whom will you flee for help? And where will you deposit your wealth and with whom leave your glory?

4 T hey can but crouch under the prisoners, and they shall fall under the slain. For all this his anger is not turned away, and his hand is stretched out still.

Without Me they shall bow down among the prisoners, and they shall fall under the heaps of the slain. For all this, anger is not turned away, but His hand is still stretched out.

5 A h! the Assyrian! the rod of mine anger! and the staff in their hand is mine indignation.

Woe to the Assyrian, the rod of My anger, the staff in whose hand is My indignation and fury!

6 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 seize the prey, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets.

I send against a hypocritical and godless nation and against the people of My wrath; I command him to take the spoil and to seize the prey and to tread them down like the mire in the streets.

7 B ut he meaneth not so, neither doth his heart think so; for it is in his heart to extirpate and cut off nations not a few.

However, this is not his intention, neither does his mind so think and plan; but it is in his mind to destroy and cut off many nations.

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

For says, Are not my officers all either kings or their equal?

9 I s not Calno as Karkemish? Is not Hamath as Arpad? Is not Samaria as Damascus?

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

10 A s my hand hath found the kingdoms of the idols,—and their graven images exceeded those of Jerusalem and Samaria,

As my hand has reached to the kingdoms of the idols whose graven images were more to be feared and dreaded and more mighty than those of Jerusalem and of Samaria—

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

Shall I not be able to do to Jerusalem and her images as I have done to Samaria and her idols?

12 A nd it shall come to pass, when the Lord hath performed his whole work upon mount Zion and upon Jerusalem, I will punish the fruit of the stoutness of heart of the king of Assyria, and the glory of his high looks.

Therefore when the Lord has completed all His work on Mount Zion and on Jerusalem, it shall be that He will inflict punishment on the fruit of the stout and arrogant heart of the king of Assyria and the haughtiness of his pride.

13 F or he saith, By the strength of my hand I have done, and by my wisdom, for I am intelligent; and I have removed the bounds of the peoples, and have robbed their treasures, and, like a valiant man, I have brought down them that sit;

For has said, I have done it solely by the power of my own hand and wisdom, for I have insight and understanding. I have removed the boundaries of the peoples and have robbed their treasures; and like a bull I have brought down those who sat on thrones and the inhabitants.

14 a nd my hand hath found as a nest the riches of the peoples, and as one gathereth forsaken eggs, have I gathered all the earth; and there was none that moved the wing, or opened the mouth, or chirped.

And my hand has found like a nest the wealth of the people; and as one gathers eggs that are forsaken, so I have gathered all the earth; and there was none that moved its wing, or that opened its 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 the rod should wield them that lift it up; as if the staff should lift up not wood!

Shall the ax boast itself against him who chops with it? Or shall the saw magnify itself against him who wields it back and forth? As if a rod should wield those who lift it up, or as if a staff should lift itself up as if it were not wood!

16 T herefore shall the Lord, Jehovah of hosts, send among his fat ones leanness, and under his glory he shall kindle a burning, like the burning of a fire:

Therefore will the Lord, the Lord of hosts, send leanness among fat ones; and instead of his glory or under it He will kindle a burning like the burning of fire.

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 briars in one day,

And the Light of Israel shall become a fire and His Holy One a flame, and it will burn and devour thorns and briers in one day.

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

will consume the glory of the forest and of his fruitful field, both soul and body; and it shall be as when a sick man pines away or a standard-bearer faints.

19 A nd the remainder of the trees of his forest shall be few: yea, a child might write them.

And the remnant of the trees of his forest shall be few, so that a child may make a list of them.

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

And it shall be in that day that the remnant of Israel, and such as are escaped of the house of Jacob, shall no more lean upon him who smote them, but will lean upon the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, in truth.

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

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

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

For though your population, O Israel, be as the sand of the sea, only a remnant of it will return. The destruction is decreed (decided upon and brought to an issue); it overflows with justice and righteousness.

23 F or a consumption, and determined, will the Lord, Jehovah of hosts, accomplish in the midst of all the land.

For the Lord, the Lord of hosts, will make a full end, whatever is determined or decreed, in the midst of all the earth.

24 T herefore thus saith the Lord, Jehovah 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:

Therefore thus says the Lord, the Lord of hosts, O My people who dwell in Zion, do not be afraid of the Assyrian, who smites you with a rod and lifts up his staff against you, as Egypt did.

25 f or yet a very little while, and the indignation shall be accomplished, and mine anger, in their destruction.

For yet a little while and My indignation against you shall be accomplished, and My anger shall be directed to destruction.

26 A nd Jehovah of hosts will stir up a scourge against him, according to the slaughter of Midian at the rock of Oreb; and his rod upon the sea, and he will lift it up after the manner of Egypt.

And the Lord of hosts shall stir up and brandish a scourge against them as when He smote Midian at the rock of Oreb; and as His rod was over the Sea, so shall He lift it up as He did in Egypt.

27 A nd it shall come to pass in that day, 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. …

And it shall be in that day that the burden of shall depart from your shoulders, and his yoke from your neck. The yoke shall be destroyed because of fatness.

28 H e is come to Aiath, he hath passed through Migron; at Michmash he layeth up his baggage.

He arrives at Aiath; he passes through Migron; at Michmash he gets rid of his baggage.

29 T hey are gone through the pass; they make their lodging at Geba: Ramah trembleth, Gibeah of Saul is fled.

They go through the pass, they make Geba their camping place for the night; Ramah is afraid and trembles, Gibeah of Saul flees.

30 L ift up thy voice, daughter of Gallim! Hearken, O Laish!—Poor Anathoth!

Cry aloud, O Daughter of Gallim! Hearken, O Laishah! O you poor Anathoth!

31 M admenah is fugitive; the inhabitants of Gebim take to flight.

Madmenah is in flight; the inhabitants of Gebim seize their belongings and make their households flee for safety.

32 S till a day of halting at Nob; he shaketh his hand the mount of the daughter of Zion, the hill of Jerusalem. …

This very day will halt at Nob, shaking his fist at the mountain of the Daughter of Zion, at the hill of Jerusalem.

33 B ehold the Lord, Jehovah of hosts, shall lop the boughs with violence; and the high ones of stature shall be hewn down, and the haughty shall be brought low;

behold, the Lord, the Lord of hosts, will lop off the beautiful boughs with terrorizing force; the high in stature will be hewn down and the lofty will be brought low.

34 a nd he shall make clearings in the thickets of the forest with iron; and Lebanon shall fall by a mighty one.

And He will cut down the thickets of the forest with an ax, and Lebanon with its majestic trees shall fall by the Mighty One and mightily.