1 “ Woe to those who decree unrighteous decrees, Who write misfortune, Which they have prescribed

Woe unto them that decree unrighteous decrees, and to the writers that write perverseness;

2 T o rob the needy of justice, And to take what is right from the poor 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 rob the poor of my people of their right, that widows may be their spoil, and that they may make the fatherless their prey!

3 W hat will you do in the day of punishment, And in the desolation which will come from afar? To whom will you flee for help? And where will you leave your glory?

And 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?

4 W ithout Me they shall bow down among the prisoners, And they shall fall among the slain.” For all this His anger is not turned away, But His hand is stretched out still. Arrogant Assyria Also Judged

They shall only bow down under the prisoners, and shall fall under the slain. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.

5 “ Woe to Assyria, the rod of My anger And the staff in whose hand is My indignation.

Ho Assyrian, the rod of mine anger, the staff in whose hand is mine indignation!

6 I will send him against an ungodly nation, And against the people of My wrath I will give him charge, To seize the spoil, to take the prey, And to tread them down like the mire of the streets.

I will send him against a profane 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.

7 Y et 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.

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

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

For he saith, Are not my princes all of them kings?

9 I s not Calno like Carchemish? Is not Hamath like Arpad? Is not Samaria like Damascus?

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

10 A s my hand has found the kingdoms of the idols, Whose carved images excelled those of Jerusalem and Samaria,

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

11 A s I have done to Samaria and her idols, Shall I not do also to Jerusalem and her idols?’”

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

12 T herefore it shall come to pass, when the Lord has performed all His work on Mount Zion and on Jerusalem, that He will say, “I will punish the fruit of the arrogant heart of the king of Assyria, and the glory of his haughty looks.”

Wherefore 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.

13 F or 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 valiant man.

For he hath said, By the strength of my hand I have done it, and by my wisdom; for I have understanding: 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 on thrones:

14 M y 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.”

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

15 S hall 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!

Shall the axe boast itself against him that heweth therewith? shall the saw magnify itself against him that wieldeth it? as if a rod should wield them that lift it up, or as if a staff should lift up him that is not wood.

16 T herefore the Lord, the 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.

Therefore will the Lord, Jehovah of hosts, send among his fat ones leanness; and under his glory there shall be kindled a burning like the burning of fire.

17 S o the Light of Israel will be for a fire, And his Holy One for a flame; It will burn and devour His thorns and his briers in one day.

And the 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.

18 A nd it will consume the glory of his forest and of his fruitful field, Both soul and body; And they will be as when a sick man wastes away.

And he will consume the glory of his forest, and of his fruitful field, both soul and body: and it shall be as when a standard-bearer fainteth.

19 T hen the rest of the trees of his forest Will be so few in number That a child may write them. The Returning Remnant of Israel

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

20 A nd it shall come to pass in that day That the remnant of Israel, And such as have escaped of the house of Jacob, Will never again depend on him who defeated them, But will depend on the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, in truth.

And it shall come to pass in that day, that the remnant of Israel, and they that are escaped of the house of Jacob, shall no more again lean upon him that smote them, but shall lean upon Jehovah, the Holy One of Israel, in truth.

21 T he remnant will return, the remnant of Jacob, To the Mighty God.

A remnant shall return, even the remnant of Jacob, unto the mighty God.

22 F or though your people, O Israel, be as the sand of the sea, A remnant of them will return; The destruction decreed shall overflow with righteousness.

For though thy people, Israel, be as the sand of the sea, only a remnant of them shall return: a destruction is determined, overflowing with righteousness.

23 F or the Lord God of hosts Will make a determined end In the midst of all the land.

For a full end, and that determined, will the Lord, Jehovah of hosts, make in the midst of all the earth.

24 T herefore thus says the Lord God of hosts: “O My people, who dwell in Zion, do not be afraid of the Assyrian. He shall strike you with a rod and lift up his staff against you, in the manner of Egypt.

Therefore thus saith the Lord, Jehovah of hosts, O my people that dwellest in Zion, be not afraid of the Assyrian, though he smite thee with the rod, and lift up his staff against thee, after the manner of Egypt.

25 F or yet a very little while and the indignation will cease, as will My anger in their destruction.”

For yet a very little while, and the indignation against thee shall be accomplished, and mine anger shall be directed to his destruction.

26 A nd the Lord of hosts will stir up a scourge for him like the slaughter of Midian at the rock of Oreb; as His rod was on the sea, so will He lift it up in the manner of Egypt.

And Jehovah of hosts will stir up against him a scourge, as in the slaughter of Midian at the rock of Oreb: and his rod will be over the sea, and he will lift it up after the manner of Egypt.

27 I t shall come to pass in that day That his burden will be taken away from your shoulder, And his yoke from your neck, And the yoke will be destroyed because of the anointing oil.

And it shall come to pass in that day, that his burden shall depart from off thy shoulder, and his yoke from off thy neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed by reason of fatness.

28 H e has come to Aiath, He has passed Migron; At Michmash he has attended to his equipment.

He is come to Aiath, he is passed through Migron; at Michmash he layeth up his baggage;

29 T hey have gone along the ridge, They have taken up lodging at Geba. Ramah is afraid, Gibeah of Saul has fled.

they are gone over the pass; they have taken up their lodging at Geba; Ramah trembleth; Gibeah of Saul is fled.

30 L ift up your voice, O daughter of Gallim! Cause it to be heard as far as Laish— O poor Anathoth!

Cry aloud with thy voice, O daughter of Gallim! hearken, O Laishah! O thou poor Anathoth!

31 M admenah has fled, The inhabitants of Gebim seek refuge.

Madmenah is a fugitive; the inhabitants of Gebim flee for safety.

32 A s yet he will remain at Nob that day; He will shake his fist at the mount of the daughter of Zion, The hill of Jerusalem.

This very day shall he halt at Nob: he shaketh his hand at the mount of the daughter of Zion, the hill of Jerusalem.

33 B ehold, the Lord, The Lord of hosts, Will lop off the bough with terror; Those of high stature will be hewn down, And the haughty will be humbled.

Behold, the Lord, Jehovah of hosts, will lop the boughs with terror: and the high of stature shall be hewn down, and the lofty shall be brought low.

34 H e will cut down the thickets of the forest with iron, And Lebanon will fall by the Mighty One.

And he will cut down the thickets of the forest with iron, and Lebanon shall fall by a mighty one.