1. Woe unto those who decree unrighteous decrees, and that write oppression which they have prescribed;
2. To turn aside the needy from obtaining justice, 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!
3. 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 leave your treasures?
4. Without me they shall be brought 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.
5. O Assyrian, the rod of my anger, the staff in your hand is my indignation.
6. I will send him against a hypocritical nation, and against the people of my wrath will I give him a command, to take the spoil, and to take the prey, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets.
7. However he does not so intend, neither does his heart think so; but it is in his heart to destroy and cut off nations not a few.
8. For he says, Are not my princes altogether kings?
9. Is not Calno as Carchemish? is not Hamath as Arpad? is not Samaria as Damascus?
10. As my hand has found the kingdoms of the idols, and whose sculptured images excelled those of Jerusalem and of Samaria;
11. Shall I not, as I have done to Samaria and her idols, so do to Jerusalem and her idols?
12. Therefore it shall come to pass, that when the Lord has performed his whole work upon mount Zion and on Jerusalem, I will punish the fruit of the arrogant heart of the king of Assyria, and the glory of his high looks.
13. For he says, By the strength of my hand I have done it, and by my wisdom; for I have understanding: and I have removed the boundaries of the people, and have robbed their treasures, and I have put down the inhabitants like a valiant man:
14. And my hand has found as a nest the riches of the people: and as one gathers 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 axe boast itself against him that cuts with it? or shall the saw magnify itself against him that moves it? as if the rod should shake itself against those who 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 splendor 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 standard-bearer faints.
19. And the rest of the trees of his forest shall be so few, that a child may write them.
20. And it shall come to pass in that day, that the remnant of Israel, and those that are escaped of the house of Jacob, shall no more again lean upon him that struck them; but shall lean upon the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, in truth.
21. The remnant shall return, even the remnant of Jacob, unto the mighty God.
22. For though your people Israel be as the sand of the sea, yet a remnant of them shall return: the destruction decreed shall overflow with righteousness.
23. For the Lord GOD of hosts shall make a full end, even determined, in the midst of all the land.
24. Therefore thus says the Lord GOD of hosts, O my people that dwell in Zion, be not afraid of the Assyrian: he shall strike you with a rod, and shall lift up his staff against you, after the manner of Egypt.
25. For yet a very little while, and the indignation shall cease, and my anger in their destruction.
26. And 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.
27. And it shall come to pass in that day, that his burden shall be taken away off from your shoulder, and his yoke off from your neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing.
28. He has come to Aiath, he has passed to Migron; at Michmash he has left his baggage:
29. They have gone over the passage: they have taken up their lodging at Geba; Ramah is afraid; Gibeah of Saul has fled.
30. Lift up your voice, O daughter of Gallim: cause it to be heard as far as Laish, O poor Anathoth.
31. Madmenah is removed; the inhabitants of Gebim gather themselves to flee.
32. 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.
33. Behold, the Lord, the LORD of hosts, shall cut off the bough with terror: and the high ones of stature shall be cut down, and the haughty shall be humbled.
34. And he shall cut down the thickets of the forest with iron, and Lebanon shall fall by a mighty one.
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