Woe to Tyrants
1Woeunto them that decreeunrighteousdecrees,and that writegrievousness[which] they have prescribed;
2To turn asidethe needyfrom judgment,and to take awaythe rightfrom the poorof my people,that widowsmay be their prey,and [that] they may robthe fatherless!
3And what will ye doin the dayof visitation,and in the desolation[which] shall comefrom far?to whom will ye fleefor help?and where will ye leaveyour glory?
4Without me they shallbow downunder the prisoners,and they shall fallunder the slain.For all this his angeris not turned away,but his hand[is] stretched out still.
Judgment on Assyria
5OAssyrian,the rodof mine anger,and the staffin their handis mine indignation.
6I will sendhim against an hypocriticalnation,and against the peopleof my wrathwill I give him a charge,to takethe spoil,and to takethe prey,and to tread them downlike the mireof the streets.
7Howbeit he meanethnot so, neither doth his heartthinkso; but [it is] in his heartto destroyand cut offnationsnot a few.
8For he saith,[Are] not my princesaltogetherkings?
9[Is] not Calnoas Carchemish?[is] not Hamathas Arpad?[is] not Samariaas Damascus?
10As my handhath foundthe kingdomsof the idols,and whose graven imagesdid excel them of Jerusalemand of Samaria;
11Shall I not, as I have doneunto Samariaand her idols,so doto Jerusalemand her idols?
12Wherefore it shall come to pass, [that] when the Lordhath performedhis whole workupon mountZionand on Jerusalem,I will punishthe fruitof the stoutheartof the kingof Assyria,and the gloryof his highlooks.
13For he saith,By the strengthof my handI have done[it], and by my wisdom;for I am prudent:and I have removedthe boundsof the people,and have robbedtheir treasures,and I have put downthe inhabitantslike a valiant[man]:
14And my handhath foundas a nestthe richesof the people:and as one gatheretheggs[that are] left,have I gatheredall the earth;and there was none that movedthe wing,or openedthe mouth,or peeped.
15Shall the axeboastitself against him that heweththerewith? [or] shall the sawmagnifyitself against him that shakethit? as if the rodshould shake[itself] against them that lift it up,[or] as if the staffshould lift up[itself, as if it were] no wood.
16Therefore shall the Lord,the Lordof hosts,sendamong his fat onesleanness;and under his gloryhe shall kindlea burninglike the burning of a fire.
17And the lightof Israelshall be for a fire,and his Holy Onefor a flame:and it shall burnand devourhis thornsand his briersin oneday;
18And shall consumethe gloryof his forest,and of his fruitful field,both souland body:and they shall be as when a standardbearerfainteth.
19And the restof the treesof his forestshall be few,that a childmay writethem.
A Remnant of Israel Shall Return
20And it shall come to pass in that day,[that] the remnantof Israel,and such as are escapedof the houseof Jacob,shall no more againstayupon him that smotethem; but shall stayupon the LORD,the Holy Oneof Israel,in truth.
21The remnantshall return,[even] the remnantof Jacob,unto the mightyGod.
22For though thy peopleIsraelbe as the sandof the sea,[yet] a remnantof them shall return:the consumptiondecreedshall overflowwith righteousness.
23For the LordGODof hostsshall makea consumption,even determined,in the midstof all the land.
24Therefore thus saiththe LordGODof hosts,O my peoplethat dwellestin Zion,be not afraidof the Assyrian:he shall smitethee with a rod,and shall lift uphis staffagainst thee, after the mannerof Egypt.25For yet a verylittle while,and the indignationshall cease,and mine angerin their destruction.26And the LORDof hostsshall stir upa scourgefor him according to the slaughterof Midianat the rockof Oreb:and [as] his rod[was] upon the sea,so shall he lift it upafter the mannerof Egypt.27And it shall come to pass in that day,[that] his burdenshall be taken awayfrom off thy shoulder,and his yokefrom off thy neck,and the yokeshall be destroyedbecauseof the anointing.
28He is cometo Aiath,he is passedto Migron;at Michmashhe hath laid uphis carriages:
29They are gone overthe passage:they have taken up their lodgingat Geba;Ramahis afraid;Gibeahof Saulis fled.
30Lift upthy voice,O daughterofGallim:cause it to be heardunto Laish,O poorAnathoth.
31Madmenahis removed;the inhabitantsof Gebimgather themselves to flee.
32As yet shall he remainat Nobthat day:he shall shakehis hand[against] the mountof the daughterof Zion,the hillof Jerusalem.
33Behold, the Lord,the LORDof hosts,shall lopthe boughwith terror:and the high onesof stature[shall be] hewn down,and the haughtyshall be humbled.
34And he shall cut downthe thicketsof the forestwith iron,and Lebanonshall fallby a mighty one.
