1"Woe to those who decree unrighteous edicts, and to those who issue oppressive decrees;

2To turn aside the needy from judgment, and to steal the right from the poor of My people, that widows may be their prey, and that they may rob the orphans!

3And what will you do in the day of judgment and destruction, in the day of devastation which shall come from afar? To whom will you flee for help? And where will you leave your wealth?

4They can do nothing but to cringe among the captives, or fall among the slain." In all this His hand is not turned away, but His hand is stretched out still.

5"Woe to Assyria, the rod of My anger! And the staff in their hand is My fury.

6I will send him against an ungodly nation, and against the people of My wrath. I will command him to take the plunder, and to strip off the spoil, and to trample them like mud in the streets.

7Yet he does not plan this, nor does his heart think so, for it is in his heart to destroy and cut off nations not a few;

8For he says, 'Are not my commanders all like kings?

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

10As my hand has reached to the kingdoms of the idols--and their graven images are greater than Jerusalem's and Samaria's--

11Shall I not do to Jerusalem and her idols as I have done to Samaria and her idols?' "

12Therefore, it shall come to pass, when the LORD has finished all His work on Mount Zion and on Jerusalem, "I will punish the fruit of the arrogant heart of the king of Assyria and for the haughty look in his eyes."

13For he says, "By the strength of my hand I have done it, and by my wisdom; for I am wise. And I have removed the bounds of the people, and have plundered their treasures, and I have put down the people like a strong man.

14And my hand has found the riches of the people as a nest; and as one gathers eggs that are left, I have gathered all the earth; and there was none who moved the wing, or opened the mouth, or peeped."

15Shall the axe boast itself against him who chops with it? Shall the saw magnify itself against him who wields it? As if the rod itself could swing against those who lift it up! As if the staff should lift up itself, as if it were not wood!

16Therefore, the Lord, the Lord of hosts, shall send leanness among his fat ones; and under his glory He shall kindle a burning like the burning of a fire.

17And the light of Israel shall be as a fire, and His Holy One as a flame; and it shall burn and devour his thorns and his briers in one day.

18And it shall burn up the glory of his forest and of his fruitful field, both soul and body; and they shall be as when a sick one wastes away.

19And the rest of the trees of his forest shall be so few, that a child might write them down.

20And it shall come to pass in that day that the remnant of Israel, and those who have escaped of the house of Jacob, shall never again lean upon him who struck them; but lean upon the Lord Who is in truth, the Holy One of Israel.

21A remnant shall return, even the remnant of Jacob, to the Mighty God;

22For though Your people Israel are like the sand of the sea, only a remnant of them shall return; a destruction is determined, overflowing with righteousness.

23For the Lord GOD of hosts shall make a full end, as ordained, in the midst of all the earth.

24Therefore thus says the Lord GOD of hosts, "O My people who dwell in Zion, do not fear Assyria. He shall strike you with a rod, and shall lift up his staff against you, as Egypt did; 25For yet a little while, and the indignation shall cease, and My anger will be to their destruction." 26And the LORD of hosts shall stir up a scourge against him according to the slaughter of Midian at the rock of Oreb; and as His rod was over the sea, so shall He lift it up after the manner of Egypt. 27And it shall come to pass, in that day his burden shall be taken away from off your shoulder, and his yoke from off your neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of fatness.

28He has come to Aiath, he has passed to Migron; at Michmash he has stored his baggage;

29They have gone over the pass; they have bedded down at Geba; Ramah is afraid, Gibeah of Saul has fled.

30Cry with a shrill voice, O daughter of heaps! Hearken O Laish! respond to her O poor Anathoth.

31Madmenah wanders; the people of Gebim take refuge.

32Yet he shall remain in Nob today; he shall shake his hand against the mount of the daughter of Zion, the hill of Jerusalem.

33Behold, the Lord, the LORD of hosts, shall lop the bough with terror; and the lofty ones shall be cut down, and the proud shall be humbled.

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