Israel’s Restoration and Dominion

1When Yahweh will have compassion on Jacob and again choose Israel, and [†]put them in their own land, then sojourners will join them and attach themselves to the house of Jacob. 2And the peoples will take them along and bring them to their place, and the house of Israel will possess them as an inheritance in the land of Yahweh for their male and female slaves; and [†]they will take their captors captive and will have dominion over their taskmasters.

3And it will be in the day when Yahweh gives you rest from your pain and turmoil and harsh slavery in which you have been enslaved, 4that you will take up this [†]taunt against the king of Babylon, and say,

“How the taskmaster has ceased,

And how [†]fury has ceased!

5Yahweh has broken the staff of the wicked,

The scepter of rulers

6Which used to strike the peoples in fury with unceasing strokes,

Which had dominion over the nations in anger with unrestrained persecution.

7The whole earth is at rest and is quiet;

They break forth into shouts of joy.

8Even the cypress trees are glad over you, and the cedars of Lebanon, saying,

‘Since you were laid low, no tree cutter comes up against us.’

9Sheol from beneath trembles excitedly over you to meet you when you come;

It wakens for you the [†]spirits of the dead, all the [†]leaders of the earth;

It raises all the kings of the nations from their thrones.

10They will all answer and say to you,

‘Even you have been made weak as we,

You have become like us.

11Your pride and the music of your harps

Have been brought down to Sheol;

Maggots are spread out as your bed beneath you

And worms are your covering.’

12How you have fallen from heaven,

O [†]star of the morning, son of the dawn!

You have been cut down to the earth,

You who have weakened the nations!

13But you said in your heart,

‘I will ascend to heaven;

I will raise my throne above the stars of God,

And I will sit on the mount of assembly

In the recesses of the north.

14I will ascend above the heights of the clouds;

I will make myself like the Most High.’

15Nevertheless you will be brought down to Sheol,

To the recesses of the pit.

16Those who see you will gaze at you,

They will [†]carefully consider you, saying,

‘Is this the man who made the earth tremble,

Who caused kingdoms to quake,

17Who made the world like a wilderness

And pulled down its cities,

Who did not [†]allow his prisoners to go home?’

18All the kings of the nations lie in glory,

Each in his own [†]place.

19But you have been cast out of your grave

Like an abhorred branch,

[†]Clothed with those killed who are pierced with a sword,

Who go down to the stones of the pit

Like a trampled corpse.

20You will not be united with them in burial,

Because you have ruined your country,

You have killed your people.

May the seed of evildoers not be called upon forever.

21Prepare for his sons a place of slaughter

Because of the iniquity of their fathers.

They must not arise and take possession of the earth

And fill the face of the world with cities.”

22“I will rise up against them,” declares Yahweh of hosts, “and will cut off from Babylon name and remnant, offspring and posterity,” declares Yahweh. 23“I will also make it a possession for the hedgehog and swamps of water, and I will sweep it with the broom of [†]destruction,” declares Yahweh of hosts.

Yahweh’s Plan to Break Assyrian Rule

24Yahweh of hosts has sworn saying, “Surely, just as I have intended so it has happened, and just as I have counseled so it will stand, 25to break Assyria in My land, and I will trod him down on My mountains. Then his yoke will be removed from them and his burden removed from their shoulder. 26This is the counsel that is counseled against the whole earth; and this is the hand that is stretched out against all the nations. 27For Yahweh of hosts has counseled, and who can thwart it? And as for His stretched-out hand, who can turn it back?”

An Oracle Concerning Philistia

28In the year that King Ahaz died this [†]oracle came:

29“Do not be glad, O Philistia, all of you,

Because the rod that struck you is broken;

For from the serpent’s root a viper will come out,

And its fruit will be a flying fiery serpent.

30[†]And the foremost of the poor will eat,

And the needy will lie down in security;

I will put to death your root with famine,

And it will kill off your remnant.

31Wail, O gate; cry, O city;

[†]Melt away, O Philistia, all of you;

For smoke comes from the north,

And there is no straggler in his ranks.

32How then will one answer the messengers of the nation?

That Yahweh has founded Zion,

And the afflicted of His people will take refuge in it.”