¶ Woe¹ unto them² that decree unrighteous decrees, and that write grievousness³ which they have prescribed;

To turn aside⁴ the needy from judgment, and to take away the right from the poor of my people, that widows⁵ may be their prey, and that they may rob the fatherless!

And what⁶ will ye do in the day⁷ of visitation, and in the desolation⁸ which shall come from far? to whom⁹ will ye flee for help? and where¹⁰ will ye leave your glory?

Without me¹¹ they shall bow down under the prisoners, and they shall fall under the slain. For all this¹² his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.

¶ O Assyrian¹³, the rod¹⁴ of mine anger, and¹⁵ the staff in their hand is mine indignation.

I will send him against¹⁶ an hypocritical nation, and against the people of my wrath will I give¹⁷ him a charge, to take the spoil, and to take the prey, and to tread them¹⁸ down like the mire of the streets.

Howbeit he meaneth¹⁹ not so, neither doth his heart think so; but it is in his heart²⁰ to destroy and cut off nations not a few.

²¹For he saith, Are not my princes altogether kings?

Is not Calno²² as Carchemish²⁴? is not Hamath²⁵ as Arpad? is not Samaria²⁶ as Damascus?

¶ As my hand hath found the kingdoms²⁷ of the idols, and whose graven images did excel them of Jerusalem and of Samaria;

Shall I not, as I have²⁸ done unto Samaria and her idols, so do to Jerusalem and her idols?

Wherefore it shall come to pass, that when the Lord²⁹ hath performed his whole work upon mount Zion and on Jerusalem, I will³⁰ punish the fruit of the stout heart³¹ of the king of Assyria, and the glory³² of his high looks.

For he saith³³, By the strength of my hand I have done it, and by my wisdom; for I am prudent: and I have removed³⁴ the bounds of the people, and have robbed³⁵ their treasures, and I have put down the inhabitants like a valiant man³⁶:

And my³⁷ hand hath found as a nest the riches of the people: and as one gathereth eggs that are left, have I gathered all the earth; and there was none that moved the wing, or opened the mouth, or peeped³⁸.

Shall the axe³⁹ boast itself against him that heweth therewith? or shall the saw magnify itself against him that shaketh it? as if the rod should shake itself against them⁴⁰ that lift it up, or as if the staff should lift up itself, as if it were no wood.

Therefore shall the Lord, the Lord of hosts⁴¹, send among his fat ones leanness; and under⁴² his glory he shall kindle a burning like the burning of a fire.

And the light⁴³ of Israel shall be for a fire, and his Holy One for a flame⁴⁴: and it shall burn and devour⁴⁵ his thorns and his briers in one day;

And shall consume⁴⁶ the glory of his forest, and of his fruitful field, both soul and body⁴⁷: and they shall be as when a standardbearer fainteth.

And the rest of the trees of his forest shall be few⁴⁸, that a child may write them.

¶ And it shall come to pass in that day, that the remnant⁴⁹ of Israel, and such as are escaped of the house of Jacob, shall no more⁵⁰ again stay upon him that smote them; but shall stay⁵¹ upon the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, in truth.

The remnant shall return⁵², even the remnant of Jacob, unto the mighty God⁵³.

For though thy⁵⁴ people Israel be as the sand of the sea, yet a remnant⁵⁵ of⁵⁶ them shall return: the consumption decreed shall overflow with⁵⁷ righteousness.

For the Lord GOD of hosts shall make a consumption, even determined⁵⁸, in the midst of all the land.

¶ Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD of hosts, O my people⁵⁹ that dwellest in Zion, be not afraid⁶⁰ of the Assyrian: he shall smite thee⁶¹ with a rod, and shall lift up his staff against thee,⁶² after the manner of Egypt.

For yet⁶³ a very little while, and the indignation shall cease, and mine anger in their destruction.

And the LORD of hosts shall stir up⁶⁴ a scourge for him according⁶⁵ to the slaughter of Midian at the rock of Oreb: and as his rod⁶⁶ was upon the sea, so shall he lift it up after the manner of Egypt.

And it shall come to pass in that day, that his burden⁶⁷ shall be taken away⁶⁸ from off thy shoulder, and his yoke from off thy neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing.

He is come⁶⁹ to Aiath⁷⁰, he is passed to Migron⁷²; at Michmash⁷³ he hath laid up his carriages:

They are gone over the passage⁷⁴: they have taken up their lodging at Geba⁷⁵; Ramah⁷⁶ is afraid; Gibeah⁷⁷ of Saul is fled.

¶ Lift up thy voice⁷⁸, O daughter of Gallim: cause it to be heard unto Laish⁷⁹, O poor Anathoth⁸⁰.

Madmenah⁸¹ is removed; the inhabitants of Gebim gather themselves to flee.

As yet shall he remain at Nob⁸³ that day: he shall shake⁸⁴ his hand against the mount⁸⁵ of the daughter of Zion, the hill of Jerusalem.

Behold, the Lord, the LORD of hosts, shall lop⁸⁶ the bough with terror: and the high ones⁸⁷ of stature shall be hewn down, and the haughty⁸⁸ shall be humbled.

And he shall cut down⁸⁹ the thickets of the forest with iron, and Lebanon⁹⁰ shall fall by a mighty one⁹¹.