Woe to Tyrants
1Woe unto them that decree unrighteous decrees, and that write grievousness which they have prescribed;
2To turn aside the needy from judgment, 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!
3And what will ye do in the day of visitation, and in the desolation which shall come from far? to whom will ye flee for help? and where will ye leave your glory?
4Without me they shall bow 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.
Judgment on Assyria
5O Assyrian, the rod of mine anger, and the staff in their hand is mine indignation.
6I will send him against an hypocritical nation, and against the people of my wrath will I give him a charge, to take the spoil, and to take the prey, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets.
7Howbeit he meaneth not so, neither doth his heart think so; but it is in his heart to destroy and cut off nations not a few.
8For he saith, Are not my princes altogether kings?
9Is not Calno as Carchemish? is not Hamath as Arpad? is not Samaria as Damascus?
10As my hand hath found the kingdoms of the idols, and whose graven images did excel them of Jerusalem and of Samaria;
11Shall I not, as I have done unto Samaria and her idols, so do to Jerusalem and her idols?
12Wherefore it shall come to pass, that when the Lord hath performed his whole work upon mount Zion and on Jerusalem, I will punish the fruit of the stout heart of the king of Assyria, and the glory of his high looks.
13For he saith, By the strength of my hand I have done it, and by my wisdom; for I am prudent: and I have removed the bounds of the people, and have robbed their treasures, and I have put down the inhabitants like a valiant man:
14And my 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 peeped.
15Shall the axe 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 them that lift it up, or as if the staff should lift up itself, as if it were no wood.
16Therefore shall the Lord, the Lord of hosts, send among his fat ones leanness; and under his glory he shall kindle a burning like the burning of a fire.
17And 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;
18And shall consume the glory of his forest, and of his fruitful field, both soul and body: and they shall be as when a standardbearer fainteth.
19And the rest of the trees of his forest shall be few, that a child may write them.
A Remnant of Israel Shall Return
20And it shall come to pass in that day, that the remnant of Israel, and such as are escaped of the house of Jacob, shall no more again stay upon him that smote them; but shall stay upon the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, in truth.
21The remnant shall return, even the remnant of Jacob, unto the mighty God.
22For though thy people Israel be as the sand of the sea, yet a remnant of them shall return: the consumption decreed shall overflow with righteousness.
23For the Lord GOD of hosts shall make a consumption, even determined, in the midst of all the land.
24Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD of hosts, O my people that dwellest in Zion, be not afraid of the Assyrian: he shall smite thee with a rod, and shall lift up his staff against thee, after the manner of Egypt. 25For yet a very little while, and the indignation shall cease, and mine anger in their destruction. 26And 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. 27And it shall come to pass in that day, that his burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulder, and his yoke from off thy neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing.
28He is come to Aiath, he is passed to Migron; at Michmash he hath laid up his carriages:
29They are gone over the passage: they have taken up their lodging at Geba; Ramah is afraid; Gibeah of Saul is fled.
30Lift up thy voice, O daughter of Gallim: cause it to be heard unto Laish, O poor Anathoth.
31Madmenah is removed; the inhabitants of Gebim gather themselves to flee.
32As 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.
33Behold, the Lord, the LORD of hosts, shall lop the bough with terror: and the high ones of stature shall be hewn down, and the haughty shall be humbled.
34And he shall cut down the thickets of the forest with iron, and Lebanon shall fall by a mighty one.
King James Bible
Text courtesy of BibleProtector.com.
Woe to Tyrants
1 Woe to those who decree unrighteous decrees, and to the writers who write oppressive decrees;
2 to deprive the needy from justice, and to rob the poor among my people of their rights, that widows may be their spoil, and that they may make the fatherless their prey!
3 What will you do in the day of visitation, and in the desolation which will come from afar? To whom will you flee for help? Where will you leave your wealth?
4 They will only bow down under the prisoners, and will fall under the slain. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.
Judgment on Assyria
5 Alas Assyrian, the rod of my anger, the staff in whose hand is my indignation!
6 I will send him against a profane nation, and against the people who anger me 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 doesn’t mean so, neither does his heart think so; but it is in his heart to destroy, and to cut off not a few nations.
8 For he says, “Aren’t all of my princes kings?
9 Isn’t Calno like Carchemish? Isn’t Hamath like Arpad? Isn’t Samaria like Damascus?”
10 As my hand has found the kingdoms of the idols, whose engraved images exceeded 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 will happen that, when the Lord has performed his whole work on Mount Zion and on Jerusalem, I will punish the fruit of the willful proud heart of the king of Assyria, and the insolence of his haughty looks.
13 For he has said, “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 peoples, and have robbed their treasures. Like a valiant man I have brought down their rulers.
14 My hand has found the riches of the peoples like a nest, and like one gathers eggs that are abandoned, have I gathered all the earth. There was no one who moved their wing, or that opened their mouth, or chirped.”
15 Should an axe brag against him who chops with it? Should a saw exalt itself above him who saws with it? As if a rod should lift those who lift it up, or as if a staff should lift up someone who is not wood.
16 Therefore the Lord, Yahweh of Armies, will send among his fat ones leanness; and under his glory a burning will be kindled like the burning of fire.
17 The light of Israel will be for a fire, and his Holy One for a flame; and it will burn and devour his thorns and his briers in one day.
18 He will consume the glory of his forest, and of his fruitful field, both soul and body. It will be as when a standard bearer faints.
19 The remnant of the trees of his forest shall be few, so that a child could write their number.
A Remnant Shall Return
20 It will come to pass in that day that the remnant of Israel, and those who have escaped from the house of Jacob will no more again lean on him who struck them, but shall lean on Yahweh, the Holy One of Israel, in truth.
21 A remnant will return, even the remnant of Jacob, to the mighty God.
22 For though your people, Israel, are like the sand of the sea, only a remnant of them will return. A destruction is determined, overflowing with righteousness.
23 For the Lord, Yahweh of Armies, will make a full end, and that determined, in the midst of all the earth.
24 Therefore the Lord, Yahweh of Armies, says “My people who dwell in Zion, don’t be afraid of the Assyrian, though he strike you with the rod, and lift up his staff against you, as Egypt did. 25 For yet a very little while, and the indignation against you will be accomplished, and my anger will be directed to his destruction.” 26 Yahweh of Armies will stir up a scourge against him, as in the slaughter of Midian at the rock of Oreb. His rod will be over the sea, and he will lift it up like he did against Egypt. 27 It will happen in that day, that his burden will depart from off your shoulder, and his yoke from off your neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing oil.
28 He has come to Aiath. He has passed through Migron. At Michmash he stores his baggage.
29 They have gone over the pass. They have taken up their lodging at Geba. Ramah trembles. Gibeah of Saul has fled.
30 Cry aloud with your voice, daughter of Gallim! Listen, Laishah! You poor Anathoth!
31 Madmenah is a fugitive. The inhabitants of Gebim flee for safety.
32 This very day he will halt at Nob. He shakes his hand at the mountain of the daughter of Zion, the hill of Jerusalem.
33 Behold, the Lord, Yahweh of Armies, will lop the boughs with terror. The tall will be cut down, and the lofty will be brought low.
34 He will cut down the thickets of the forest with iron, and Lebanon will fall by the Mighty One.
Woe to Tyrants
1 Woe to those who enact unjust statutes
and issue oppressive decrees,
2 to deprive the poor of fair treatment
and withhold justice from the oppressed of My people,
to make widows their prey
and orphans their plunder.
3 What will you do on the day of reckoning
when devastation comes from afar?
To whom will you flee for help?
Where will you leave your wealth?
4 Nothing will remain but to crouch among the captives
or fall among the slain.
Despite all this, His anger is not turned away;
His hand is still upraised.
Judgment on Assyria
5 Woe to Assyria, the rod of My anger;
the staff in their hands is My wrath.
6 I will send him against a godless nation;
I will dispatch him against a people destined for My rage,
to take spoils and seize plunder,
and to trample them down like clay in the streets.
7 But this is not his intention;
this is not his plan.
For it is in his heart to destroy
and cut off many nations.
8 “Are not all my commanders kings?” he says.
9 “Is not Calno like Carchemish?
Is not Hamath like Arpad?
Is not Samaria like Damascus?
10 As my hand seized the idolatrous kingdoms
whose images surpassed those of Jerusalem and Samaria,
11 and as I have done to Samaria and its idols,
will I not also do to Jerusalem and her idols?”
12 So when the Lord has completed all His work against Mount Zion and Jerusalem, He will say, “I will punish the king of Assyria for the fruit of his arrogant heart and the proud look in his eyes. 13 For he says:
‘By the strength of my hand I have done this,
and by my wisdom, for I am clever.
I have removed the boundaries of nations
and plundered their treasures;
like a mighty one I subdued their rulers.
14 My hand reached as into a nest
to seize the wealth of the nations.
Like one gathering abandoned eggs,
I gathered all the earth.
No wing fluttered,
no beak opened or chirped.’ ”
15 Does an axe raise itself above the one who swings it?
Does a saw boast over him who saws with it?
It would be like a rod waving the one who lifts it,
or a staff lifting him who is not wood!
16 Therefore the Lord GOD of Hosts will send a wasting disease
among Assyria’s stout warriors,
and under his pomp will be kindled
a fire like a burning flame.
17 And the Light of Israel will become a fire,
and its Holy One a flame.
In a single day it will burn and devour
Assyria’s thorns and thistles.
18 The splendor of its forests and orchards,
both soul and body,
it will completely destroy,
as a sickness consumes a man.
19 The remaining trees of its forests will be so few
that a child could count them.
A Remnant Shall Return
20 On that day the remnant of Israel
and the survivors of the house of Jacob
will no longer depend
on him who struck them,
but they will truly rely on the LORD,
the Holy One of Israel.
21 A remnant will return a —a remnant of Jacob—
to the Mighty God.
22 Though your people, O Israel, be like the sand of the sea,
only a remnant will return. b
Destruction has been decreed,
overflowing with righteousness.
23 For the Lord GOD of Hosts will carry out
the destruction decreed upon the whole land. c
24 Therefore this is what the Lord GOD of Hosts says:
“O My people who dwell in Zion,
do not fear Assyria,
who strikes you with a rod
and lifts his staff against you
as the Egyptians did.
25 For in just a little while
My fury against you will subside,
and My anger will turn to their destruction.”
26 And the LORD of Hosts will brandish a whip against them,
as when He struck Midian at the rock of Oreb.
He will raise His staff over the sea,
as He did in Egypt.
27 On that day the burden will be lifted from your shoulders,
and the yoke from your neck.
The yoke will be broken
because your neck will be too large. d
28 Assyria has entered Aiath
and passed through Migron,
storing their supplies at Michmash.
29 They have crossed at the ford:
“We will spend the night at Geba.”
Ramah trembles;
Gibeah of Saul flees.
30 Cry aloud, O Daughter of Gallim!
Listen, O Laishah!
O wretched Anathoth!
31 Madmenah flees;
the people of Gebim take refuge.
32 Yet today they will halt at Nob,
shaking a fist at the mount of Daughter Zion,
at the hill of Jerusalem.
33 Behold, the Lord GOD of Hosts
will lop off the branches with terrifying power.
The tall trees will be cut down,
the lofty ones will be felled.
34 He will clear the forest thickets with an axe,
and Lebanon will fall before the Mighty One.
Footnotes:
21 a Hebrew Shear-jashub ; also in verse 22; see Isaiah 7:3.
22 b LXX Though the people of Israel be like the sand of the sea, only a remnant will be saved. Cited in Romans 9:27
23 c LXX He will finish the work and cut it short in righteousness, because the Lord will make a short work in all the world. Cited in Romans 9:28
27 d Literally broken because of fatness ; LXX broken from your shoulders
Woe to Tyrants
1Woe to those decreeing decrees of iniquity, And writers who have prescribed perverseness.
2To turn aside from judgment the poor, And to take violently away the judgment Of the afflicted of My people, That widows may be their prey, That the fatherless they may spoil.
3And what do ye at a day of inspection? And at desolation? -- from afar it cometh. Near whom do ye flee for help? And where do ye leave your honour?
4Without Me it hath bowed down In the place of a bound one, And in the place of the slain they fall. With all this not turned back hath His anger, And still His hand is stretched out.
Judgment on Assyria
5Woe to Asshur, a rod of Mine anger, And a staff in their hand is Mine indignation.
6Against a profane nation I send him, And concerning a people of My wrath I charge him, To spoil spoil, and to seize prey, And to make it a treading-place as the clay of out places.
7And he -- he thinketh not so, And his heart reckoneth not so, For -- to destroy is in his heart, And to cut off nations not a few.
8For he saith, 'Are not my princes altogether kings?
9Is not Calno as Carchemish? Is not Hamath as Arpad? Is not Samaria as Damascus?
10As my hand hath got to the kingdoms of a worthless thing, and their graven images, Greater than Jerusalem and than Samaria,
11Do I not -- as I have done to Samaria, And to her worthless things, So do to Jerusalem and to her grievous things?
12And it hath come to pass, When the Lord doth fulfil all His work In mount Zion and in Jerusalem, I see concerning the fruit of the greatness Of the heart of the king of Asshur. And concerning the glory of the height of his eyes.
13For he hath said, 'By the power of my hand I have wrought, And by my wisdom, for I have been intelligent, And I remove borders of the peoples, And their chief ones I have spoiled, And I put down as a mighty one the inhabitants,
14And my hand as to a nest Getteth to the wealth of the peoples, And as a gathering of forsaken eggs All the earth I -- I have gathered, And there hath not been one moving wing, Or opening mouth, or whispering.'
15 -- Doth the axe glorify itself Against him who is hewing with it? Doth the saw magnify itself Against him who is shaking it? As a rod waving those lifting it up! As a staff lifting up that which is not wood!
16Therefore doth the Lord, the Lord of Hosts, Send among his fat ones leanness, And under his honour He kindleth a burning As the burning of a fire.
17And the light of Israel hath been for a fire, And his Holy One for a flame, And it hath burned, and devoured his thorn And his brier in one day.
18And the honour of his forest, and his fruitful field, From soul even unto flesh He doth consume, And it hath been as the fainting of a standard-bearer.
19And the rest of the trees of his forest are few, And a youth doth write them.
A Remnant of Israel Shall Return
20And it hath come to pass, in that day, The remnant of Israel, And the escaped of the house of Jacob, Do not add any more to lean on its smiter, And have leant on Jehovah, The Holy One of Israel, in truth.
21A remnant returneth -- a remnant of Jacob, Unto the Mighty God.
22For though thy people Israel be as the sand of the sea, A remnant doth return of it, A consumption determined, Overflowing with righteousness.
23For a consumption that is determined, The Lord, Jehovah of Hosts, Is making in the midst of all the land.
24Therefore, thus said the Lord, Jehovah of Hosts, 'Be not afraid, my people, inhabiting Zion, because of Asshur, With a rod he doth smite thee, And his staff lifteth up against thee, in the way of Egypt. 25For yet a very little, And the indignation hath been completed, And Mine anger by their wearing out. 26And awaking for him is Jehovah of Hosts, A scourge like the smiting of Midian at the rock Oreb, And his rod is over the sea, And he hath lifted it in the way of Egypt. 27And it hath come to pass, in that day, Turned is his burden from off thy shoulder, And his yoke from off thy neck, And destroyed hath been the yoke, because of prosperity.
28He hath come in against Aiath, He hath passed over into Migron, At Michmash he looketh after his vessels.
29They have gone over the passage, Geba they have made a lodging place, Trembled hath Rama, Gibeah of Saul fled.
30Cry aloud with thy voice, daughter of Gallim, Give attention, Laish! answer her, Anathoth.
31Fled away hath Madmenah, The inhabitants of the high places have hardened themselves.
32Yet to-day in Nob to remain, Wave its hand doth the mount of the daughter of Zion, The hill of Jerusalem.
33Lo, the Lord, Jehovah of Hosts, Is lopping a branch with violence, And the high of stature are cut down, And the lofty are become low,
34And He hath gone round the thickets of the forest with iron, And Lebanon by a mighty one falleth!
