ASSYRIA WILL BE DESTROYED

24 The Lord of Armies has sworn:

As I have purposed, so it will be;

as I have planned it, so it will happen.j

25 I will break Assyriak in my land;

I will tread him down on my mountain.

Then his yoke will be taken from them,

and his burden will be removed from their shoulders.

26 This is the planl prepared

for the whole earth,

and this is the hand stretched out

against all the nations.

27 The Lord of Armies himself has planned it;

therefore, who can stand in its way?

It is his hand that is outstretched,

so who can turn it back?

A PRONOUNCEMENT AGAINST PHILISTIA

28 In the year that King Ahaz died,m this pronouncement came:n

29 Don’t rejoice, all of you in Philistia,

because the rod of the one who struck youo is broken.

For a viper will come from the rootD of a snake,

and from its egg comes a flying serpent.p

30 Then the firstbornq of the poor will be well fed,

and the impoverished will lie down in safety,

but I will kill your root with hunger,

and your remnant will be slain.

31 Wail, you gates!r Cry out, city!

Tremble with fear,a all Philistia!

For a cloud of dust is coming from the north,b

and there is no one missing from the invader’s ranks.

32 What answer will be given to the messengers from that nation?

The Lord has founded Zion,c

and his oppressed people find refuge in her.