Isaiah 10:5–13

The Lord’s Message against Assyria

⁵“How horrible it will be for Assyria! 

It is the rod of my anger. 

My fury is the staff in the Assyrians’ hands. 

⁶I send them against a godless nation. 

In my fury I order them against the people 

to take their belongings, loot them, 

and trample on them like mud in the streets. 

⁷But that’s not what they intend to do. 

Their minds don’t work that way. 

Their purpose is to destroy and put an end to many nations. 

⁸They ask, ‘Aren’t all our commanders kings? 

⁹Isn’t Calno like Carchemish? 

Isn’t Hamath like Arpad? 

Isn’t Samaria like Damascus?’ 

¹⁰My power has reached kingdoms which have idols. 

They had more carved statues than Jerusalem or Samaria. 

¹¹I will do to Jerusalem and its idols 

what I’ve done to Samaria and its idols.” 

¹²When the Lord has finished all his work on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, he will punish the king of Assyria for all his boasting and all his arrogance. ¹³The king will say, 

“I did this with my own two powerful hands. 

I did this with my wisdom, because I am so clever. 

I’ve eliminated the boundaries of nations. 

I’ve looted treasuries. 

I’ve brought down people like a mighty man.