Isaiah 10:5–12

Woe to Assyria, the rod of my anger;

the staff in their hands is my fury!

Against a godless nation I send him,

and against the people of my wrath I command him,

to take spoil and seize plunder,

and to tread them down like the mire of the streets.

But he does not so intend,

and his heart does not so think;

but it is in his heart to destroy,

and to cut off nations not a few;

for he says:

“Are not my commanders all kings?

Is not Calno like Carchemish?

Is not Hamath like Arpad?

Is not Samaria like Damascus?

As my hand has reached to the kingdoms of the idols,

whose carved images were greater than those of Jerusalem and Samaria,

shall I not do to Jerusalem and her idols

as I have done to Samaria and her images?”

When the Lord has finished all his work on Mount Zion and on Jerusalem, he will punish the speech of the arrogant heart of the king of Assyria and the boastful look in his eyes.

“Woe to the Assyrian, the rod of my anger,

in whose hand is the club of my wrath!

I send him against a godless nation,

I dispatch him against a people who anger me,

to seize loot and snatch plunder,

and to trample them down like mud in the streets.

But this is not what he intends,

this is not what he has in mind;

his purpose is to destroy,

to put an end to many nations.

‘Are not my commanders all kings?’ he says.

‘Has not Kalno fared like Carchemish?

Is not Hamath like Arpad,

and Samaria like Damascus?

As my hand seized the kingdoms of the idols,

kingdoms whose images excelled those of Jerusalem and Samaria—

shall I not deal with Jerusalem and her images

as I dealt with Samaria and her idols?’ ”

When the Lord has finished all his work against Mount Zion and Jerusalem, he will say, “I will punish the king of Assyria for the willful pride of his heart and the haughty look in his eyes.

Woe to Assyria, the rod of my anger—

the staff in their hands is my wrath.

I will send him against a godless nation;

I will command him to go

against a people destined for my rage,

to take spoils, to plunder,

and to trample them down like clay in the streets.

But this is not what he intends;

this is not what he plans.

It is his intent to destroy

and to cut off many nations.

For he says,

“Aren’t all my commanders kings?

Isn’t Calno like Carchemish?

Isn’t Hamath like Arpad?

Isn’t Samaria like Damascus?

As my hand seized the kingdoms of worthless images,

kingdoms whose idols exceeded those of Jerusalem and Samaria,

and as I did to Samaria and its worthless images

will I not also do to Jerusalem and its idols?”

But when the Lord finishes all his work against Mount Zion and Jerusalem, he will say, “I will punish the king of Assyria for his arrogant acts and the proud look in his eyes.”

“What sorrow awaits Assyria, the rod of my anger.

I use it as a club to express my anger.

I am sending Assyria against a godless nation,

against a people with whom I am angry.

Assyria will plunder them,

trampling them like dirt beneath its feet.

But the king of Assyria will not understand that he is my tool;

his mind does not work that way.

His plan is simply to destroy,

to cut down nation after nation.

He will say,

‘Each of my princes will soon be a king.

We destroyed Calno just as we did Carchemish.

Hamath fell before us as Arpad did.

And we destroyed Samaria just as we did Damascus.

Yes, we have finished off many a kingdom

whose gods were greater than those in Jerusalem and Samaria.

So we will defeat Jerusalem and her gods,

just as we destroyed Samaria with hers.’ ”

After the Lord has used the king of Assyria to accomplish his purposes on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, he will turn against the king of Assyria and punish him—for he is proud and arrogant.

Ah! Assyria, the rod of my anger,

and a staff is in their hand: my wrath!

I send him against a godless nation,

and I command him against the people of my wrath,

to capture spoil

and to carry off plunder,

and to make them a trampling place,

like the clay of the streets.

But he does not think this,

and his heart does not plan this.

For it is in his heart to destroy

and to cut off not a few nations.

For he says, “Are not my commanders altogether kings?

Is not Calno like Carchemish?

Is not Hamath like Arpad?

Is not Samaria like Damascus?

As my hand has reached to the kingdoms of the idols

—and their images were greater than those of Jerusalem and Samaria—

shall I not do to Jerusalem and its idols

what I have done to Samaria and her idols?”

And this shall happen: when the Lord has finished all his work against Mount Zion and Jerusalem, “I will punish the arrogance of the king of Assyria and his haughtiness.”

O Assyrian, the rod of mine anger,

And the staff in their hand is mine indignation.

I 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.

Howbeit 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.

For he saith, Are not my princes altogether kings?

Is not Calno as Carchemish?

Is not Hamath as Arpad?

Is not Samaria as Damascus?

As my hand hath found the kingdoms of the idols,

And whose graven images did excel them of Jerusalem and of Samaria;

Shall I not, as I have done unto Samaria and her idols,

So do to Jerusalem and her idols?

Wherefore 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.