Isaiah 10:13–16

¹³“The king of Assyria says,

“ ‘I have used my powerful hand

to take over all of those nations.

I am very wise.

I have great understanding.

I have wiped out the borders between nations.

I’ve taken their treasures.

Like a great hero I’ve brought their kings under my control.

¹⁴I’ve taken the wealth of the nations.

It was as easy as reaching into a bird’s nest.

I’ve gathered the riches of all of those countries.

It was as easy as gathering eggs

that have been left in a nest.

Not a single baby bird flapped its wings.

Not one of them opened its mouth to chirp.’ ”

¹⁵Does an ax claim to be more important

than the one who swings it?

Does a saw brag that it is better

than the one who uses it?

That would be like a stick

swinging someone who picks it up!

It would be like a war club

waving the one who carries it!

¹⁶So the Lord who rules over all will send a sickness.

The Lord will send it on the king of Assyria’s strong fighting men.

It will make them weaker and weaker.

The army he was so proud of will be completely destroyed.

It will be as if it had been burned up in a fire.