Isaiah 10:5–15

⁵Ah, Assyria, the rod of my anger,

the staff of my fury!^t

⁶Against 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.

⁷But he does not so intend,

and his mind does not so think;

but it is in his mind to destroy,

and to cut off nations not a few;

⁸for he says:

“Are not my commanders all kings?

⁹Is not Calno like Carchemish?

Is not Hamath like Arpad?

Is not Samaria like Damascus?

¹⁰As my hand has reached to the kingdoms of the idols

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

¹¹shall I not do to Jerusalem and her idols

as I have done to Samaria and her images?”

¹²When the Lord has finished all his work on Mount Zion and on Jerusalem he will punish the arrogant boasting of the king of Assyria and his haughty pride. ¹³For he says:

“By the strength of my hand I have done it,

and by my wisdom, for I have understanding;

I have removed the boundaries of peoples,

and have plundered their treasures;

like a bull I have brought down those who sat on thrones.

¹⁴My hand has found like a nest

the wealth of the peoples;

and as men gather eggs that have been forsaken

so I have gathered all the earth;

and there was none that moved a wing,

or opened the mouth, or chirped.”

¹⁵Shall the axe vaunt itself over him who hews with it,

or the saw magnify itself against him who wields it?

As if a rod should wield him who lifts it,

or as if a staff should lift him who is not wood!