Isaiah 10:1-15 ▼

1 WOE to those who decree unrighteous decrees, and who write unjust decrees;

2 To turn aside the needy from justice and to take away the right from the poor of my people, that they may plunder the widows and that they may rob the fatherless!

3 And what will you do on the day of recompense and in the storm which shall come from afar? To whom will you flee for help? And where will you leave your glory?

4 Without me you shall bow down under the prisoners, and you shall fall under the slain. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.

5 Ho, Assyrian! the rod of my anger, and the staff in their hand is my indignation.

6 I will send him against a hypocritical nation, and against a wrathful people will I give him a charge, to take captives and to take spoil and to tread them down like the mire of the streets.

7 But he does not look so, neither does his heart think so; but it is in his heart to destroy and annihilate nations not a few.

8 For he says, Are not my princes altogether kings?

9 Is not Calno like Carchemish? Is not Hamath like Arpad? Is not Samaria like Damascus?

10 As my hand has found the kingdoms of the idols, and whose graven images did excel those of Jerusalem and of Samaria;

11 And as I have done to Samaria and her idols, so will I do to Jerusalem and her idols.

12 Therefore it shall come to pass, that when the LORD has performed his whole work on mount Zion, and on Jerusalem, I will punish the fruit of the proud heart of the king of Assyria, and the glory of his pride.

13 For he has said, By the strength of my hand I have done it, and by my wisdom; for I am prudent, and I have removed the boundaries of the nations, and I have plundered their wealth, and subjugated the inhabited cities;

14 And my hand has found like a nest the riches of the peoples; and as one gathers eggs that have been forsaken, I have gathered all the earth; and there was none that moved a wing or opened the mouth or chirped.

15 Shall the ax boast itself over him who hews with it? Or shall the saw magnify itself over him who saws with it? Or shall a rod exalt itself over him who lifts it up?