The doom of Assyria

The two plans – Assyria’s and the Lord’s

5 Oh! Assyria! Rod of my anger,

and staff of my indignation!

6 Against an impious people I send him,

a nation that sore has provoked me to wrath;

and I solemnly charge him to spoil and to plunder

and trample them down like the mire of the streets.

7 Not such, however, his fancy,

nor such the thought of his heart;

but his thought is the utter destruction

of nations not a few.

8 ‘Are my captains,’ he says, ‘not all kings?

9 Is not Calno’s fate like Carchemish,

and Hamath’s fate like Arpad’s,

and Samaria’s like Damascus?

10 My hand has seized those kingdoms

with images more than Jerusalem’s;

11 and will I not do to Jerusalem

and to her images also,

as I have done to Samaria

and to her idols also?

12 When the Lord has accomplished all his work on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, he will punish the fruit of the stout heart of the king of Assyria and the glory of his lofty looks. For the Lord has said:

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

and by my cunning discernment,

removing the bounds of the nations,

and plundering their treasures.

Like a strong bull I trample

those sitting on thrones.

14 I thrust my hand in the wealth

of the nations, as into a nest;

and all the earth have I gathered

as one gathers eggs that are left:

there was not a wing that fluttered,

none opened the mouth or chirped.’

15 Could an axe boast over the man who wields it,

or saw treat with insolence him who handles it?

As if ever a rod could swing him who lifts it,

or staff of wood could brandish a man!

The fate of Assyria and Judah

16 So into his fat will the Lord

God of Hosts send leanness,

and under his splendour a burning

will burn like the burning of fire.

17 That flaming fire is the Holy One,

he who is Israel’s light;

it will blaze and devour his thorns

and his briers in a single day.

18 His glorious forest and gardens

will vanish, body and soul,

like a sick man pinning away;

19 and his forest trees that are left

will be few, that a child may record them.

20 That day it will come to pass,

that no more will the remnant of Jacob

or those who escape of the household of Israel

lean upon him who smote them:

they will loyally lean on the Lord,

the Holy One of Israel.

21 A remnant will return,

a remnant of Jacob,

unto the mighty God.

22 For though your people, O Israel,

be as many as the sand of the sea,

only the remnant of them will return.

Destruction is decreed,

breaking in like a flood of judgment.

For destruction, fixed and final,

the Lord of Hosts will accomplish

in the midst of all the earth.

The consolation of Zion: Assyria will assuredly fall

24 Therefore thus says the Lord the Lord,

‘You my people who dwell in Zion,

be not afraid of Assyria,

who smites you with the sword,

and lifted this staff against you

as Egypt did not old.

25 For yet a little while,

my fury will be spent,

and my anger will have an end.

26 Over him will the Lord brandish

a scourge like that which smote

upon median at Raven’s Rock.

And that rod of his over the sea –

he will lift it up once more

as he did against Egypt of old.

27 His burden will pass from your shoulder,

his yoke press your neck no more.

From Rimmon he has gone up

28 he has come as far as Ai,

through Migron he has passed,

he has stored his baggage at Michmash,

29 he has gone across the pass,

he has bivouacked in Geber.

Raman is all a-tremble,

gibeah of Saul is in flight.

30 You people of Gallim, shriek;

listen, O Laishah;

answer her, Anathoth;

31 Madmenah takes to flight.

The people of Gebin seek refuge.

32 This day he will halt at Nob.

He shakes his fist against

the mount of the daughter of Zion,

the hill of Jerusalem.

33 But see! The Lord God of Hosts

is lopping the branches with fearful crash;

and those who were lofty are now laid low.

34 He strikes with his axe the wild thickets away,

and Lebanon’s glorious cedar are fallen.