1 Woe unto them that decree unrighteous decrees, and that write grievousness {which} they have prescribed; {that write...: or, to the writers that write grievousness}
2 To turn aside the needy from judgment, and to take away the right from the poor of my people, that widows may be their prey, and {that} they may rob the fatherless!
3 And what will ye do in the day of visitation, and in the desolation {which} shall come from far? to whom will ye flee for help? and where will ye leave your glory?
4 Without me they shall bow down under the prisoners, and they shall fall under the slain. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand {is} stretched out still.
5 O Assyrian, the rod of mine anger, and the staff in their hand is mine indignation. {O...: or, Woe to the Assyrian: Heb. Asshur} {and: or, though}
6 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. {tread...: Heb. lay them a treading}
7 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.
8 For he saith, {Are} not my princes altogether kings?
9 {Is} not Calno as Carchemish? {is} not Hamath as Arpad? {is} not Samaria as Damascus?
10 As my hand hath found the kingdoms of the idols, and whose graven images did excel them of Jerusalem and of Samaria;
11 Shall I not, as I have done unto Samaria and her idols, so do to Jerusalem and her idols?
12 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. {punish: Heb. visit upon} {stout...: Heb. greatness of the heart}
13 For he saith, By the strength of my hand I have done {it}, and by my wisdom; for I am prudent: and I have removed the bounds of the people, and have robbed their treasures, and I have put down the inhabitants like a valiant {man}: {a valiant...: or, many people}
14 And my hand hath found as a nest the riches of the people: and as one gathereth eggs {that are} left, have I gathered all the earth; and there was none that moved the wing, or opened the mouth, or peeped.
15 Shall the axe boast itself against him that heweth therewith? {or} shall the saw magnify itself against him that shaketh it? as if the rod should shake {itself} against them that lift it up, {or} as if the staff should lift up {itself, as if it were} no wood. {the rod...: or, a rod should shake them that lift it up} {itself, as if...: or, that which is not wood}
16 Therefore shall the Lord, the Lord of hosts, send among his fat ones leanness; and under his glory he shall kindle a burning like the burning of a fire.
17 And the light of Israel shall be for a fire, and his Holy One for a flame: and it shall burn and devour his thorns and his briers in one day;
18 And shall consume the glory of his forest, and of his fruitful field, both soul and body: and they shall be as when a standardbearer fainteth. {both...: Heb. from the soul, and even to the flesh}
19 And the rest of the trees of his forest shall be few, that a child may write them. {few: Heb. number}
20 And it shall come to pass in that day, {that} the remnant of Israel, and such as are escaped of the house of Jacob, shall no more again stay upon him that smote them; but shall stay upon the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, in truth.
21 The remnant shall return, {even} the remnant of Jacob, unto the mighty God.
22 For though thy people Israel be as the sand of the sea, {yet} a remnant of them shall return: the consumption decreed shall overflow with righteousness. {of them: Heb. in, or, among, etc} {with: or, in}
23 For the Lord GOD of hosts shall make a consumption, even determined, in the midst of all the land.
24 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD of hosts, O my people that dwellest in Zion, be not afraid of the Assyrian: he shall smite thee with a rod, and shall lift up his staff against thee, after the manner of Egypt. {and shall...: or, but he shall lift up his staff for}
25 For yet a very little while, and the indignation shall cease, and mine anger in their destruction.
26 And the LORD of hosts shall stir up a scourge for him according to the slaughter of Midian at the rock of Oreb: and {as} his rod {was} upon the sea, so shall he lift it up after the manner of Egypt.
27 And it shall come to pass in that day, {that} his burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulder, and his yoke from off thy neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing. {be taken...: Heb. remove}
28 He is come to Aiath, he is passed to Migron; at Michmash he hath laid up his carriages:
29 They are gone over the passage: they have taken up their lodging at Geba; Ramah is afraid; Gibeah of Saul is fled.
30 Lift up thy voice, O daughter of Gallim: cause it to be heard unto Laish, O poor Anathoth. {Lift...: Heb. Cry shrill with}
31 Madmenah is removed; the inhabitants of Gebim gather themselves to flee.
32 As yet shall he remain at Nob that day: he shall shake his hand {against} the mount of the daughter of Zion, the hill of Jerusalem.
33 Behold, the Lord, the LORD of hosts, shall lop the bough with terror: and the high ones of stature {shall be} hewn down, and the haughty shall be humbled.
34 And he shall cut down the thickets of the forest with iron, and Lebanon shall fall by a mighty one. {by...: or, mightily}