Isaiah 10

Woe to the Oppressors

1 Woe to those who write up crooked laws and sign off on injustice.

2 They twist the system to crush the poor, rob the needy, and snatch away the rights of widows and orphans.

3 So what are you going to do when judgment hits, When disaster comes down from far away, who you are going to run to for help, Where are you going to stash all that stolen money,

4 You will just crouch down among the prisoners or fall with the dead. Even after all that, the Lord’s anger still burns, His hand still raised to strike.

God Uses Assyria as His Instrument

5 Woe to Assyria, the stick in My hand, the rod I use to punish My people.

6 I am sending them against a godless nation to bring judgment on a people who made Me angry. They will take their spoil, rob their wealth, and trample them down like dirt in the streets.

7 But Assyria is not thinking that way. Their hearts full of pride, they just want to destroy and conquer nations.

8 They brag, “Are not all my commanders kings too?”

9 “Did we not crush Calno like Carchemish, Hamath like Arpad, Samaria like Damascus?”

10 “My hand grabbed the kingdoms full of idols, more idols than Jerusalem and Samaria ever had.”

11 “So if I handled Samaria and her false gods, will I not do the same to Jerusalem and her idols?”

God Will Humble the Arrogant

12 When the Lord finishes using Assyria to discipline Zion and Jerusalem, He will turn around and punish that same king of Assyria for his arrogant pride and his big mouth.

13 Because he said, “I did all this with my own strength and wisdom. I am smart, I removed borders, took kings’ treasures, and brought nations low.”

14 “My hand reached into their nests like stealing eggs, nobody even flapped a wing or chirped at me.”

15 Does the ax brag against the one swinging it, Does a saw act proud against the one pulling it, It is like a rod pretending it can lift the man who wields it.

16 So the Lord of Armies are going to send sickness on the strong ones, and under all that glory a fire is going to burn hot.

17 The Light of Israel will become a flame; His Holy One will burn like fire, destroying thorns and weeds in one day.

18 He will burn up the glory of the forests and fields, soul and body, till what is left looks like a sick man wasting away.

19 What is left of the trees will be so few a kid could count them.

The Remnant of Israel

20 On that day, Israel will not lean on the one who struck them anymore. They will lean on the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, in truth.

21 A small remnant will return to the Mighty God.

22 Even though Israel’s people are like sand on the beach, only a few will come back. The Lord has decided, destruction and justice are both coming.

23 The Lord God of Armies will carry out His plan fully and quickly across the land.

Do Not Fear Assyria

24 So this is what the Lord God of Armies says: “My people in Zion, do not be scared of Assyria. When they hit you with the rod like Egypt did, do not trip.”

25 Because in just a little while, My anger against you will be done, and I will turn it on them instead.

26 The Lord will raise His hand like He did at the rock of Oreb, striking them down as He once crushed Midian.

27 On that day, the burden will be lifted from your shoulders, the yoke from your neck, the chains will break because of the anointing.

Assyria’s Downfall

28 Look, they are coming through Aiath, passing Migron, storing supplies at Michmash.

29 They cross the pass, camp at Geba; the people of Ramah tremble, Gibeah of Saul flees.

30 Cry loud, daughter of Gallim! Listen, Laishah! Poor Anathoth!

31 Madmenah’s running, and the people of Gebim are fleeing for cover.

32 Today they will stop at Nob, shaking their fists at Mount Zion, at the hill of Jerusalem.

33 But look, the Lord, the Mighty One, will cut down their pride like chopping down trees. The tall ones will fall, the lofty ones will be brought low.

34 He will cut down the forest with His power. Lebanon’s mighty trees will fall by the hand of the Lord.