And he will stretch out his hand against the north, and destroy Assyria; and will make Nineveh a desolation, {and} dry like a wilderness.

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}

And the LORD shall cause his glorious voice to be heard, and shall shew the lighting down of his arm, with the indignation of {his} anger, and {with} the flame of a devouring fire, {with} scattering, and tempest, and hailstones. {his glorious...: Heb. the glory of his voice}

That I will break the Assyrian in my land, and upon my mountains tread him under foot: then shall his yoke depart from off them, and his burden depart from off their shoulders.

Thou {art} my battle axe {and} weapons of war: for with thee will I break in pieces the nations, and with thee will I destroy kingdoms; {with thee: or, in thee, or, by thee}

They come from a far country, from the end of heaven, {even} the LORD, and the weapons of his indignation, to destroy the whole land.

The LORD hath broken the staff of the wicked, {and} the sceptre of the rulers.

And when ye see {this}, your heart shall rejoice, and your bones shall flourish like an herb: and the hand of the LORD shall be known toward his servants, and {his} indignation toward his enemies.

From men {which are} thy hand, O LORD, from men of the world, {which have} their portion in {this} life, and whose belly thou fillest with thy hid {treasure}: they are full of children, and leave the rest of their {substance} to their babes. {which are: or, by} {they...: or, their children are full}

For before the child shall have knowledge to cry, My father, and my mother, the riches of Damascus and the spoil of Samaria shall be taken away before the king of Assyria. {the riches...: or, he that is before the king of Assyria shall take away the riches, etc}

For the rod of the wicked shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous; lest the righteous put forth their hands unto iniquity. {the wicked: Heb. wickedness}

Out of that land went forth Asshur, and builded Nineveh, and the city Rehoboth, and Calah, {went...: or, he went out into Assyria} {the city...: or, the streets of the city}

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}

I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these {things}.

Thou {art} my battle axe {and} weapons of war: for with thee will I break in pieces the nations, and with thee will I destroy kingdoms; {with thee: or, in thee, or, by thee}

And am I now come up without the LORD against this land to destroy it? the LORD said unto me, Go up against this land, and destroy it.

Behold the day, behold, it is come: the morning is gone forth; the rod hath blossomed, pride hath budded.

Hast thou not heard long ago, {how} I have done it; {and} of ancient times, that I have formed it? now have I brought it to pass, that thou shouldest be to lay waste defenced cities {into} ruinous heaps. {Hast...: or, Hast thou not heard how I have made it long ago, and formed it of ancient times? should I now bring it to be laid waste, and defenced cities to be ruinous heaps?}

And the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul king of Assyria, and the spirit of Tilgathpilneser king of Assyria, and he carried them away, even the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh, and brought them unto Halah, and Habor, and Hara, and to the river Gozan, unto this day.

For the rod of the wicked shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous; lest the righteous put forth their hands unto iniquity. {the wicked: Heb. wickedness}

He that soweth iniquity shall reap vanity: and the rod of his anger shall fail. {the rod...: or, with the rod of his anger he shall be consumed}

For thou hast broken the yoke of his burden, and the staff of his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, as in the day of Midian. {For...: or, When thou brakest}

These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.

Now Naaman, captain of the host of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master, and honourable, because by him the LORD had given deliverance unto Syria: he was also a mighty man in valour, {but he was} a leper. {with: Heb. before} {honourable: or, gracious: Heb. lifted up, or, accepted in countenance} {deliverance: or, victory}

Hast thou not heard long ago {how} I have done it, {and} of ancient times that I have formed it? now have I brought it to pass, that thou shouldest be to lay waste fenced cities {into} ruinous heaps. {long...: or, how I have made it long ago, and formed it of ancient times? should I now bring it to be laid waste, and fenced cities to be ruinous heaps?}

The LORD shall bring upon thee, and upon thy people, and upon thy father's house, days that have not come, from the day that Ephraim departed from Judah; {even} the king of Assyria.

From the time that it goeth forth it shall take you: for morning by morning shall it pass over, by day and by night: and it shall be a vexation only {to} understand the report. {to...: or, when he shall make you to understand doctrine}

For through the voice of the LORD shall the Assyrian be beaten down, {which} smote with a rod.

Behold, I have created the smith that bloweth the coals in the fire, and that bringeth forth an instrument for his work; and I have created the waster to destroy.

And when ye see {this}, your heart shall rejoice, and your bones shall flourish like an herb: and the hand of the LORD shall be known toward his servants, and {his} indignation toward his enemies.

And say to the land of Israel, Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I {am} against thee, and will draw forth my sword out of his sheath, and will cut off from thee the righteous and the wicked.

{Art} thou not from everlasting, O LORD my God, mine Holy One? we shall not die. O LORD, thou hast ordained them for judgment; and, O mighty God, thou hast established them for correction. {mighty...: Heb. rock} {established: Heb. founded}

And I am very sore displeased with the heathen {that are} at ease: for I was but a little displeased, and they helped forward the affliction.

For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth.

Surely at the commandment of the LORD came {this} upon Judah, to remove {them} out of his sight, for the sins of Manasseh, according to all that he did;

The LORD'S voice crieth unto the city, and {the man of} wisdom shall see thy name: hear ye the rod, and who hath appointed it. {the man...: or, thy name shall see that which is}

In the same day shall the Lord shave with a razor that is hired, {namely}, by them beyond the river, by the king of Assyria, the head, and the hair of the feet: and it shall also consume the beard.

Am I now come up without the LORD against this place to destroy it? The LORD said to me, Go up against this land, and destroy it.

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}

Now in the fourteenth year of king Hezekiah did Sennacherib king of Assyria come up against all the fenced cities of Judah, and took them. {Sennacherib: Heb. Sanherib}

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}

For yet a very little while, and the indignation shall cease, and mine anger in their destruction.

The noise of a multitude in the mountains, like as of a great people; a tumultuous noise of the kingdoms of nations gathered together: the LORD of hosts mustereth the host of the battle. {like...: Heb. the likeness of}

The LORD hath broken the staff of the wicked, {and} the sceptre of the rulers.

Behold the land of the Chaldeans; this people was not, {till} the Assyrian founded it for them that dwell in the wilderness: they set up the towers thereof, they raised up the palaces thereof; {and} he brought it to ruin.

In measure, when it shooteth forth, thou wilt debate with it: he stayeth his rough wind in the day of the east wind. {it shooteth...: or, thou sendest it forth} {he...: or, when he removeth it with}

For the LORD hath turned away the excellency of Jacob, as the excellency of Israel: for the emptiers have emptied them out, and marred their vine branches. {the excellency of Jacob...: or, the pride of Jacob as the pride, etc}

Yet I will distress Ariel, and there shall be heaviness and sorrow: and it shall be unto me as Ariel.

Behold, the name of the LORD cometh from far, burning {with} his anger, and the burden {thereof is} heavy: his lips are full of indignation, and his tongue as a devouring fire: {burden...: or, grievousness of flame} {heavy: Heb. heaviness}

And David said to Abishai, and to all his servants, Behold, my son, which came forth of my bowels, seeketh my life: how much more now {may this} Benjamite {do it}? let him alone, and let him curse; for the LORD hath bidden him.

Woe to thee that spoilest, and thou {wast} not spoiled; and dealest treacherously, and they dealt not treacherously with thee! when thou shalt cease to spoil, thou shalt be spoiled; {and} when thou shalt make an end to deal treacherously, they shall deal treacherously with thee.

And the king of Assyria did carry away Israel unto Assyria, and put them in Halah and in Habor {by} the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes:

It may be the LORD thy God will hear the words of Rabshakeh, whom the king of Assyria his master hath sent to reproach the living God, and will reprove the words which the LORD thy God hath heard: wherefore lift up {thy} prayer for the remnant that is left. {left: Heb. found}

Against him came up Shalmaneser king of Assyria; and Hoshea became his servant, and gave him presents. {gave: Heb. rendered} {presents: or, tribute}

Who gave Jacob for a spoil, and Israel to the robbers? did not the LORD, he against whom we have sinned? for they would not walk in his ways, neither were they obedient unto his law.

In those days the LORD began to send against Judah Rezin the king of Syria, and Pekah the son of Remaliah.

Ye Ethiopians also, ye {shall be} slain by my sword.

He that chastiseth the heathen, shall not he correct? he that teacheth man knowledge, {shall not he know}?

Moreover the LORD stirred up against Jehoram the spirit of the Philistines, and of the Arabians, that {were} near the Ethiopians:

If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and violent perverting of judgment and justice in a province, marvel not at the matter: for {he that is} higher than the highest regardeth; and {there be} higher than they. {at the... Heb. at the will, or, purpose}

Go ye up upon her walls, and destroy; but make not a full end: take away her battlements; for they {are} not the LORD'S.

Behold, I will send and take all the families of the north, saith the LORD, and Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and will bring them against this land, and against the inhabitants thereof, and against all these nations round about, and will utterly destroy them, and make them an astonishment, and an hissing, and perpetual desolations.

Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, unto all that are carried away captives, whom I have caused to be carried away from Jerusalem unto Babylon;

Behold, I will command, saith the LORD, and cause them to return to this city; and they shall fight against it, and take it, and burn it with fire: and I will make the cities of Judah a desolation without an inhabitant.

O thou sword of the LORD, how long {will it be} ere thou be quiet? put up thyself into thy scabbard, rest, and be still. {put...: Heb. gather thyself}

All ye that are about him, bemoan him; and all ye that know his name, say, How is the strong staff broken, {and} the beautiful rod!

Israel {is} a scattered sheep; the lions have driven {him} away: first the king of Assyria hath devoured him; and last this Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon hath broken his bones.

And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he delivered them into the hand of Hazael king of Syria, and into the hand of Benhadad the son of Hazael, all {their} days.

And the LORD stirred up an adversary unto Solomon, Hadad the Edomite: he {was} of the king's seed in Edom.

Therefore, O Aholibah, thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will raise up thy lovers against thee, from whom thy mind is alienated, and I will bring them against thee on every side;

And I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, and put my sword in his hand: but I will break Pharaoh's arms, and he shall groan before him with the groanings of a deadly wounded {man}.

Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; An adversary {there shall be} even round about the land; and he shall bring down thy strength from thee, and thy palaces shall be spoiled.

For, behold, the LORD commandeth, and he will smite the great house with breaches, and the little house with clefts. {breaches: or, droppings}

Yet will I bring an heir unto thee, O inhabitant of Mareshah: he shall come unto Adullam the glory of Israel. {inhabitant: Heb. inhabitress} {he...: or, the glory of Israel shall, etc}

And they shall waste the land of Assyria with the sword, and the land of Nimrod in the entrances thereof: thus shall he deliver {us} from the Assyrian, when he cometh into our land, and when he treadeth within our borders. {waste: Heb. eat up} {in the...: or, with her own naked swords}

For the army of the Syrians came with a small company of men, and the LORD delivered a very great host into their hand, because they had forsaken the LORD God of their fathers. So they executed judgment against Joash.

But a prophet of the LORD was there, whose name {was} Oded: and he went out before the host that came to Samaria, and said unto them, Behold, because the LORD God of your fathers was wroth with Judah, he hath delivered them into your hand, and ye have slain them in a rage {that} reacheth up unto heaven.

After these things, and the establishment thereof, Sennacherib king of Assyria came, and entered into Judah, and encamped against the fenced cities, and thought to win them for himself. {to win...: Heb. to break them up}

Now therefore, our God, the great, the mighty, and the terrible God, who keepest covenant and mercy, let not all the trouble seem little before thee, that hath come upon us, on our kings, on our princes, and on our priests, and on our prophets, and on our fathers, and on all thy people, since the time of the kings of Assyria unto this day. {trouble: Heb. weariness} {that...: Heb. that hath found us}

His troops come together, and raise up their way against me, and encamp round about my tabernacle.

Arise, O LORD, disappoint him, cast him down: deliver my soul from the wicked, {which is} thy sword: {disappoint...: Heb. prevent his face} {which is: or, by}

But, behold, I will raise up against you a nation, O house of Israel, saith the LORD the God of hosts; and they shall afflict you from the entering in of Hemath unto the river of the wilderness. {river: or, valley}

Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy.

And there went out another horse {that was} red: and {power} was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword.