10 What sorrow awaits the unjust judges and those who issue unfair laws. 2 They deprive the poor of justice and take advantage of orphans. 3 What will you do when I punish you, Where will your treasures be safe? 4 You will stumble along as prisoners His fist is still poised to strike. 5 “What sorrow awaits Assyria, the rod of my anger. I use it as a club to express my anger. 6 I am sending Assyria against a godless nation, trampling them like dirt beneath its feet. 7 But the king of Assyria will not understand that he is my tool; to cut down nation after nation. 8 He will say, ‘Each of my princes will soon be a king. 9 We destroyed Calno just as we did Carchemish. And we destroyed Samaria just as we did Damascus. 10 Yes, we have finished off many a kingdom whose gods were greater than those in Jerusalem and Samaria. 11 So we will defeat Jerusalem and her gods, just as we destroyed Samaria with hers.’” 12 After the Lord has used the king of Assyria to accomplish his purposes on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, he will turn against the king of Assyria and punish him—for he is proud and arrogant. 13 He boasts, I have knocked down their kings like a bull. 14 I have robbed their nests of riches or utter a peep of protest.” 15 But can the ax boast greater power than the person who uses it? Can a wooden cane walk by itself? 16 Therefore, the Lord, the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, and a flaming fire will consume its glory. 17 The LORD, the Light of Israel, will be a fire; burning up the enemy in a single night. 18 The LORD will consume Assyria’s glory it will waste away like sick people in a plague. 19 Of all that glorious forest, only a few trees will survive— so few that a child could count them! 20 In that day the remnant left in Israel, the Holy One of Israel. 21 A remnant will return; yes, the remnant of Jacob will return to the Mighty God. 22 But though the people of Israel are as numerous The LORD has rightly decided to destroy his people. 23 Yes, the Lord, the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, has already decided to destroy the entire land. 24 So this is what the Lord, the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, says: “O my people in Zion, do not be afraid of the Assyrians when they oppress you with rod and club as the Egyptians did long ago. 25 In a little while my anger against you will end, and then my anger will rise up to destroy them.” 26 The LORD of Heaven’s Armies will lash them with his whip, as he did when Gideon triumphed over the Midianites at the rock of Oreb, or when the LORD’s staff was raised to drown the Egyptian army in the sea. 27 In that day the LORD will end the bondage of his people. and lift it from their shoulders. 28 Look, the Assyrians are now at Aiath. and are storing their equipment at Micmash. 29 They are crossing the pass are running for their lives. 30 Scream in terror, Oh, poor Anathoth! 31 There go the people of Madmenah, all fleeing. The citizens of Gebim are trying to hide. 32 The enemy stops at Nob for the rest of that day. He shakes his fist at beautiful Mount Zion, the mountain of Jerusalem. 33 But look! The Lord, the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, That lofty tree will be brought down. 34 He will cut down the forest trees with an ax. Lebanon will fall to the Mighty One.