Woeto Assyria,the rodof My angerAnd the staffin whose handsis My indignation,
From that landhe wentforthinto Assyria,and builtNinevehand Rehoboth-Irand Calah,
"Have I nowcomeup withoutthe LORD'Sapproval againstthisplaceto destroyit? The LORDsaidto me, 'Goup againstthislandand destroyit.'"'"
Have you not heard?LongagoI didit; From ancienttimesI plannedit. NowI have broughtit to pass,That you should turnfortifiedcitiesinto ruinousheaps.
For the scepterof wickednessshall not restupon the landof the righteous,So that the righteouswill not putforththeir handsto do wrong.
From menwith Your hand,O LORD,From menof the world,whose portionis in [this] life,And whose bellyYou fillwith Your treasure;They are satisfiedwith children,And leavetheir abundanceto their babes.
Is the axeto boastitself overthe one who chopswith it? Is the sawto exaltitself overthe one who wieldsit? [That would be] like a clubwieldingthose who liftit, [Or] like a rodlifting[him who] is not wood.
"For in a verylittlewhileMy indignation[against you] will be spentand My anger[will be directed] to their destruction."
They are comingfrom a farcountry,From the farthesthorizons,The LORDand His instrumentsof indignation,To destroythe wholeland.
The LORDof hostshas swornsaying,"Surely,justas I have intendedsoit has happened,and justas I have plannedso it will stand,
to breakAssyriain My land,and I will tramplehim on My mountains.Then his yokewill be removedfrom them and his burdenremovedfrom their shoulder.
Behold,the landof the Chaldeans--thisis the people[which] was not; Assyriaappointedit for desertcreatures--they erectedtheir siegetowers,they strippedits palaces,they madeit a ruin.
Come,my people,enterinto your roomsAnd closeyour doorsbehindyou; Hidefor a littlewhileUntilindignationruns[its] course.
I will bringdistressto Ariel,And she will be [a city of] lamentingand mourning;And she will be like an Arielto me.
Behold,the nameof the LORDcomesfrom a remoteplace;Burningis His angerand denseis [His] smoke;His lipsare filledwith indignationAnd His tongueis like a consumingfire;
And the LORDwill cause His voiceof authorityto be heard,And the descendingof His armto be seenin fierceanger,And [in] the flameof a consumingfireIn cloudburst,downpourand hailstones.
For thisis a rebelliouspeople,false~sons,Sonswho refuseto listenTo the instructionof the LORD;
For the LORD'Sindignationis againstallthe nations,And [His] wrathagainstalltheir armies;He has utterlydestroyedthem, He has giventhem over to slaughter.
Then you will see[this], and your heartwill be glad,And your boneswill flourishlike the newgrass;And the handof the LORDwill be madeknownto His servants,But He will be indignanttowardHis enemies.
"The LORDwill bringon you, on your people,and on your father'shousesuchdaysas have nevercomesincethe daythat Ephraimseparatedfrom Judah,the kingof Assyria."
In that daythe Lordwill shavewith a razor,hiredfrom regionsbeyondthe Euphrates([that is], with the kingof Assyria),the headand the hairof the legs;and it will alsoremovethe beard.
for beforethe boyknowshow to cryout 'My fatheror 'My mother,'the wealthof Damascusand the spoilof Samariawill be carriedaway beforethe kingof Assyria."
"Now therefore,behold,the Lordis about to bringon them the strongand abundantwatersof the Euphrates,[Even] the kingof Assyriaand allhis glory;And it will riseup overallits channelsand gooverallits banks.
"Thus I have pouredout My indignationon them; I have consumedthem with the fireof My wrath;their wayI have broughtupon their heads,"declaresthe LordGOD.
Behold,the day!Behold,it is coming![Your] doomhas goneforth;the rodhas budded,arrogancehas blossomed.
"Then the kingwill doas he pleases,and he will exaltand magnifyhimself aboveeverygodand will speakmonstrousthingsagainstthe Godof gods;and he will prosperuntilthe indignationis finished,for that which is decreedwill be done.
The oracleof Nineveh.The bookof the visionof Nahumthe Elkoshite.
Are You not from everlasting,O LORD,my God,my HolyOne?We will not die.You, O LORD,have appointedthem to judge;And You, O Rock,have establishedthem to correct.
And He will stretchout His handagainstthe northAnd destroyAssyria,And He will makeNineveha desolation,Parchedlike the wilderness.
"But ships[shall come] from the coastof Kittim,And they shall afflictAsshurand will afflictEber;So they also[will come] to destruction."
