1 Cursed are those who make evil decisions, and the writers who make the records of their cruel acts:
1 Woe unto them that decree unrighteous decrees, and that write grievousness which they have prescribed;
1 Woe to those enacting crooked statutesand writing oppressive laws
1 "How terrible it will be for the one who enacts unjust decrees, for those who write oppressive laws that they have prescribed
2 Who do wrong to the poor in their cause, and take away the right of the crushed among my people, so that they may have the property of widows, and get under their power those who have no father.
2 So as (B)to (b)deprive the needy of justiceAnd rob the poor of My people of their rights,So (C)that widows may be their spoilAnd that they may plunder the (c)orphans.
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!
2 to keep the poor from getting a fair trialand to deprive the afflicted among my people of justice,so that widows can be their spoiland they can plunder the fatherless.
2 to deprive the needy of justice and to rob the poor of my people of their rights, so that widows may become their spoil and so that they may plunder orphans!
3 And what will you do in the day of punishment, and in the destruction which is coming from far? to whom will you go for help, and what will become of your glory?
3 Now (D)what will you do in the (E)day of punishment,And in the devastation which will come (F)from afar?(G)To whom will you flee for help?And where will you leave your (d)wealth?
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?
3 What will you do on the day of punishmentwhen devastation comes from far away?Who will you run to for help?Where will you leave your wealth?
3 What will you do on the day of Judgment, in the calamity that will come from far away? To whom will you run for help, and where will you leave your wealth,
4 ... For all this his wrath is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.
4 Nothing remains but to crouch (e)among the (H)captivesOr fall (f)among the (I)slain.(J)In spite of all this, His anger does not turn awayAnd His hand is still stretched out.
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.
4 There will be nothing to doexcept crouch among the prisonersor fall among the slain.In all this, His anger is not removed,and His hand is still raised to strike.
4 so you won't have to crouch among those in chains or fall among the slain? "Yet for all this, his anger has not turned away, and his hand is still stretched out, ready to strike."
5 Ho! Assyrian, the rod of my wrath, the instrument of my punishment!
5 O Assyrian, the rod of mine anger, and the staff in their hand is mine indignation.
5 Woe to Assyria, the rod of My anger—the staff in their hands is My wrath.
5 "How terrible it will be for Assyria, the rod of my anger! The club is in their hands!
6 I will send him against a nation of wrongdoers, and against the people of my wrath I will give him orders, to take their wealth in war, crushing them down like the dust in the streets.
6 I send it against a (N)godless nationAnd commission it against the (O)people of My furyTo capture booty and (P)to seize plunder,And to (g)trample them down like (Q)mud in the streets.
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.
6 I will send him against a godless nation;I will command him to goagainst a people destined for My rage,to take spoils, to plunder,and to trample them down like clay(A) in the streets.
6 I'm sending my fury against a godless nation, and I'll command him against the people with whom I'm angry to seize loot and snatch plunder, and to trample them down like mud in the streets.
7 But this is not what is in his mind, and this is not his design; but his purpose is destruction, and the cutting off of more and more nations.
7 Yet it (R)does not so intend,Nor does (h)it plan so in its heart,But rather it is (i)its purpose to destroyAnd to cut off (j)many nations.
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.
7 But this is not what he intends;this is not what he plans.It is his intent to destroyand to cut off many nations.
7 But this is not what he intends, and this is not what he thinks in his mind; but it is in his mind to destroy, and to cut down many nations.
10 As my hand has come on the kingdoms of the images, whose pictured images were more in number than those of Jerusalem and Samaria;
10 “As my hand has reached to the (X)kingdoms of the idols,Whose graven images were greater than those of Jerusalem and Samaria,
10 As my hand hath found the kingdoms of the idols, and whose graven images did excel them of Jerusalem and of Samaria;
10 As my hand seized the idolatrous kingdoms,whose idols exceeded those of Jerusalem and Samaria,
10 As my hand has reached to the idolatrous kingdoms whose carved images were greater than those of Jerusalem and Samaria,
11 So, as I have done to Samaria and her images, I will do to Jerusalem and her images.
11 Shall I not, as I have done unto Samaria and her idols, so do to Jerusalem and her idols?
11 and as I did to Samaria and its idolswill I not also do to Jerusalem and its idols?”
11 will I not deal with Jerusalem and her idols as I have dealt with Samaria and her images?'"
12 For this cause it will be that, when the purpose of the Lord against Mount Zion and Jerusalem is complete, I will send punishment on the pride of the heart of the king of Assyria, and on the glory of his uplifted eyes.
12 So it will be that when the Lord has completed all His (Z)work on Mount Zion and on Jerusalem, He will say, “I will (m)punish the fruit of the arrogant heart of the king of Assyria and (AA)the pomp of (n)his haughtiness.”
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.
12 But when the Lord finishes all His work against Mount Zion and Jerusalem, He will say, “I(b) will punish the king of Assyria for his arrogant acts and the proud look in his eyes.”
12 "For the Lord has finished all his work against Mount Zion and against Jerusalem; he will punish the speech that comes from that willful heart of Assyria's king and the haughty look in his eyes.
13 For he has said, By the strength of my hand I have done it, and by my knowledge, for I am wise: and I have taken away the limits of the peoples' lands, and the stores of their wealth have become mine; and I have made towns low in the dust, sending destruction on those living in them;
13 For (AB)he has said,“By the power of my hand and by my wisdom I did this,For I have understanding;And I (AC)removed the boundaries of the peoplesAnd plundered their treasures,And like a mighty man I brought down (o)their inhabitants,
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:
13 For he said:I have done this by my own strengthand wisdom, for I am clever.I abolished the borders of nationsand plundered their treasures;like a mighty warrior, I subjugated the inhabitants.(c)
13 He keeps bragging: "I've done it by the strength of my hand, and by my wisdom, because I'm so clever. I removed the boundaries of nations, and plundered their treasures; like a bull I brought down those who sat on thrones.
14 And I have put my hands on the wealth of the peoples, as on the place where a bird has put her eggs; and as a man may take the eggs from which a bird has gone, so I have taken all the earth for myself: and not a wing was moved, and not a mouth gave out a sound.
14 And my hand reached to the riches of the peoples like a (AD)nest,And as one gathers abandoned eggs, I gathered all the earth;And there was not one that flapped its wing or opened its beak or chirped.”
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.
14 My hand has reached out, as if into a nest,to seize the wealth of the nations.Like one gathering abandoned eggs,I gathered the whole earth.No wing fluttered;no beak opened or chirped.
14 My hand has found, as if in a nest, the wealth of the people; and as one gathers eggs that have been abandoned, so I have gathered all the inhabitants of the earth. Nothing moved a wing, opened its mouth, or chirped.'
15 Will the axe say high-sounding words against him who is using it, or the blade be full of pride against him who is cutting with it? As if a rod had the power of shaking him who is using it, or as if a stick might take up him who is not wood.
15 Is the (AE)axe to (AF)boast itself over the one who chops with it?Is the saw to exalt itself over the one who wields it?That would be like (AG)a (p)club wielding those who lift it,Or like (AH)a rod lifting him who is not wood.
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.
15 Does an ax exalt itselfabove the one who chops with it?Does a saw magnify itselfabove the one who saws with it?It would be like a staff waving the one who lifts(d) it!It would be like a rod lifting a man who isn’t wood!
15 "Does the ax exalt itself over the one who swings it? Or does the saw magnify itself in opposition to the one who wields it? As if a rod were to wield those who lift it, or as if a club were to brandish the one who is not wood!
16 For this cause the Lord, the Lord of armies, will make his fat become wasted; and in his inner parts a fire will be lighted like a burning flame.
16 Therefore the Lord, the (q)God of hosts, will send a (AI)wasting disease among his (AJ)stout warriors;And under his (AK)glory a fire will be kindled like a burning flame.
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.
16 Therefore the Lord God of Hostswill inflict an emaciating diseaseon the well-fed of Assyria,and He will kindle a burning fireunder its glory.
16 Therefore, the Lord GOD of the Heavenly Armies will send a wasting disease among Assyria's sturdy warriors, and under its glory a conflagration will be kindled, like a blazing bonfire.
17 And the light of Israel will be for a fire, and his Holy One for a flame: wasting and burning up his thorns in one day.
17 And the (AL)light of Israel will become a fire and his (AM)Holy One a flame,And it will (AN)burn and devour his thorns and his briars in a single day.
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;
17 Israel’s Light will become a fire,and its Holy One, a flame.In one day it will burn up Assyria’s thorns and thistles.
17 "The light of Israel will become a fire, and its Holy One a flame, and it will burn and consume Assyria's thorns and briers in a single day.
18 And he will put an end to the glory of his woods and of his planted fields, soul and body together; and it will be as when a man is wasted by disease.
18 And He will (AO)destroy the glory of his forest and of his fruitful garden, both soul and body,And it will be as when a sick man wastes away.
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.
18 He will completely destroythe glory of its forests and orchardsas a sickness consumes a person.
18 The splendor of its forest and its fruitful land the LORD will destroy both soul and body and Assyria will be as when a dying man wastes away.
19 And the rest of the trees of his wood will be small in number, so that a child may put them down in writing.
19 And the (AP)rest of the trees of his forest will be so small in numberThat a child could write them down.
19 And the rest of the trees of his forest shall be few, that a child may write them.
19 The remaining trees of its forestwill be so few in numberthat a child could count them.
19 What survives of the trees in his forest will be so few that a child can count them."
20 And it will be in that day that the rest of Israel, and those of Jacob who have come safely through these troubles, will no longer go for help to him whose rod was on their back, but their faith will be in the Lord, the Holy One of Israel.
20 Now in that day the (AQ)remnant of Israel, and those of the house of Jacob (AR)who have escaped, will never again rely on the one who struck them, but will truly (AS)rely on the Lord, the Holy One of Israel.
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.
20 On that day the remnant of Israel and the survivors of the house of Jacob will no longer depend on the one who struck them, but they will faithfully depend on the Lord, the Holy One of Israel.(C)
20 At that time, the remnant of Israel and the survivors of the house of Jacob will no longer rely on the one who struck them down, but will truly rely on the LORD, the Holy One of Israel.
22 For though your people, O Israel, are as the sand of the sea, only a small number will come back: for the destruction is fixed, overflowing in righteousness.
22 For (AV)though your people, O Israel, may be like the sand of the sea,Only a remnant within them will return;A (AW)destruction is determined, overflowing with righteousness.
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.
22 Israel, even if your people were as numerousas the sand of the sea,only a remnant of them will return.(D)Destruction has been decreed;justice overflows.
22 For even if your people of Israel number as many as the sand of the sea, only a remnant of them will return. Overwhelming, righteous destruction is decreed,
23 For the Lord, the Lord of armies, is about to make destruction complete in all the land.
23 For a complete destruction, one that is decreed, (AX)the Lord (r)God of hosts will execute in the midst of the whole land.
23 For the Lord GOD of hosts shall make a consumption, even determined, in the midst of all the land.
23 For throughout the landthe Lord God of Hostsis carrying out a destruction that was decreed.
23 because the Lord GOD of the Heavenly Armies will bring about destruction, as has been decreed, throughout the entire region.
24 For this cause the Lord, the Lord of armies, says, O my people living in Zion, have no fear of the Assyrian, even if his rod comes on your back, and his stick is lifted up as in Egypt.
24 Therefore thus says the Lord (s)God of hosts, “O My people who dwell in (AY)Zion, (AZ)do not fear the Assyrian (t)who (BA)strikes you with the rod and lifts up his staff against you, the way Egypt did.
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.
24 Therefore, the Lord God of Hosts says this: “My people who dwell in Zion, do not fear Assyria, though he strikes you with a rod and raises his staff over you as the Egyptians did.
24 Therefore this is what the Lord GOD of the Heavenly Armies says: "My people, you who live in Zion, don't be afraid of the Assyrians, of the rod that beats you, who lift up their club against you as the Egyptians did.
25 For in a very short time my passion will be over, and my wrath will be turned to their destruction.
25 For in a very (BB)little while (BC)My indignation against you will be spent and My anger will be directed to their destruction.”
25 For yet a very little while, and the indignation shall cease, and mine anger in their destruction.
25 In just a little while My wrath will be spent and My anger will turn to their destruction.”
25 In just a little while, my fury will come to an end, and my anger then will be directed to their destruction.
26 And the Lord of armies will be shaking a whip against him, as when he overcame Midian at the rock of Oreb: and his rod will be lifted up against them as it was against the Egyptians.
26 The Lord of hosts will (BD)arouse a scourge against him like the slaughter of (BE)Midian at the rock of Oreb; and His (BF)staff will be over the sea and He will lift it up (BG)the way He did in Egypt.
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.
26 And the Lord of Hosts will brandish a whip against him as He did when He struck Midian at the rock of Oreb;(E) and He will raise His staff over the sea as He did in Egypt.
26 The LORD of the Heavenly Armies will brandish a whip against them, as when he struck Midian at the rock of Oreb; and as his staff was stretched out over the sea, so he will lift it up as he did in Egypt.
27 And in that day the weight which he put on your back will be taken away, and his yoke broken from off your neck.
27 So it will be in that day, that (u)his (BH)burden will be removed from your shoulders and his yoke from your neck, and the yoke will be broken because (BI)of fatness.
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.
27 On that dayhis burden will fall from your shoulders,and his yoke from your neck.The yoke will be broken because of fatness.(e)
27 At that time, his burden will depart from your shoulder and his yoke from your neck. Indeed, the yoke will be broken, because you've become obese."
28 He has gone up from Pene-Rimmon, he has come to Aiath; he has gone past Migron, at Michmash he puts his forces in order.
28 He has come against Aiath,He has passed through (BJ)Migron;At (BK)Michmash he deposited his (BL)baggage.
28 He is come to Aiath, he is passed to Migron; at Michmash he hath laid up his carriages:
28 Assyria has come to Aiathand has gone through Migron,storing his equipment at Michmash.
28 "The Assyrian commander has come upon Aiath and has passed through Migron; he stores his supplies at Michmash.
29 They have gone across the mountain; Geba will be our resting-place tonight, they say: Ramah is shaking with fear; Gibeah of Saul has gone in flight.
29 They have gone through (BM)the pass, saying,“(BN)Geba will be our lodging place.”(BO)Ramah is terrified, and (BP)Gibeah of Saul has fled away.
29 They are gone over the passage: they have taken up their lodging at Geba; Ramah is afraid; Gibeah of Saul is fled.
29 They crossed over at the ford, saying,“We will spend the night at Geba.”The people of Ramah are trembling;those at Gibeah of Saul have fled.
29 He has crossed over by the pass; his overnight lodging is at Geba. Ramah trembles; Gibeah of Saul has fled.
30 Give a loud cry, daughter of Gallim; let Laishah give ear; let Anathoth give answer to her.
30 Cry aloud with your voice, O daughter of (BQ)Gallim!Pay attention, Laishah and (v)wretched (BR)Anathoth!
30 Lift up thy voice, O daughter of Gallim: cause it to be heard unto Laish, O poor Anathoth.
30 Cry aloud, daughter of Gallim!Listen, Laishah!Anathoth is miserable.
30 Cry aloud, you daughter of Gallim! Pay attention, Laish! Poor Anathoth!
31 Madmenah has gone; the men of Gebim are putting their goods in a safe place.
31 Madmenah has fled.The inhabitants of Gebim have sought refuge.
31 Madmenah is removed; the inhabitants of Gebim gather themselves to flee.
31 Madmenah has fled.The inhabitants of Gebim have sought refuge.
31 Marmenah is in flight; the inhabitants of Gebim take cover.
32 This very day he is stopping at Nob; he is shaking his hand against the mountain of the daughter of Zion, the hill of Jerusalem.
32 Yet today he will halt at (BS)Nob;He (BT)shakes his fist at the mountain of the (w)(BU)daughter of Zion, the hill of Jerusalem.
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.
32 Today he will stand at Nob,shaking his fist at the mountain of Daughter Zion,the hill of Jerusalem.
32 This very day he will halt at Nob; he will shake his fists at the mountain that is the Daughter of Zion, at Jerusalem's hill.
33 See, the Lord, the Lord of armies, is cutting off his branches with a great noise, and his strong ones are falling and his high ones are coming down.
33 Behold, the Lord, the (x)God of hosts, will lop off the boughs with a terrible crash;Those also who are (BV)tall in stature will be cut downAnd those who are lofty will be abased.
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.
33 Look, the Lord God of Hostswill chop off the branches with terrifying power,and the tall trees will be cut down,the high trees felled.
33 Behold, the Lord GOD of the Heavenly Armies will lop off its boughs with terrifying power; the tallest in height will be cut down, and the lofty will be brought low.
34 And he is cutting down the thick places of the wood with an axe, and Lebanon with its tall trees is coming down.
34 He will cut down the thickets of the forest with an iron axe,And (BW)Lebanon will fall (y)by the Mighty One.
34 And he shall cut down the thickets of the forest with iron, and Lebanon shall fall by a mighty one.
34 He is clearing the thickets of the forest with an ax,and Lebanon with its majesty will fall.
34 He will cut down the thickets of the forest with an ax, and Lebanon will fall by the Majestic One."
Basic English, produced by Mr C. K. Ogden of the Orthological Institute - public domain
Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers.
International Standard Version Copyright © 1996-2008 by the ISV Foundation.
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