And therefore shall I lay my hand upon thee, and burn out thy dross from the finest and purest, and put out all thy lead,

And therefore get thee soon into some rock, and hide thee in the ground for the fear of the LORD, and for the glory of his majesty:

Children are extortioners of my people, and women have rule of them. O my people, thy leaders deceive thee, and tread out the way of thy footsteps.

Because that the king of Syria, Ephraim, and Remaliah's son have wickedly conspired against thee,

"Ask thee a sign of the LORD thy God, from alow beneath, or from on high above."

"The LORD also shall send a time upon thee, upon thy people, and upon thy father's house, such as never came since the time that Ephraim departed from Judah, through the king of the Assyrians.

Moreover the LORD said unto me, "Take thee a great leaf, and write in it, as men do with a pen, 'Make hasty speed to rob, and haste to the spoil.'"

Shalt thou multiply the people, and not increase the joy also? They shall rejoice before thee even as men make merry in harvest, and as men that have gotten the victory, when they deal the spoil.

Therefore thus sayeth the LORD God of Hosts, "Thou my people, that dwellest in Zion, be not afraid for the king of the Assyrians: He shall wag his staff at thee, yea and beat thee with the rod, as the Egyptians did sometimes:

So that then thou shalt say, "I will praise thee O LORD, that though thou were angry with me, yet thine anger is turned, and thou hast comforted me.

When the LORD now shall bring thee to rest; from the travail, fear, and hard bondage that thou wast laden withal.

Hell also trembleth at thy coming; all mighty men and princes of the earth step forth before thee. All kings of the earth stand up from their seats,

that they may all - one after another - sing and speak unto thee. Art thou wounded also as we? Art thou become like unto us?

Thy pomp and thy pride is gone down to hell: Moths shall be laid under thee, and worms shall be thy covering.

They that seek thee, shall narrowly look upon thee, and think in themselves, saying, "Is this the man, that brought all lands in fear, and made the kingdoms afraid?

Rejoice not, thou whole Philistia, as though the rod of him that beateth thee were broken: For out of the serpent's root, there shall come an adder, and the fruit shall be a fiery worm.

I am come of the old regal Progeny"? Where are they? Where are now thy wise men? Let them tell thee, if they can, what the LORD of Hosts hath taken in hand against Egypt.

'What hast thou here to do? And whom hast thou here? That thou shouldest here hew thee out a sepulchre, as it were one that causeth a costly tomb of stone to be made for himself, or that graveth a habitation out of a rock?

Behold, the LORD shall carry thee away into captivity, and shall surely cover thee with confusion.

The LORD shall turn thee over like a ball with his hands, and shall send thee into a far country. There shalt thou die, there shall the pomp of thy chariots have an end: thou villain of the house of thy LORD.

I will shoot thee out of thine office, and put thee from thine estate.

Be still ye that dwell in the Isle; the merchants of Sidon and such as pass over the sea have made thee plenteous.

For by sea were there fruits brought unto thee, and all manner of corn by water. Thou wast the common market of all people.

And he said, "From hence forth shalt thou make no more mirth, O thou daughter of Sidon: for thou shalt be put down. Stand up therefore, and get thee over unto Chittim, where nevertheless thou shalt have no rest.

Fearfulness, the pit, and the snare are upon thee, O thou that dwellest upon the earth.

O LORD, thou art my God, I will praise thee, and magnify thy name: For thou bringest marvelous things to pass, according to thine old counsels, truly and steadfastly.

Therefore shall the mighty people give glory unto thee, and the cities of the cruel Heathen must fear thee.

And thou, which art the doer and hast the matter in hand: shall provide for peace, even the peace that men hope for in thee.

My soul lusteth after thee all the night long, and my mind hasteth freely to thee. For as soon as thy judgment is known to the world, then the inhabiters of the earth learn righteousness.

O LORD our God, other lords beside thee hath subdued us, but we will be mindful only of thee and of thy name.

Lord, in trouble have they visited thee; they poured out their prayer while thy chastening was upon them.

So go now my people into thy chamber, and shut the door to thee, and suffer now the twinkling of an eye, till the wrath be overpast.

Woe be unto thee O Ariel, thou city that David won. Take ye yet some years, and let some feasts yet pass over:

For I will lay siege to thee round about, and keep thee in with towers, and grave up dikes against thee.

For thus, O thou people of Zion and ye citizens of Jerusalem, shall ye never be in heaviness; for doubtless he will have mercy upon thee. As soon as he heareth the voice of thy cry, he will help thee.

And though the LORD giveth you the bread of adversity, and the water of trouble, thine instructor flyeth not far from thee; if thine eyes look unto thine instructor,

and thine ears hearken to his word that cryeth after thee and sayeth, "This is the way. Walk ye in it. Turn not aside; neither to the righthand nor to the left."

Wherefore woe be unto thee, O robber: shalt not thou be robbed also? And unto thee that layest wait: as who say there should no wait be laid for thee? Woe unto thee which doest hurt: even so shalt thou be hurt also. And as thou layest wait, so shall wait be laid for thee also.

LORD be merciful unto us, we wait for thee. Thine arm is at a point to visit us, but be thou our health in the time of trouble.

Unto thee also, O Zion, shall come the day of the vengeance of God, and the year when thine own judgments shall be recompensed.

Now therefore deliver hostages that thou rebel no more against my lord the king of the Assyrians, and I will give thee two thousand horses if thou be able to set men upon them.

Then said Eliakim, Shebna and Joah unto Rabshakeh, "Speak to us thy servants, we pray thee, in the Syrians language, for we understand it well: And speak not to us in the Jews' Tongue, lest the folk hear, which lieth upon the wall."

"Say thus to Hezekiah king of Judah: Let not thy God deceive thee, in whom thou hopest, and which sayest, 'Jerusalem shall not be given into the hands of the king of Assyria.'

this is the answer, that the LORD hath given concerning him: Despised art thou, and mocked, O daughter of Zion, he hath shaken his head at thee, O daughter of Jerusalem.

Therefore thy furiousness against me, and thy pride is come before me. I will put a ring in thy nose, and a bridle bit in the jaws of thee, and turn thee about, even the same way thou camest.

I will give thee also this token, O Hezekiah: this year shalt thou eat that is kept in store, and the next year such as groweth of himself, and in the third year ye shall sow and reap, yea ye shall plant vineyards, and enjoy the fruits thereof.

and said, "Remember, O LORD, that I have walked before thee in truth and a steadfast heart, and have done the thing that is pleasant to thee." And Hezekiah wept sore.

"Go and speak unto Hezekiah: The LORD God of David thy father sendeth thee this word, 'I have heard thy prayer, and considered thy tears: behold, I will put fifteen years more unto thy life,

and deliver thee and the city also, from the hand of the king of Assyria, for I will defend the city.

And take thee this token of the LORD, that he will do it, as he hath spoken:

For hell praiseth not thee, death doth not magnify thee. They that go down into the grave, praise not thy truth:

but the living, yea the living acknowledge thee, like as I do this day. The father telleth his children of thy faithfulness.

Then came Isaiah the Prophet to king Hezekiah, and said unto him, "What have the men said, and from whence came they unto thee?" Hezekiah answered, "They came out of a far country unto me, out of Babylon."

Yea, and part of thy sons, that shall come of thee, and whom thou shalt get, shall be carried hence, and become gelded chamberlains in the king of Babylon's court."

whom I led from the ends of the earth by the hand: For I called thee from far, and said unto thee 'Thou shalt be my servant,' I have chosen thee, and will not cast thee away.

Be not afraid, for I will be with thee. Look not behind thee, for I will be thy God, to strengthen thee, help thee, and to keep thee with this righthand of mine.

Behold, all they that resist thee, shall come to confusion and shame: and thine adversaries shall be destroyed and brought to naught.

So that whoso seeketh after them, shall not find them. Thy destroyers shall perish, and so shall they that undertake to make battle against thee.

For I, thy LORD and God, will strengthen thy righthand. Even I that say unto thee, 'Fear not,' I will help thee.

Be not afraid, thou little worm Jacob, and thou despised Israel: for I will help thee, sayeth the LORD, and the holy one of Israel thine avenger.

Behold, I will make thee a treading cart and a new flail, that thou mayest thresh and grind the mountains, and bring the hills to powder.

"I the LORD have called thee in righteousness, and led thee by the hand. Therefore will I also defend thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, and to be the light of the Gentiles.

But who is blinder, than my servant? Or so deaf, as my messengers, whom I send unto thee? For who is so blind as the perfect man, and so blind as the LORD's servant?

But now, the LORD that made thee O Jacob, and he that fashioned thee O Israel, sayeth thus, "Fear not, for I will defend thee. I have called thee by thy name, thou art mine own.

If thou goest through the water, I will be with thee, that the strong floods should not pluck thee away. When thou walkest in the fire, it shall not burn thee, and the flame shall not kindle upon thee.

For I am the LORD thy God, the holy one of Israel, thy Saviour. I gave Egypt for thy deliverance, the Ethiopians and the Sabees for thee:

because thou wast dear in my sight, and because I set by thee, and loved thee. I will give over all men for thee, and deliver up all people for thy sake.

Fear not, for I am with thee. I will bring thy seed from the East, and gather thee together from the West.

Thou gavest me not thy young beasts for burnt offerings, neither didst honour me with thy sacrifices. Though boughtest me no dear spice with thy money, neither pourest the fat of thy sacrifices upon me. Howbeit, I have not been chargeable unto thee in offerings, neither grievous in incense.

Put me now in remembrance, for we will reason together, and show what thou hast for thee, to make thee righteous.

For thus sayeth the LORD, that made thee, fashioned thee, and helped thee, even from thy mother's womb: Be not afraid, O Jacob my servant, thou righteous, whom I have chosen.

Consider this, O Jacob and Israel, for thou art my servant. I have made thee, that thou mightest serve me. O Israel, forget me not.

As for thine offenses, I drive them away like the clouds, and thy sins as the mist. Turn ye again unto me, and I will deliver thee.

For thus sayeth the LORD thy redeemer, even he that fashioned thee from thy mother's womb: I am the LORD, which do all things myself alone. I only have spread out the heavens, and I only have laid the foundation of the earth.

I will go before thee, and make the crooked straight. I shall break the brazen doors, and burst the iron bars.

I shall give thee the hid treasure and the thing which is secretly kept, that thou mayest know, that I the God of Israel have called thee by thy name:

and that for Jacob my servant's sake, and for Israel my chosen. For I called thee by name, and ordained thee before thou knewest me.

Even I the LORD, before whom there is none other: for without me there is no God. I have prepared thee before thou knewest me:

The LORD hath said moreover: The occupiers of Egypt, the merchants of the Ethiopians and Sabees, shall come unto thee with tribute; they shall be thine, they shall follow thee, and go with chains upon their feet. They shall fall down before thee, and make supplication unto thee. For God, without whom there is none other God, shall be with thee.

But as for thee O daughter, thou virgin Babylon, thou shalt sit in the dust. Thou shalt sit upon the ground, and not in a throne, O thou maiden of Chaldea. Thou shalt no more be called tender and pleasant.

Thy shame shall be discovered, and thy privities shall be seen. For I will avenge me of thee, and will show no mercy to thee as I do to other men,

Sit still, hold thy tongue, and get thee into some dark corner, O daughter Chaldea, for thou shalt no more be called lady of kingdoms.

And yet both these things shall come to thee upon one day, in the twinkling of an eye: Namely widowhood, and desolation. They shall mightily fall upon thee, for the multitude of thy witches, and for the great heap of thy conjurers.

For thou hast comforted thyself in thy deceitfulness, and hast said, "No man seeth me." Thine own wisdom and cunning hath deceived thee, in that thou hast said, "I am alone, and without me there is none."

Therefore shall trouble come upon thee, and thou shalt not know, from whence it shall arise. Mischief shalt fall upon thee, which thou shalt not be able to put off. A sudden misery shall come upon thee, before thou be aware.

Now go to thy conjurers, and to the multitude of thy witches, whom thou hast been acquainted with from thy youth, if they may help thee, or strengthen thee.

Thou hast hitherto had many counsels of them; so let the heaven gazers and the beholders of stars come on now and deliver thee: yea, and let them show when these new things shall come upon thee.

Even so shall they be unto thee whom thou hast used and occupied from thy youth. Every one shall show thee his erroneous way, yet shall none of them defend thee.

Nevertheless, I have ever since the beginning showed thee of things for to come, and declared them unto thee before they came to pass: that thou shouldest not say, "Mine Idol hath done it; my carved or cast image hath showed it."

Hear and consider all these things, whether it was ye that prophesied them: But as for me, I told thee before at the beginning, new and secret things that thou knewest not of.

Moreover, there be some whereof thou hast neither heard nor know, neither have they been open unto thine ears afore time. For I know that thou wouldest maliciously offend, therefore have I called thee a transgressor, even from thy mother's womb.

Nevertheless, for my name's sake, I have withdrawn my wrath, and for mine honour's sake I have overseen thee, so that I have not rooted thee out.

Behold, I have purged thee, and not for money. I have chosen thee in the fire of poverty;

And thus sayeth the LORD God thine avenger, the holy one of Israel: I am the LORD thy God, which teach thee profitable things, and lead thee the way, that thou shouldest go.

"Behold, I have made thee a light, that thou shouldest be salvation, even unto the end of the world. Kings shall see, and rulers shall stand up and shall worship, because of the LORD, which is faithful; and the holy of Israel hath chosen thee.

Moreover, thus sayeth the LORD the avenger and holy one of Israel, because of the abhorring and despising among the Gentiles, concerning the servant of all them that bear rule: Kings and Princes shall see, and arise and worship, because of the LORD that he is faithful: and because of the holy one of Israel, which hath chosen thee.

And thus sayeth the LORD: In the time appointed will I be present with thee. And in the hour of health will I help thee, and deliver thee. I will make thee a pledge for the people, so that thou shalt help up the earth again, and challenge again the scattered heritages:

Doth a wife forget the child of her womb, and the son who she hath born? And though she do forget, yet will not I forget thee.

Behold, I have written thee up upon my hands, thy walls are ever in my sight.

They that have broken thee down, shall make haste to build thee up again: and they that made thee waste, shall dwell in thee.