Isaiah 10:5-17

5Woe to Assyria, the rod of my anger — the staff in their hands is my wrath.

6I will send him against a godless nation; I will command him to go against a people destined for my rage, to take spoils, to plunder, and to trample them down like clay in the streets.

7But this is not what he intends; this is not what he plans. It is his intent to destroy and to cut off many nations.

8For he says, “Aren’t all my commanders kings?

9Isn’t Calno like Carchemish? Isn’t Hamath like Arpad? Isn’t Samaria like Damascus?

10As my hand seized the kingdoms of worthless images, kingdoms whose idols exceeded those of Jerusalem and Samaria,

11and as I did to Samaria and its worthless images will I not also do to Jerusalem and its idols?”

12But when the Lord finishes all his work against Mount Zion and Jerusalem, he will say, “I will punish the king of Assyria for his arrogant acts and the proud look in his eyes.”

13For he said: I have done this by my own strength and wisdom, for I am clever. I abolished the borders of nations and plundered their treasures; like a mighty warrior, I subjugated the inhabitants.

14My 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.

15Does an ax exalt itself above the one who chops with it? Does a saw magnify itself above the one who saws with it? It would be like a rod waving the ones who lift it! It would be like a staff lifting the one who isn’t wood!

16Therefore the Lord God of Armies will inflict an emaciating disease on the well-fed of Assyria, and he will kindle a burning fire under its glory.

17Israel’s Light will become a fire, and its Holy One, a flame. In one day it will burn and consume Assyria’s thorns and thistles.