1. How terrible it will be for the lawmakers who write evil laws.They write laws that make life hard for people.
2. They are not fair to the poor.They rob my people of their rights.They allow people to steal from widowsand to take from orphans what they should get.
3. Lawmakers, how will you explain the things you have done?What will you do when your destruction comes from far away?Where will you run for help?Where will you hide your money and your riches then?
4. You will have to bow down among the captives.You will fall down among the dead bodies.But the Lord is still angry.His hand is still raised to strike down the people.
5. God says, “How terrible it will be for the king of Assyria.I use him like a stick.In anger I use Assyria like a club.
6. I send it to fight against a nation that is separated from God.I am angry with those people.So I command Assyria to fight against them.Assyria will take their wealth from them.Judah will become like dirt for them to walk on in the streets.
7. But Assyria’s king doesn’t understand that I am using him.He doesn’t know he is a tool for me.He only wants to destroy other people.He plans to destroy many nations.
8. The king of Assyria says to himself,‘All of my commanders are like kings.
9. The city Calno is like the city Carchemish.And the city Hamath is like the city Arpad.The city Samaria is like the city Damascus.
10. I defeated those kingdoms that worship idols.And those idols were more than the idols of Jerusalem and Samaria.
11. I defeated Samaria and her idols.So I will also defeat Jerusalem and her idols.’”
12. The Lord will finish doing what he planned to Mount Zion and Jerusalem. Then he will punish Assyria. The king of Assyria is very proud. His pride made him do these bad things. So God will punish him.
13. The king of Assyria says this:“By my own power I have done these things.By my wisdom I have defeated many nations.I have taken their wealth.And like a mighty one, I have taken their people.