5. O Assyria, the rod of my anger, the staff in their hand is my indignation.
6. I will send him against a godless 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.
7. Yet he means not so, neither does his heart think so; but it is in his heart to destroy and cut off nations, not a few.
8. For he says, Are not my princes altogether kings?
9. Is not Calno as Carchemish? is not Hamath as Arpad? is not Samaria as Damascus?
10. As my hand has found the kingdoms of the idols, and whose graven images did excel them of Jerusalem and of Samaria:
11. Shall I not, as I have done unto Samaria and her idols, so do to Jerusalem and her idols?
12. Therefore it shall come to pass, that when the Lord has performed his whole work upon mount Zion and on Jerusalem,
13. For he says, By the strength of my hand I have done it, and by my wisdom; for I am prudent: and I have removed the boundaries of the people, and have robbed their treasures, and I have put down the inhabitants like a valiant man: