5. Ah! Assyria, the rod of my wrath,the staff I wield in anger.
6. Against an impious nation I send him,and against a people under my wrath I order himTo seize plunder, carry off loot,and to trample them like the mud of the street.
7. But this is not what he intends,nor does he have this in mind;Rather, it is in his heart to destroy,to make an end of not a few nations.
8. For he says, “Are not my commanders all kings?”
9. “Is not Calno like Carchemish,Or Hamath like Arpad,or Samaria like Damascus?
10. Just as my hand reached out to idolatrous kingdomsthat had more images than Jerusalem and Samaria—
11. Just as I treated Samaria and her idols,shall I not do to Jerusalem and her graven images?”