21. Prepare slaughter for his children for the iniquity of their fathers, so they would not rise up and possess the land, or fill the face of the earth with cities.
22. “For I will rise up against them”—it is a declaration of Adonai-Tzva’ot—“and I will cut off from Babylon name and remnant, offshoot and offspring,” declares Adonai.
23. “I will also make it a possession for the porcupine, with marshes of water, and I will sweep it with the broom of destruction.” It is a declaration of Adonai-Tzva’ot.
24. Adonai Tzva’ot has sworn, saying: “Surely, as I thought it, so it will be. As I have purposed, so it will stand.
25. I will break Assyria in My land. On My mountains I will trample him. Then his yoke will be taken off them, his burden removed from their shoulder.
26. This is the purpose planned for the whole earth, and this is the hand that is stretched out over all the nations.”
27. For Adonai-Tzva’ot has purposed, so who will annul it? Since His hand is stretched out, who will turn it back?
28. In the year king Ahaz died came this burden:
29. Do not rejoice, all you of Philistia, that the rod that struck you is broken. For from the serpent’s root comes a viper and its fruit will be a flying serpent.
30. The firstborn of the poor will feed, and the needy will lie down in safety. I will kill your root with famine, and your survivors will be slain.
31. Wail, O gate! Cry, O city! Melt away, all you of Philistia! For smoke is coming from the north, and there is no straggler in its ranks.
32. What will they answer the messengers of the nation? For Adonai has founded Zion, and the afflicted of His people will find refuge in her.