It is true, Lord, that the kings of Assyria have destroyed the nations and their lands.

Then the Lord provoked ¹  their adversaries to attack them, ²  he stirred up ³  their enemies –

Your plunder ¹  disappears as if locusts were eating it; ²  they swarm over it like locusts! ³ 

The Lord sent a messenger ¹  and he wiped out all the soldiers, princes, and officers in the army of the king of Assyria. So Sennacherib ²  returned home humiliated. ³  When he entered the temple of his god, some of his own sons ⁴  struck him down with the sword.

Indeed, ¹  he says: “Are not my officials all kings?

They have burned the gods of the nations, ¹  for they are not really gods, but only the product of human hands manufactured from wood and stone. That is why the Assyrians could destroy them. ² 

For this reason ¹  the sovereign master, the Lord who commands armies, will make his healthy ones emaciated. ²  His majestic glory will go up in smoke. ³ 

The splendor of his forest and his orchard will be completely destroyed, ¹  as when a sick man’s life ebbs away. ² 

Your mind will recall the terror you experienced, ¹  and you will ask yourselves, ²  “Where is the scribe? Where is the one who weighs the money? Where is the one who counts the towers?” ³ 

They have burned the gods of the nations, ¹  for they are not really gods, but only the product of human hands manufactured from wood and stone. That is why the Assyrians could destroy them. ² 

She bestowed her sexual favors on them; all of them were the choicest young men of Assyria. She defiled herself with all whom she desired ¹  – with all their idols.

Ephraim continually feeds on the wind; he chases the east wind all day; he multiplies lies and violence. They make treaties ¹  with Assyria, and send olive oil as tribute ²  to Egypt.

The commander ¹  orders ²  his officers; they stumble ³  as they advance; ⁴  they rush to the city wall ⁵  and they set up ⁶  the covered siege tower. ⁷ 

Where now is the den of the lions, ¹  the feeding place ²  of the young lions, where ³  the lion, lioness, ⁴  and lion cub once prowled ⁵  and no one disturbed them? ⁶ 

For ¹  the burial place is already prepared; ²  it has been made deep and wide for the king. ³  The firewood is piled high on it. ⁴  The Lord’s breath, like a stream flowing with brimstone, will ignite it.

As I have done to Samaria and its idols, so I will do to Jerusalem and its idols.” ¹ 

For very soon my fury ¹  will subside, and my anger will be directed toward their destruction.”

¹ They ²  attacked ³  Aiath, moved through Migron, depositing their supplies at Micmash.

The thickets of the forest will be chopped down with an ax, and mighty Lebanon will fall. ¹ 

For tyrants will disappear, those who taunt will vanish, and all those who love to do wrong will be eliminated ¹  –