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1. Just look at those lawmakers who write evil laws and make life hard for the people.
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1. Woe H1945 unto them that decree H2710 unrighteous H205 decrees H2711 , and that write H3789 grievousness H5999 which they have prescribed H3789 ;
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2. They are not fair to the poor. They take away the rights of the poor and allow people to steal from widows and orphans.
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2. To turn aside H5186 the needy H1800 from judgment H4480 H1779 , and to take away H1497 the right H4941 from the poor H6041 of my people H5971 , that widows H490 may be H1961 their prey H7998 , and that they may rob H962 the fatherless H3490 !
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3. Lawmakers, you will have to explain what you have done. What will you do then? Your destruction is coming from a faraway country. Where will you run for help? Your money and your riches will not help you.
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3. And what H4100 will ye do H6213 in the day H3117 of visitation H6486 , and in the desolation H7722 which shall come H935 from far H4480 H4801 ? to H5921 whom H4310 will ye flee H5127 for help H5833 ? and where H575 will ye leave H5800 your glory H3519 ?
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4. You will have to bow down like a prisoner. You will fall down like a dead man, but that will not help you. God will still be angry and ready to punish you.
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4. Without H1115 me they shall bow down H3766 under H8478 the prisoners H616 , and they shall fall H5307 under H8478 the slain H2026 . For all H3605 this H2063 his anger H639 is not H3808 turned away H7725 , but his hand H3027 is stretched out H5186 still H5750 .
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5. The Lord says, "I will use Assyria like a stick. In my anger I will use Assyria to punish Israel.
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5. O Assyrian H804 , the rod H7626 of mine anger H639 , and the staff H4294 in their hand H3027 is mine indignation H2195 .
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6. I will send Assyria to fight against the people who do evil. I am angry with them, and I will command Assyria to fight against them. Assyria will defeat them and take their wealth. Israel will be like dirt in the streets for Assyria to walk on.
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6. I will send H7971 him against a hypocritical H2611 nation H1471 , and against H5921 the people H5971 of my wrath H5678 will I give him a charge H6680 , to take H7997 the spoil H7998 , and to take H962 the prey H957 , and to tread them down H4823 like the mire H2563 of the streets H2351 .
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7. "But Assyria does not understand that I will use him. He does not think of himself as my tool. He only wants to destroy other people and many nations.
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7. Howbeit he H1931 meaneth H1819 not H3808 so H3651 , neither H3808 doth his heart H3824 think H2803 so H3651 ; but H3588 it is in his heart H3824 to destroy H8045 and cut off H3772 nations H1471 not H3808 a few H4592 .
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8. Assyria says to himself, 'All of my officers are like kings!
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8. For H3588 he saith H559 , Are not H3808 my princes H8269 altogether H3162 kings H4428 ?
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9. The city of Calno is no better than the city of Carchemish. Arpad is like Hamath, and Samaria is like Damascus.
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9. Is not H3808 Calno H3641 as Carchemish H3751 ? is not H3808 Hamath H2574 as Arpad H774 ? is not H3808 Samaria H8111 as Damascus H1834 ?
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10. I defeated those evil kingdoms and now I control them. The idols those people worship are better than the idols of Jerusalem and Samaria.
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10. As H834 my hand H3027 hath found H4672 the kingdoms H4467 of the idols H457 , and whose graven images H6456 did excel them of Jerusalem H4480 H3389 and of Samaria H4480 H8111 ;
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11. I defeated Samaria and her gods. I will also defeat Jerusalem and the idols her people have made.'"
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11. Shall I not H3808 , as H834 I have done H6213 unto Samaria H8111 and her idols H457 , so H3651 do H6213 to Jerusalem H3389 and her idols H6091 ?
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12. When the Lord finishes doing what he planned to Jerusalem and Mount Zion, he will punish Assyria. The king of Assyria is very proud. His pride made him do many bad things, so God will punish him.
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12. Wherefore it shall come to pass H1961 , that when H3588 the Lord H136 hath performed H1214 his H853 whole H3605 work H4639 upon mount H2022 Zion H6726 and on Jerusalem H3389 , I will punish H6485 H5921 the fruit H6529 of the stout H1433 heart H3824 of the king H4428 of Assyria H804 , and H5921 the glory H8597 of his high H7312 looks H5869 .
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13. The king of Assyria said, "I am very wise. By my own wisdom and power I have done many great things. I have defeated many nations. I have taken their wealth and their people as slaves. I am a very powerful man.
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13. For H3588 he saith H559 , By the strength H3581 of my hand H3027 I have done H6213 it , and by my wisdom H2451 ; for H3588 I am prudent H995 : and I have removed H5493 the bounds H1367 of the people H5971 , and have robbed H8154 their treasures H6259 , and I have put down H3381 the inhabitants H3427 like a valiant H47 man :
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14. With my own hands I have taken the riches of all these people�like someone taking eggs from a bird's nest. A bird often leaves its nest and eggs, and there is nothing to protect the nest. There is no bird to chirp and fight with its wings and beak, so anyone can come take the eggs. And there is no one to stop me from taking all the people on earth."
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14. And my hand H3027 hath found H4672 as a nest H7064 the riches H2428 of the people H5971 : and as one gathereth H622 eggs H1000 that are left H5800 , have I H589 gathered H622 all H3605 the earth H776 ; and there was H1961 none H3808 that moved H5074 the wing H3671 , or opened H6475 the mouth H6310 , or peeped H6850 .
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15. An ax is not better than the one who cuts with it. A saw is not better than the one who uses it. Is a stick stronger than the one who picks it up? It can't do anything to the person who is using it to punish someone!
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15. Shall the axe H1631 boast itself H6286 against H5921 him that heweth H2672 therewith? or shall the saw H4883 magnify itself H1431 against H5921 him that shaketh H5130 it? as if the rod H7626 should shake itself against H5130 H853 them that lift it up H7311 , or as if the staff H4294 should lift up H7311 itself, as if it were no H3808 wood H6086 .
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16. But Assyria doesn't understand this. So the Lord All-Powerful will send a terrible disease against him. He will lose his wealth and power like a sick man losing weight. Then Assyria's glory will be destroyed. It will be like a fire burning until everything is gone.
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16. Therefore H3651 shall the Lord H113 , the Lord H3068 of hosts H6635 , send H7971 among his fat ones H4924 leanness H7332 ; and under H8478 his glory H3519 he shall kindle H3344 a burning H3350 like the burning H3350 of a fire H784 .
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17. The Light of Israel will be like a fire. The Holy One will be like a flame. He will be like a fire that first begins to burn the weeds and thorns
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17. And the light H216 of Israel H3478 shall be H1961 for a fire H784 , and his Holy One H6918 for a flame H3852 : and it shall burn H1197 and devour H398 his thorns H7898 and his briers H8068 in one H259 day H3117 ;
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18. and then spreads to burn up the tall trees and vineyards. Finally, everything will be destroyed�even the people. Assyria will be like a rotting log.
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18. And shall consume H3615 the glory H3519 of his forest H3293 , and of his fruitful field H3759 , both soul H4480 H5315 and body H1320 : and they shall be H1961 as when a standard H5263 -bearer fainteth H4549 .
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19. There will be only a few trees left standing in the forest�so few that even a child could count them.
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19. And the rest H7605 of the trees H6086 of his forest H3293 shall be H1961 few H4557 , that a child H5288 may write H3789 them.
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20. Then the people from Jacob's family who are left living in Israel will stop depending on the one who beat them. They will learn to depend on the Lord, the Holy One of Israel.
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20. And it shall come to pass H1961 in that H1931 day H3117 , that the remnant H7605 of Israel H3478 , and such as are escaped H6413 of the house H1004 of Jacob H3290 , shall no H3808 more H5750 again H3254 stay H8172 upon H5921 him that smote H5221 them ; but shall stay H8172 upon H5921 the LORD H3068 , the Holy One H6918 of Israel H3478 , in truth H571 .
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21. Those who are left in Jacob's family will again follow the Powerful God.
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21. The remnant H7605 shall return H7725 , even the remnant H7605 of Jacob H3290 , unto H413 the mighty H1368 God H410 .
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22. Your people are as many as the sands of the sea, but only a few of them will be left to come back to the Lord. They will return to God, but first, your country will be destroyed. God has announced that he will destroy the land, and then justice will come into the land; it will be like a river flowing full.
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22. For H3588 though H518 thy people H5971 Israel H3478 be H1961 as the sand H2344 of the sea H3220 , yet a remnant H7605 of them shall return H7725 : the consumption H3631 decreed H2782 shall overflow H7857 with righteousness H6666 .
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23. The Lord God All-Powerful really will destroy this land.
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23. For H3588 the Lord H136 GOD H3069 of hosts H6635 shall make H6213 a consumption H3617 , even determined H2782 , in the midst H7130 of all H3605 the land H776 .
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24. The Lord God All-Powerful says, "My people living in Zion, don't be afraid of Assyria! Yes, he will beat you, and it will be just as the time when Egypt beat you with a stick.
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24. Therefore H3651 thus H3541 saith H559 the Lord H136 GOD H3069 of hosts H6635 , O my people H5971 that dwellest H3427 in Zion H6726 , be not H408 afraid H3372 of the Assyrian H4480 H804 : he shall smite H5221 thee with a rod H7626 , and shall lift up H5375 his staff H4294 against H5921 thee , after the manner H1870 of Egypt H4714 .
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25. But after a short time my anger will stop. I will be satisfied that Assyria has punished you enough."
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25. For H3588 yet H5750 a very H4213 little H4592 while , and the indignation H2195 shall cease H3615 , and mine anger H639 in H5921 their destruction H8399 .
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26. Then the Lord All-Powerful will beat Assyria with a whip, just as he defeated Midian at Raven Rock. He will punish his enemies, as he did when he raised his stick over the sea and led his people from Egypt.
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26. And the LORD H3068 of hosts H6635 shall stir up H5782 a scourge H7752 for H5921 him according to the slaughter H4347 of Midian H4080 at the rock H6697 of Oreb H6159 : and as his rod H4294 was upon H5921 the sea H3220 , so shall he lift it up H5375 after the manner H1870 of Egypt H4714 .
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27. He will take away the troubles Assyria brought you�troubles like heavy weights carried with a yoke on your neck. But that yoke will be taken off your neck. The burden will be lifted from your shoulders.
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27. And it shall come to pass H1961 in that H1931 day H3117 , that his burden H5448 shall be taken away H5493 from off H4480 H5921 thy shoulder H7926 , and his yoke H5923 from off H4480 H5921 thy neck H6677 , and the yoke H5923 shall be destroyed H2254 because H4480 H6440 of the anointing H8081 .
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28. The army of Assyria will enter near the "Ruins" (Aiath). The army will walk on the "Threshing Floor" (Migron). It will keep its food in the "Storehouse" (Micmash).
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28. He is come H935 to H5921 Aiath H5857 , he is passed H5674 to Migron H4051 ; at Michmash H4363 he hath laid up H6485 his carriages H3627 :
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29. The army will cross the river at the "Crossing" (Maabarah) and sleep at Geba. Ramah will be afraid. The people at Gibeah of Saul will run away.
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29. They are gone over H5674 the passage H4569 : they have taken up their lodging H4411 at Geba H1387 ; Ramah H7414 is afraid H2729 ; Gibeah H1390 of Saul H7586 is fled H5127 .
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30. Cry out, Bath Gallim! Laishah, listen! Anathoth, answer me!
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30. Lift up H6670 thy voice H6963 , O daughter H1323 of Gallim H1554 : cause it to be heard H7181 unto Laish H3919 , O poor H6041 Anathoth H6068 .
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31. The people of Madmenah are running away. The people of Gebim are hiding.
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31. Madmenah H4088 is removed H5074 ; the inhabitants H3427 of Gebim H1374 gather themselves to flee H5756 .
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32. This day the army will stop at Nob and prepare to fight against Mount Zion, the hill of Jerusalem.
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32. As yet H5750 shall he remain H5975 at Nob H5011 that day H3117 : he shall shake H5130 his hand H3027 against the mount H2022 of the daughter H1004 of Zion H6726 , the hill H1389 of Jerusalem H3389 .
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33. Look, the Lord God All-Powerful will use his great power and chop down that great tree. Their highest officials will be brought down. Their most important leaders will be humbled.
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33. Behold H2009 , the Lord H113 , the LORD H3068 of hosts H6635 , shall lop H5586 the bough H6288 with terror H4637 : and the high ones H7312 of stature H6967 shall be hewn down H1438 , and the haughty H1364 shall be humbled H8213 .
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34. The Lord will cut down his enemies as an ax is used to cut down the tall trees in Lebanon.
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34. And he shall cut down H5362 the thickets H5442 of the forest H3293 with iron H1270 , and Lebanon H3844 shall fall H5307 by a mighty one H117 .
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