1. Just look at those lawmakers who write evil laws and make life hard for the people.
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.
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.
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.
5. The Lord says, “I will use Assyria like a stick. In my anger I will use Assyria to punish Israel.
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 for Assyria to walk on in the streets.
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. He only plans to destroy many nations.
8. Assyria says to himself, ‘All of my officers are like kings!