15 Does an ax exalt itselfabove the one who chops with it?Does a saw magnify itselfabove the one who saws with it?It would be like a staff waving the one who lifts it!It would be like a rod lifting a man who isn’t wood!
16 Therefore the Lord God of Hostswill inflict an emaciating diseaseon the well-fed of Assyria,and He will kindle a burning fireunder its glory.
17 Israel’s Light will become a fire,and its Holy One, a flame. In one day it will burn up Assyria’s thorns and thistles.
18 He will completely destroythe glory of its forests and orchardsas a sickness consumes a person.
19 The remaining trees of its forestwill be so few in numberthat a child could count them.
20 On that day the remnant of Israel and the survivors of the house of Jacob will no longer depend on the one who struck them, but they will faithfully depend on the Lord, the Holy One of Israel.
21 The remnant will return, the remnant of Jacob,to the Mighty God.