1 Ah! Those who go down to Egypt for help,who rely on horses;Who put their trust in chariots because of their number,and in horsemen because of their combined power,But look not to the Holy One of Israelnor seek the Lord!
2 Yet he too is wise and will bring disaster;he will not turn from his threats.He will rise up against the house of the wickedand against those who help evildoers.
3 The Egyptians are human beings, not God,their horses flesh, not spirit;When the Lord stretches forth his hand,the helper shall stumble, the one helped shall fall,and both of them shall perish together.
4 For thus says the Lord to me:As a lion or its younggrowling over the prey,With a band of shepherdsassembled against it,Is neither dismayed by their shoutsnor cowed by their noise,So shall the Lord of hosts come downto wage war upon Mount Zion, upon its height.
5 Like hovering birds, so the Lord of hostsshall shield Jerusalem,To shield and deliver,to spare and rescue.
6 Return, O Israelites, to him whom you have utterly deserted.
7 On that day each one of you shall reject his idols of silver and gold, which your hands have made.
8 Assyria shall fall by a sword, not wielded by human being,no mortal sword shall devour him;He shall flee before the sword,and his young men shall be impressed as laborers.
9 He shall rush past his crag in panic,and his princes desert the standard in terror,Says the Lord who has a fire in Zionand a furnace in Jerusalem.