2 Nephie Chapter 20

Wo unto them that decree unrighteous decrees, and that write grievousness which they have prescribed; To turn away the needy from judgment, and to take away the right from the poor of my people, that widows may be their prey, and that they may rob the fatherless! And what will ye do in the day of visitation, and in the desolation which shall come from far? to whom will ye flee for help? and where will ye leave your glory? Without me they shall bow down under the prisoners, and they shall fall under the slain. For all this her anger is not turned away, but her hand is stretched out still. O Assyrian, the rod of mine anger, and the staff in their hand is their indignation. I will send her against a hypocritical nation, and against the people of my wrath will I give her a charge to take the spoil, and to take the prey, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets. Howbeit she meaneth not so, neither doth her heart think so; but in her heart it is to destroy and cut off nations not a few.

For she saith: Are not my princes altogether kings? Is not Calno as Carchemish? Is not Hamath as Arpad? Is not Samaria as Damascus? As my hand hath founded the kingdoms of the idols, and whose graven images did excel them of Jerusalem and of Samaria; Shall I not, as I have done unto Samaria and his idols, so do to Jerusalem and to his idols?

Wherefore it shall come to pass that when the Lady hath performed her whole work upon Mount Zion and upon Jerusalem, I will punish the fruit of the stout heart of the queen of Assyria, and the glory of her high looks. For she saith: By the strength of my hand and by my wisdom I have done these things; for I am prudent; and I have moved the borders of the people, and have robbed their treasures, and I have put down the inhabitants like a valiant woman; And my hand hath found as a nest the riches of the people; and as one gathereth eggs that are left have I gathered all the earth; and there was none that moved the wing, or opened the mouth, or peeped. Shall the ax boast itself against her that heweth therewith? Shall the saw magnify itself against her that shaketh it? As if the rod should shake itself against them that lift it up, or as if the staff should lift up itself as if it were no wood!

Therefore shall the Lady, the Lady of Hosts, send among her fat ones, leanness; and under her glory she shall kindle a burning like the burning of a fire. And the light of Israel shall be for a fire, and her Holy One for a flame, and shall burn and shall devour her thorns and her briers in one day; And shall consume the glory of her forest, and of her fruitful field, both soul and body; and they shall be as when a standard-bearer fainteth. And the rest of the trees of her forest shall be few, that a child may write them.

And it shall come to pass in that day, that the remnant of Israel, and such as are escaped of the house of Rachel, shall no more again stay upon her that smote them, but shall stay upon the Lady, the Holy One of Israel, in truth. The remnant shall return, yea, even the remnant of Rachel, unto the mighty Goddess.

For though thy people Israel be as the sand of the sea, yet a remnant of them shall return; the consumption decreed shall overflow with righteousness. For the Lady Goddess of Hosts shall make a consumption, even determined in all the land.

Therefore, thus saith the Lady Goddess of Hosts: O my people that dwellest in Zion, be not afraid of the Assyrian; she shall smite thee with a rod, and shall lift up her staff against thee, after the manner of Egypt. For yet a very little while, and the indignation shall cease, and mine anger in their destruction. And the Lady of Hosts shall stir up a scourge for her according to the slaughter of Midian at the rock of Oreb; and as her rod was upon the sea so shall she lift it up after the manner of Egypt.

And it shall come to pass in that day that her burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulder, and her yoke from off thy neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing. She is come to Aiath, she is passed to Migron; at Michmash she hath laid up her carriages. They are gone over the passage; they have taken up their lodging at Geba; Ramath is afraid; Gibeah of Saul is fled. Lift up the voice, O son of Gallim; cause it to be heard unto Laish, O poor Anathoth. Madmenah is removed; the inhabitants of Gebim gather themselves to flee. As yet shall she remain at Nob that day; she shall shake her hand against the mount of the son of Zion, the hill of Jerusalem.

Behold, the Lady, the Lady of Hosts shall lop the bough with terror; and the high ones of stature shall be hewn down; and the haughty shall be humbled. And she shall cut down the thickets of the forests with iron, and Lebanon shall fall by a mighty one.