“ Long ago I told you ahead of time what would happen. I announced it and made it known. Then all of a sudden I acted. And those things took place.

主说：“早先的事，我从古时说明，已经出了我的口，也是我所指示的；我忽然行做，事便成就。

“先前的事，我自古已说明，已从我口而出，是我所指示的；我瞬间行事，事便成就。

“先前的事，我自古已说明，已从我口而出，是我所指示的；我瞬间行事，事便成就。

“过去所发生的事，我很久以前就预言过、亲口宣告过，然后使它们瞬间发生。

主说：“先前的事，我从古时就预言过了，已经从我的口里说出来了，又说给人听了；我忽然行事，事情就都成就了。

先前的事，我从前就宣告了，已经从我的口发出了，是由我告知的；我突然行动，事情就成就了。

主說：早先的事，我從古時說明，已經出了我的口，也是我所指示的；我忽然行做，事便成就。

「先前的事，我自古已說明，已從我口而出，是我所指示的；我瞬間行事，事便成就。

「先前的事，我自古已說明，已從我口而出，是我所指示的；我瞬間行事，事便成就。

「過去所發生的事，我很久以前就預言過、親口宣告過，然後使它們瞬間發生。

主說：“先前的事，我從古時就預言過了，已經從我的口裡說出來了，又說給人聽了；我忽然行事，事情就都成就了。

『早先的事我從上古就告訴人了，已由我口中發出，說給人聽了；我突然間作它，事便成就。

先前的事，我從前就宣告了，已經從我的口發出了，是由我告知的；我突然行動，事情就成就了。

耶和華曰、昔我預言諸事、出之於口、昭示於人、猝然行之、俾底於成、

耶和華曰、昔我預言諸事、明示於眾、猝然成之。

主曰、昔我預言諸事、曾出我口、我已宣告、猝然行之、事悉成、

I foretold the former things long ago, my mouth announced them and I made them known; then suddenly I acted, and they came to pass.

“ The former things I declared of old; they went out from my mouth, and I announced them; then suddenly I did them, and they came to pass.

Long ago I told you what was going to happen. Then suddenly I took action, and all my predictions came true.

I declared the past events long ago; they came out of my mouth; I proclaimed them. Suddenly I acted, and they occurred.

I declared the former things long ago, And they went out of My mouth, and I proclaimed them. Suddenly I acted, and they came to pass.

“ I have declared the former things from the beginning; They went forth from My mouth, and I caused them to hear it. Suddenly I did them, and they came to pass.

I have declared the former things from of old; yea, they went forth out of my mouth, and I showed them: suddenly I did them, and they came to pass.

I declared the past events long ago; they came out of My mouth; I proclaimed them. Suddenly I acted, and they occurred.

I have declared the former things from the beginning; and they went forth out of my mouth, and I shewed them; I did[ them] suddenly, and they came to pass.

“ I announced events beforehand, I issued the decrees and made the predictions; suddenly I acted and they came to pass.

I have declared the former things from of old. Yes, they went out of my mouth, and I revealed them. I did them suddenly, and they happened.

Tell us, you false gods, what is going to happen. Tell us what happened in the past. Then we can check it out and see if it is really true. Or announce to us the things that will take place.

What I said would happen has taken place. Now I announce new things to you. Before they even begin to happen, I announce them to you.”

Tell me what will happen. State your case. Talk it over together. Who spoke long ago about what would happen? Who said it a long time ago? I did. I am the Lord. I am the one and only God. I always do what is right. I am the one who saves. There is no God but me.

All the nations are gathering together. All of them are coming. Which one of their gods said ahead of time that the people of Israel would return? Which of them told us anything at all about the past? Let them bring in their witnesses to prove they were right. Then others will hear them. And they will say,“ What they said is true.”

Who is like me? Let him come forward and speak boldly. Let him tell me everything that has happened since I created my people long ago. And let him tell me what has not happened yet. Let him announce ahead of time what is going to take place.Do not tremble with fear. Do not be afraid. Didn’t I announce everything that has happened? Didn’t I tell you about it long ago? You are my witnesses. Is there any other God but me? No! There is no other Rock. I do not know even one.”

The Lord kept all the good promises he had made to the Israelites. Every one of them came true.

The Assyrian soldiers are like trees in a forest. The Lord who rules over all will chop them down. The Lord will cut off their branches with his great power. He will chop the tall trees down. He will cut down even the highest ones.The Mighty One will chop down the forest with his ax. He will cut down the cedar trees in Lebanon.

“ Now I’m about to die, just as everyone else on earth does. The Lord your God has kept all the good promises he gave you. Every one of them has come true. Not one has failed to come true. And you know that with all your heart and soul.Every good thing has come to pass that the Lord your God has promised you. So you know that he can also bring against you all the evil things he has warned you about. He’ll do it until he has destroyed you. He’ll do it until he has removed you from this good land. It’s the land he has given you.

Listen! I will send him news from his own country. It will make him want to return home. There I will have him cut down by a sword.” ’ ”

Then the angel of the Lord went into the camp of the Assyrians. He put to death 185,000 soldiers there. The people of Jerusalem got up the next morning. They looked out and saw all the dead bodies.So Sennacherib, the king of Assyria, took the army tents down. Then he left. He returned to Nineveh and stayed there.One day Sennacherib was worshiping in the temple of his god Nisrok. His sons Adrammelek and Sharezer killed him with their swords. Then they escaped to the land of Ararat. Esarhaddon became the next king after his father Sennacherib.

“ Remember what happened in the past. Think about what took place long ago. I am God. There is no other God. I am God. There is no one like me.Before something even happens, I announce how it will end. In fact, from times long ago I announced what was still to come. I say,‘ My plan will succeed. I will do anything I want to do.’

The Lord will finish everything he has planned to do against Mount Zion and Jerusalem. Then he’ll say,“ Now I will punish the king of Assyria. I will punish him because his heart and his eyes are so proud.The king of Assyria says,“‘ By my power I have taken over all these nations. I am very wise. I have great understanding. I have wiped out the borders between nations. I’ve taken their treasures. Like a great hero I’ve brought their kings under my control.I’ve taken the wealth of the nations. It was as easy as reaching into a bird’s nest. I’ve gathered the riches of all these countries. It was as easy as gathering eggs that have been left in a nest. Not a single baby bird flapped its wings. Not one of them opened its mouth to chirp.’ ”Does an ax claim to be more important than the person who swings it? Does a saw brag that it is better than the one who uses it? That would be like a stick swinging the person who picks it up! It would be like a war club waving the one who carries it!So the Lord who rules over all will send a sickness. The Lord will send it on the king of Assyria’s strong fighting men. It will make them weaker and weaker. The army he was so proud of will be completely destroyed. It will be as if it had been burned up in a fire.The Lord is the Light of Israel. He will become a fire. Israel’s Holy One will become a flame. In a single day he will burn up all Assyria’s bushes. He will destroy all their thorns.He will completely destroy the beauty of their forests and rich farm lands. The Assyrian army will be like a sick person who becomes weaker and weaker.It will be like the trees of their forests. So few of them will be left standing that even a child could count them.

You roar against me and brag. And I have heard your bragging. So I will put my hook in your nose. I will put my bit in your mouth. And I will make you go home by the same way you came.’ ” ’ ”