“ But have you not heard? I decided this long ago. Long ago I planned it, and now I am making it happen. I planned for you to crush fortified cities into heaps of rubble.

“耶和华说：你岂没有听见我早先所做的、古时所立的吗？现在藉你使坚固城荒废，变为乱堆。

“‘你岂没有听见我早先所定、古时所立、现今实现的事吗？就是让你去毁坏坚固的城镇，使它们变为废墟；

“‘你岂没有听见我早先所定、古时所立、现今实现的事吗？就是让你去毁坏坚固的城镇，使它们变为废墟；

“‘难道你不知这是我在远古所定的吗？如今我要实现我昔日所定的计划，就是借着你使坚城沦为废墟。

耶和华说：‘难道你没有听见古时我所安排，往昔所计划的吗？现在我才使它成就，使坚固的城镇荒废，变作乱堆。

我从远古以来所立的，在太初的日子所定的，难道你没有听过吗？现在我使它应验了，就是让你把坚固的城变为荒废的石堆——

耶和華說：你豈沒有聽見我早先所做的、古時所立的嗎？現在藉你使堅固城荒廢，變為亂堆。

「『你豈沒有聽見我早先所定、古時所立、現今實現的事嗎？就是讓你去毀壞堅固的城鎮，使它們變為廢墟；

「『你豈沒有聽見我早先所定、古時所立、現今實現的事嗎？就是讓你去毀壞堅固的城鎮，使它們變為廢墟；

「『難道你不知這是我在遠古所定的嗎？如今我要實現我昔日所定的計劃，就是藉著你使堅城淪為廢墟。

耶和華說：‘難道你沒有聽見古時我所安排，往昔所計劃的嗎？現在我才使它成就，使堅固的城鎮荒廢，變作亂堆。

永恆主說：『你豈沒有聽見從遠古我就制定，在古日我就計畫，到現在我就作成，使有堡壘的城荒廢，變為倒壞的亂堆？

我從遠古以來所立的，在太初的日子所定的，難道你沒有聽過嗎？現在我使它應驗了，就是讓你把堅固的城變為荒廢的石堆——

耶和華曰、爾豈未聞我於元始所為、上古所定、今則成之、使爾毀堅城為瓦礫、

耶和華云、爾豈不聞自古以來、作之者我、定之者亦我、今爾變城垣為瓦礫、乃我使之然。

主曰、如是之事、乃我自元始所作、自上古所定、爾豈未之聞乎、今爾使鞏固之城、變為瓦礫、亦為我所使、

“ Have you not heard? Long ago I ordained it. In days of old I planned it; now I have brought it to pass, that you have turned fortified cities into piles of stone.

“‘ “But I, the Lord, say,‘ Haven’t you heard what I have done? Long ago I arranged for you to do this. In days of old I planned it. Now I have made it happen. You have turned cities with high walls into piles of stone.

“‘ Have you not heard that I determined it long ago? I planned from days of old what now I bring to pass, that you should make fortified cities crash into heaps of ruins,

Have you not heard? I designed it long ago; I planned it in days gone by. I have now brought it to pass, and you have crushed fortified cities into piles of rubble.

Have you not heard? Long ago I did it, From ancient times I planned it. Now I have brought it about That you would turn fortified cities into ruined heaps.

“ Did you not hear long ago How I made it, From ancient times that I formed it? Now I have brought it to pass, That you should be For crushing fortified cities into heaps of ruins.

Hast thou not heard how I have done it long ago, and formed it of ancient times? now have I brought it to pass, that it should be thine to lay waste fortified cities into ruinous heaps.

Have you not heard? I designed it long ago; I planned it in days gone by. I have now brought it to pass, and you have crushed fortified cities into piles of rubble.

Hast thou not heard long ago,[ how] I have done it;[ and] of ancient times, that I have formed it? now have I brought it to pass, that thou shouldest be to lay waste defenced cities[ into] ruinous heaps.

Certainly you must have heard! Long ago I worked it out, in ancient times I planned it, and now I am bringing it to pass. The plan is this: Fortified cities will crash into heaps of ruins.

“‘ Have you not heard how I have done it long ago, and formed it in ancient times? Now I have brought it to pass, that it should be yours to destroy fortified cities, turning them into ruinous heaps.

“ In fact, this has happened here in this very city! For Herod Antipas, Pontius Pilate the governor, the Gentiles, and the people of Israel were all united against Jesus, your holy servant, whom you anointed.But everything they did was determined beforehand according to your will.

But God knew what would happen, and his prearranged plan was carried out when Jesus was betrayed. With the help of lawless Gentiles, you nailed him to a cross and killed him.

And,“ He is the stone that makes people stumble, the rock that makes them fall.” They stumble because they do not obey God’s word, and so they meet the fate that was planned for them.

“ What sorrow awaits Assyria, the rod of my anger. I use it as a club to express my anger.I am sending Assyria against a godless nation, against a people with whom I am angry. Assyria will plunder them, trampling them like dirt beneath its feet.

But can the ax boast greater power than the person who uses it? Is the saw greater than the person who saws? Can a rod strike unless a hand moves it? Can a wooden cane walk by itself?

You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people.

Arise, O Lord! Stand against them, and bring them to their knees! Rescue me from the wicked with your sword!

I say this because some ungodly people have wormed their way into your churches, saying that God’s marvelous grace allows us to live immoral lives. The condemnation of such people was recorded long ago, for they have denied our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.

Only I can tell you the future before it even happens. Everything I plan will come to pass, for I do whatever I wish.I will call a swift bird of prey from the east— a leader from a distant land to come and do my bidding. I have said what I would do, and I will do it.

I create the light and make the darkness. I send good times and bad times. I, the Lord, am the one who does these things.

When the ram’s horn blows a warning, shouldn’t the people be alarmed? Does disaster come to a city unless the Lord has planned it?

O Lord, I will honor and praise your name, for you are my God. You do such wonderful things! You planned them long ago, and now you have accomplished them.You turn mighty cities into heaps of ruins. Cities with strong walls are turned to rubble. Beautiful palaces in distant lands disappear and will never be rebuilt.

Human defiance only enhances your glory, for you use it as a weapon.