Isaiah 10:5-6

The *Assyrians do not recognise the *Lord as the one real God. But the *Lord is still going to use them against this ‘nation’. That is, against Judah. God had chosen Judah to be his special people. But the people in Judah have not obeyed their covenant (agreement) with the *Lord. They are now refusing to obey him.

The king of Assyria’s pride

v7 But the king of Assyria is thinking about his own cruel plans. He intends to destroy many nations. v8 He declares that every one of his commanders is like a prince. v9 His armies have *seized the cities called Calno and Carchemish. And the cities called Hamath and Arnad. And the cities called Damascus and Samaria. v10-11 The king of Assyria declares that all these places were very strong. Their gods were more powerful than all the images and gods in *Jerusalem. ‘I shall certainly do to *Jerusalem what I have already done to Samaria and its much stronger gods.’