This prophecy further revealed that when Assyria became lifted up in pride the Lord would “punish the fruit of the stout heart of the king of Assyria, and the glory of his high looks” (v. 12). The Lord made it clear that even though Assyria accomplished his purposes against Israel, they had no reason to be proud. As the ax cannot boast of itself against the one who uses it, so the Assyrians could not think of themselves as being higher than the Lord (see v. 15). Assyria was but an instrument in the hand of the Lord in fulfilling his purposes.