“If the Assyrians come
Into our land,
If they tread
Upon our soil,
We will raise
Against them
Seven shepherds
With eight installed
As rulers.
They shall rule
The land of Assyria
With the sword.
They shall rule
The land of Nimrod
With the drawn sword.
They shall deliver us
From the Assyrians,
If they come into our land,
If they tread within our border.”
If and when the Assyrians came into their land of Israel, the Israelites, would raise up against them. If these Assyrians treaded on their Israelite soil, they would have 7 shepherds, the full amount necessary, or 8 rulers, more than the perfect 7, to take care of the situation. They would, in fact, rule Assyria with a drawn sword. They would take over the land of Nimrod, another name for Assyria. They would be delivered from the Assyrians, if they tried to come into their land and walk across their border. This sounded like a strong warning, but were the Assyrians listening?