Isaiah 17

The Fall of Damascus

1 This is the message about Damascus:“Look, Damascus will not be a city anymore; it will turn into a heap of ruins.”

2 The towns of Aroer will be deserted, left for flocks that lie down with no one to bother them.

3 The fortress of Ephraim will fall, and the kingdom of Damascus too. What is left of Aram will lose its glory,” says the Lord of Armies.

The Fading Glory of Israel

4 “In that day, Jacob’s glory will fade; his strong body will waste away.”

5 It will be like a farmer gathering grain, cutting the heads with his arm, like someone picking up the leftovers in the valley of Rephaim.

6 But a few bits will be left, like olives that did not get picked, two or three on the top of the tree, four or five on the branches,” declares the Lord, the God of Israel.

Turning Back to God

7 That day, people will finally look to their Maker. Their eyes will turn to the Holy One of Israel.

8 They will not be checking for their altars anymore or for those idols they made, the Asherah poles or the incense altars their own hands built.

The Cities Become Desolate

9 In that day, their strong cities will be abandoned, like the forsaken woods and hilltops Israel left long ago when things got rough. It will all be a wasteland.

10 Because you forgot the God who saves you, and you did not remember the Rock who keeps you safe. That is why you plant fancy gardens and set out imported vines,

11 Though you plant them and water them, they will not last, the harvest will disappear in a day of sickness and grief.

The Nations Roar, but God Silences Them

12 Listen, the nations roar like the sea, raging loud and wild.

13 But when God rebukes them, they run far away, scattered like chaff in the wind or dust in a storm.

14 At evening time, terror strikes, but by morning, it is all gone. That is what happens to those who rob us and attack us.