Isaiah 17:1-6

A Prophecy Against Damascus

1 A prophecy against Damascus: “See, Damascus will no longer be a city but will become a heap of ruins.
2 The cities of Aroer will be deserted and left to flocks, which will lie down, with no one to make them afraid.
3 The fortified city will disappear from Ephraim, and royal power from Damascus; the remnant of Aram will be like the glory of the Israelites,” declares the LORD Almighty.
4 “In that day the glory of Jacob will fade; the fat of his body will waste away.
5 It will be as when reapers harvest the standing grain, gathering the grain in their arms— as when someone gleans heads of grain in the Valley of Rephaim.
6 Yet some gleanings will remain, as when an olive tree is beaten, leaving two or three olives on the topmost branches, four or five on the fruitful boughs,” declares the LORD, the God of Israel.

Isaiah 17:1-6 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO ISAIAH 17

This chapter contains a prophecy of the ruin of Syria and Israel, the ten tribes; who were in alliance; and also of the overthrow of the Assyrian army, that should come against Judah. The destruction of Damascus, the metropolis of Syria, and of other cities, is threatened, Isa 17:1,2 yea, of the whole kingdom of Syria, together with Ephraim or the ten tribes, and Samaria the head of them, Isa 17:3 whose destruction is expressed by various similes, as by thinness and leanness, and by the reaping and gathering of corn, Isa 17:4,5 and yet a remnant should be preserved, compared to gleaning gapes, and a few berries on an olive tree, who should look to the Lord, and not to idols, Isa 17:6-8 and the reason of the desolation of their cities, and of their fields and vineyards, was their forgetfulness of the Lord, Isa 17:9-11 and the chapter is closed with a prophecy of the defeat of the Assyrian army, who are compared for their multitude and noise to the seas, and to mighty waters, and the noise and rushing of them, Isa 17:12 and yet should be, at the rebuke of God, as chaff, or any small light thing, before a blustering wind, Isa 17:13 and who, in the evening, would be a trouble to the Jews, and be dead before morning; which was to be the portion of the spoilers and plunderers of the Lord's people, Isa 17:14.

Cross References 18

  • 1. Isaiah 13:1
  • 2. S Genesis 14:15; Jeremiah 49:23; Acts 9:2
  • 3. S Deuteronomy 13:16; S Isaiah 25:2; Amos 1:3; Zechariah 9:1
  • 4. S 2 Kings 10:33
  • 5. S Isaiah 5:17; Isaiah 7:21; Ezekiel 25:5
  • 6. Isaiah 27:10
  • 7. S Leviticus 26:6; Jeremiah 7:33; Micah 4:4
  • 8. Isaiah 25:2,12; Hosea 10:14
  • 9. ver 4; Isaiah 21:16; Hosea 9:11
  • 10. Isaiah 7:8,16; Isaiah 8:4
  • 11. S Isaiah 2:11
  • 12. S ver 3
  • 13. S Isaiah 10:16
  • 14. ver 11; Isaiah 33:4; Jeremiah 51:33; Joel 3:13; Matthew 13:30
  • 15. Job 24:24
  • 16. S Joshua 17:15; S 1 Chronicles 11:15
  • 17. S Deuteronomy 4:27; S Isaiah 10:19; S Isaiah 24:13
  • 18. ver 11; Isaiah 27:12
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