Isaiah 17:1

1 The Lord said, "Damascus will not be a city any longer; it will be only a pile of ruins. ¹

Isaiah 17:1 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 17:1

The burden of Damascus,
&c.] A heavy and grievous prophecy, concerning the destruction of it; the Arabic version is,

``the prophecy of Isaiah concerning Damascus;''

and the Targum is,

``the burden of the cup of cursing to give Damascus to drink.''

Behold, Damascus is taken away from [being] a city;
a kingdom, as the Targum; it was the head of one, but now its walls were demolished, its houses pulled down, and its inhabitants carried captive; this was done by Tilgathpilneser king of Assyria, ( 2 Kings 16:9 ) it had been a very ancient city, see ( Genesis 15:2 ) and the head of the kingdom of Syria, ( Isaiah 7:8 ) , and though it underwent this calamity, it was rebuilt again, and was a city of great fame, when destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar, ( Jeremiah 49:24 Jeremiah 49:25 ) after which it was raised up again, and was in being in the apostle's time, and still is, ( Acts 9:22 ) ( 2 Corinthians 11:32 ) and it shall be a ruinous heap;
or a heap of stones, as the Targum and Kimchi interpret it. A "behold" is prefixed to the whole, as being very wonderful and remarkable, unthought of, and unexpected.

Isaiah 17:1 In-Context

1 The Lord said, "Damascus will not be a city any longer; it will be only a pile of ruins.

2 The cities of Syria will be deserted forever. They will be a pasture for sheep and cattle, and no one will drive them away.

3 Israel will be defenseless, and Damascus will lose its independence. Those Syrians who survive will be in disgrace like the people of Israel. I, the Lord Almighty, have spoken."

4 The Lord said, "A day is coming when Israel's greatness will come to an end, and its wealth will be replaced by poverty.

5 Israel will be like a field where the grain has been cut and harvested, as desolate as a field in Rephaim Valley when it has been picked bare.

Cross References

• 1. 17.1-3Jeremiah 49.23-27;Amos 1.3-5;Zechariah 9.1.