Isaiah 17:1

Messages About Damascus and Israel

1 Here is a message the LORD gave me about Damascus. He said, "Damascus will not be a city anymore. Instead, all of its buildings will be knocked down.

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 Here is a message the LORD gave me about Damascus. He said, "Damascus will not be a city anymore. Instead, all of its buildings will be knocked down.

2 The cities of Aroer will be deserted. They will be left to the flocks that lie down there. No one will make them afraid.

3 Ephraim's people will no longer have cities with high walls around them. Royal power will disappear from Damascus. Those who are left alive in Aram will be like the glory of the people of Israel," announces the LORD who rules over all.

4 "In days to come, the glory of Jacob's people will fade. Their strength will get weaker and weaker.

5 It will be as when a worker cuts and gathers grain in the Valley of Rephaim. He gathers up stalks with his arms. Only a few heads of grain are left.