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.