Dual Panel1Here is a message <04853> about Damascus <01834>: “Look <02009>, Damascus <01834> is no longer <05493> a city <05892>, it is <01961> a heap <04596> of ruins <04654>!
2The cities <05892> of Aroer <06177> are abandoned <05800>. They will be used <01961> for herds <05739>, which will lie down <07257> there in peace <02729> <0369>.
3Fortified <04013> cities will disappear <07673> from Ephraim <0669>, and Damascus <01834> will lose its kingdom <04467>. The survivors <07605> in Syria <0758> will end <07673> up like the splendor <03519> of the Israelites <03478> <01121>,” says <05002> the Lord <03068> who commands armies <06635>.
4“At that <01931> time <03117> Jacob’s <03290> splendor <03519> will be <01961> greatly diminished <01809>, and he <01320> will become skin and bones <07329>.
5It will be <01961> as when one gathers <0622> the grain <07054> harvest <07105>, and his hand <02220> gleans <07114> the ear of grain <07641>. It will be <01961> like one gathering <03950> the ears of grain <07641> in the Valley <06010> of Rephaim <07497>.
6There will be some left behind <05955>, like when an olive tree <02132> is beaten <05363>– two <08147> or three <07969> ripe olives <01620> remain <07604> toward the very top <0534> <07218>, four <0702> or five <02568> on its fruitful <06509> branches <05585>,” says <05002> the Lord <03068> God <0430> of Israel <03478>.
7At that time <03117> men <0120> will trust <08159> in <05921> their creator <06213>; they will depend on <07200> <05869> the Holy One <06918> of Israel <03478>.
8They will no <03808> longer trust <08159> in <0413> the altars <04196> their hands <03027> made <04639>, or <03808> depend on <07200> the Asherah poles <0842> and incense altars <02553> their fingers <0676> made <06213>.
9At that <01931> time <03117> their fortified <04581> cities <05892> will be <01961> like the abandoned <05805> summits <0534> <02793> of the Amorites, which <0834> they abandoned <05800> because of the Israelites <03478> <01121>; there will be <01961> desolation <08077>.
10For <03588> you ignore <07911> the God <0430> who rescues <03468> you; you pay <02142> no <03808> attention <02142> to <05921> your strong <04581> protector <06697>. So this is <03651> what happens: You cultivate <05193> beautiful <05282> plants <05194> and plant <02232> exotic <02114> vines <02156>.
11The day <03117> you begin cultivating <05194>, you do what you can to make <07735> it grow <07735>; the morning <01242> you begin planting <02233>, you do what you can to make it sprout <06524>. Yet the harvest <07105> will disappear <05067> in the day <03117> of disease <02470> and incurable <0605> pain <03511>.
12The many <07227> nations <05971> massing together <01995> are as good as dead <01945>, those who make a commotion <01993> as loud as the roaring <01993> of the sea’s waves <03220>. The people <03816> making such an uproar <07588> are as good as dead, those who make an uproar as loud as <07582> the roaring <07588> of powerful <03524> waves <04325>.
13Though these people <03816> make an uproar as loud as <07582> the roaring <07588> of powerful <07227> waves <04325>, when he shouts <01605> at them, they will flee <05127> to a distant land <04801>, driven <07291> before <06440> the wind <07307> like dead weeds <04671> on the hills <02022>, or like dead thistles <01534> before <06440> a strong gale <05492>.
14In the evening <06153> <06256> there is sudden terror <01091>; by <02962> morning <01242> they vanish <0369>. This <02088> is the fate <02506> of those who try to plunder <08154> us, the destiny <01486> of those who try to loot <0962> us!