1 T he oracle concerning Damascus. “Behold, Damascus is about to be removed from being a city And will become a fallen ruin.

The mournful, inspired prediction (a burden to be lifted up) concerning Damascus. Behold, Damascus will cease to be a city and will become a heap of ruins.

2 “ The cities of Aroer are forsaken; They will be for flocks to lie down in, And there will be no one to frighten them.

The cities of Aroer are forsaken; they shall be for flocks, which shall lie down, and none shall make them afraid.

3 “ The fortified city will disappear from Ephraim, And sovereignty from Damascus And the remnant of Aram; They will be like the glory of the sons of Israel,” Declares the Lord of hosts.

His bulwark and the fortress shall disappear from Ephraim, and the kingdom from Damascus; and the remnant of Syria will be like the glory of the children of Israel, says the Lord of hosts.

4 N ow in that day the glory of Jacob will fade, And the fatness of his flesh will become lean.

And in that day the former glory of Jacob shall be enfeebled, and the fat of his flesh shall become lean.

5 I t will be even like the reaper gathering the standing grain, As his arm harvests the ears, Or it will be like one gleaning ears of grain In the valley of Rephaim.

And it shall be as when the reaper gathers the standing grain and his arm harvests the ears; yes, it shall be as when one gathers the ears of grain in the fertile Valley of Rephaim.

6 Y et gleanings will be left in it like the shaking of an olive tree, Two or three olives on the topmost bough, Four or five on the branches of a fruitful tree, Declares the Lord, the God of Israel.

Yet gleanings shall be left in it, as after the beating of an olive tree, two or three berries in the top of the uppermost bough, four or five in the outermost branches of the fruitful tree, says the Lord, the God of Israel.

7 I n that day man will have regard for his Maker And his eyes will look to the Holy One of Israel.

In that day will men look to their Maker, and their eyes shall regard the Holy One of Israel.

8 H e will not have regard for the altars, the work of his hands, Nor will he look to that which his fingers have made, Even the Asherim and incense stands.

And they will not look to the altars, the work of their hands, neither will they have respect for what their fingers have made—either the Asherim or the sun-images.

9 I n that day their strong cities will be like forsaken places in the forest, Or like branches which they abandoned before the sons of Israel; And the land will be a desolation.

In that day will their strong cities be like the forsaken places in the wood and on the mountaintop, as they '> Amorites and the Hivites] forsook their because of the children of Israel; and there will be desolation.

10 F or you have forgotten the God of your salvation And have not remembered the rock of your refuge. Therefore you plant delightful plants And set them with vine slips of a strange god.

Because you have forgotten the God of your salvation and have not been mindful of the Rock of your strength, your Stronghold—therefore, you have planted pleasant nursery grounds and plantings, and have set with vine slips of a strange,

11 I n the day that you plant it you carefully fence it in, And in the morning you bring your seed to blossom; But the harvest will be a heap In a day of sickliness and incurable pain.

And in the day of your planting you hedge it in, and in the morning you make your seed to blossom, yet the harvest shall be a heap of ruins and flee away in the day of expected possession and of desperate sorrow and sickening, incurable pain.

12 A las, the uproar of many peoples Who roar like the roaring of the seas, And the rumbling of nations Who rush on like the rumbling of mighty waters!

Hark, the uproar of a multitude of peoples! They roar and thunder like the noise of the seas! Ah, the roar of nations! They roar like the roaring of rushing and mighty waters!

13 T he nations rumble on like the rumbling of many waters, But He will rebuke them and they will flee far away, And be chased like chaff in the mountains before the wind, Or like whirling dust before a gale.

The nations will rush and roar like the rushing and roaring of many waters—but will rebuke them, and they will flee far off and will be chased like chaff on the mountains before the wind, and like rolling thistledown or whirling dust of the stubble before the storm.

14 A t evening time, behold, there is terror! Before morning they are no more. Such will be the portion of those who plunder us And the lot of those who pillage us.

At evening time, behold, terror! And before the morning, they are not. This is the portion of those who strip us of what belongs to us, and the lot of those who rob us.