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Isaiah 17:5
ESV And it shall be as when the reaper gathers standing grain and his arm harvests the ears, and as when one gleans the ears of grain in the Valley of Rephaim.
NIV It will be as when reapers harvest the standing grain, gathering the grain in their arms— as when someone gleans heads of grain in the Valley of Rephaim.
NASB It will be 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.
CSB It will be as if a reaper had gathered standing grain— his arm harvesting the heads of grain— and as if one had gleaned heads of grain in the Valley of Rephaim.
NLT The whole land will look like a grainfield after the harvesters have gathered the grain. It will be desolate, like the fields in the valley of Rephaim after the harvest.
KJV And it shall be as when the harvestman gathereth the corn, and reapeth the ears with his arm; and it shall be as he that gathereth ears in the valley of Rephaim.
NKJV It shall be as when the harvester gathers the grain, And reaps the heads with his arm; It shall be as he who gathers heads of grain In the Valley of Rephaim.

What does Isaiah 17:5 mean?

Isaiah is describing the loss of status and wealth that will come upon Israel; the destruction on Damascus will spill over onto them, as well. The prophet has written that Israel will grow from healthy and well-fed to desperately starving (Isaiah 17:3–4). As an illustration, he describes those who are dependent on the gleanings in the Valley of Rephaim to survive.

The Valley of Rephaim, southwest of Jerusalem, contained fertile fields of grain. The common practice of the day, as mandated by the old testament law, provided for the poor. During the harvest, the reaper would gather grain in his arms but not pick up the ears of grain that he dropped along the way (Deuteronomy 24:19–21). Those who were destitute could follow behind and gather up the remains of the harvest—the "gleanings"—to live on. The Lord has always had provision in place for those in need.

The glory of Israel had changed so much that instead of being the one who reaps the crops, they had become the one who lives on the gleanings.
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