Isaiah 17:1 - Printer Friendly

ESV: An oracle concerning Damascus. Behold, Damascus will cease to be a city and will become a heap of ruins.

NIV: A prophecy against Damascus: 'See, Damascus will no longer be a city but will become a heap of ruins.

NASB: The pronouncement concerning Damascus: 'Behold, Damascus is about to be removed from being a city And will become a fallen ruin.

CSB: A pronouncement concerning Damascus: Look, Damascus is no longer a city. It has become a ruined heap.

NLT: This message came to me concerning Damascus: 'Look, the city of Damascus will disappear! It will become a heap of ruins.

KJV: The burden of Damascus. Behold, Damascus is taken away from being a city, and it shall be a ruinous heap.

NKJV: The burden against Damascus. “Behold, Damascus will cease from being a city, And it will be a ruinous heap.

The next of the Lord's predictions delivered by Isaiah is against the city of Damascus and its surrounding regions. It seems to be an earlier prophecy, due to the events described having already taken place before the oracles against Babylon, Assyria, Philistia, and Moab. This oracle was given before the northern ten tribes of Israel had been wiped out and deported. Their fate is mentioned alongside Isaiah's declaration about what was coming for Damascus.

Damascus still exists today as the capital of Syria. This would be north and east of Israel. At the time Isaiah wrote, Syria was sometimes called Aram (2 Samuel 8:6), but it was dominated by the major world city of Damascus. Damascus became an economic powerhouse because most of the trade of the region travelled through the city. Situated along the Barada River at the crossroads of two major highways, Damascus became a major player in world events. The city was also regularly in conflict with Israel and, later, Assyria.

Isaiah's oracle against Damascus begins bluntly: it will not be a city for long. It will become a pile of destruction. This massive devastation took place in 732 BC when Tiglath-Pileser and the Assyrians laid siege to the city and obliterated it.

Isaiah 17:1–14 begins as a prophecy of the destruction of Damascus, the capital of Syria. Israel will nearly be wiped out along with it. Survivors of both nations will exist on scraps. The remnant of Israel will finally look to their Maker for help instead of praying to false idols. This remnant will experience grief and pain because they have forgotten the God of their salvation. Still, the Lord God has the power to drive away enemies like dust against a strong wind.

What begins as an oracle against Damascus becomes a description of the consequences of Israel's faithlessness As well as the Lord's ability to save them. Damascus will become a heap of ruins. Ephraim will be nearly wiped out along with it. The glory of both will be wasted away like a once healthy man starving and living on scraps. Finally, Israel will look to their Maker instead of to idols they have made with their hands. They forgot the God of their salvation, the One who can chase away the storms of the enemy nations.

Prior chapters included prophecies against various nations, such as Assyria, Babylon, and Moab (Isaiah 13—16). Chapter begins as another oracle against one of Israel's hostile neighbors. However, this one is set much earlier in time. Damascus will become ruins and Israel will be nearly wiped out along with it. Survivors will gather scraps just to survive. The remnant in Israel will finally look to their Maker for help, instead of to idols. Still, the Lord can drive away the roaring nations who have come against Israel. Further oracles follow, beginning with a prophecy about Cush (Isaiah 18).

Isaiah is among the most important prophetic books in the entire Bible. The first segment details God's impending judgment against ancient peoples for sin and idolatry (Isaiah 1—35). The second part of Isaiah briefly explains a failed assault on Jerusalem during the rule of Hezekiah (Isaiah 36—39). The final chapters predict Israel's rescue from Babylonian captivity (Isaiah 40—48), the promised Messiah (Isaiah 49—57), and the final glory of Jerusalem and God's people (Isaiah 58—66).