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The burden of Damascus. Behold, Damascus is taken away from being a city, and it shall be a ruinous heap.
The cities of Aroer are forsaken: they shall be for flocks, which shall lie down, and none shall make them afraid.
The fortress also shall cease from Ephraim, and the kingdom from Damascus, and the remnant of Syria: they shall be as the glory of the children of Israel, saith the LORD of hosts.
And in that day it shall come to pass, that the glory of Jacob shall be made thin, and the fatness of his flesh shall wax lean.
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.
Yet gleaning grapes shall be left in it, as the shaking of an olive tree, two or three berries in the top of the uppermost bough, four or five in the outmost fruitful branches thereof, saith the LORD God of Israel.
At that day shall a man look to his Maker, and his eyes shall have respect to the Holy One of Israel.
And he shall not look to the altars, the work of his hands, neither shall respect that which his fingers have made, either the groves, or the images.
In that day shall his strong cities be as a forsaken bough, and an uppermost branch, which they left because of the children of Israel: and there shall be desolation.

New Defender's Study Bible Notes

17:1 a ruinous heap. Damascus, a very ancient city, capital of the Syrians, was all but obliterated by the invading Assyrians. However, it was soon rebuilt and has remained as the Syrian capital ever since, although it has been invaded by the Babylonians and many other armies over subsequent centuries.


17:7 his Maker. In the midst of this prophecy against Syria and its capital Damascus, there appears the prediction that ultimately the idolatrous Syrians would return to acknowledge that the God of Israel was their own Maker as well.


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