God’s Word Translation
Isaiah 17:3
3Fortified cities will disappear from Ephraim, and the kingdom will disappear from Damascus. The remaining few from Aram will share Israel’s honor,” declares the Lord of Armies.
Isaiah 17:3 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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.
- New International Version (NIV)The fortified city will disappear from Ephraim, and royal power from Damascus; the remnant of Aram will be like the glory of the Israelites,” declares the Lord Almighty.
- English Standard Version (ESV)The fortress will disappear from Ephraim, and the kingdom from Damascus; and the remnant of Syria will be like the glory of the children of Israel, declares the Lord of hosts.
- New King James Version (NKJV)The fortress also will cease from Ephraim, The kingdom from Damascus, And the remnant of Syria; They will be as the glory of the children of Israel,” Says the Lord of hosts.
Context of Isaiah 17:3
1This is the divine revelation about Damascus. “Damascus will no longer be a city. It will become a pile of rubble. 2The cities of Aroer will be deserted. These cities will be used for sheep, which will lie down in them. There will be no one to disturb those sheep. Fortified cities will disappear from Ephraim, and the kingdom will disappear from Damascus. The remaining few from Aram will share Israel’s honor,” declares the Lord of Armies. 4“When that day comes, the honor of Jacob’s people will fade away, and they will become skin and bones. 5That time will be like harvesting bundles of grain by the armful. It will be like gathering grain in the Rephaim Valley.
Read all of Isaiah 17Isaiah 17:3 word by word
וְנִשְׁבַּ֤ת מִבְצָר֙ מֵֽאֶפְרַ֔יִם וּמַמְלָכָ֥ה מִדַּמֶּ֖שֶׂק וּשְׁאָ֣ר אֲרָ֑ם כִּכְב֤וֹד בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ יִֽהְי֔וּ נְאֻ֖ם יְהוָ֥ה צְבָאֽוֹת׃ סRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- The fortressמִבְצָרmibtsâr mibtsârâh · fortificationH4013
- also shall ceaseשָׁבַתshâbath · to ceaseH7673
- from Ephraimאֶפְרַ֫יִם'ephrayim · EphraimH669
- and the kingdomמַמְלָכָהmamlâkâh · kingdomH4467
- from Damascusדַּמֶּ֫שֶׂקdammeώeq dûmeώeq darmeώeq · DamascusH1834
- and the remnantשְׁאָרshe'âr · remnantH7605
- of Syriaאֲרָם'ărâm · SyriaH758
- they shall be as the gloryכָּבוֹדkâbôd kâbôd · gloryH3519
- of the childrenבֵּןbên · son: descendant/peopleH1121
- of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
- saithנְאֻםne'ûm · utteranceH5002
- the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- of hostsצָבָאtsâbâ' tsebâ'âh · HostsH6635
Cross-references for Isaiah 17:3
- Isaiah 7:8The capital of Aram is Damascus, and the leader of Damascus is Rezin. Ephraim will be shattered within 65 years so that it will no longer be a nation.
- Isaiah 8:4Before the boy knows how to say ‘Daddy’ or ‘Mommy,’ the wealth of Damascus and the loot from Samaria will be carried away to the king of Assyria.”
- Isaiah 10:9Isn’t Calno like Carchemish? Isn’t Hamath like Arpad? Isn’t Samaria like Damascus?’
- 2 Kings 16:9The king of Assyria listened to him and attacked Damascus. He captured it, took the people to Kir as captives, and killed Rezin.
- 2 Kings 17:6In Hoshea’s ninth year as king of Israel, the king of Assyria captured Samaria and took the Israelites to Assyria as captives. He settled them in Halah, along the Habor River in Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes.
- Hosea 1:4The Lord told Hosea, “Name him Jezreel. In a little while I will punish Jehu’s family for the people they slaughtered at Jezreel. Then I will put an end to the kingdom of Israel.
- Hosea 3:4In the same way, the Israelites will wait a long time without kings or officials, without sacrifices or sacred stones, and without ephods or family idols.
- Hosea 5:13“When Ephraim saw that he was sick and when Judah saw his own wounds, Ephraim went to Assyria to ask the great king for help. But the king couldn’t cure them or heal their wounds.
- Hosea 8:8Israel will be swallowed up. It has already mixed in with the other nations. It has become worthless.
- Hosea 9:16“The people of Ephraim are like sick plants. Their roots are dried up. They have no fruit. Even if they were to have children, I would kill their dear children.”
- Hosea 10:14So your army will hear the noise of battle. All your fortresses will be destroyed like the time Shalman destroyed Beth Arbel in battle. Mothers and their children were smashed to death.
- Hosea 13:7So I will be like a lion. Like a leopard I will wait by the road to ambush you.
- Amos 2:6This is what the Lord says: Because Israel has committed three crimes, and now a fourth crime, I will not change my plans. The people of Israel sell the righteous for money and the needy for a pair of sandals.
- Amos 3:9Announce in the palaces of Ashdod and in the palaces of Egypt, “Gather together on the mountains of Samaria. See the widespread confusion and oppression in Samaria.”
- Amos 5:25Did you bring me sacrifices and grain offerings in the desert for 40 years, nation of Israel?
- Amos 6:7That is why they will now be the first to go into exile. The celebrating of those sprawled around the banquet table will stop.
Commentaries on Isaiah 17:3
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3The remnant of Syria "The pride of Syria" - For שאר shear, "remnant," Houbigant reads שאת seeth, "pride," answering, as the sentence seems evidently to require, to כבוד cabod, "the glory of Israel." The conjecture is so very probable that I venture to follow it. As the glory - בכבוד bichbod, "In the glory," is the reading of eight MSS., and ten editions.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3The fortress - The strong place of defense; the fortified place. Shall cease - Shall come to an end; shall cease to be, for so the word שׁבת shâbath is often used, Genesis 8:22; Isaiah 24:8; Lamentations 5:15. From Ephraim - The name given to the kingdom of Israel, or to the ten tribes, because Ephraim was the largest of the ten, and was a leading tribe in their councils (see the note at Isaiah 7:2). Ephraim, or the kingdom of Samaria, is mentioned here…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3The strategic fortified towns of Israel were the pride of Israel, but they could not resist God’s purposes.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 33. fortress ... cease--The strongholds shall be pulled down (Samaria especially: Ho 10:14; Mi 1:6; Ha 1:10). remnant of Syria--all that was left after the overthrow by Tiglath-pileser (2Ki 16:9). as the glory of ... Israel--They shall meet with the same fate as Israel, their ally.Read the comment
Topics related to Isaiah 17:3
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Isaiah 17
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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