New English Translation
Isaiah 17:3
3Fortified cities will disappear from Ephraim, and Damascus will lose its kingdom. The survivors in Syria will end up like the splendor of the Israelites,” says the Lord who commands 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
1Here is a message about Damascus: “Look, Damascus is no longer a city, it is a heap of ruins! 2The cities of Aroer are abandoned. They will be used for herds, which will lie down there in peace. Fortified cities will disappear from Ephraim, and Damascus will lose its kingdom. The survivors in Syria will end up like the splendor of the Israelites,” says the Lord who commands armies. 4“At that time Jacob’s splendor will be greatly diminished, and he will become skin and bones. 5It will be as when one gathers the grain harvest, and his hand gleans the ear of grain. It will be like one gathering the ears of grain in the Valley of Rephaim.
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 7:8For Syria’s leader is Damascus, and the leader of Damascus is Rezin. Within sixty-five years Ephraim will no longer exist as a nation.
- Isaiah 8:4for before the child knows how to cry out, ‘My father’ or ‘My mother,’ the wealth of Damascus and the plunder of Samaria will be carried off by the king of Assyria.”
- Isaiah 10:9Is not Calneh like Carchemish? Hamath like Arpad? Samaria like Damascus?
- 2 Kings 16:9The king of Assyria responded favorably to his request; he attacked Damascus and captured it. He deported the people to Kir and executed Rezin.
- 2 Kings 17:6In the ninth year of Hoshea’s reign, the king of Assyria captured Samaria and deported the people of Israel to Assyria. He settled them in Halah, along the Habor (the river of Gozan), and in the cities of the Medes.
- Hosea 1:4Then the Lord said to Hosea, “Name him ‘Jezreel,’ because in a little while I will punish the dynasty of Jehu on account of the bloodshed in the valley of Jezreel, and I will put an end to the kingdom of Israel.
- Hosea 3:4For the Israelites must live many days without a king or prince, without sacrifice or sacred fertility pillar, without ephod or idols.
- Hosea 5:13When Ephraim saw his sickness and Judah saw his wound, then Ephraim turned to Assyria, and begged its great king for help. But he will not be able to heal you! He cannot cure your wound!
- Hosea 8:8Israel will be swallowed up among the nations; they will be like a worthless piece of pottery.
- Hosea 9:16Ephraim will be struck down – their root will be dried up; they will not yield any fruit. Even if they do bear children, I will kill their precious offspring.
- Hosea 10:14The roar of battle will rise against your people; all your fortresses will be devastated, just as Shalman devastated Beth Arbel on the day of battle, when mothers were dashed to the ground with their children.
- Hosea 13:7So I will pounce on them like a lion; like a leopard I will lurk by the path.
- Amos 2:6This is what the Lord says: “Because Israel has committed three covenant transgressions – make that four! – I will not revoke my decree of judgment. They sold the innocent for silver, the needy for a pair of sandals.
- Amos 3:9Make this announcement in the fortresses of Ashdod and in the fortresses in the land of Egypt. Say this: “Gather on the hills around Samaria! Observe the many acts of violence taking place within the city, the oppressive deeds occurring in it.”
- Amos 5:25You did not bring me sacrifices and grain offerings during the forty years you spent in the wilderness, family of Israel.
- Amos 6:7Therefore they will now be the first to go into exile, and the religious banquets where they sprawl on couches will end.
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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