Isaiah 17:1-11

1The burden of Damascus: Behold, Damascus will cease as a city and will become a ruinous heap.

2The cities of Aroer are forsaken. They will be for flocks—they will lie down and no one will frighten them.

3The fortress will also cease from Ephraim, and the kingdom from Damascus. The remnant of Aram will be like the glory of Bnei-Yisrael. It is a declaration of Adonai-Tzva’ot.

4Now in that day Jacob’s glory will fade, and the fatness of his flesh grow lean.

5It will be as when the harvester gathers the standing grain and reaps the heads with his arm, as when one gleans grain in the valley of Rephaim.

6Only gleanings will remain, as when beating an olive tree— two or three olives at the very top, four or five on a fruitful tree’s branches. It is a declaration of Adonai God of Israel.

7In that day a man will look to his Maker and his eyes will turn to the Holy One of Israel.

8He will not look to the altars, the work of his hands, nor will he look to what his fingers have made—neither the Asherah poles nor the sun-images.

9In that day the strong cities will be like forsaken forests and treetops that were abandoned, because of Bnei-Yisrael—they will be laid waste.

10For you have forgotten the God of your salvation and you have not remembered the Rock of your strength. Therefore you plant delightful plants and set out exotic vines.

11In the day that you plant, you fence it in, and in the morning you made your seed to sprout— but the harvest will be a heap in a day of grief and incurable pain.