Isaiah 17:1

The Burden against Damascus · Isaiah 17:1–14
Read Isaiah 17

Translations

Modern
This is the burden against Damascus: “Behold, Damascus is no longer a city; it has become a heap of ruins.
Traditional
The burden of Damascus. Behold, Damascus is taken away from being a city, and it shall be a ruinous heap.
Literal
The burden of Damascus: “Behold, Damascus is being turned aside as a city, and it has become a heap of ruins.
Latin
Onus Damasci. Ecce Damascus desinet esse civitas, et erit sicut acervus lapidum in ruina.

Original

Hebrew
English
This is the burden against Damascus: “Behold, Damascus is no longer a city; it has become a heap of ruins.

Notes

Damascus, the leader of the alliance between Syria and Israel against Judah, fell when the Assyrian king Tiglath-pileser III invaded in 732 BC.

This section includes predictions of judgment against Damascus, Israel, Ethiopia, and Egypt. The scene shifts from the crisis in 734 BC (the alliance of Syria and Israel; see study note on Isaiah 7:1–25) to the Assyrian crisis in 701 BC (see Isaiah 36–37).

Events

Parallels

Jeremiah 49:23–27

Places

Damascus: Ancient city, capital of Syria, important in biblical history

Glossary

Book of Jeremiah Damascus Isaiah, Book of Oracle

Topics

Burden of the Prophetic Message Damascus: Prophecies Concerning Isaiah: Prophecies, Reproofs, and Exhortations of Burden of Damascus Prophets were Sent to Predict the Downfall of Nations Syria: Prophecies Concerning Syria: Prophecies Respecting: Ceasing to be a Kingdom