God Will Punish Syria and Israel

17 ^(A)The Lord said, “Damascus will not be a city any longer; it will be only a pile of ruins. ² The cities of Syria will be deserted forever.^[a] They will be a pasture for sheep and cattle, and no one will drive them away. ³ Israel will be defenseless, and Damascus will lose its independence. Those Syrians who survive will be in disgrace like the people of Israel. I, the Lord Almighty, have spoken.”

The Lord's Judgment on Damascus

^23 (A)This is what the Lord said about Damascus: “The people in the cities of Hamath and Arpad are worried and troubled because they have heard bad news. Anxiety rolls over them like a sea, and they cannot rest. ²⁴ The people of Damascus are weak and have fled in terror. They are in pain and misery like a woman in labor. ²⁵ The famous city that used to be happy^[a] is completely deserted. ²⁶ On that day her young men will be killed in the city streets, and all her soldiers destroyed. ²⁷ I will set the walls of Damascus on fire and will burn down King Benhadad's palaces. I, the Lord Almighty, have spoken.”

Judgment on Neighboring Nations

9 ^(A)This is the Lord's message:

He has decreed punishment for the land of Hadrach and for the city of Damascus. Not only the tribes of Israel but also the capital of Syria belong to the Lord.