Isaiah Chapter 17 — The Burden of Damascus
Isaiah 17 prophesies the destruction of Damascus and the weakening of Israel while emphasizing that a remnant will eventually return to God.
1The burden of Damascus.
2The cities of Aroer are forsaken. They will be for flocks, which shall lie down, and no one shall make them afraid.
3The fortress shall cease from Ephraim, and the kingdom from Damascus, and the remnant of Syria. They will be as the glory of the children of Israel,” says the LORD of Armies.
4“It will happen in that day that the glory of Jacob will be made thin, and the fatness of his flesh will become lean.
5It will be like when the harvester gathers the wheat, and his arm reaps the grain. Yes, it will be like when one gleans grain in the valley of Rephaim.
6Yet gleanings will be left there, like the shaking of an olive tree, two or three olives in the top of the uppermost bough, four or five in the outermost branches of a fruitful tree,” says the LORD, the God of Israel.
7In that day, people will look to their Maker, and their eyes will have respect for the Holy One of Israel.
8They will not look to the altars, the work of their hands; neither shall they respect that which their fingers have made, either the Asherah poles or the incense altars.
9In that day, their strong cities will be like the forsaken places in the woods and on the mountain top, which were forsaken from before the children of Israel; and it will be a desolation.
10For you have forgotten the God of your salvation, and have not remembered the rock of your strength. Therefore you plant pleasant plants, and set out foreign seedlings.
11In the day of your planting, you hedge it in. In the morning, you make your seed blossom, but the harvest flees away in the day of grief and of desperate sorrow.
12Ah, the uproar of many peoples who roar like the roaring of the seas; and the rushing of nations that rush like the rushing of mighty waters!
13The nations will rush like the rushing of many waters, but he will rebuke them, and they will flee far off, and will be chased like the chaff of the mountains before the wind, and like the whirling dust before the storm.
14At evening, behold, terror! Before the morning, they are no more. This is the portion of those who plunder us, and the lot of those who rob us.
WEB Translation
Notable Verses
Isaiah 17:7
“In that day, people will look to their Maker, and their eyes will have respect for the Holy One of Israel.”
This verse signifies a spiritual turning point where people abandon idols to recognize their Creator.
Isaiah 17:10
“For you have forgotten the God of your salvation, and have not remembered the rock of your strength.”
It explains that the people's suffering is a direct result of neglecting their relationship with God.
Isaiah 17:13
“The nations will rush like the rushing of many waters, but he will rebuke them...”
It illustrates God's absolute authority to stop the advance of hostile nations.
Chapter Summary
Isaiah 17 opens with a prophecy against Damascus, declaring its coming desolation and the loss of its kingdom. This judgment is linked to Ephraim, the northern kingdom of Israel, whose glory is predicted to fade like a thinning body or a field stripped by a harvester. Only a small remnant will remain, compared to a few olives left on the highest branches after a harvest. During this time, the people will turn away from man-made altars and idols to look instead toward their Maker, the Holy One of Israel. The chapter highlights that these hardships come because the people forgot the God of their salvation. Despite the terrifying roar of encroaching nations, described like the rushing of mighty waters, the text concludes with God’s swift rebuke. The invading forces are scattered like chaff before the wind, disappearing before the morning light, signifying God’s protection over His people against those who would plunder them.
Frequently Asked Questions
It is a prophetic message announcing the coming destruction and desolation of Damascus, the capital of Syria. The prophecy indicates that the city will lose its status as a kingdom and become a place for flocks to rest.
The chapter uses the imagery of an olive tree that has been shaken, leaving only a few olives on the highest branches. This illustrates that while most will face judgment, a small number will remain and turn back to God.
Isaiah 17 states that in the day of judgment, people will no longer look to the altars or Asherah poles they created with their own hands. Instead, they will turn their respect toward the Holy One of Israel.
Study Note
The 'Valley of Rephaim' mentioned in verse 5 was a fertile plain near Jerusalem known for its productive harvests, serving as a metaphor for the thoroughness of the coming judgment.
Continue in the App
Get the full experience — immersive audio, instant explanations, highlights, notes, and reading plans.