The oracle concerning Damascus. Behold, Damascus is removed from being a city, and it will be a ruinous heap.

The cities of Aroer are forsaken for flocks; they will lie down, and none will make them afraid.

And the fortress will cease from Efrayim, and the kingdom from Damascus, and the remnant of Aram; they will be like the glory of the sons of Yisra'el, declares יהוה of hosts.

And it will happen on that day, the glory of Ya'aqov will fade, and the fatness of his flesh will become lean.

And it will be like the gathering of the harvest of the standing grain, and his arm will reap the ears of grain; and it will be like one gathering ears of grain in the Valley of Repha'im.

And gleanings will remain in it, like the shaking of an olive tree: two or three olives on the top of the highest branch, four or five on its fruitful boughs, declares יהוה, Elohim of Yisra'el.

On that day, man will look to his Maker, and his eyes will see the Holy One of Yisra'el.

And he will not look to the altars, the work of his hands, and what his fingers made, he will not see, nor the Asherah poles, nor the sun pillars.

On that day, his fortified cities will be like the forsaken places in the forest and on the high places, which were forsaken because of the sons of Yisra'el; and it will be a desolation.

Because you have forgotten the Elohim of your salvation, and the Rock of your stronghold you have not remembered; therefore you will plant pleasant plants and sow them with foreign shoots.

On the day you plant them, you will make them grow, and in the morning your seed will blossom; but the harvest will be a heap of ruin on the day of inheritance and incurable pain.

Woe to the multitude of many peoples, who roar like the roaring of the seas, and to the noise of nations, who make a loud sound like the rushing of mighty waters!

The nations will make a loud sound like the rushing of mighty waters; but He will rebuke them, and they will flee far away, and be chased like chaff on the mountains before the wind, and like whirling dust before a storm.

At evening time, behold, terror! Before morning, they are no more. This is the portion of those who plunder us, and the lot of those who pillage us.