
Isaiah 17
Isaiah 17 is a prophecy concerning the judgment of Damascus, the capital of Syria, and the northern kingdom of Israel (Ephraim). Both nations are condemned for their idolatry and alliance against Judah. The chapter foresees their destruction but also speaks of a remnant who will turn back to God. It highlights the futility of relying on human strength and alliances instead of trusting in the Lord.
Isaiah 17:1-3 (NKJV)
1 The burden against Damascus. “Behold, Damascus will cease from being a city, And it will be a ruinous heap.
2 The cities of Aroer are forsaken; They will be for flocks Which lie down, and no one will make them afraid.
3 The fortress also will cease from Ephraim, The kingdom from Damascus, And the remnant of Syria; They will be as the glory of the children of Israel,” Says the Lord of hosts.
This prophecy predicts the destruction of Damascus, the prominent city of Syria, which will be reduced to ruins. Aroer, a region near the border, will become desolate, with only flocks inhabiting the land. The judgment also extends to Ephraim (the northern kingdom of Israel), whose strongholds will fall, and Syria will share in the fate of Israel. God declares that their former glory will be stripped away.
Isaiah 17:4-6 (NKJV)
4 “In that day it shall come to pass That the glory of Jacob will wane, And the fatness of his flesh grow lean.
5 It shall be as when the harvester gathers the grain, And reaps the heads with his arm; It shall be as he who gathers heads of grain In the Valley of Rephaim.
6 Yet gleaning grapes will be left in it, Like the shaking of an olive tree, Two or three olives at the top of the uppermost bough, Four or five in its most fruitful branches,” Says the Lord God of Israel.
The glory of Israel (Jacob) will diminish, and its strength will wither like a person who becomes thin and frail. The nation will be harvested like grain, leaving only remnants behind. However, a small remnant will survive, likened to a few olives remaining on a tree after the harvest. This symbolizes hope, as God’s judgment will not completely wipe them out but will leave a faithful remnant.
Isaiah 17:7-8 (NKJV)
7 In that day a man will look to his Maker, And his eyes will have respect for the Holy One of Israel.
8 He will not look to the altars, The work of his hands; He will not respect what his fingers have made, Nor the wooden images nor the incense altars.
After the judgment, the people will turn away from idolatry and return to worshiping the true God. They will no longer trust in the false gods and idols they had crafted but will look to their Creator. This turning away from idols to seek the Holy One of Israel reflects repentance and the restoration of a right relationship with God.
Isaiah 17:9-11 (NKJV)
9 In that day his strong cities will be as a forsaken bough And an uppermost branch, Which they left because of the children of Israel; And there will be desolation.
10 Because you have forgotten the God of your salvation, And have not been mindful of the Rock of your stronghold, Therefore you will plant pleasant plants And set out foreign seedlings;
11 In the day you will make your plant to grow, And in the morning you will make your seed to flourish; But the harvest will be a heap of ruins In the day of grief and desperate sorrow.
The cities of Israel will be abandoned like branches left behind after harvesting. This desolation is a result of forgetting God, their Savior, and neglecting the Rock of their strength. Despite their efforts to cultivate and grow crops, their labor will be in vain, and the harvest will result in devastation. This reflects the futility of relying on human effort while ignoring God.
Isaiah 17:12-14 (NKJV)
12 Woe to the multitude of many people Who make a noise like the roar of the seas, And to the rushing of nations That make a rushing like the rushing of mighty waters!
13 The nations will rush like the rushing of many waters; But God will rebuke them and they will flee far away, And be chased like the chaff of the mountains before the wind, Like a rolling thing before the whirlwind.
14 Then behold, at eventide, trouble! And before the morning, he is no more. This is the portion of those who plunder us, And the lot of those who rob us.
The nations rise up like the roaring of the sea, representing the powerful enemies of Israel. However, despite their strength and numbers, God will rebuke them, causing them to flee in fear. They will be scattered like chaff blown away by the wind. The verse describes their sudden downfall, where they cause trouble at night, but by morning, they are gone. This is the fate of those who seek to oppress and plunder God’s people.