New International Version | Berean Study Bible |
1A prophecy against Damascus: "See, Damascus will no longer be a city but will become a heap of ruins. | 1This is the burden against Damascus: “Behold, Damascus is no longer a city; it has become a heap of ruins. |
2The cities of Aroer will be deserted and left to flocks, which will lie down, with no one to make them afraid. | 2The cities of Aroer are forsaken; they will be left to the flocks, which will lie down with no one to fear. |
3The fortified city will disappear from Ephraim, and royal power from Damascus; the remnant of Aram will be like the glory of the Israelites," declares the LORD Almighty. | 3The fortress will disappear from Ephraim, and the sovereignty from Damascus. The remnant of Aram will be like the splendor of the Israelites,” declares the LORD of Hosts. |
4"In that day the glory of Jacob will fade; the fat of his body will waste away. | 4“In that day the splendor of Jacob will fade, and the fat of his body will waste away, |
5It will be as when reapers harvest the standing grain, gathering the grain in their arms-- as when someone gleans heads of grain in the Valley of Rephaim. | 5as the reaper gathers the standing grain and harvests the ears with his arm, as one gleans heads of grain in the Valley of Rephaim. |
6Yet some gleanings will remain, as when an olive tree is beaten, leaving two or three olives on the topmost branches, four or five on the fruitful boughs," declares the LORD, the God of Israel. | 6Yet gleanings will remain, like an olive tree that has been beaten—two or three berries atop the tree, four or five on its fruitful branches,” declares the LORD, the God of Israel. |
7In that day people will look to their Maker and turn their eyes to the Holy One of Israel. | 7In that day men will look to their Maker and turn their eyes to the Holy One of Israel. |
8They will not look to the altars, the work of their hands, and they will have no regard for the Asherah poles and the incense altars their fingers have made. | 8They will not look to the altars they have fashioned with their hands or to the Asherahs and incense altars they have made with their fingers. |
9In that day their strong cities, which they left because of the Israelites, will be like places abandoned to thickets and undergrowth. And all will be desolation. | 9In that day their strong cities will be like forsaken thickets and summits, abandoned to the Israelites and to utter desolation. |
10You have forgotten God your Savior; you have not remembered the Rock, your fortress. Therefore, though you set out the finest plants and plant imported vines, | 10For you have forgotten the God of your salvation and failed to remember the Rock of your refuge. Therefore, though you cultivate delightful plots and set out cuttings from exotic vines— |
11though on the day you set them out, you make them grow, and on the morning when you plant them, you bring them to bud, yet the harvest will be as nothing in the day of disease and incurable pain. | 11though on the day you plant you make them grow, and on that morning you help your seed sprout—yet the harvest will vanish on the day of disease and incurable pain. |
12Woe to the many nations that rage-- they rage like the raging sea! Woe to the peoples who roar-- they roar like the roaring of great waters! | 12Alas, the tumult of many peoples; they rage like the roaring seas and clamoring nations; they rumble like the crashing of mighty waters. |
13Although the peoples roar like the roar of surging waters, when he rebukes them they flee far away, driven before the wind like chaff on the hills, like tumbleweed before a gale. | 13The nations rage like the rush of many waters. He rebukes them, and they flee far away, driven before the wind like chaff on the hills, like tumbleweeds before a gale. |
14In the evening, sudden terror! Before the morning, they are gone! This is the portion of those who loot us, the lot of those who plunder us. | 14In the evening, there is sudden terror! Before morning, they are no more! This is the portion of those who loot us and the lot of those who plunder us. |
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