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17 An * oracle b against Damascus: c
Look, Damascus is no longer a city.
It has become a ruined heap.
2 The cities of Aroer are forsaken;
they will be places for flocks.
They will lie down without fear.
3 The fortress disappears from Ephraim, d
and a kingdom from Damascus.
The remnant of Aram will be
like the splendor of the Israelites.
This is the declaration of the Lord of * Hosts.
4 On that day
the splendor of Jacob will fade,
and his healthy body e will become emaciated. f
5 It will be as if a reaper had gathered standing grain—
his arm harvesting the heads of grain—
and as if one had gleaned heads of grain
in the Valley of Rephaim. g
6 Only gleanings will be left in Israel, h
as if an olive tree had been beaten—
two or three berries at the very top of the tree,
four or five on its fruitful branches.
This is the declaration of the Lord,
the God of Israel.
7 On that day people will look to their Maker and will turn their eyes to the Holy One of Israel. i 8 They will not look to the altars j they made with their hands or to the * Asherahs and incense altars k they made with their fingers.
9 On that day their strong cities will be
like the abandoned woods and mountaintops l
that were abandoned because of the Israelites;
there will be desolation.
10 For you have forgotten the God of your salvation,
and you have failed to remember
the rock of your strength; m
therefore you will plant beautiful plants
and set out cuttings from exotic vines.
you will help them to grow,
and in the morning
you will help your seed to sprout,
but the harvest will vanish
on the day of disease and incurable pain.
12 Ah! The roar of many peoples—
they roar like the roaring of the seas.
The raging of the nations—
they rage like the raging of mighty waters. n
13 The nations rage like the raging of many waters. o
He rebukes them, and they flee far away, p
driven before the wind like chaff on the hills q
and like tumbleweeds before a gale.
14 In the evening—sudden terror!
Before morning—it is gone!
This is the fate of those who plunder us
and the lot of those who ravage us.
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About The Holman Christian Standard BibleThe complete Holman Christian Standard Bible® is now available for the first time ever! More than fifteen years in the making, crafted by the shared expertise of nearly a hundred conservative scholars and English stylists, the Holman CSB® sets the standard in painstaking biblical accuracy and pure literary form. Accurate, yet highly readable, it's a translation committed to leaving both the grace and gravity of the original languages intact while carefully creating a smooth flow of wording for the reader. Stylistically, this inaugural edition contributes to the clarity of the written Word, arranging the poetic portions of the Scripture into complete lines of thought, and revering God's presence on each page by capitalizing all the pronouns that refer to Him. |
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