1 The message concerning Damascus. “See, Damascus ceases to be a city, and shall become a heap of ruins.
2 “The cities of Aro‛ĕr are forsaken, they are for flocks which shall lie down, with no one to frighten.
3 “And the stronghold shall cease from Ephrayim, and the reign from Damascus, and the remnant of Aram be as the esteem of the sons of Yisra’ĕl,” declares יהוה of hosts.
4 “And in that day it shall be that the esteem of Ya‛aqoḇ wanes, and the fatness of his flesh grows lean.
5 “And it shall be as when the harvester gathers the grain, and reaps the heads with his arm. And it shall be as he who gathers heads of grain in the Valley of Repha’im.
6 “And gleaning grapes shall be left in it, like the shaking of an olive tree, two or three olives at the top of the uppermost branch, four or five in its most fruit-bearing branches,” declares יהוה Elohim of Yisra’ĕl.