The Burden against Damascus
(Jeremiah 49:23–27)

1This is the burden (burden) against Damascus (well-watered land):

“Behold, Damascus is no longer a city;

it has become a heap of ruins.

2The cities of Aroer (ruins) are forsaken;

they will be left to the flocks,

which will lie down with no one to fear.

3The fortress will disappear from Ephraim (The fortified city will disappear from Ephraim),a

and the sovereignty from Damascus (well-watered land).

The remnant of Aram (exalted) will be

like the splendor of the Israelites (God prevails),”

declares the LORD {YHWH} of Hosts.

4“In that day the splendor of Jacob (he grasps the heel) will fade,

and the fat of his body will waste away,

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 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 {YHWH Elohe} of Israel (he wrestles with God).

7In that day men will look to their Maker

and turn their eyes to the Holy One of Israel (he wrestles with God).

8They will not look to the altars

they have fashioned with their hands

or to the Asherahs (goddess) and incense altars

they have made with their fingers.

9In that day their strong cities

will be like forsaken thickets and summits,

abandoned to the Israelites (God prevails)

and to utter desolation.

10For you have forgotten the God {Elohe} 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 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.

12Alas, the tumult of many peoples;

they rage like the roaring seas and clamoring nations;

they rumble like the crashing of mighty waters.

13The nations rage like the rush of many waters.

He rebukes them, and they flee far away,

driven before the wind {ruach} like chaff on the hills,

like tumbleweeds before a gale (honeycomb / overflow).

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.