Isaiah 17:1-3 NIV

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Isaiah 17:1-5

We have here the burden of Damascus; the Chaldee paraphrase reads it, The burden of the cup of the curse to drink to Damascus in; and, the ten tribes being in alliance, they must expect to pledge Damascus in this cup of trembling that is to go round. 1. Damascus itself, the head city of Syria, must be destroyed; the houses, it is likely, will be burnt, as least the walls, and gates, and fortifications demolished, and the inhabitants carried away captive, so that for the present it is taken... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 17:1

The burden of Damascus, .... A heavy and grievous prophecy, concerning the destruction of it; the Arabic version is, "the prophecy of Isaiah concerning Damascus;' and the Targum is, "the burden of the cup of cursing to give Damascus to drink.' Behold, Damascus is taken away from being a city ; a kingdom, as the Targum; it was the head of one, but now its walls were demolished, its houses pulled down, and its inhabitants carried captive; this was done by Tilgathpilneser king of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 17:2

The cities of Aroer are forsaken ,.... The inhabitants of them being slain, or carried captive, or obliged to flee. Aroer was a city by the river Arnon, on the borders of Moab and Ammon, Deuteronomy 2:36 , Deuteronomy 3:12 , it was originally in the hands of the Amorites, and sometimes in the hands of the Moabites and Ammonites: it was given by Moses to the Reubenites and, Gadites, from whom it was taken by the Syrians, and in whose possession it seems to have been at this time; see 2... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 17:3

The fortress also shall cease from Ephraim ,.... The ten tribes, now in confederacy with the Syrians, whose metropolis or fortress was Samaria, which seems to be intended here; and should be destroyed, at least taken out of the hands of the Israelites, and they be carried captive by Shalmaneser king of Assyria, 2 Kings 17:6 and this may be understood, not of that particular city and fortress only, but of all their strongholds, the singular being, put for the plural. The Targum is, "the... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Isaiah 17:1

The burden of Damascus - Which is, according to the common version, The cities of Aroer are forsaken. It has already been observed by the learned prelate that the prophecy, as it relates to Damascus, was executed in the beginning of the reign of Ahaz, probably about the third year. If we credit Midrash, the Damascenes were the most extensive and flagrant of all idolaters. "There were in Damascus three hundred and sixty-five streets, in each of these was an idol, and each idol had his... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Isaiah 17:2

The cities of Aroer are forsaken "The cities are deserted for ever" - What has Aroer on the river Arnon to do with Damascus? and if there be another Aroer on the northern border of the tribe of Gad, as Reland seems to think there might be, this is not much more to the purpose. Besides, the cities of Aroer, if Aroer itself is a city, makes no good sense. The Septuagint, for ערער aroer , read עד עדי adey ad , εις τον αιωνα , for ever, or for a long duration. The Chaldee takes the... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Isaiah 17:3

The remnant of Syria "The pride of Syria" - For שאר shear , "remnant," Houbigant reads שאת seeth , "pride," answering, as the sentence seems evidently to require, to כבוד cabod , "the glory of Israel." The conjecture is so very probable that I venture to follow it. As the glory - בכבוד bichbod , "In the glory," is the reading of eight MSS., and ten editions. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 17:1

Damascus is taken away from being a city . According to Vitringa, Damascus has been destroyed oftener than any other town; but it has a wonderful power of rising again from its ashes. Probably a destruction by Sargon is here intended. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 17:1

The mission of Syria. Discernment of this mission, so far as it bears upon Israel, and carries religious lessons for all the generations, depends on our understanding the history of the times. Two nations, distant from each other, contended for the country which lay between them. Egypt and Assyria both wanted to be universal world-powers. Had the kingdom of David been kept together, it might have effectively resisted both; but when separated under Jeroboam, and encouraged to cherish rival... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 17:1-3

THE BURDEN OF DAMASCUS . The eye of the prophet travels northwards from Moab, and, passing over Ammon as an enemy of small account, rests once more upon Damascus, already threatened in Isaiah 7:1-9 , and probably already partially punished. Damascus is seen once more in alliance with Ephraim ( Isaiah 7:3 ), and the two are joined with a new power, Aroer ( Isaiah 7:2 ), which possesses several "cities." Woe is denounced on all the three powers: desolation on Damascus and... read more

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Isaiah 17:1-5

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 17:1

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 17:2

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 17:3

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Isaiah 17:1

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Isaiah 17:2

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Isaiah 17:3

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 17:1

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 17:1

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 17:1-3

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