Introduction
The oracle against Damascus and Ephraim chs. 17-18
This oracle deals with Syria (or Aram-Damascus was its capital) and the Northern Kingdom of Israel (Ephraim being its leading tribe), which had formed an alliance to Judah’s north in 735-732 B.C. Even though the oracle is addressed to Damascus, it focuses quickly on Israel (Isaiah 17:4). It is probably a mosaic composition alluding to events that happened over many years of Isaiah’s ministry that the prophet pieced together under divine inspiration. As in all these oracles, Isaiah’s interest was not primarily in the course of events as such but the issues to which these events gave expression. Israel, as well as the other nations addressed in these oracles, refused to depend on God and trusted in man for protection. That is why they received a heavy message (burden) from the Lord.
"As the Lord organizes history for the good of his people (the Babylon oracle) and purposes to keep the Davidic promises (the Philistia oracle), opening them to the Gentiles also (the Moab oracle), his actions under all these headings are holy and just. Sin is not overlooked [even in Israel, (the Damascus Ephraim oracle)]." [Note: Ibid., p. 156.]
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