The burdenof Damascus. Behold, Damascusis taken awayfrom being a city, and it shall bea ruinousheap. The citiesof Aroer are forsaken: they shall befor flocks, which shall lie down, and noneshall make them afraid. The fortressalso shall ceasefrom Ephraim, and the kingdomfrom Damascus, and the remnantof Syria: they shall beas the gloryof the childrenof Israel, saiththe LORDof hosts. And in thatdayit shall come to pass, that the gloryof Jacobshall be made thin, and the fatnessof his fleshshall wax lean. And it shall beas when the harvest mangathereththe corn, and reapeththe earswith his arm; and it shall beas he that gatherethearsin the valleyof Rephaim. Yet gleaning grapesshall be leftin it, as the shakingof an olive tree, two or threeberriesin the topof the uppermost bough, four or fivein the outermost fruitfulbranchesthereof, saiththe LORDGodof Israel. At thatdayshall a manlooktohis Maker, and his eyesshall have respecttothe Holy Oneof Israel. And he shall notlooktothe altars, the workof his hands, neithershall respect that whichhis fingershave made, either the groves, or the images. In thatdayshall his strongcitiesbeas a forsakenbough, and an uppermost branch, whichthey leftbecauseof the childrenof Israel: and there shall bedesolation. Becausethou hast forgottenthe Godof thy salvation, and hast notbeen mindfulof the rockof thy strength, thereforeshalt thou plantpleasantplants, and shalt setit with strangeslips: In the dayshalt thou make thy plantto grow, and in the morningshalt thou make thy seedto flourish: but the harvest shall be a heapin the dayof griefand of desperatesorrow. Woeto the multitudeof manypeople, which make a noiselike the noiseof the seas; and to the rushingof nations, that make a rushinglike the rushingof mightywaters! The nationsshall rushlike the rushingof manywaters: but God shall rebukethem, and they shall fleefar off, and shall be chasedas the chaffof the mountainsbeforethe wind, and like a rolling thingbeforethe whirlwind. And beholdat eveningtidetrouble; and beforethe morninghe is not. This is the portionof them that spoilus, and the lotof them that robus.