⁸ for the head of Aram is Damascus,^(A)
    and the head of Damascus is only Rezin.^(B)
Within sixty-five years
    Ephraim will be too shattered^(C) to be a people.
⁹ The head of Ephraim is Samaria,^(D)
    and the head of Samaria is only Remaliah’s son.
If you do not stand^(E) firm in your faith,^(F)
    you will not stand at all.’”^(G)

⁶ “Because this people has rejected^(D)
    the gently flowing waters of Shiloah^(E)
and rejoices over Rezin
    and the son of Remaliah,^(F)
7 therefore the Lord is about to bring against them
    the mighty floodwaters^(G) of the Euphrates—
    the king of Assyria^(H) with all his pomp.^(I)
It will overflow all its channels,
    run over all its banks^(J)

“See, Damascus will no longer be a city
    but will become a heap of ruins.^(C)
2 The cities of Aroer^(D) will be deserted
    and left to flocks,^(E) which will lie down,^(F)
    with no one to make them afraid.^(G)
3 The fortified^(H) city will disappear from Ephraim,
    and royal power from Damascus;
the remnant of Aram will be
    like the glory^(I) of the Israelites,”^(J)
declares the Lord Almighty.

“Their kings will come and set up their thrones
    in the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem;
they will come against all her surrounding walls
    and against all the towns of Judah.^(A)

“Hamath^(B) and Arpad^(C) are dismayed,
    for they have heard bad news.
They are disheartened,
    troubled like^[a] the restless sea.^(D)
24 Damascus has become feeble,
    she has turned to flee
    and panic has gripped her;
anguish and pain have seized her,
    pain like that of a woman in labor.^(E)
25 Why has the city of renown not been abandoned,
    the town in which I delight?
²⁶ Surely, her young men^(F) will fall in the streets;
    all her soldiers will be silenced^(G) in that day,”
declares the Lord Almighty.
²⁷ “I will set fire^(H) to the walls of Damascus;^(I)
    it will consume^(J) the fortresses of Ben-Hadad.^(K)”

“The Lord roars^(F) from Zion
    and thunders^(G) from Jerusalem;^(H)
the pastures of the shepherds dry up,
    and the top of Carmel^(I) withers.”^(J)

“For three sins of Damascus,^(K)
    even for four, I will not relent.^(L)
Because she threshed Gilead
    with sledges having iron teeth,
⁴ I will send fire^(M) on the house of Hazael^(N)
    that will consume the fortresses^(O) of Ben-Hadad.^(P)
5 I will break down the gate^(Q) of Damascus;
    I will destroy the king who is in^[b] the Valley of Aven^[c]
and the one who holds the scepter in Beth Eden.^(R)
    The people of Aram will go into exile to Kir,^(S)”
says the Lord.^(T)

“For three sins of Gaza,^(U)
    even for four, I will not relent.^(V)
Because she took captive whole communities
    and sold them to Edom,^(W)
7 I will send fire on the walls of Gaza
    that will consume her fortresses.
⁸ I will destroy the king^[d] of Ashdod^(X)
    and the one who holds the scepter in Ashkelon.
I will turn my hand^(Y) against Ekron,
    till the last of the Philistines^(Z) are dead,”^(AA)
says the Sovereign Lord.^(AB)

“For three sins of Tyre,^(AC)
    even for four, I will not relent.^(AD)
Because she sold whole communities of captives to Edom,
    disregarding a treaty of brotherhood,^(AE)
10 I will send fire on the walls of Tyre
    that will consume her fortresses.^(AF)”

“For three sins of Edom,^(AG)
    even for four, I will not relent.
Because he pursued his brother with a sword^(AH)
    and slaughtered the women of the land,
because his anger raged continually
    and his fury flamed unchecked,^(AI)
12 I will send fire on Teman^(AJ)
    that will consume the fortresses of Bozrah.^(AK)”

“For three sins of Ammon,^(AL)
    even for four, I will not relent.
Because he ripped open the pregnant women^(AM) of Gilead
    in order to extend his borders,
¹⁴ I will set fire to the walls of Rabbah^(AN)
    that will consume^(AO) her fortresses
amid war cries^(AP) on the day of battle,
    amid violent winds^(AQ) on a stormy day.
¹⁵ Her king^[e] will go into exile,
    he and his officials together,^(AR)”
says the Lord.^(AS)