1 The burden of Damascus: Behold, Damascus is taken away from being a citie, and it shalbe a ruinous heape.
2 The cities of Aroer are forsaken: they shall bee for flockes, which shall lye downe, and none shall make them afraid.
3 The fortresse also shall cease from Ephraim, and the kingdome from Damascus, and the remnant of Syria: they shall bee as the glorie of the children of Israel, saith the Lord of hostes.
4 And in that day it shall come to passe, that the glory of Iacob shall bee made thinne, and the fatnesse of his flesh shall waxe leane.
5 And it shall be as when the haruest-man gathereth the corne, and reapeth the eares with his arme; and it shalbe as he that gathereth eares in the valley of Rephaim.
6 (¶ Yet gleaning-grapes shall be left in it, as the shaking of an Oliue tree, two or three berries in the toppe of the vppermost bough: foure or fiue in the out-most fruitfull branches thereof, saith the Lord God of Israel.
7 At that day shall a man looke to his Maker, and his eyes shall haue respect to the Holy one of Israel.
8 And hee shall not looke to the altars, the worke of his handes, neither shall respect that which his fingers haue made, either the groues or the images.)
9 ¶ In that day shall his strong cities be as a forsaken bough, and an vppermost branch, which they left, because of the children of Israel: and there shalbe desolation.
10 Because thou hast forgotten the God of thy saluation, and hast not beene mindfull of the rocke of thy strength: therefore shalt thou plant pleasant plants, and shalt set it with strange slips.
11 In the day shalt thou make thy plant to grow, and in the morning shalt thou make thy seede to flourish: but the haruest shall be a heape in the day of griefe, and of desperate sorrow.
12 ¶ Woe to the multitude of many people, which make a noise, like the noise of the seas; and to the rushing of nations, that make a rushing, like the rushing of mighty waters.
13 The nations shall rush like the rushing of many waters: but God shall rebuke them, and they shall flee farre off, and shalbe chased as the chaffe of the mountaines before the wind, and like a rolling thing before the whirlewind.
14 And behold at euening tide trouble, and before the morning he is not: this is the portion of them that spoile vs, and the lot of them that robbe vs.
Syria and Israel threatened. (1-11) The woe of Israel's enemies. (12-14)1-11 Sin desolates cities. It is strange that great conquerors should take pride in being enemies to mankind; but it is better that flocks should lie down there, than that they should harbour any in open rebellion against God and holiness. The strong holds of Israel, the kingdom of the ten tribes, will be brought to ruin. Those who are partakers in sin, are justly made partakers in ruin. The people had, by sins, made themselves ripe for ruin; and their glory was as quickly cut down and taken away by the enemy, as the corn is out of the field by the husbandman. Mercy is reserved in the midst of judgment, for a remnant. But very few shall be marked to be saved. Only here and there one was left behind. But they shall be a remnant made holy. The few that are saved were awakened to return to God. They shall acknowledge his hand in all events; they shall give him the glory due to his name. To bring us to this, is the design of his providence, as he is our Maker; and the work of his grace, as he is the Holy One of Israel. They shall look off from their idols, the creatures of their own fancy. We have reason to account those afflictions happy, which part between us and our sins. The God of our salvation is the Rock of our strength; and our forgetfulness and unmindfulness of him are at the bottom of all sin. The pleasant plants, and shoots from a foreign soil, are expressions for strange and idolatrous worship, and the vile practices connected therewith. Diligence would be used to promote the growth of these strange slips, but all in vain. See the evil and danger of sin, and its certain consequences.
12-14 The rage and force of the Assyrians resembled the mighty waters of the sea; but when the God of Israel should rebuke them, they would flee like chaff, or like a rolling thing, before the whirlwind. In the evening Jerusalem would be in trouble, because of the powerful invader, but before morning his army would be nearly cut off. Happy are those who remember God as their salvation, and rely on his power and grace. The trouble of the believers, and the prosperity of their enemies, will be equally short; while the joy of the former, and the destruction of those that hate and spoil them, shall last for ever.
Commentary by Matthew Henry, 1710.