When I destroyed the cities of Hamath and Arpad, where were their gods? What about the gods of Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivvah? Were any gods able to save Samaria from my power?
This message is about the city of Damascus: “The towns of Hamath and Arpad are afraid. They are afraid because they heard the bad news. They are discouraged. They are worried and afraid.
The king of Assyria took Samaria during the ninth year that Hoshea was king of Israel. He captured many Israelites and took them as prisoners to Assyria. He made them live in Halah by the Habor River at Gozan and in other cities of the Medes.
Go look at Calneh. From there, go to the large city Hamath. Go to the Philistine city of Gath. Are you better than these kingdoms? Their countries are larger than yours.