This is what the Lord says: “Israel, you are like the Ethiopians to me. I brought Israel out of the land of Egypt, the Philistines from Caphtor, and the Arameans from Kir.”
because the time has come to destroy all the Philistines. The time has come to destroy Tyre and Sidon’s remaining helpers. The Lord will destroy the Philistines, the survivors from the Island of Crete.
The king of Assyria listened to Ahaz and went to fight against Damascus. The king captured that city and took the people from Damascus as prisoners to Kir. He also killed Rezin.
God did the same thing for some people from Crete. The Avvites lived in the towns around Gaza, but the Cretans destroyed them, took the land, and live there now.)
“I will also break open the gates of Damascus and remove the one who sits on the throne in the Valley of Aven. I will remove the symbol of power from Beth Eden, and the Arameans will be defeated and taken back to Kir.” This is what the Lord said.
A black man cannot change the color of his skin, and a leopard cannot change its spots. In the same way, Jerusalem, you cannot change and do good. You always do bad things.
The king of Assyria will defeat Egypt and Ethiopia. Assyria will take prisoners and lead them away from their countries. The people, young and old, will be led away without clothes or sandals. They will be completely naked.
That’s because I, the Lord, am your God. I, the Holy One of Israel, am your Savior. I gave Egypt to pay for you. I gave Ethiopia and Seba to make you mine.