for beforethe boyknowshow to cryout 'My fatheror 'My mother,'the wealthof Damascusand the spoilof Samariawill be carriedaway beforethe kingof Assyria."
In the daysof Pekahkingof Israel,Tiglath-pileserkingof Assyriacameand capturedIjonand Abel-beth-maacahand Janoahand Kedeshand Hazorand Gileadand Galilee,allthe landof Naphtali;and he carriedthem captiveto Assyria.
So the kingof Assyrialistenedto him; and the kingof Assyriawentup againstDamascusand capturedit, and carried[the people of] it awayinto exileto Kir,and putRezinto death.
Shalmaneserkingof Assyriacameup againsthim, and Hosheabecamehis servantand paidhim tribute.
The oracleconcerning Damascus."Behold,Damascusis about to be removedfrom being a cityAnd will becomea fallenruin.
"The fortifiedcitywill disappearfrom Ephraim,And sovereigntyfrom DamascusAnd the remnantof Aram;They will be like the gloryof the sonsof Israel,"Declaresthe LORDof hosts.
And the fadingflowerof its gloriousbeauty,Whichis at the headof the fertilevalley,Will be like the first-ripefigpriorto summer,Whichone sees,[And] as soonas it is in his hand,He swallowsit.
Againthe LORDspoketo me further,saying,
Thussaysthe LORD,"For threetransgressionsof Damascusand for fourI will not revokeits [punishment], Becausethey threshedGileadwith [implements] of sharpiron.
"I will also breakthe [gate] barof Damascus,And cutoffthe inhabitantfrom the valleyof Aven,And him who holdsthe scepter,from Beth-eden;So the peopleof Aramwill goexiledto Kir,"Saysthe LORD.
"Should I not havecompassionon Nineveh,the greatcityin whichthereare morethan120000personswhodo not know[the difference] betweentheir rightand lefthand,as well as manyanimals?"
for though [the twins] were not yetbornand had not doneanythinggoodorbad,sothat God'spurposeaccordingto [His] choicewould stand,not becauseof worksbut becauseof Him who calls,
Moreover, your littleoneswhoyou saidwould becomea prey,and your sons,whothis dayhavenoknowledgeof goodor evil,shall enterthere,and I will giveit to them and they shall possessit.
