²³ Concerning Damascus.
“Hamath and Arpad are confounded,
    for they have heard evil tidings;
they melt in fear, they are troubled like the sea^[a]
    which cannot be quiet.
²⁴ Damascus has become feeble, she turned to flee,
    and panic seized her;
anguish and sorrows have taken hold of her,
    as of a woman in travail.
²⁵ How the famous city is forsaken,^[b]
    the joyful city!^[c]
26 Therefore her young men shall fall in her squares,
    and all her soldiers shall be destroyed in that day,
                says the Lord of hosts.
²⁷ And I will kindle a fire in the wall of Damascus,
    and it shall devour the strongholds of Ben-ha′dad.”