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A Message to Damascus

23 This message is to the city of Damascus:

“The towns of Hamath and Arpad are ·put to shame [humiliated],
    because they have heard ·bad [disastrous] news.
They ·are discouraged [L melt; C in fear].
    They are troubled like the ·tossing sea [sea that cannot be quieted].
24 The city of Damascus has become weak.
    The people ·want to run away [turn to flee];
    ·they are ready to panic [panic seized them].
·The people feel pain and suffering [L Anguish and distress have grabbed them],
    like a woman ·giving birth to a baby [in labor; 48:41; 49:22; 50:43].
25 Damascus was a city of my joy.
    Why have the people not ·left [abandoned; forsaken] that famous city yet?
26 Surely the young men will die in the city squares,
    and all her soldiers will be ·killed [L stilled; quieted] ·at that time [L on that day],” says the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts].
27 “I will ·set [kindle a] fire to the walls of Damascus,
    and it will completely ·burn [consume] the ·strong cities [strongholds; citadels] of King Ben-Hadad [C a name taken by many kings of Damascus].”

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Prophecy against Damascus

23 Concerning (A)Damascus:
(B)Hamath and (C)Arpad are put to shame,
For they have heard bad news;
They (D)despair.
There is anxiety at the sea,
It (E)cannot be calmed.
24 Damascus has become helpless;
She has turned away to flee,
And panic has gripped her;
(F)Distress and labor pains have seized her
Like a woman in childbirth.
25 How the (G)city of praise has not been deserted,
The town of My joy!
26 Therefore, her (H)young men will fall in her streets,
And all the men of war will perish on that day,” declares the Lord of armies.
27 “I will (I)set fire to the wall of Damascus,
And it will devour the fortified palace of (J)Ben-hadad.”

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