Chapter 17 Isaiah pronounces an oracle against the gentile nation of Damascus which was the primary city of Syria. The land of Syria occupied large stream fed plains north of Israel that were very fertile. Damascus also enjoyed a healthy trade based economy with its neighbors. It is important to recall that the theme of chapter 7 is that of the political alliance of the Northern kingdom of Israel (i.e. Ephraim) with the kingdom of Syria (i.e. Aram) against Judah at Jerusalem. The literal historical interpretation of this chapter would be one that sees Isaiah prophesying of the imminent destruction that the Northern Kingdom and Syria face with the invasion of Assyria. Which invasion literally occurred under the reign of Tiglath- Pileser II (see comments on chapter 7). A more spiritual eschatological interpretation would portray Ephraim as apostate Israel in league with the wicked world against latter-day Zion. v1-2 Isaiah pronounces woes upon Damascus stating that its cities shall be razed and never be established again. So thorough will be the destruction of Syria that the land currently occupied by their cities will be converted to pastures for animals (a typical covenant curse). v3 equates the Northern Kingdom of Israel (The title "Ephraim" is applied to the Northern Kingdom of the 10 tribes as it was the leading tribe, just as the Southern Kingdom was called "Judah" as it was the leading tribe) with Syria. For natural Israel to be equated with a heathen nation by the Lord's prophet is an insult to say the least. But, Isaiah here effectively states that by virtue of their league with the gentiles they are to be treated like gentiles. v4-6 uses a series of images to portray the once prosperous nation of Ephraim (and Syria as well by virtue of the v. 3 equation) as being greatly reduced. Verse 4 uses the image of a once corpulent body become lean. Verse 5 uses a harvest image to portray the remnant of Israel left after the Assyrian conquest. The gleanings of a harvest is the collection of what remains after the standing grain is harvested. Thus, Isaiah's image here is that while Israel was once a large nation like a standing field of grain, he will soon have more in common with a field that has been already been harvested and any remaining grain is left scattered about on the ground. Verse 6 continues the harvest image from verse 5 by comparing Israel to an olive tree after harvest when only a few of the olives remain in the tree. v5 "valley of Rephaim", Josephus accounts this as "the valley which extends (from Jerusalem) to Bethlehem", but its exact location is unknown. The most notable Biblical events associated with this valley are King David's punishing blows dealt to the Philistines on two occasions. But in this passage, the punishing blows are being leveled at apostate Israel and its confederates, not at the Philistines. So, instead of the united kingdom of Israel under David being conquerors of Philistines, they will be the divided nation of Ephraim under apostate rulership punished by Assyria. Compare v. 9 for a similar reversal of fortune statement. v7-8 As a result of their being cut short, the surviving remnant will repent and return to their Maker. They will abandon their idolatrous practices and return to the Lord their God. Note that the more general "men" is employed here rather than "Israel". As the preceding verses of the chapter have equated apostate Israel with the heathen nations, the righteous remnant from either group is spared and ultimately returns to the Lord as a result of the punishments dealt them. v9 informs us that the fortified cities of Israel will lie desolate even as the fortified cities of the Horesh and Amir (The Septuagint renders these two nations "Hivites and Amorites", for Amorites see Num. 21:21-31, Deut. 2:26-36, for the Hivites see Gen. 34) were laid desolate before the Israelites. This kind of reversal of fortune is a typical covenant curse. Compare Deut. 28:7, 25 and Lev. 26:6-8, 25 where Israel is informed that they may either be conquerors of nations or conquered by them. v10-11 states that as a result of Israel forgetting their God and their Rock (cf. Deut. 32:4) they will be afflicted with famine and plague. This is another invocation of the covenant curses under the Law of Moses. It also shows that the Lord does not afflict His people without just cause and that the purpose of these afflictions is to get them to return to Him (see the way Lev. 26 frames the series of punishments all as an attempt to get Israel to repent). v12-14 recount the subject of chapter 7 where Judah feared the alliance between Israel and Aram. These raging mighty nations appear powerful and intimidating like raging waters, but in the face of the power of Lord they are as nothing. At the shout of the Lord the raging nations are caught up and scattered in the wind like chaff. Then in v. 14 Isaiah states that at eventide these nations pose a seemingly terrible threat, but they are quickly dispatched and with the rising sun they are no more. Then Isaiah states that this is the lot of those who seek to despoil the Lord's people.