{"id":65275,"date":"2018-07-09T17:45:08","date_gmt":"2018-07-09T14:45:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wall\/wall-351\/"},"modified":"2023-06-11T13:53:47","modified_gmt":"2023-06-11T10:53:47","slug":"wall-351","status":"publish","type":"wall","link":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/wall\/wall-351\/","title":{"rendered":"chapter-Prophets-Isaiah-17"},"parent":0,"template":"","acf":{"type":"chapter","wall_id":"351","date":"20270103","book":"Isaiah","chapter":"17","chapter_main_number":"351","books_group":"Prophets","posts":[{"order":1,"id":"65406","color":"#f8ebe3","size":"1","name":"JPS Audio Bible - Isaiah Chapter 17 ","post_title":"JPS Audio Bible - Isaiah Chapter 17","slug":"jps-audio-bible-isaiah-chapter-17","old_id":"65406","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":34686,"post_title":"Soundcloud","slug":"soundcloud","old_id":"34686","first_name":"","last_name":"","description":"","short_description":"","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":34656,"alt":"","title":"491","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","width":300,"height":300,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","medium_large-width":300,"medium_large-height":300,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","large-width":300,"large-height":300,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","1536x1536-width":300,"1536x1536-height":300,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","2048x2048-width":300,"2048x2048-height":300,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","post_full_size-width":300,"post_full_size-height":300,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","home_baner-width":300,"home_baner-height":300}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"351","type_929":"4","show_author_image":true,"old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"","post_main_content_content":"","post_main_content_image":"","post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"JPS Audio Bible","tile_main_caption":"Isaiah Chapter 17","tile_main_caption_size":"2","tile_sub_caption":"Hear the daily chapter","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":"","tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"https:\/\/soundcloud.com\/929-bible\/JPS_Audio_Bible_Isaiah_Chapter_17","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","old_create_date":"","links":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Prophets","book":"Isaiah","chapter":"17","chapter_main_number":"351","date":"20270103","wall_id":"351"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false},{"order":2,"id":"115874","color":"#f6edf6","size":"1","name":"Damascus ","post_title":"Damascus","slug":"damascus","old_id":"115874","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":33877,"post_title":"Marc Bregman","slug":"marc-bregman","old_id":"33877","first_name":"Marc","last_name":"Bregman","description":"Marc Bregman received his Ph.D. from The Hebrew University in Jerusalem in 1991. He taught at the Hebrew Union College (Jerusalem), The Hebrew University in Jerusalem, the Schechter Institute for Judaic Studies in Jerusalem, and at the Ben-Gurion University in Beer Sheba, Israel. During 1993 he was Visiting Associate Professor at Yale University, and during 1996 he was the Stroum Professor of Jewish Studies and Visiting Research Fellow at the University of Washington in Seattle. During 2005, Bregman served as the Harry Starr Fellow in Judaica at Harvard University and was awarded a Teaching Fellowship at the Center for Advanced Judaic Studies at the University of Pennsylvania. He also has served as Forchheimer Visiting Professor in the Faculty of Humanities at The Hebrew University in Jerusalem. He is the author of The Tanhuma-Yelammedenu Literature: Studies in the Evolution of the Versions (Gorgias Press, 2003). In 2006, Bregman was appointed the Herman and Zelda Bernard Distinguished Professor of Jewish Studies at the University of North Carolina in Greensboro, where he also headed the program in Jewish Studies, until 2013. Bregman retired from UNCG as of July 31, 2017. He has now returned to Jerusalem where he is continuing his research and teaching activities.","credit":"","image_url":"","short_description":"Marc Bregman is the Herman and Zelda Bernard Distinguished Professor of Jewish Studies emeritus, at the University of North Carolina in Greensboro.","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":33878,"alt":"Marc Bregman","title":"Marc Bregman","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Marc-Bregman.jpg","width":361,"height":488,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Marc-Bregman-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Marc-Bregman-222x300.jpg","medium-width":222,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Marc-Bregman.jpg","medium_large-width":361,"medium_large-height":488,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Marc-Bregman.jpg","large-width":361,"large-height":488,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Marc-Bregman.jpg","1536x1536-width":361,"1536x1536-height":488,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Marc-Bregman.jpg","2048x2048-width":361,"2048x2048-height":488,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Marc-Bregman.jpg","post_full_size-width":361,"post_full_size-height":488,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Marc-Bregman-311x420.jpg","home_baner-width":311,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"351","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"Some biblical and rabbinic perspectives\r\n\r\n","post_main_content_content":"

Our<\/span> chapter<\/span><\/a> begins with a prophecy of destruction against Damascus, Aroer and Ephraim:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The Damascus Pronouncement: Behold, Damascus shall cease to be a city. It shall become a heap of ruins. The towns of Aroer shall be deserted. They shall be a place for flocks to lie down, with none disturbing. Fortresses shall cease from Ephraim, and sovereignty from Damascus<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The historical context of this prophecy of doom is the<\/span> Syro-Ephraimite War<\/span><\/a> that took place 735-732 BCE (described in<\/span> Isaiah.7:1-8:4<\/span><\/a>).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

In<\/span> Midrash Lamentations Rabbah<\/span><\/a>, Rabbi Yo\u1e25anan wonders why Damascus, in present day Syria, should be mentioned together with Aroer, located to the east of the Dead Sea in present day Jordan. He describes the Prophet Isaiah as standing in Damascus, while speaking of distant Aroer. Rabbi Yohanan continues by describing Damascus in Biblical times as having 365 houses of idol worship. Each one would host worship of its god on one day a year. But on one day each year all of them would worship all their separate gods together. Israel worshiped all of these separate gods as one, as it is<\/span> written<\/span><\/a>: \u201c\u2026they worshipped the Be\u2019alim, the Ashtarot, the gods of Aram, the gods of Sidon, the gods of Moab, the gods of the children of Amon, and the gods of the Philistines. They forsook the Lord and did not worship Him\u201d, serving the God of Israel together with these other gods.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

An extensive \u201cLand of Damascus\u201d is mentioned several times in the so-called<\/span> Damascus Document<\/span><\/a> of the Qumran sectarians. Curiously, they apparently referred to their settlement in the Judean Desert as \u201cDamascus\u201d. See, for example, Damascus Document, column 7, lines 18-20: \u201cthe \u201cStar\u201d is the Interpreter of the Law (<\/span>Doresh HaTorah<\/span><\/em>)<\/span><\/i> who comes [\u201cto\u201d or \u201cfrom\u201d] Damascus, as it is <\/span>\u00a0<\/span>written<\/span><\/a>: \"A star rises from Jacob, a scepter arises from Israel\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The rabbinic sages, instead of calling for the destruction of Damascus, foresaw that in the Messianic era it would eventually be incorporated into Jerusalem. According to<\/span> the Midrash on the Song of Songs<\/span><\/a>,\u201d in an interpretation of the<\/span> Biblical phrase<\/span><\/a> \u201cfacing toward Damascus\u201d (<\/span>tzofeh pney Dammaseq<\/span><\/em>), Rabbi Yo\u1e25anan said that in the future, Jerusalem will expand until it reaches the gates of Damascus, as it<\/span> says<\/span><\/a>:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

A pronouncement: The word of the Lord. He will reside in the land of Hadrach and Damascus\u201d. What is<\/span> \"Hadrach\"<\/span><\/a>? Rabbi Yehudah and Rabbi Ne\u1e25emiah: Rabbi Yehudah said: This is simply a place near Damacus that is called \u201c\u1e24adrakh\u201d. <\/span>
\r\n<\/span>Rabbi Ne\u1e25emya said: Rather, \u201cHadrach\u201d refers to the messianic King who is both sharp but gentle: sharp (<\/span>had<\/span><\/em>)<\/span><\/i> to the Nations but gentle (<\/span>rach<\/span><\/em>) to Israel.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":99529,"alt":"","title":"1chron18-Schedel_Damaskus_1497","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron18-Schedel_Damaskus_1497.jpg","width":1524,"height":1080,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron18-Schedel_Damaskus_1497-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron18-Schedel_Damaskus_1497-300x213.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":213,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron18-Schedel_Damaskus_1497-768x544.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":544,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron18-Schedel_Damaskus_1497-1024x726.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":726,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron18-Schedel_Damaskus_1497.jpg","1536x1536-width":1524,"1536x1536-height":1080,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron18-Schedel_Damaskus_1497.jpg","2048x2048-width":1524,"2048x2048-height":1080,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron18-Schedel_Damaskus_1497-1200x850.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":850,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron18-Schedel_Damaskus_1497-593x420.jpg","home_baner-width":593,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"","tile_main_caption":"Damascus","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Some biblical and rabbinic perspectives","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":99529,"alt":"","title":"1chron18-Schedel_Damaskus_1497","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron18-Schedel_Damaskus_1497.jpg","width":1524,"height":1080,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron18-Schedel_Damaskus_1497-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron18-Schedel_Damaskus_1497-300x213.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":213,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron18-Schedel_Damaskus_1497-768x544.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":544,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron18-Schedel_Damaskus_1497-1024x726.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":726,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron18-Schedel_Damaskus_1497.jpg","1536x1536-width":1524,"1536x1536-height":1080,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron18-Schedel_Damaskus_1497.jpg","2048x2048-width":1524,"2048x2048-height":1080,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron18-Schedel_Damaskus_1497-1200x850.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":850,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron18-Schedel_Damaskus_1497-593x420.jpg","home_baner-width":593,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_link_for_pay":"0","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Prophets","book":"Isaiah","chapter":"17","chapter_main_number":"351","date":"20270103","wall_id":"351"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"363","name":"Midrash","old_id":"763"},{"term_id":"506","name":"Prophecy","old_id":"906"}]},{"order":3,"id":"115877","color":"#f6edf6","size":"1","name":"The Reaper ","post_title":"The Reaper","slug":"the-reaper","old_id":"115877","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":78133,"post_title":"Josh Blechner","slug":"josh-blechner","old_id":"78133","first_name":"Josh ","last_name":"Blechner ","description":"Josh first finished the Tanach during Yeshiva in Mevaseret Zion. He and his daughter studied the Tanach again for her bat mitzvah. Josh has taught many classes on Tanach throughout the years and currently in the New Rochelle 929 group. When not studying for 929, Josh works as an in-house lawyer in New Jersey.","short_description":"Josh has taught many classes on Tanach throughout the years and currently in the New Rochelle 929 group, and is an in-house attorney in New Jersey. ","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":78134,"alt":"","title":"josh blechner","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","width":276,"height":351,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner-236x300.jpg","medium-width":236,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","medium_large-width":276,"medium_large-height":351,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","large-width":276,"large-height":351,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","1536x1536-width":276,"1536x1536-height":351,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","2048x2048-width":276,"2048x2048-height":351,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","post_full_size-width":276,"post_full_size-height":351,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","home_baner-width":276,"home_baner-height":351}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"351","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"Nothing left but the gleanings\u2026\r\n\r\n","post_main_content_content":"

Chapter 17 begins with a mini-prophecy against the Assyrians, including a fantastic bit of alliteration in verse 2 where Isaiah flexes a poetic muscle:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Azuvot Arai Aroer la-Adarim <\/span><\/em>- <\/span><\/i>The towns of Aroer shall be deserted as a place for flocks.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The chapter then quickly turns towards the Northern Kingdom. The destruction of Ephraim, as a stand-in for the entire North, takes up the rest of the chapter. Here Isaiah employs a harvest theme:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

After being like the standing grain Harvested by the reaper\u2014 Who reaps ears by the armful\u2014 He shall be like the ears that are gleaned In the Valley of Rephaim. Only gleanings shall be left of him, As when one beats an olive tree: Two berries or three on the topmost branch, Four or five on the boughs of the crown\u2014declares the LORD, the God of Israel\u201d (verses 5-6).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

This metaphor matches the blessing that Moses gave to the children of Joseph:<\/span><\/p>\r\n

And of Joseph he said: Blessed of God be his land With the bounty of dew from heaven,\u00a0 With the bounteous yield of the sun, And the bounteous crop of the moons; And of the deep that couches below; With the best from the ancient mountains, And the bounty of hills immemorial With the bounty of earth and its fullness, And the favor of the Presence in the bush. May these rest on the head of Joseph, On the crown of the elect of his brothers\u201d (Deut. 33:13-16).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Moses blessed the sons of Joseph with a bountiful harvest along its vast mountainous regions. This great crop would help become a source of wealth and power that will help bolster the kingdoms of the North. Isaiah\u2019s vision sees these bounties collapse and the people of the North, like the bounty, will be taken away with only small gleanings remaining. The crown of royalty that Moses describes is reduced to the crown of scant olives left at the very top of the trees.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

There is also a secondary metaphor here. Isaiah may also be referring to the commandment to leave the forgotten harvest for the poor:<\/span><\/p>\r\n

When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Leave them for the poor and for the foreigner residing among you. I am the LORD your God\u201d (Lev. 17:3).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

By describing the punishment of the North in these terms, Isaiah may be setting up a <\/span>midah k\u2019neged midah<\/em> <\/span>(likeminded, proportional) punishment. Because the North did not follow this simple charitable practice, and instead abused the poor, they will be wiped out except for a few small remaining gleanings left in the once bountiful land.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

 <\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":115878,"alt":"","title":"-6484e61a77b30--6484e61a77b31is17-reaper death.png","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2023\/06\/6484e61a77b30-6484e61a77b31is17-reaper-death.png.png","width":1111,"height":1280,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2023\/06\/6484e61a77b30-6484e61a77b31is17-reaper-death.png-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2023\/06\/6484e61a77b30-6484e61a77b31is17-reaper-death.png-260x300.png","medium-width":260,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2023\/06\/6484e61a77b30-6484e61a77b31is17-reaper-death.png-768x885.png","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":885,"large":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2023\/06\/6484e61a77b30-6484e61a77b31is17-reaper-death.png-889x1024.png","large-width":889,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2023\/06\/6484e61a77b30-6484e61a77b31is17-reaper-death.png.png","1536x1536-width":1111,"1536x1536-height":1280,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2023\/06\/6484e61a77b30-6484e61a77b31is17-reaper-death.png.png","2048x2048-width":1111,"2048x2048-height":1280,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2023\/06\/6484e61a77b30-6484e61a77b31is17-reaper-death.png-1042x1200.png","post_full_size-width":1042,"post_full_size-height":1200,"home_baner":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2023\/06\/6484e61a77b30-6484e61a77b31is17-reaper-death.png-365x420.png","home_baner-width":365,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"","tile_main_caption":"The Reaper","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Nothing left but the gleanings\u2026","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":115878,"alt":"","title":"-6484e61a77b30--6484e61a77b31is17-reaper death.png","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2023\/06\/6484e61a77b30-6484e61a77b31is17-reaper-death.png.png","width":1111,"height":1280,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2023\/06\/6484e61a77b30-6484e61a77b31is17-reaper-death.png-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2023\/06\/6484e61a77b30-6484e61a77b31is17-reaper-death.png-260x300.png","medium-width":260,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2023\/06\/6484e61a77b30-6484e61a77b31is17-reaper-death.png-768x885.png","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":885,"large":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2023\/06\/6484e61a77b30-6484e61a77b31is17-reaper-death.png-889x1024.png","large-width":889,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2023\/06\/6484e61a77b30-6484e61a77b31is17-reaper-death.png.png","1536x1536-width":1111,"1536x1536-height":1280,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2023\/06\/6484e61a77b30-6484e61a77b31is17-reaper-death.png.png","2048x2048-width":1111,"2048x2048-height":1280,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2023\/06\/6484e61a77b30-6484e61a77b31is17-reaper-death.png-1042x1200.png","post_full_size-width":1042,"post_full_size-height":1200,"home_baner":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2023\/06\/6484e61a77b30-6484e61a77b31is17-reaper-death.png-365x420.png","home_baner-width":365,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_link_for_pay":"0","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Prophets","book":"Isaiah","chapter":"17","chapter_main_number":"351","date":"20270103","wall_id":"351"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"391","name":"In\/Justice","old_id":"791"},{"term_id":"476","name":"Compassion","old_id":"876"},{"term_id":"547","name":"Punishment","old_id":"947"}]},{"order":4,"id":"115887","color":"#f6edf6","size":"1","name":"A Prophecy Against Religious Syncretism","post_title":"A Prophecy Against Religious Syncretism","slug":"a-prophecy-against-religious-syncretism","old_id":"115887","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":62571,"post_title":"Yaakov Bieler","slug":"yaakov-bieler","old_id":"62571","first_name":"Yaakov ","last_name":"Bieler ","description":"Rabbi Yaakov Bieler has been involved in Jewish education and the synagogue Rabbinate in New York, NY and Silver Spring, MD since being ordained by Yeshiva University in 1974. He has lectured and written extensively on Modern Orthodoxy, and blogs daily at https:\/\/yaakovbieler.wordpress.com ","short_description":"Rabbi Yaakov Bieler has been involved in Jewish education and the synagogue Rabbinate in New York, NY and Silver Spring, MD since being ordained by Yeshiva University. ","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":62572,"alt":"","title":"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/yaakov-bieler.jpg","width":141,"height":180,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/yaakov-bieler-141x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":141,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/yaakov-bieler.jpg","medium-width":141,"medium-height":180,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/yaakov-bieler.jpg","medium_large-width":141,"medium_large-height":180,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/yaakov-bieler.jpg","large-width":141,"large-height":180,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/yaakov-bieler.jpg","1536x1536-width":141,"1536x1536-height":180,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/yaakov-bieler.jpg","2048x2048-width":141,"2048x2048-height":180,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/yaakov-bieler.jpg","post_full_size-width":141,"post_full_size-height":180,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/yaakov-bieler.jpg","home_baner-width":141,"home_baner-height":180}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"351","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"Oh, you who graft foreign plants\u2026\r\n\r\n","post_main_content_content":"

The metaphor of planting and harvesting trees is central to chapter 17. However, as if often the case with biblical poetry, it is unclear how such a simile adds understanding to the topic at hand:<\/span><\/p>\r\n

As when one beats an olive tree: Two berries or three on the topmost branch, four or five <\/span>\u00a0<\/span>on the boughs of the crown \u2014declares the LORD, the God of Israel\u2026 (verse 6)<\/span>
\r\n<\/span>That is why, though you plant a delightful<\/span> sapling, what you sow proves a disappointing slip. On the day that you plant, you see it grow; on the morning you sow, you see it bud\u2014but the branches wither away, on a day of sickness and mortal agony\u2026 (verses 10-11).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Radak interprets v. 6 as referring to the few survivors in Jerusalem who will be spared by Sennecharib\u2019s forces, either because they are too well-hidden, or too inconvenient to kill.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

But perhaps of greater contemporary significance is Malbim\u2019s interpretation of verse 10:<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The prophet \u2026 imagines an individual planting a very beautiful and pleasing plant, but then grafting onto it a different species that is inferior and displeasing. By doing so, he is destroying the original plant and its descendants, and ruining its beauty and glory. <\/span>
\r\n<\/span>So too, they had the exalted God, and they are considered holy, the children of the living God. Nevertheless, they \u201cgrafted\u201d onto Him a \u201cforeign plant\u201d\u2014made an alliance with peoples and other gods, that thereby destroyed and ruined their self-definition, their independence, and their holiness.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

While Isaiah is once again giving an agricultural referent, it would appear that Malbim\u2019s interpretation is more pernicious than the more famous analogy that he presented to his audience in what is famously known as <\/span>Mashal HaKerem<\/span><\/em>, the parable of the vineyard (5:1-3):\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Let me sing for my beloved, a song of my lover about his vineyard. My beloved had a vineyard<\/span> on a fruitful hill.<\/span> He broke the ground, cleared it of stones, and planted it with choice vines. He built a watchtower inside it; he even hewed a wine press in it, for he hoped it would yield grapes; instead, it yielded wild grapes.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The implication of Isaiah 5 is that the Jews may have been disloyal to God, but they did not necessarily deliberately attempt to join Divine worship with idolatry. They merely emulated the beliefs of the surrounding peoples, as had been predicted by Moses (Deut. 6:14). However, when Isaiah 17 uses the imagery of <\/span>harkava,<\/span><\/i> grafting, the descriptions of giving lip service to traditional Jewish worship while at the same time incorporating idolatrous practices into one\u2019s observances, is raised.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

It\u2019s one thing to substitute one object of devotion for another; and something else again when two traditions are self-consciously joined, without acknowledging that they are mutually exclusive. For those who regularly incorporate practices of the majority culture into their religious observance, they should consider how they would answer Isaiah 17\u2019s critique.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

image:\u00a0shutterstock_1037781469<\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":46937,"alt":"","title":"shutterstock_1037781469","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/shutterstock_1037781469.jpg","width":4563,"height":3042,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/shutterstock_1037781469-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/shutterstock_1037781469-300x200.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":200,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/shutterstock_1037781469-768x512.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":512,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/shutterstock_1037781469-1024x683.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":683,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/shutterstock_1037781469.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1024,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/shutterstock_1037781469.jpg","2048x2048-width":2048,"2048x2048-height":1365,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/shutterstock_1037781469-1200x800.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":800,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/shutterstock_1037781469-630x420.jpg","home_baner-width":630,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"","tile_main_caption":"A Prophecy Against Religious Syncretism","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Oh, you who graft foreign plants\u2026","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":46937,"alt":"","title":"shutterstock_1037781469","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/shutterstock_1037781469.jpg","width":4563,"height":3042,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/shutterstock_1037781469-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/shutterstock_1037781469-300x200.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":200,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/shutterstock_1037781469-768x512.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":512,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/shutterstock_1037781469-1024x683.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":683,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/shutterstock_1037781469.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1024,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/shutterstock_1037781469.jpg","2048x2048-width":2048,"2048x2048-height":1365,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/shutterstock_1037781469-1200x800.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":800,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/shutterstock_1037781469-630x420.jpg","home_baner-width":630,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_link_for_pay":"0","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Prophets","book":"Isaiah","chapter":"17","chapter_main_number":"351","date":"20270103","wall_id":"351"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"429","name":"Idolatry","old_id":"829"},{"term_id":"464","name":"Agriculture","old_id":"864"},{"term_id":"506","name":"Prophecy","old_id":"906"}]},{"order":5,"id":"65710","color":"#e2f4fa","size":"1","name":"Prophets of Today: Bob Marley ","post_title":"Prophets of Today: Bob Marley","slug":"prophets-of-today-bob-marley","old_id":"65710","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":38102,"post_title":"929-English","slug":"929-english","old_id":"38102","first_name":"","last_name":"929-English","description":"","short_description":"","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":38333,"alt":"","title":"\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5.png","width":1513,"height":860,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5-300x171.png","medium-width":300,"medium-height":171,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5-768x437.png","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":437,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5-1024x582.png","large-width":1024,"large-height":582,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5.png","1536x1536-width":1513,"1536x1536-height":860,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5.png","2048x2048-width":1513,"2048x2048-height":860,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5-1200x682.png","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":682,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5-739x420.png","home_baner-width":739,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"351","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"The people who are trying to make this world worse are not taking the day off. Why should I?","post_main_content_content":"

Born on February 6, 1945, Nesta Robert \u2018Bob\u2019 Marley started out in 1963 with band called The Wailers<\/em>, the greatest band of Jamaica. Together they brought up the beat that conquered the world. In 1974, after The Wailers disbanded, Marley pursued a solo career and continued to popularize reggae music, becoming a global inspiration and mainstream icon. His image has become a symbol of freedom and the fight against oppression. Marley sent powerful messages through his lyrics and created spiritual experiences whenever he performed on stage. On May 11th, 1981, Bob Marley died of cancer in Miami at the age of 36.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Internationally, Marley's message also continues to reverberate among various indigenous communities. For instance, the Australian Aboriginal people continue to burn a sacred flame to honor his memory in Sydney's Victoria Park, while members of the Amerindian Hopi and Havasupai tribe revere his work. There are also many tributes to Bob Marley throughout India.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Bob Marley ranks among both the most popular and the most misunderstood figures in modern culture ... [He was a] ghetto kid who dreamed of Che Guevara and the Black Panthers, and pinned their posters up in the Wailers Soul Shack record store; who believed in freedom; and the fighting which it necessitated, and dressed the part on an early album sleeve; whose heroes were James Brown and Muhammad Ali... The Bob Marley who surveys his kingdom today is smiling benevolence, a shining sun, a waving palm tree, and a string of hits which tumble out of polite radio like candy from a gumball machine. Of course it has assured his immortality. But it has also demeaned him beyond recognition. Bob Marley was worth far more. (Reggae and Caribbean Music, by Dave Thompson,\u00a0 2002, p. 159).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Quotes from Bob:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The people who were trying to make this world worse are not taking the day off. Why should I?<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Live for yourself and you will live in vain; Live for others, and you will live again.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Love the life you live; live the life you love.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Truth is, everybody is going to hurt you; you just gotta find the ones worth suffering for.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

One love, one heart, one destiny.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Some people feel the rain. Others just get wet<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Get up, stand up, Stand up for your rights. Get up, stand up, Don\u2019t give up the fight<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery. None but ourselves can free our minds<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Until the philosophy which hold one race superior \/ And another \/ Inferior \/ Is finally \/ And permanently \/ Discredited \/ And abandoned \/ -Everywhere is war \u2013 \/ Me say war.\u201d<\/span>
\r\n<\/span> \u2014Marley took these lines from a speech by Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie I, before the United Nations General Assembly on 4th October 1963.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

 <\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":65711,"alt":"","title":"bob-marley","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/bob-marley.jpg","width":1920,"height":1656,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/bob-marley-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/bob-marley-300x259.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":259,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/bob-marley-768x662.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":662,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/bob-marley-1024x883.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":883,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/bob-marley.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1325,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/bob-marley.jpg","2048x2048-width":1920,"2048x2048-height":1656,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/bob-marley-1200x1035.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":1035,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/bob-marley-487x420.jpg","home_baner-width":487,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"Prophets Of Today","tile_main_caption":"Bob Marley","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"The people who are trying to make this world worse are not taking the day off. Why should I?","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":65711,"alt":"","title":"bob-marley","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/bob-marley.jpg","width":1920,"height":1656,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/bob-marley-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/bob-marley-300x259.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":259,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/bob-marley-768x662.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":662,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/bob-marley-1024x883.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":883,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/bob-marley.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1325,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/bob-marley.jpg","2048x2048-width":1920,"2048x2048-height":1656,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/bob-marley-1200x1035.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":1035,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/bob-marley-487x420.jpg","home_baner-width":487,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"tile_link_for_pay":"0","send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Prophets","book":"Isaiah","chapter":"17","chapter_main_number":"351","date":"20270103","wall_id":"351"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"327","name":"Today's Prophets","old_id":"727"},{"term_id":"413","name":"Freedom","old_id":"813"},{"term_id":"512","name":"Music","old_id":"912"}]},{"order":6,"id":"65728","color":"#e2f4fa","size":"2","name":"From Isaiah To The Syrian Civil War ","post_title":"From Isaiah To The Syrian Civil War","slug":"from-isaiah-to-the-syrian-civil-war","old_id":"65728","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":65725,"post_title":"The Israel Antiquities Authority","slug":"the-israel-antiquities-authority","old_id":"65725","first_name":"","last_name":"The Israel Antiquities Authority","description":"The Israel Antiquities Authority (before 1990, the Israel Department of Antiquities) is an independent Israeli governmental authority responsible for excavation and conservation, and promotes research. ","short_description":"The Israel Antiquities Authority is an independent Israeli governmental authority responsible for excavation and conservation, and promotes research. ","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":65726,"alt":"","title":"\u05e8\u05e9\u05d5\u05ea \u05d4\u05e2\u05ea\u05d9\u05e7\u05d5\u05ea","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/\u05e8\u05e9\u05d5\u05ea-\u05d4\u05e2\u05ea\u05d9\u05e7\u05d5\u05ea.png","width":509,"height":396,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/\u05e8\u05e9\u05d5\u05ea-\u05d4\u05e2\u05ea\u05d9\u05e7\u05d5\u05ea-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/\u05e8\u05e9\u05d5\u05ea-\u05d4\u05e2\u05ea\u05d9\u05e7\u05d5\u05ea-300x233.png","medium-width":300,"medium-height":233,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/\u05e8\u05e9\u05d5\u05ea-\u05d4\u05e2\u05ea\u05d9\u05e7\u05d5\u05ea.png","medium_large-width":509,"medium_large-height":396,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/\u05e8\u05e9\u05d5\u05ea-\u05d4\u05e2\u05ea\u05d9\u05e7\u05d5\u05ea.png","large-width":509,"large-height":396,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/\u05e8\u05e9\u05d5\u05ea-\u05d4\u05e2\u05ea\u05d9\u05e7\u05d5\u05ea.png","1536x1536-width":509,"1536x1536-height":396,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/\u05e8\u05e9\u05d5\u05ea-\u05d4\u05e2\u05ea\u05d9\u05e7\u05d5\u05ea.png","2048x2048-width":509,"2048x2048-height":396,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/\u05e8\u05e9\u05d5\u05ea-\u05d4\u05e2\u05ea\u05d9\u05e7\u05d5\u05ea.png","post_full_size-width":509,"post_full_size-height":396,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/\u05e8\u05e9\u05d5\u05ea-\u05d4\u05e2\u05ea\u05d9\u05e7\u05d5\u05ea.png","home_baner-width":509,"home_baner-height":396}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"351","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"Will the fate of the population across the border be as Isaiah prophesied regarding Damascus some 2600 years ago?","post_main_content_content":"

\u201cThe \u2018Damascus\u2019 Pronouncement. Behold, Damascus shall cease to be a city; It shall become a heap of ruins.The towns of Aroer shall be deserted; They shall be a place for flocks To lie down, with none disturbing. Fortresses shall cease from Ephraim, And sovereignty from Damascus\u2026\u201d (verses 1-3)<\/span>.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\r\n

This prophecy was apparently spoken against the background of the treaty that was signed between Aram and Israel, in the days of Pekah ben Ramalyahu (Isaiah 7). In it, Isaiah prophesies about the destruction of Damascus, the capital of Aram, together with the destruction of the kingdom of Israel. Damascus will be abandoned, and its habitations will be a wasteland. Instead of houses and thriving cities, there will be empty fields where animals will graze, and the symbols of rule, the fortress and the kingdom, will disappear.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Present day Syria is an arid, desert zone, where the region next to Israel, just to the east of the Golan Heights, is the frontier, the desert\u2019s edge. All throughout the history of the Bashan and Horan (southern Syria) there were changes that were indicative of the nature of the ruling powers: when the government was strong, settlement and cultivation thrived, but when the ruling powers were weak, and unsupportive, the desert would expand westward, and the frontier would approach the Galilee.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Today, next to Israel on the east, a civil war has been raging in Syria for close to a decade. During the war, massive numbers of citizens have been killed, and whole towns destroyed. Are we witnessing a similar situation to what Isaiah imagined? Will the war that is going on on the other side of the Rokad river and the border allow the desert to encroach once again? Will the population suffer the same destruction that Isaiah envisioned?<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Another aspect of having a problematic central government is the destruction of major archaeological sites and finds, and the loss of the historical heritage. There has been severe damage to the temple at Tadmor,* the museum at Musul, and at Palmyra, Krak and more.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Is there any hope to put an end to the killing and to the destruction of cultural heritage?<\/span><\/p>\r\n

*Tadmor (photo): An ancient city in present day Syria; an important way station for trade between the Parthian and Roman empires. Stunning architectural ruins from the classical period have been preserved, despite constant habitation. In 1980, Tadmor was declared a World Heritage site by UNESCO.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Written by: Oren Zingbaum, archaeologist of the Golan region, the Antiquities Authority.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Image: Waj\/Shutterstock.com<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":65729,"alt":"","title":"is17-tadmor","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is17-tadmor.jpg","width":1000,"height":669,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is17-tadmor-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is17-tadmor-300x201.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":201,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is17-tadmor-768x514.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":514,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is17-tadmor.jpg","large-width":1000,"large-height":669,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is17-tadmor.jpg","1536x1536-width":1000,"1536x1536-height":669,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is17-tadmor.jpg","2048x2048-width":1000,"2048x2048-height":669,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is17-tadmor.jpg","post_full_size-width":1000,"post_full_size-height":669,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is17-tadmor-628x420.jpg","home_baner-width":628,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"","tile_main_caption":"From Isaiah To The Syrian Civil War","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Will the fate of the population across the border be as Isaiah prophesied regarding Damascus some 2600 years ago?","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":65729,"alt":"","title":"is17-tadmor","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is17-tadmor.jpg","width":1000,"height":669,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is17-tadmor-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is17-tadmor-300x201.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":201,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is17-tadmor-768x514.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":514,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is17-tadmor.jpg","large-width":1000,"large-height":669,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is17-tadmor.jpg","1536x1536-width":1000,"1536x1536-height":669,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is17-tadmor.jpg","2048x2048-width":1000,"2048x2048-height":669,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is17-tadmor.jpg","post_full_size-width":1000,"post_full_size-height":669,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is17-tadmor-628x420.jpg","home_baner-width":628,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"tile_link_for_pay":"0","send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Prophets","book":"Isaiah","chapter":"17","chapter_main_number":"351","date":"20270103","wall_id":"351"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"423","name":"Politics","old_id":"823"},{"term_id":"434","name":"War","old_id":"834"},{"term_id":"444","name":"History","old_id":"844"},{"term_id":"555","name":"Archaeology","old_id":"955"}]},{"order":7,"id":"115883","color":"#f6edf6","size":"1","name":"The Tanakh Podcast-Isaiah17 ","post_title":"The Tanakh Podcast-Isaiah17","slug":"the-tanakh-podcast-isaiah17","old_id":"115883","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":33692,"post_title":"Alex Israel","slug":"33692-2","old_id":"33692","first_name":"Alex","last_name":"Israel","description":"Alex Israel teaches Tanakh at the Pardes Institute, Yeshivat Eretz Hatzvi and Matan, Jerusalem. His first book \"I Kings - Torn in Two\" was published in 2013. See his website www.alexisrael.org, and his podcasts at https:\/\/elmad.pardes.org\/ and https:\/\/tanachstudy.com\/ \r\n","credit":"","image_url":"","short_description":"Alex Israel teaches Tanakh at the Pardes Institute, Yeshivat Eretz Hatzvi and Matan, Jerusalem.","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":33693,"alt":"","title":"alex israel","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/alex-israel.jpg","width":1657,"height":2500,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/alex-israel-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/alex-israel-199x300.jpg","medium-width":199,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/alex-israel-679x1024.jpg","medium_large-width":679,"medium_large-height":1024,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/alex-israel-679x1024.jpg","large-width":679,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/alex-israel.jpg","1536x1536-width":1018,"1536x1536-height":1536,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/alex-israel.jpg","2048x2048-width":1357,"2048x2048-height":2048,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/alex-israel-795x1200.jpg","post_full_size-width":795,"post_full_size-height":1200,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/alex-israel-278x420.jpg","home_baner-width":278,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"351","type_929":"4","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"","post_main_content_content":"","post_main_content_image":"","post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"The Tanakh Podcast","tile_main_caption":"Isaiah 17: The Assyrian \"Harvest\" of 732 BCE","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Our chapter describes the Assyrian advance of Tiglat Pilesser in 732 BCE which devastated both Damascus, and Israelite tribes in the Transjordan and the Galilee. Isaiah also addresses the spiritual causes and effects of this blistering attack.","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":108885,"alt":"","title":"-635baf915f04f--635baf915f050tanakh podcast - Alex Israel.JPG","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2022\/10\/635baf915f04f-635baf915f050tanakh-podcast-Alex-Israel.JPG.jpg","width":350,"height":352,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2022\/10\/635baf915f04f-635baf915f050tanakh-podcast-Alex-Israel.JPG-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2022\/10\/635baf915f04f-635baf915f050tanakh-podcast-Alex-Israel.JPG-298x300.jpg","medium-width":298,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2022\/10\/635baf915f04f-635baf915f050tanakh-podcast-Alex-Israel.JPG.jpg","medium_large-width":350,"medium_large-height":352,"large":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2022\/10\/635baf915f04f-635baf915f050tanakh-podcast-Alex-Israel.JPG.jpg","large-width":350,"large-height":352,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2022\/10\/635baf915f04f-635baf915f050tanakh-podcast-Alex-Israel.JPG.jpg","1536x1536-width":350,"1536x1536-height":352,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2022\/10\/635baf915f04f-635baf915f050tanakh-podcast-Alex-Israel.JPG.jpg","2048x2048-width":350,"2048x2048-height":352,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2022\/10\/635baf915f04f-635baf915f050tanakh-podcast-Alex-Israel.JPG.jpg","post_full_size-width":350,"post_full_size-height":352,"home_baner":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2022\/10\/635baf915f04f-635baf915f050tanakh-podcast-Alex-Israel.JPG.jpg","home_baner-width":350,"home_baner-height":352}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/episode\/26XzPjhb7y4O7GSqFN9oSl","tile_link_for_pay":"0","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Prophets","book":"Isaiah","chapter":"17","chapter_main_number":"351","date":"20270103","wall_id":"351"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"589","name":"audio","old_id":"989"},{"term_id":"857","name":"podcast","old_id":"1257"}]},{"order":8,"id":"65718","color":"#e2f4fa","size":"1","name":"Drawing Distinctions Among Idolaters ","post_title":"Drawing Distinctions Among Idolaters","slug":"drawing-distinctions-among-idolaters","old_id":"65718","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":34243,"post_title":"Moshe Sokolow","slug":"moshe-sokolow","old_id":"34243","first_name":"Moshe","last_name":"Sokolow","description":"Dr. Moshe Sokolow is Associate Dean of the Azrieli Graduate School of Jewish Education and Administration, Yeshiva University, and teaches a weekly class in parashat hashavu`a at Lincoln Square Synagogue. He is the author of TANAKH: An Owner\u2019s Manual (Jerusalem: Urim\/Ktav, 2015).\r\n\r\n","short_description":"Dr. Moshe Sokolow is Associate Dean of the Azrieli Graduate School of Jewish Education and Administration, Yeshiva University","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":34244,"alt":"","title":"sokolow","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow.jpg","width":302,"height":300,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow-300x298.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":298,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow.jpg","medium_large-width":302,"medium_large-height":300,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow.jpg","large-width":302,"large-height":300,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow.jpg","1536x1536-width":302,"1536x1536-height":300,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow.jpg","2048x2048-width":302,"2048x2048-height":300,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow.jpg","post_full_size-width":302,"post_full_size-height":300,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow.jpg","home_baner-width":302,"home_baner-height":300}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"351","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"Isaiah\u2019s call to return to the One","post_main_content_content":"

In this chapter, Isaiah addressed himself to Damascus, the capital of the kingdom of Aram, with which both Samaria and Judah interacted throughout the Book of Kings. Here, the prophet prophesied ruin for Damascus using \u201cthe rushing of mighty waters\u201d as a metaphor for its destruction.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

As usual, however, the physical and political dimensions were accompanied by a spiritual one, and Isaiah promised that \u201cIn that day, men shall turn to their Maker, their eyes look to the Holy One of Israel\u201d (7). In other words, they will abandon their idolatrous ways and return to the belief in one God. That, of course, is the simple understanding of the verse, to which Malbim,* wrote the following addendum.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Amongst idolaters, there were two groups. One denied the very existence of a creator of heaven and earth; they would impute everything to an idol. The second group acknowledged the existence of a cosmic creator but denied his providence, saying that he had left matters on earth to the rule of the constellations. They regarded the idol as an intermediary between themselves and God, through which they would be influenced by God.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Both groups were addressed in our verse. \u201cMen shall turn to their Maker\u201d was addressed to the first group which will come to recognize the existence of God the creator. \u201cTheir eyes look to the Holy One of Israel\u201d was spoken to the second group, which will acknowledge His direct providence over everything.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

A singular Rashi on this chapter also deserves mention. In regard to the eventual destruction of Damascus, Israel\u2019s foe, Rashi (v. 12) added the following theological note: \u201cA rule in force throughout the generations is that the staff with which Israel is beaten will eventually be beaten itself.\u201d In a Hebrew article from 1949, the Israeli historian Yitzhak Baer\u00a0<\/span>suggested that Rashi\u2014here and elsewhere\u2014was responding to the contemporary Crusades, and the context of his times.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

*For the significance of Malbim\u2019s commentary to the Book of Isaiah,<\/span> see our introduction to chapter 1.<\/span><\/a><\/p>\r\n

Image: by Ben Schachter, courtesy of the artist<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":65719,"alt":"","title":"Is17-Schachter-MSokolow","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Is17-Schachter-MSokolow.jpg","width":881,"height":335,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Is17-Schachter-MSokolow-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Is17-Schachter-MSokolow-300x114.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":114,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Is17-Schachter-MSokolow-768x292.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":292,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Is17-Schachter-MSokolow.jpg","large-width":881,"large-height":335,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Is17-Schachter-MSokolow.jpg","1536x1536-width":881,"1536x1536-height":335,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Is17-Schachter-MSokolow.jpg","2048x2048-width":881,"2048x2048-height":335,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Is17-Schachter-MSokolow.jpg","post_full_size-width":881,"post_full_size-height":335,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Is17-Schachter-MSokolow.jpg","home_baner-width":881,"home_baner-height":335}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"","tile_main_caption":"Drawing Distinctions Among Idolaters","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Isaiah\u2019s call to return to the One","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":65719,"alt":"","title":"Is17-Schachter-MSokolow","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Is17-Schachter-MSokolow.jpg","width":881,"height":335,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Is17-Schachter-MSokolow-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Is17-Schachter-MSokolow-300x114.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":114,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Is17-Schachter-MSokolow-768x292.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":292,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Is17-Schachter-MSokolow.jpg","large-width":881,"large-height":335,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Is17-Schachter-MSokolow.jpg","1536x1536-width":881,"1536x1536-height":335,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Is17-Schachter-MSokolow.jpg","2048x2048-width":881,"2048x2048-height":335,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Is17-Schachter-MSokolow.jpg","post_full_size-width":881,"post_full_size-height":335,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Is17-Schachter-MSokolow.jpg","home_baner-width":881,"home_baner-height":335}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"tile_link_for_pay":"0","send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Prophets","book":"Isaiah","chapter":"17","chapter_main_number":"351","date":"20270103","wall_id":"351"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"429","name":"Idolatry","old_id":"829"},{"term_id":"506","name":"Prophecy","old_id":"906"}]},{"order":9,"id":"65713","color":"#e2f4fa","size":"1","name":"Biblical Clich\u00e9s?\u00a0 ","post_title":"Biblical Clich\u00e9s?\u00a0","slug":"biblical-cliches","old_id":"65713","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":54356,"post_title":"Robert Alter","slug":"robert-alter","old_id":"54356","first_name":"Robert ","last_name":"Alter","description":"Robert Alter is the Class of 1937 Professor of Hebrew and Comparative Literature at the University of California at Berkeley, where he has taught since 1967. He has written over twenty books, focusing on such topics as the European novel from the 18th century to the present, contemporary American fiction, and modern Hebrew literature. He has also written extensively on the literary aspects of the Bible. His most recent work is his monumental three volume translation of the entire Hebrew Bible - The Hebrew Bible, W. W. Norton & Co., 2019 - from which the selections in 929 are taken. ","short_description":"Robert Alter is the Class of 1937 Professor of Hebrew and Comparative Literature at the University of California at Berkeley, and author of the three-volume translation of the entire Hebrew Bible - The Hebrew Bible, W. W. Norton & Co., 2019.","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":54357,"alt":"","title":"robert alter","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/robert-alter.jpg","width":184,"height":275,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/robert-alter-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/robert-alter.jpg","medium-width":184,"medium-height":275,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/robert-alter.jpg","medium_large-width":184,"medium_large-height":275,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/robert-alter.jpg","large-width":184,"large-height":275,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/robert-alter.jpg","1536x1536-width":184,"1536x1536-height":275,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/robert-alter.jpg","2048x2048-width":184,"2048x2048-height":275,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/robert-alter.jpg","post_full_size-width":184,"post_full_size-height":275,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/robert-alter.jpg","home_baner-width":184,"home_baner-height":275}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"351","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"Was Isaiah having a bad day, or is this someone else\u2019s poetry?","post_main_content_content":"

17:12 \u201cWoe, crowd of many peoples, like the roar of the sea they roar. And the clamor of nations like the clamor of mighty waters they clamor.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n

This marks a new prophecy, concerning not Damascus but the many nations that have despoiled Israel. The identification of a specific historical event has proven elusive. Although some scholars are inclined to attribute this prophecy to Isaiah, one reason to be skeptical about the attribution is that the poetry is in no way on the level of the great poetry of the book\u2019s first chapters: both the simile of the roar of the seas and the wind-driven chaff (verse 13) are biblical cliches, and the verbatim repetition of the second half of verse 12 in the first half of 13 seems inert.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

From: Robert Alter, <\/span>The Hebrew Bible, <\/span><\/i>vol. 2: Prophets, W. W. Norton & Co., 2019, ad loc. By permission of the author<\/span><\/p>\r\n

 <\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":54890,"alt":"","title":"Alter-Cover","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover.jpg","width":1200,"height":693,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover-300x173.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":173,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover-768x444.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":444,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover-1024x591.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":591,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover.jpg","1536x1536-width":1200,"1536x1536-height":693,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover.jpg","2048x2048-width":1200,"2048x2048-height":693,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover-1200x693.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":693,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover-727x420.jpg","home_baner-width":727,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"From Robert Alter's Bible Translation and Commentary","tile_main_caption":"Biblical Clich\u00e9s?\u00a0","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Was Isaiah having a bad day, or is this someone else\u2019s poetry?","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":54890,"alt":"","title":"Alter-Cover","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover.jpg","width":1200,"height":693,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover-300x173.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":173,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover-768x444.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":444,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover-1024x591.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":591,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover.jpg","1536x1536-width":1200,"1536x1536-height":693,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover.jpg","2048x2048-width":1200,"2048x2048-height":693,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover-1200x693.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":693,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover-727x420.jpg","home_baner-width":727,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"tile_link_for_pay":"0","send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Prophets","book":"Isaiah","chapter":"17","chapter_main_number":"351","date":"20270103","wall_id":"351"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"362","name":"Poetry","old_id":"762"}]},{"order":10,"id":"65715","color":"#e2f4fa","size":"2","name":"The Roar Of Many Peoples That Roar As Roars The Sea ","post_title":"The Roar Of Many Peoples That Roar As Roars The Sea","slug":"the-roar-of-many-peoples-that-roar-as-roars-the-sea","old_id":"65715","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":36837,"post_title":"Ben Schachter","slug":"ben-schachter","old_id":"36837","first_name":"Ben","last_name":"Schachter","description":"Ben Schachter is Professor of Visual Art at Saint Vincent College. He is an artist, critic, writer, and teacher. His book Image, Action, and Idea in Contemporary Jewish Art was published with Pennsylvania State University Press. He lives in Pittsburgh with his wife and four children. ","short_description":"Ben Schachter is Professor of Visual Art at Saint Vincent College. ","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":36838,"alt":"","title":"ben schachter","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/ben-schachter-e1533449166446.jpg","width":1648,"height":1876,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/ben-schachter-e1533449166446-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/ben-schachter-e1533449166446-264x300.jpg","medium-width":264,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/ben-schachter-e1533449166446-768x874.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":874,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/ben-schachter-e1533449166446-900x1024.jpg","large-width":900,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/ben-schachter-e1533449166446.jpg","1536x1536-width":1349,"1536x1536-height":1536,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/ben-schachter-e1533449166446.jpg","2048x2048-width":1648,"2048x2048-height":1876,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/ben-schachter-e1533449166446-1054x1200.jpg","post_full_size-width":1054,"post_full_size-height":1200,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/ben-schachter-e1533449166446-369x420.jpg","home_baner-width":369,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"351","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"The rage of nations that rage As rage the mighty waters","post_main_content_content":"","post_main_content_image":{"id":65716,"alt":"","title":"Is17-Schachter-RoarofCrowdLiketheSea","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Is17-Schachter-RoarofCrowdLiketheSea.jpg","width":1650,"height":961,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Is17-Schachter-RoarofCrowdLiketheSea-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Is17-Schachter-RoarofCrowdLiketheSea-300x175.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":175,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Is17-Schachter-RoarofCrowdLiketheSea-768x447.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":447,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Is17-Schachter-RoarofCrowdLiketheSea-1024x596.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":596,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Is17-Schachter-RoarofCrowdLiketheSea.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":895,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Is17-Schachter-RoarofCrowdLiketheSea.jpg","2048x2048-width":1650,"2048x2048-height":961,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Is17-Schachter-RoarofCrowdLiketheSea-1200x699.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":699,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Is17-Schachter-RoarofCrowdLiketheSea-721x420.jpg","home_baner-width":721,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"","tile_main_caption":"The Roar Of Many Peoples That Roar As Roars The Sea","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"The rage of nations that rage As rage the mighty waters","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":65716,"alt":"","title":"Is17-Schachter-RoarofCrowdLiketheSea","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Is17-Schachter-RoarofCrowdLiketheSea.jpg","width":1650,"height":961,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Is17-Schachter-RoarofCrowdLiketheSea-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Is17-Schachter-RoarofCrowdLiketheSea-300x175.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":175,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Is17-Schachter-RoarofCrowdLiketheSea-768x447.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":447,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Is17-Schachter-RoarofCrowdLiketheSea-1024x596.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":596,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Is17-Schachter-RoarofCrowdLiketheSea.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":895,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Is17-Schachter-RoarofCrowdLiketheSea.jpg","2048x2048-width":1650,"2048x2048-height":961,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Is17-Schachter-RoarofCrowdLiketheSea-1200x699.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":699,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Is17-Schachter-RoarofCrowdLiketheSea-721x420.jpg","home_baner-width":721,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"tile_link_for_pay":"0","send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Prophets","book":"Isaiah","chapter":"17","chapter_main_number":"351","date":"20270103","wall_id":"351"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"369","name":"Visual Arts","old_id":"769"}]},{"order":11,"id":"65708","color":"#e2f4fa","size":"1","name":"Points to Ponder - Isaiah 17 ","post_title":"Points to Ponder - Isaiah 17","slug":"points-to-ponder-isaiah-17","old_id":"65708","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":38102,"post_title":"929-English","slug":"929-english","old_id":"38102","first_name":"","last_name":"929-English","description":"","short_description":"","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":38333,"alt":"","title":"\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5.png","width":1513,"height":860,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5-300x171.png","medium-width":300,"medium-height":171,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5-768x437.png","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":437,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5-1024x582.png","large-width":1024,"large-height":582,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5.png","1536x1536-width":1513,"1536x1536-height":860,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5.png","2048x2048-width":1513,"2048x2048-height":860,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5-1200x682.png","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":682,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5-739x420.png","home_baner-width":739,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"351","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"","post_main_content_content":"

    \r\n\t
  1. The prophet is consistent<\/em>. We have seen the definition of idolatry as worshipping the works of human hands before, in chapter 2. There the prophet presented the root of the problem as overweening human pride.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t
  2. Natural numbers<\/em>. The prophet gets across the idea of the small remnant that will be left of Israel, with the help of numerical images from agriculture: \u201cOnly gleanings shall be left of him, As when one beats an olive tree: Two berries or three on the topmost branch, Four or five on the boughs of the crown\u201d (verse 6), that is, only a few olives at the top of the tree, and on the other branches. That is a very sparse harvest compared to what is expected from an olive tree; a small remnant from the kingdom of Israel.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t
  3. Green wasteland<\/em>? The land that is abandoned and waste is actually - a forest (see interpretations of verse 9). Why? Because in the hill country, when agriculture is destroyed, natural woodland takes over the previously cultivated areas.<\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>","post_main_content_image":{"id":86314,"alt":"","title":"Points to ponder","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","width":1000,"height":1000,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder-300x300.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder-768x768.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":768,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","large-width":1000,"large-height":1000,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","1536x1536-width":1000,"1536x1536-height":1000,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","2048x2048-width":1000,"2048x2048-height":1000,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","post_full_size-width":1000,"post_full_size-height":1000,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder-420x420.jpg","home_baner-width":420,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"Isaiah 17","tile_main_caption":"Points to Ponder","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Insights and questions for personal reflection and group discussion","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":86314,"alt":"","title":"Points to ponder","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","width":1000,"height":1000,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder-300x300.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder-768x768.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":768,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","large-width":1000,"large-height":1000,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","1536x1536-width":1000,"1536x1536-height":1000,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","2048x2048-width":1000,"2048x2048-height":1000,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","post_full_size-width":1000,"post_full_size-height":1000,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder-420x420.jpg","home_baner-width":420,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"tile_link_for_pay":"0","send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Prophets","book":"Isaiah","chapter":"17","chapter_main_number":"351","date":"20270103","wall_id":"351"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false}],"hide_acf":true,"home_image":false,"home_posts":false,"home_posts_title":"","posts_home":[],"static_cube_title":"","static_cube_brief":"","static_cube_color":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/wall\/65275"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/wall"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/wall"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=65275"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}