“I will provoke civil strife in Egypt, brothers will fight with each other, as will neighbors, cities, and kingdoms.

and rescue you and this city from the king of Assyria. I will shield this city.”’”

The city is left in ruins; the gate is reduced to rubble.

Even if the forest is destroyed and the city is annihilated,

At that time five cities in the land of Egypt will speak the language of Canaan and swear allegiance to the Lord who commands armies. One will be called the City of the Sun.

Indeed, you have made the city into a heap of rubble, the fortified town into a heap of ruins; the fortress of foreigners is no longer a city, it will never be rebuilt.

The cities of Aroer are abandoned. They will be used for herds, which will lie down there in peace.

Daughter Zion is left isolated, like a hut in a vineyard, or a shelter in a cucumber field; she is a besieged city.

Is this the one who made the world like a desert, who ruined its cities, and refused to free his prisoners so they could return home?”’

Here is a message about Damascus: “Look, Damascus is no longer a city, it is a heap of ruins!

You saw the many breaks in the walls of the city of David; you stored up water in the lower pool.

“Take the harp, go through the city, forgotten prostitute! Play it well, play lots of songs, so you’ll be noticed!”

Highways are empty, there are no travelers. Treaties are broken, witnesses are despised, human life is treated with disrespect.

Where are the king of Hamath, the king of Arpad, and the kings of Lair, Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivvah?’”

He will go back the way he came – he will not enter this city,’ says the Lord.

I will shield this city and rescue it for the sake of my reputation and because of my promise to David my servant.”’”

Let the desert and its cities shout out, the towns where the nomads of Kedar live! Let the residents of Sela shout joyfully; let them shout loudly from the mountaintops.

Indeed, they live in the holy city; they trust in the God of Israel, whose name is the Lord who commands armies.

For you will spread out to the right and to the left; your children will conquer nations and will resettle desolate cities.

They will rebuild the perpetual ruins and restore the places that were desolate; they will reestablish the ruined cities, the places that have been desolate since ancient times.