(For {the children} being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;)

For the head of Syria {is} Damascus, and the head of Damascus {is} Rezin; and within threescore and five years shall Ephraim be broken, that it be not a people. {that...: Heb. from a people}

Moreover your little ones, which ye said should be a prey, and your children, which in that day had no knowledge between good and evil, they shall go in thither, and unto them will I give it, and they shall possess it.

Butter and honey shall he eat, that he may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good.

Against him came up Shalmaneser king of Assyria; and Hoshea became his servant, and gave him presents. {gave: Heb. rendered} {presents: or, tribute}

And should not I spare Nineveh, that great city, wherein are more than sixscore thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand; and {also} much cattle?

Then the king of Assyria came up throughout all the land, and went up to Samaria, and besieged it three years.

I will send him against an hypocritical nation, and against the people of my wrath will I give him a charge, to take the spoil, and to take the prey, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets. {tread...: Heb. lay them a treading}

And the king of Assyria hearkened unto him: for the king of Assyria went up against Damascus, and took it, and carried {the people of} it captive to Kir, and slew Rezin. {Damascus: Heb. Dammesek}

The fortress also shall cease from Ephraim, and the kingdom from Damascus, and the remnant of Syria: they shall be as the glory of the children of Israel, saith the LORD of hosts.

In the days of Pekah king of Israel came Tiglathpileser king of Assyria, and took Ijon, and Abelbethmaachah, and Janoah, and Kedesh, and Hazor, and Gilead, and Galilee, all the land of Naphtali, and carried them captive to Assyria.

Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Damascus, and for four, I will not turn away {the punishment} thereof; because they have threshed Gilead with threshing instruments of iron: {and...: or, yea, for four} {turn...: or, convert it, or, let it be quiet}

For before the child shall know to refuse the evil, and choose the good, the land that thou abhorrest shall be forsaken of both her kings.

The fortress also shall cease from Ephraim, and the kingdom from Damascus, and the remnant of Syria: they shall be as the glory of the children of Israel, saith the LORD of hosts.

The Lord sent a word into Jacob, and it hath lighted upon Israel.

Therefore the LORD shall set up the adversaries of Rezin against him, and join his enemies together; {join: Heb. mingle}

O Assyrian, the rod of mine anger, and the staff in their hand is mine indignation. {O...: or, Woe to the Assyrian: Heb. Asshur} {and: or, though}

The burden of Damascus. Behold, Damascus is taken away from {being} a city, and it shall be a ruinous heap.

Woe to the crown of pride, to the drunkards of Ephraim, whose glorious beauty {is} a fading flower, which {are} on the head of the fat valleys of them that are overcome with wine! {overcome: Heb. broken}

Samaria shall become desolate; for she hath rebelled against her God: they shall fall by the sword: their infants shall be dashed in pieces, and their women with child shall be ripped up.

But, behold, I will raise up against you a nation, O house of Israel, saith the LORD the God of hosts; and they shall afflict you from the entering in of Hemath unto the river of the wilderness. {river: or, valley}

And say unto him, Take heed, and be quiet; fear not, neither be fainthearted for the two tails of these smoking firebrands, for the fierce anger of Rezin with Syria, and of the son of Remaliah. {neither...: Heb. let not thy heart be tender}

For the head of Syria {is} Damascus, and the head of Damascus {is} Rezin; and within threescore and five years shall Ephraim be broken, that it be not a people. {that...: Heb. from a people}

And the king of Assyria did carry away Israel unto Assyria, and put them in Halah and in Habor {by} the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes:

Thus saith the LORD; As the shepherd taketh out of the mouth of the lion two legs, or a piece of an ear; so shall the children of Israel be taken out that dwell in Samaria in the corner of a bed, and in Damascus {in} a couch. {taketh: Heb. delivereth} {in Damascus...: or, on the bed's feet}