The oracle against Damascus (a major city in Syria) is brief in comparison to the other oracles. It seems that this oracle is intimately connected with the judgment of Israel and the judgment on the nations. The structure of the chapter is far from simple. After the declaration of the oracle against Damascus, the prophet three times employs the introductory formula “in that day” (17:4, 7, 9), and the last section is introduced with the word “woe” (17:12). But if we look at the chapter from a literary perspective, we observe two major motifs in verses 1–3: destruction and the disappearance of glory. These motifs recur in verses 4–6, but in the reverse order, thus forming a chiastic structure. Verses 7 and 8 contain an invitation to repent, whereas verses 9–11 explain the reason for the des…