Isaiah 17:3

“The fortress also shall cease from Ephraim, &c.] The ten tribes, now in confederacy with the Syrians, whose metropolis or fortress was Samaria, which seems to be intended here; and should be destroyed, at least taken out of the hands of the Israelites, and they be carried captive by Shalmaneser king of Assyria, (<121706>2 Kings 17:6) and this may be understood, not of that particular city and fortress only, but of all their strongholds, the singular being, put for the plural. The Targum is, “the government shall cease from Ephraim”; they shall have no more a king over them, nor have they to this day: and the kingdom from Damascus, and the remnant of Syria; Damascus was the head city of…”

“fortress . . . cease--The strongholds shall be pulled down (Samaria especially: Hos 10:14; Mic 1:6; Hab 1:10). remnant of Syria--all that was left after the overthrow by Tiglath-pileser (Kg2 16:9). as the glory of . . . Israel--They shall meet with the same fate as Israel, their ally.”

“The fortress - The strong place of defense; the fortified place. Shall cease - Shall come to an end; shall cease to be, for so the word שׁבת shâbath is often used, Genesis 8:22; Isaiah 24:8; Lamentations 5:15. From Ephraim - The name given to the kingdom of Israel, or to the ten tribes, because Ephraim was the largest of the ten, and was a leading tribe in their councils (see the note at Isaiah 7:2). Ephraim, or the kingdom of Samaria, is mentioned here in connection with Damascus or Syria, because they were confederated together, and would be involved in the same overthrow. And the remnant of Syria - That which is left of the kingdom of Syria after the capital Damascus shall be destroyed.…”

“The fortress - All their fortresses; the singular number being put for the plural. Remnant - The remainders of Damascus and Syria shall be an headless body, a people without a king. Of Israel - Syria shall have as much glory as Israel; that is, neither of them shall have any at all. Isaiah 17:5”

“17:3 The strategic fortified towns of Israel were the pride of Israel, but they could not resist God’s purposes.”

“fortress: Isa 7:8, Isa 7:16, Isa 8:4, Isa 10:9; Kg2 16:9, Kg2 17:6; Hos 1:4, Hos 1:6, Hos 3:4, Hos 5:13, Hos 5:14, Hos 8:8; Hos 9:16, Hos 9:17, Hos 10:14, Hos 13:7, Hos 13:8, Hos 13:15, Hos 13:16; Amo 2:6-9, Amo 3:9-15, Amo 5:25-27, Amo 6:7-11; Amo 8:14, Amo 9:1-10; Mic 1:4-9 they shall: Isa 16:14, Isa 28:1-4; Hos 9:11 Isaiah 17:4”