5 Because Syria, Ephraim, and the son of Remaliah have plotted evil against you, saying,

6 “Let us go up against Judah and¹ trouble it, and let us make a gap in its wall for ourselves, and set a king over them, the son of Tabel”— ‡

8 ^aFor the head of Syria is Damascus,
And the head of Damascus is Rezin.
Within sixty-five years Ephraim will be broken,
So that it will not be a people. ‡

9 The head of Ephraim is Samaria,
And the head of Samaria is Remaliah’s son.
^aIf you will not believe,
Surely you shall not be established.” ’ ”  ‡