Jeremiah 49

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1Concerning the Ammonites: This is what the Lord says: “Has Israel no sons? Has she no heirs? Why then has Molech taken possession of Gad? Why do his people live in its towns?

2But the days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will sound the battle cry against Rabbah of the Ammonites; it will become a mound of ruins, and its surrounding villages will be set on fire. Then Israel will drive out those who drove her out,” says the Lord.

3“Wail, O Heshbon, for Ai is destroyed! Cry out, O inhabitants of Rabbah! Put on sackcloth and mourn; rush here and there inside the walls, for Molech will go into exile, together with his priests and officials.

4Why do you boast of your valleys, boast of your valleys so fruitful? O unfaithful daughter, you trust in your riches and say, ‘Who will attack me?’

5I will bring terror on you from all those around you,” declares the Lord, the Lord Almighty. “Every one of you will be driven away, and no one will gather the fugitives.

6“Yet afterward, I will restore the fortunes of the Ammonites,” declares the Lord.

7Concerning Edom: This is what the Lord Almighty says: “Is there no longer wisdom in Teman? Has counsel perished from the prudent? Has their wisdom decayed?

8Turn and flee, hide in deep caves, you who live in Dedan, for I will bring disaster on Esau at the time I punish him.

9If grape pickers came to you, would they not leave a few grapes? If thieves came during the night, would they not steal only as much as they wanted?

10But I will strip Esau bare; I will uncover his hiding places, so that he cannot conceal himself. His children, relatives and neighbors will perish, and he will be no more.

11Leave your orphans; I will protect their lives. Your widows too can trust in me.”

12This is what the Lord says: “If those who do not deserve to drink the cup must drink it, why should you go unpunished? You will not go unpunished, but must drink it.

13I swear by myself,” declares the Lord, “that Bozrah will become a ruin and an object of horror, of reproach and of cursing; and all its towns will be in ruins forever.”

14I have heard a message from the Lord: An envoy was sent to the nations to say, “Assemble yourselves to attack it! Rise up for battle!”

15“Now I will make you small among the nations, despised among men.

16The terror you inspire and the pride of your heart have deceived you, you who live in the clefts of the rocks, who occupy the heights of the hill. Though you build your nest as high as the eagle's, from there I will bring you down,” declares the Lord.

17“Edom will become an object of horror; all who pass by will be appalled and will scoff because of all its wounds.

18As Sodom and Gomorrah were overthrown, along with their neighboring towns,” says the Lord, “so no one will live there; no man will dwell in it.

19“Like a lion coming up from Jordan's thickets to a rich pastureland, I will chase Edom from its land in an instant. Who is the chosen one I will appoint for this? Who is like me and who can challenge me? And what shepherd can stand against me?”

20Therefore, hear what the Lord has planned against Edom, what he has purposed against those who live in Teman: The young of the flock will be dragged away; he will completely destroy their pasture because of them.

21At the sound of their fall the earth will tremble; their cry will resound to the Red Sea.

22Look! An eagle will soar and swoop down, spreading its wings over Bozrah. In that day the hearts of Edom's warriors will be like the heart of a woman in labor.

23Concerning Damascus: “Hamath and Arpad are dismayed, for they have heard bad news. They are disheartened, troubled like the restless sea.

24Damascus has become feeble, she has turned to flee and panic has gripped her; anguish and pain have seized her, pain like that of a woman in labor.

25Why has the city of renown not been abandoned, the town in which I delight?

26Surely, her young men will fall in the streets; all her soldiers will be silenced in that day,” declares the Lord Almighty.

27“I will set fire to the walls of Damascus; it will consume the fortresses of Ben-Hadad.”

28Concerning Kedar and the kingdoms of Hazor, which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon attacked: This is what the Lord says: “Arise, and attack Kedar and destroy the people of the East.

29Their tents and their flocks will be taken; their shelters will be carried off with all their goods and camels. Men will shout to them, ‘Terror on every side!’

30“Flee quickly away! Stay in deep caves, you who live in Hazor,” declares the Lord. “Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon has plotted against you; he has devised a plan against you.

31“Arise and attack a nation at ease, which lives in confidence,” declares the Lord, “a nation that has neither gates nor bars; its people live alone.

32Their camels will become plunder, and their large herds will be booty. I will scatter to the winds those who are in distant places and will bring disaster on them from every side,” declares the Lord.

33“Hazor will become a haunt of jackals, a desolate place forever. No one will live there; no man will dwell in it.”

34This is the word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah the prophet concerning Elam, early in the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah:

35This is what the Lord Almighty says: “See, I will break the bow of Elam, the mainstay of their might.

36I will bring against Elam the four winds from the four quarters of the heavens; I will scatter them to the four winds, and there will not be a nation where Elam's exiles do not go.

37I will shatter Elam before their foes, before those who seek their lives; I will bring disaster upon them, even my fierce anger,” declares the Lord. “I will pursue them with the sword until I have made an end of them.

38I will set my throne in Elam and destroy her king and officials,” declares the Lord.

39“Yet I will restore the fortunes of Elam in days to come,” declares the Lord.

Commentary

CHAPTER 49Jer 49:1-39. Predictions as to Ammon, Idumea, Damascus, Kedar, Hazor, and Elam.The event of the prophecy as to Ammon preceded that as to Moab (see on [989]Jer 49:3); and in Eze 21:26-28, the destruction of Ammon is subjoined to the deposition of Zedekiah.1. Hath Israel … no heir?—namely, to occupy the land of Gad, after it itself has been carried away captive by Shalmaneser. Ammon, like Moab, descended from Lot, lay north of Moab, from which it was separated by the river Arnon, and east of Reuben and Gad (Jos 13:24, 25) on the same side of Jordan. It seized on Gad when Israel was carried captive. Judah was by the right of kindred the heir, not Ammon; but Ammon joined with Nebuchadnezzar against Judah and Jerusalem (2Ki 24:2) and exulted over its fall (Ps 83:4-7, 8; Zep 2:8, 9). It had already, in the days of Jeroboam, in Israel's affliction, tried to "enlarge its border" (2Ki 14:26; Am 1:1, 13).their king—(Am 1:15); referring to Melchom, their tutelary idol (Zep 1:5); and so the Septuagint reads it here as a proper name (1Ki 11:5, 33; 2Ki 23:13). The Ammonite god is said to do what they do, namely, occupy the Israelite land of Gad. To Jehovah, the theocratic "King" of Israel, the land belonged of right; so that their Molech or Melchom was a usurper-king.his people—the people of Melchom, "their king." Compare "people of Chemosh," Jer 48:46.

49:1-6. Might often prevails against right among men, yet that might shall be controlled by the Almighty, who judges aright; and those will find themselves mistaken, who, like the Ammonites, think every thing their own on which they can lay their hands. The Lord will call men to account for every instance of dishonesty, especially to the destitute.

49:1 No heir - During the long tract of time that there were wars between the Jews and Ammonites, the land of Gad and Reuben which lay beyond Jordan, fell into the hands of the Syrians, Moabites, and Ammonites. Hence it is that the prophet saith, Hath Israel no sons? God had given that country of Gilead to Manasseh, Reuben, and Gad; and as mens estates ought to descend to their heirs, so this land should have descended to their posterity, but the Ammonites had taken and possessed it.

2. Rabbah—"the great," metropolis of Ammon (2Sa 12:26-30). Its destruction is foretold also in Eze 25:5; Am 1:14, 15.her daughters—the towns and villages, dependencies of the metropolis (Jos 15:45).shall … be heir—shall possess those who possessed him. The full accomplishment of this is still future; partially fulfilled under the Maccabees (1 Maccabees 5:6).

3. Heshbon … Ai—Nebuchadnezzar, coming from the north, first attacked Ammon, then its brother and neighbor, Moab. As Ai of Ammon had already suffered destruction, Heshbon of Moab being near it might well fear the same fate.hedges—Their cities being destroyed, the outcasts have no place of shelter save behind the "hedges" of vineyards and gardens; or else the enclosures of their villages.their king—Melchom, the idol, as the mention of "his priests" shows (compare Jer 48:7).

4. thy flowing valley—rather, "thy valley shall flow," namely with the blood of the slain; in sad contrast to their "valleys" in which they had heretofore "gloried," as flowing with milk and honey [Grotius]. Or else, as Margin, "shall flow away."backsliding—apostate from Jehovah, the God of their father Lot, to Molech.treasures—her resources for resisting the foe.Who shall, &c.—Who can come … (Jer 21:13).

7. Concerning Edom—a distinct prophecy, copied in part from Obadiah, but with the freedom of one himself inspired and foretelling a later calamity. Obadiah's was fulfilled probably in Sennacherib's time (compare Isa 34:5; Am 1:11); Jeremiah's about the same time as his preceding prophecies (Jer 49:12; Eze 25:12).wisdom—for which the Arabs and the people of Teman (a city of Edom) in particular, were famed (Ge 36:15; 1Ki 4:30; see Job, everywhere; Ob 8).vanished—literally, "poured out," that is, exhausted (compare Isa 19:3, Margin) [Maurer]. Or, as the kindred Ethiopic word means, "worn out" [Ludovicus De Dieu].

49:7 Edom - The Edomites were the posterity of Esau the eldest son of Isaac, but disinherited; the blessing being given to his younger brother Jacob, who was head of the twelve tribes of Israel. God promised him that he should have a fat, and plentiful country, tho' his brother should be his lord; and foretold, that he should break his brother's yoke from off his neck: the land of Seir was his country. The Edomites coasted southward upon Canaan, the Israelites passed by their coasts to go into Canaan, their way lay thro' Edom, but their king refusing to suffer them to go through, God ordered them to go another way. Balaam prophesied their ruin. They were enemies to the Israelites in the time of Saul, 1Sam 14:47, and David, 2Sam 8:14, and Amaziah, 2Kings 14:17, who slew of them ten thousand, and took Selah, calling it Jokteel. Many of the prophets foretold their ruin, Jeremiah in this place, Ezek 25:12 - 14 Joel 3:19 Amos 9:11,12, and others. Teman - Was a city of Edom.

49:7-22 The Edomites were old enemies to the Israel of God. But their day is now at hand; it is foretold, not only to warn them, but for the sake of the Israel of God, whose afflictions were aggravated by them. Thus Divine judgments go round from nation to nation; the earth is full of commotion, and nothing can escape the ministers of Divine vengeance. The righteousness of God is to be observed amidst the violence of men.

8. turn—namely, your backs in flight.dwell deep—in deep defiles and caves [Grotius], which abound in Idumea. Others refer it to the Arab custom of retiring into the depth of the desert when avoiding an offended foe (Jer 49:30).

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Translations8 · 5

AMHEVG ስለ አሞን ልጆች፤ እግዚአብሔር እንዲህ ይላል፦ ለእስራኤል ልጆች የሉትምን? ወይስ ወራሽ የለውምን? ስለ ምን ሚልኮም ጋድን ወረሰ? ሕዝቡስ በከተሞቹ ላይ ስለ ምን ተቀመጠ? አማርኛ BCV እግዚኣብሄር ብዛዕባ ደቂ ኣሞን ዝበሎ እዙይ እዩ፦ “ንእስራኤልዶ ውሉድ የብሉን እዩ? ወረስቲኸ የብሉን ድዩ? ስለ ምንታይ ድኣ እቲ ሚልኮም ንጉሶም ንጋድ ዝወረሳ? ህዝቡ ኸዓ ኣብ ከተማታቱ … ትግርኛ GAZBIB Waaqayyo waa'ee biyya Amooniif kanatti fufee kan jiru in dubbate; inni,“Israa'el ilmaan isa dhaalan hin qabuu ree” Maal… Afaan Oromoo BCV GIZ በእንተ ደቂቀ አሞን፤ ከመዝ ይቤ እግዚአብሔር፦ አልቦኑ ደቂቅ በውስተ እስራኤል፤ ወአልቦኑ ዘይወርስ እምኔሆሙ ከመ ይረስ ሞሎክ ለጋድ ወሕዝቡ ውስተ አህጉሪሁ ይንበር። giz GAZGAZ Waaqayyo waa'ee biyya Amooniif kanatti fufee kan jiru in dubbate; inni,“Israa'el ilmaan isa dhaalan hin qabuu ree” Maal… Afaan Oromoo BCV aksum እግዚኣብሄር ብዛዕባ ደቂ ኣሞን ዝበሎ እዙይ እዩ፦ “ንእስራኤልዶ ውሉድ የብሉን እዩ? ወረስቲኸ የብሉን ድዩ? ስለ ምንታይ ድኣ እቲ ሚልኮም ንጉሶም ንጋድ ዝወረሳ? ህዝቡ ኸዓ ኣብ ከተማታቱ … ትግርኛ AMHNIV ስለ አሞናውያን፤ እግዚአብሔር እንዲህ ይላል፤ “እስራኤል ወንዶች ልጆች አልወለደምን? ወራሾችስ የሉትምን? ታዲያ፣ ሚልኮምሸ ጋድን ለምን ወረሰ? የእርሱ ሰዎች ለምን በከተሞቿ ይኖራሉ? አማርኛ SWAHSUV Habari za wana wa Amoni. Bwana asema hivi, Je, Israeli hana wana? Je! Hana mrithi? Basi, mbona Malkamu anamiliki Gadi, … Kiswahili