Jeremiah 49

1 Concerning the Ammonites, thus saith the LORD: "Hath Israel no sons? Hath he no heir? Why then doth their king inherit Gad, and his people dwell in his cities?

2 Therefore behold, the days come," saith the LORD, "that I will cause an alarm of war to be heard in Rabbah of the Ammonites; and it shall be a desolate heap, and her daughters shall be burned with fire; then shall Israel be heir unto them that were his heirs," saith the LORD.

3 "Howl, O Heshbon, for Ai is despoiled! Cry, ye daughters of Rabbah; gird you with sackcloth! Lament, and run to and fro by the hedges; for their king shall go into captivity, and his priests and his princes together.

4 Why gloriest thou in the valleys, thy flowing valley, O backsliding daughter, that trusted in her treasures, saying, `Who shall come unto me?'

5 Behold, I will bring a fear upon thee," saith the Lord GOD of hosts, "from all those that be about thee; and ye shall be driven out, every man straight forth, and none shall gather up him that wandereth.

6 And afterward I will bring back the captives of the children of Ammon," saith the LORD.

7 Concerning Edom, thus saith the LORD of hosts: "Is wisdom no more in Teman? Is counsel perished from the prudent? Is their wisdom vanished?

8 Flee ye, turn back, dwell deep, O inhabitants of Dedan; for I will bring the calamity of Esau upon him, at the time that I will visit him.

9 If grape-gatherers come to thee, would they not leave some gleaning grapes? If thieves by night, they will destroy till they have enough.

10 But I have made Esau bare; I have uncovered his secret places, and he shall not be able to hide himself; his seed is despoiled, and his brethren and his neighbors, and he is no more.

11 Leave thy fatherless children; I will preserve them alive; and let thy widows trust in Me."

12 For thus saith the LORD: "Behold, they whose judgment was not to drink of the cup have assuredly drunk. And art thou he that shall altogether go unpunished? Thou shalt not go unpunished, but thou shalt surely drink of it.

13 For I have sworn by Myself," saith the LORD, "that Bozrah shall become a desolation, a reproach, a waste, and a curse; and all the cities thereof shall be perpetual wastes."

14 I have heard a word from the LORD, and an ambassador is sent unto the heathen, saying, "Gather ye together, and come against her, and rise up to the battle!"

15 "For lo, I will make thee small among the heathen and despised among men.

16 Thy terribleness hath deceived thee, and the pride of thine heart, O thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rock, that holdest the height of the hill; though thou shouldest make thy nest as high as the eagle, I will bring thee down from thence," saith the LORD.

17 "Also Edom shall be a desolation; every one that goeth by it shall be astonished and shall hiss at all the plagues thereof.

18 As in the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah and the neighbor cities thereof," saith the LORD, "no man shall abide there, neither shall a son of man dwell in it.

19 Behold, he shall come up like a lion from the swelling of the Jordan against the habitation of the strong; but I will suddenly make him run away from her. And who is a chosen man, that I may appoint over her? For who is like Me? And who will appoint Me a time? And who is that shepherd that will stand before Me?"

20 Therefore hear the counsel of the LORD that He hath taken against Edom, and His purposes that He hath purposed against the inhabitants of Teman. Surely the least of the flock shall draw them out; surely He shall make their habitations desolate with them.

21 The earth is moved at the noise of their fall; at the cry the noise thereof was heard in the Red Sea.

22 Behold, He shall come up and fly as the eagle, and spread His wings over Bozrah; and at that day shall the heart of the mighty men of Edom be as the heart of a woman in her pangs.

23 Concerning Damascus: "Hamath is confounded, and Arpad, for they have heard evil tidings; they are fainthearted; there is sorrow on the sea; it cannot be quiet.

24 Damascus is waxed feeble and turneth herself to flee, and fear hath seized on her; anguish and sorrows have taken her, as a woman in travail.

25 How is the city of praise not left, the city of My joy!

26 Therefore her young men shall fall in her streets, and all the men of war shall be cut off in that day," saith the LORD of hosts.

27 "And I will kindle a fire in the wall of Damascus, and it shall consume the palaces of Benhadad."

28 Concerning Kedar and concerning the kingdoms of Hazor, which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon shall smite, thus saith the LORD: "Arise ye, go up to Kedar, and despoil the men of the East.

29 Their tents and their flocks shall they take away; they shall take for themselves their curtains and all their vessels and their camels; and they shall cry unto them, `Fear is on every side!'

30 Flee, get you far off! Dwell deep, O ye inhabitants of Hazor," saith the LORD. "For Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon hath taken counsel against you, and hath conceived a purpose against you.

31 "Arise, get you up unto the wealthy nation, that dwelleth without cares," saith the LORD, "which have neither gates nor bars, which dwell alone.

32 And their camels shall be a booty, and the multitude of their cattle a spoil; and I will scatter into all winds them that are in the utmost corners; and I will bring their calamity from all sides thereof," saith the LORD.

33 "And Hazor shall be a dwelling for dragons, and a desolation for ever; there shall no man abide there, nor any son of man dwell in it."

34 The word of the LORD that came to Jeremiah the prophet against Elam, in the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah, saying,

35 "Thus saith the LORD of hosts: "`Behold, I will break the bow of Elam, the chief of their might.

36 And upon Elam will I bring the four winds from the four quarters of heaven, and will scatter them toward all those winds; and there shall be no nation whither the outcasts of Elam shall not come.

37 For I will cause Elam to be dismayed before their enemies and before them that seek their life; and I will bring evil upon them, even My fierce anger,' saith the LORD; `and I will send the sword after them till I have consumed them.

38 And I will set My throne in Elam, and will destroy from thence the king and the princes,' saith the LORD.

39 "`But it shall come to pass in the latter days, that I will bring back the captives of Elam,' saith the LORD."

Jeremiah 49 Commentary

Chapter 49

Prophecies relative to the Ammonites. (1-6) The Edomites. (7-22) The Syrians. (23-27) The Kedarenes. (28-33) The Elamites. (34-39)

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.

Verses 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.

Verses 23-27 How easily God can dispirit those nations that have been most celebrated for valour! Damascus waxes feeble. It was a city of joy, having all the delights of the sons of men. But those deceive themselves who place their happiness in carnal joys.

Verses 28-33 Nebuchadnezzar would make desolation among the people of Kedar, who dwelt in the deserts of Arabia. He who conquered many strong cities, will not leave those unconquered that dwell in tents. He will do this to gratify his own covetousness and ambition; but God orders it for correcting an unthankful people, and for warning a careless world to expect trouble when they seem most safe. They shall flee, get far off, and dwell deep in the deserts; they shall be dispersed. But privacy and obscurity are not always protection and security.

Verses 34-39 The Elamites were the Persians; they acted against God's Israel, and must be reckoned with. Evil pursues sinners. God will make them know that he reigns. Yet the destruction of Elam shall not be for ever. But this promise was to have its full accomplishment in the days of the Messiah. In reading the Divine assurance of the destruction of all the enemies of the church, the believer sees that the issue of the holy war is not doubtful. It is blessed to recollect, that He who is for us, is more than all against us. And he will subdue the enemies of our souls.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO JEREMIAH 49

This chapter contains prophecies concerning the judgments of God on several nations and kingdoms, chiefly bordering on the land of Israel; on the Ammonites, Jer 49:1-6; on the Edomites, Jer 49:7-22; on the kingdom of Damascus, or the Syrians, Jer 49:23-27; on the Kedarenes or Arabians, Jer 49:28-33; and on the Elamites or Persians, Jer 49:34-39.