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49 ¶ Concerning the Ammonites, thus hath the LORD said: Does Israel have no sons? does he have no heir? why then does their king inherit Gad and his people dwell in his cities?

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

Howl, O Heshbon, for Ai is spoiled; cry, ye daughters of Rabbah, gird yourselves 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.

Why gloriest thou in the valleys? Thy valley has slipped, O backsliding daughter that trusted in her treasures, she that saith, Who shall come against me?

Behold, I bring fear upon thee, saith the Lord GOD of the hosts, from all sides; and ye shall be driven out each man right forth in the direction he is facing; and no one shall gather up him that wanders.

And afterward I will turn again the captivity of the sons of Ammon, said the LORD.

¶ Concerning Edom, thus hath the LORD of the hosts said: Is there no more wisdom in Teman? Has the counsel of the wise perished? Is their wisdom corrupted?

Flee, turn back, hide in the deeps to remain, O inhabitants of Dedan; for I will bring the calamity of Esau upon him, at the time that I have to visit him.

If grapegatherers came against thee, would they not leave some gleaning grapes? If thieves by night, they will take what they have need of.

10 But I will make Esau bare, I will uncover his secret places, and he shall not be able to hide himself; his seed shall be destroyed, and his brethren and his neighbours and he shall no longer be.

11 Leave thy fatherless children; I will raise them; and thy widows shall trust in me.

12 For thus hath the LORD said: Behold, those who were not condemned to drink of the cup have assuredly drunken; and shalt thou be absolved of everything? Thou shalt not be absolved, but thou shalt surely drink of it.

13 For I have sworn by myself, said the LORD, that Bozrah shall become a desolation, a reproach, a waste, and a curse; and all its cities shall be perpetual wastes.

14 I have heard the news, that from the LORD a messenger had been sent unto the Gentiles, saying, Gather ye together, and come against her, and rise up to the battle.

15 For, behold, I have placed thee as small among the Gentiles and despised among men.

16 Thy arrogance has deceived thee, and the pride of thine heart, O thou that dost dwell in the clefts of the rock, that dost hold the height of the mountain: though thou should make thy nest as high as the eagle, I will bring thee down from there, said the LORD.

17 Also Edom shall be a desolation; every one that goes by it shall be astonished and shall hiss at all its plagues.

18 As in the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah and the neighbour cities thereof, said 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 Jordan to the strong habitation: for I will make rest and make him run from upon her, and he who is chosen I shall appoint over her; for who is like me? and who will appoint me the time? and who is that shepherd that will stand before me?

20 Therefore hear the counsel of the LORD that he has taken against Edom; and his thoughts, that he has purposed against the inhabitants of Teman: Surely the least of the flock shall draw them out; surely he shall destroy their habitations 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 rise up and fly as the eagle and spread his wings over Bozrah; and at that day the heart of the mighty men of Edom shall be as the heart of a woman in her pangs.

23 ¶ Concerning Damascus. Hamath is con­founded, and Arpad, for they have heard bad news; they have melted in waters of feebleness; they cannot be reassured.

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

25 How did they not forgive the city of praise, 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, said the LORD of the hosts.

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

28 ¶ Concerning Kedar, and concerning the kingdoms of Hazor, which Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon smote, thus hath the LORD said; Arise ye, go up to Kedar and destroy the men of the east.

29 Their tents and their flocks shall they take away; they shall take to themselves their curtains and all their vessels and their camels; and they shall invoke fear on every side against them.

30 Flee, get you far off, dwell in the deeps that ye may stand, O ye inhabitants of Hazor, said the LORD; for Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon has taken counsel against you and has conceived a purpose against you.

31 Arise, get you up unto the wealthy nation that dwells without care, saith the LORD, which has neither gates nor bars, which dwells alone.

32 And their camels shall be a booty, and the multitude of their cattle a spoil: and I will scatter them into all the winds, throwing them out unto the utmost corner; and from all their sides I will bring their ruin, said the LORD.

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

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

35 Thus hath the LORD of the hosts said: Behold, I break the bow of Elam, the foundation of their might.

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

37 For I will cause Elam to fear before their enemies and before those that seek their soul; and I will bring evil upon them, even my fierce anger, said the LORD; and I will send the sword after them until I have consumed them.

38 And I will set my throne in Elam and will destroy from there the king and the princes, said the LORD.

39 But it shall come to pass in the last of the days that I will turn again the captivity of Elam, said the LORD.

A Message About Ammon

49 Concerning the Ammonites:(A)

This is what the Lord says:

“Has Israel no sons?
    Has Israel no heir?
Why then has Molek[a](B) taken possession of Gad?(C)
    Why do his people live in its towns?
But the days are coming,”
    declares the Lord,
“when I will sound the battle cry(D)
    against Rabbah(E) of the Ammonites;
it will become a mound of ruins,(F)
    and its surrounding villages will be set on fire.
Then Israel will drive out
    those who drove her out,(G)
says the Lord.
“Wail, Heshbon,(H) for Ai(I) is destroyed!
    Cry out, you inhabitants of Rabbah!
Put on sackcloth(J) and mourn;
    rush here and there inside the walls,
for Molek(K) will go into exile,(L)
    together with his priests and officials.
Why do you boast of your valleys,
    boast of your valleys so fruitful?
Unfaithful Daughter Ammon,(M)
    you trust in your riches(N) and say,
    ‘Who will attack me?’(O)
I 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.(P)

“Yet afterward, I will restore(Q) the fortunes of the Ammonites,”
declares the Lord.

A Message About Edom(R)(S)

Concerning Edom:(T)

This is what the Lord Almighty says:

“Is there no longer wisdom in Teman?(U)
    Has counsel perished from the prudent?
    Has their wisdom decayed?
Turn and flee, hide in deep caves,(V)
    you who live in Dedan,(W)
for I will bring disaster on Esau
    at the time when I punish him.
If 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?
10 But I will strip Esau bare;
    I will uncover his hiding places,(X)
    so that he cannot conceal himself.
His armed men are destroyed,
    also his allies and neighbors,
    so there is no one(Y) to say,
11 ‘Leave your fatherless children;(Z) I will keep them alive.
    Your widows(AA) too can depend on me.’”

12 This is what the Lord says: “If those who do not deserve to drink the cup(AB) must drink it, why should you go unpunished?(AC) You will not go unpunished, but must drink it. 13 I swear(AD) by myself,” declares the Lord, “that Bozrah(AE) will become a ruin and a curse,[b] an object of horror(AF) and reproach;(AG) and all its towns will be in ruins forever.”(AH)

14 I 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 by mankind.
16 The terror you inspire
    and the pride(AI) of your heart have deceived you,
you who live in the clefts of the rocks,(AJ)
    who occupy the heights of the hill.
Though you build your nest(AK) as high as the eagle’s,
    from there I will bring you down,”
declares the Lord.
17 “Edom will become an object of horror;(AL)
    all who pass by will be appalled and will scoff
    because of all its wounds.(AM)
18 As Sodom(AN) and Gomorrah(AO) were overthrown,
    along with their neighboring towns,”
says the Lord,
“so no one will live there;
    no people will dwell(AP) in it.

19 “Like a lion(AQ) coming up from Jordan’s thickets(AR)
    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(AS) me and who can challenge me?(AT)
    And what shepherd(AU) can stand against me?”

20 Therefore, hear what the Lord has planned against Edom,(AV)
    what he has purposed(AW) against those who live in Teman:(AX)
The young of the flock(AY) will be dragged away;
    their pasture will be appalled at their fate.(AZ)
21 At the sound of their fall the earth will tremble;(BA)
    their cry(BB) will resound to the Red Sea.[c]
22 Look! An eagle will soar and swoop(BC) down,
    spreading its wings over Bozrah.(BD)
In that day the hearts of Edom’s warriors(BE)
    will be like the heart of a woman in labor.(BF)

A Message About Damascus

23 Concerning Damascus:(BG)

“Hamath(BH) and Arpad(BI) are dismayed,
    for they have heard bad news.
They are disheartened,
    troubled like[d] the restless sea.(BJ)
24 Damascus 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.(BK)
25 Why has the city of renown not been abandoned,
    the town in which I delight?
26 Surely, her young men(BL) will fall in the streets;
    all her soldiers will be silenced(BM) in that day,”
declares the Lord Almighty.
27 “I will set fire(BN) to the walls of Damascus;(BO)
    it will consume(BP) the fortresses of Ben-Hadad.(BQ)

A Message About Kedar and Hazor

28 Concerning Kedar(BR) and the kingdoms of Hazor,(BS) which Nebuchadnezzar(BT) king of Babylon attacked:

This is what the Lord says:

“Arise, and attack Kedar
    and destroy the people of the East.(BU)
29 Their tents and their flocks(BV) will be taken;
    their shelters will be carried off
    with all their goods and camels.
People will shout to them,
    ‘Terror(BW) on every side!’

30 “Flee quickly away!
    Stay in deep caves,(BX) you who live in Hazor,(BY)
declares the Lord.
“Nebuchadnezzar(BZ) 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;(CA)
    its people live far from danger.
32 Their camels(CB) will become plunder,
    and their large herds(CC) will be spoils of war.
I will scatter to the winds(CD) those who are in distant places[e](CE)
    and will bring disaster on them from every side,”
declares the Lord.
33 “Hazor(CF) will become a haunt of jackals,(CG)
    a desolate(CH) place forever.
No one will live there;
    no people will dwell(CI) in it.”

A Message About Elam

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

35 This is what the Lord Almighty says:

“See, I will break the bow(CL) of Elam,
    the mainstay of their might.
36 I will bring against Elam the four winds(CM)
    from the four quarters of heaven;(CN)
I will scatter them to the four winds,
    and there will not be a nation
    where Elam’s exiles do not go.
37 I will shatter Elam before their foes,
    before those who want to kill them;
I will bring disaster on them,
    even my fierce anger,”(CO)
declares the Lord.
“I will pursue them with the sword(CP)
    until I have made an end of them.
38 I will set my throne in Elam
    and destroy her king and officials,”
declares the Lord.

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

Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 49:1 Or their king; also in verse 3
  2. Jeremiah 49:13 That is, its name will be used in cursing (see 29:22); or, others will see that it is cursed.
  3. Jeremiah 49:21 Or the Sea of Reeds
  4. Jeremiah 49:23 Hebrew on or by
  5. Jeremiah 49:32 Or who clip the hair by their foreheads