Prophecies against Ammon

49 About the Ammonites,(A) this is what the Lord says:

Does Israel have no sons?
Is he without an heir?
Why then has Milcom[a][b] dispossessed Gad(B)
and his people settled in their cities?
Therefore look, the days are coming—
this is the Lord’s declaration—
when I will make the shout of battle(C) heard
against Rabbah of the Ammonites.
It will become a desolate mound,
and its villages will be burned down.
Israel will dispossess their dispossessors,
says the Lord.
Wail, Heshbon,(D) for Ai is devastated;
cry out, daughters of Rabbah!
Clothe yourselves with sackcloth,(E) and lament;
run back and forth within your walls,[c]
because Milcom will go into exile
together with his priests and officials.(F)
Why do you brag about your valleys,
your flowing valley,[d]
you faithless daughter?
You who trust in your treasures
and boast, “Who can attack me?”
Look, I am about to bring terror on you(G)
this is the declaration of
the Lord God of Hosts—
from all those around you.
You will be banished, each man headlong,
with no one to gather up the fugitives.
But after that, I will restore the fortunes[e] of the Ammonites.(H)
This is the Lord’s declaration.

Prophecies against Edom

About Edom, this is what the Lord of Hosts says:

Is there no longer wisdom in Teman?[f]
Has counsel perished from the prudent?
Has their wisdom rotted away?(I)
Run! Turn back! Lie low,
residents of Dedan,(J)
for I will bring Esau’s calamity on him
at the time I punish him.(K)
If grape harvesters came to you,
wouldn’t they leave some gleanings?(L)
Were thieves to come in the night,
they would destroy only what they wanted.(M)
10 But I will strip Esau bare;
I will uncover his secret places.(N)
He will try to hide himself, but he will be unable.
His descendants will be destroyed
along with his relatives and neighbors.
He will exist no longer.
11 Abandon your fatherless; I will preserve them;
let your widows trust in Me.(O)

12 “For this is what the Lord says: If those who do not deserve to drink the cup must drink it, can you possibly remain unpunished? You will not remain unpunished, for you must drink it too. 13 For by Myself I have sworn”—this is the Lord’s declaration—“Bozrah[g] will become a desolation, a disgrace, a ruin, and a curse, and all her cities will become ruins forever.”(P)

14 I have heard a message from the Lord;
a messenger has been sent among the nations:
Assemble yourselves to come against her.
Rise up for war!

15 Look, I will certainly make you insignificant among the nations,
despised among humanity.
16 As to the terror you cause,[h]
your presumptuous heart has deceived you.
You who live in the clefts of the rock,[i]
you who occupy the mountain summit,
though you elevate your nest like the eagle,
even from there I will bring you down.
This is the Lord’s declaration.(Q)

17 “Edom will become a desolation. Everyone who passes by her will be horrified and scoff because of all her wounds.(R) 18 As when Sodom and Gomorrah were overthrown along with their neighbors,”(S) says the Lord, “no one will live there; no human being will even stay in it as a temporary resident.(T)

19 “Look, it will be like a lion coming from the thickets[j] of the Jordan to the watered grazing land. Indeed, I will chase Edom away from her land in a flash. I will appoint whoever is chosen for her. For who is like Me? Who will summon Me?(U) Who is the shepherd who can stand against Me?”

20 Therefore, hear the plans that the Lord has drawn up against Edom and the strategies He has devised against the people of Teman:(V) The flock’s little lambs will certainly be dragged away,(W) and their grazing land will be made desolate because of them. 21 At the sound of their fall the earth will quake; the sound of her cry will be heard at the Red Sea.(X) 22 Look! It will be like an eagle soaring upward, then swooping down and spreading its wings over Bozrah. In that day the hearts of Edom’s warriors will be like the heart of a woman with contractions.(Y)

Prophecies against Damascus

23 About Damascus:(Z)

Hamath and Arpad are put to shame,(AA)
for they have heard a bad report and are agitated;
in the sea there is anxiety that cannot be calmed.
24 Damascus has become weak;
she has turned to run;
panic has gripped her.
Distress and labor pains have seized her
like a woman in labor.
25 How can the city of praise not be abandoned,(AB)
the town that brings Me joy?
26 Therefore, her young men will fall in her public squares;
all the warriors will perish in that day.
This is the declaration of
the Lord of Hosts.(AC)
27 I will set fire to the wall of Damascus;
it will consume Ben-hadad’s citadels.(AD)

Prophecies against Kedar and Hazor

28 About Kedar(AE) and the kingdoms of Hazor, which Nebuchadnezzar,(AF) Babylon’s king, defeated, this is what the Lord says:

Rise up, go against Kedar,
and destroy the people of the east!
29 They will take their tents and their flocks
along with their tent curtains and all their equipment.
They will take their camels for themselves.
They will call out to them:
Terror is on every side!(AG)
30 Run! Escape quickly! Lie low,
residents of Hazor—
this is the Lord’s declaration—
for Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon
has drawn up a plan against you;
he has devised a strategy against you.

31 Rise up, go up against a nation at ease,
one living in security.
This is the Lord’s declaration.
They have no doors, not even a gate bar;
they live alone.(AH)
32 Their camels will become plunder,
and their massive herds of cattle will become spoil.(AI)
I will scatter them to the wind in every direction,
those who shave their temples;
I will bring calamity on them across all their borders.
This is the Lord’s declaration.
33 Hazor will become a jackals’ den,(AJ)
a desolation forever.
No one will live there;
no human being will even stay in it as a temporary resident.(AK)

Prophecies against Elam

34 This is the word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah the prophet about Elam[k] at the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah.(AL) 35 This is what the Lord of Hosts says:

I am about to shatter Elam’s bow,(AM)
the source[l] of their might.
36 I will bring the four winds against Elam
from the four corners of the heavens,
and I will scatter them to all these winds.
There will not be a nation
to which Elam’s banished ones will not go.
37 I will devastate Elam before their enemies,
before those who want to take their lives.
I will bring disaster on them,
My burning anger.
This is the Lord’s declaration.
I will send the sword after them(AN)
until I finish them off.
38 I will set My throne in Elam,
and I will destroy the king and officials from there.
This is the Lord’s declaration.

39 In the last days,
I will restore the fortunes[m] of Elam.(AO)
This is the Lord’s declaration.

Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 49:1 LXX, Syr, Vg; MT reads Malkam
  2. Jeremiah 49:1 = Molech
  3. Jeremiah 49:3 Or sheep pens
  4. Jeremiah 49:4 Or about your strength, your ebbing strength
  5. Jeremiah 49:6 Or will end the captivity
  6. Jeremiah 49:7 = a region or city in Edom
  7. Jeremiah 49:13 = Edom’s capital
  8. Jeremiah 49:16 Lit Your horror
  9. Jeremiah 49:16 = Petra
  10. Jeremiah 49:19 Lit pride
  11. Jeremiah 49:34 = modern Iran
  12. Jeremiah 49:35 Lit first
  13. Jeremiah 49:39 Or will end the captivity

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