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A Message About Ammon

49 This message is about the Ammonite people. This is what the Lord says:

“Do you think that Israel has no sons?
    Do you think there is no one to take the land when the parents die?
Maybe that is why Molech took Gad’s land.
    Maybe that is why Molech’s people live in Gad’s towns.”
The Lord says,
“The time will come when I will make
    the capital city of Rabbah Ammon hear the battle cry.
It will be a hill covered with ruins.
    And the towns around it will be burned.
Those people forced Israel out of that land.
    But now the people of Israel will force them out!” says the Lord.
“People in Heshbon, cry because the town of Ai is destroyed!
    Those who live in Rabbah Ammon, cry out!
Put on your rough cloth to show your sadness, and cry loudly.
    Run here and there for safety inside the walls.
This is because the enemy will take Molech away as a captive.
    They will also take away his priests and officers with him.
You brag about your valleys.
    You brag about the fruit in your valleys.
You are like an unfaithful child.
    You believe your treasures will save you.
    You think, ‘Who would attack me?’
I will bring terror on you
    from every side,”
    says the Master, the Lord of heaven’s armies.
“You will all be forced away.
    No one will be able to gather you.

“But the time will come
    when I will make good things happen to the Ammonites again,”
    says the Lord.

A Message About Edom

This message is about Edom. This is what the Lord of heaven’s armies says:

“Is there no more wisdom in Teman?
    Can the wise men of Edom no longer give good advice?
    Have they lost their wisdom?
You people living in Dedan,
    run away and hide in deep caves.
This is because I will punish
    the people of Esau with disaster for what they did.
If workers came and picked the grapes from your vines,
    they would leave a few grapes behind.
If robbers came at night,
    they would steal only enough for themselves.
10 But I will strip Esau bare.
    I will find all their hiding places.
    They will not be able to hide from me.
The children, relatives and neighbors will die.
11 Leave the orphans, and I will take care of them.
    Your widows also can trust in me.”

12 This is what the Lord says: “Some people did not deserve to be punished. But they had to drink from the cup of suffering anyway. People of Edom, you deserve to be punished. So you will not escape punishment. You must drink from the cup of suffering.” 13 The Lord says, “I make this promise in my own name. The city of Bozrah will become a pile of ruins! People will be shocked by what happened there. People will insult that city and speak evil of it. And all the towns around Bozrah will become ruins forever.”

14 I have heard a message from the Lord.
    A messenger has been sent among the nations, saying,
“Gather your armies to attack it!
    Get ready for battle!”

15 “Soon I will make you the smallest of nations!
    You will be greatly hated.
16 Edom, you frightened other nations.
    Your pride has fooled you.
You live in the hollow places of the cliff.
    You live on the high places of the hills.
Even if you build your home as high as an eagle’s nest,
    I will bring you down from there!” says the Lord.

17 “Edom will be destroyed.
    People will be shocked to see the destroyed cities.
    They will be amazed at the injuries.
18 Edom will be destroyed like the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah
    and the towns around them,” says the Lord.
“No one will live there!
    No man will stay in Edom.

19 “A lion will come from the thick bushes near the Jordan River.
    And it will go into the rich pastures where people feed their flocks.
I am like that lion! I will suddenly chase Edom from their land.
    Who is the one I have chosen to do this?
There is no one like me.
    There is no one who can challenge me.
    None of their leaders can stand up against me.”

20 So listen to what the Lord has planned to do against Edom.
    Listen to what he has decided to do to the people in Teman.
The Lord will surely drag away the young ones of Edom.
    Edom’s pastures will surely be destroyed because of them.
21 At the sound of Edom’s fall, the earth will shake.
    Their cry will be heard all the way to the Gulf of Aqaba.
22 The Lord is like an eagle swooping down.
    He is like an eagle spreading its wings over the city of Bozrah.
At that time Edom’s soldiers will become very frightened.
    They will be crying from fear like a woman having a baby.

A Message About Damascus

23 This message is about the city of Damascus:

“The towns of Hamath and Arpad are put to shame.
    They are afraid because they have heard bad news.
They are discouraged.
    They are troubled like the tossing sea.
24 The city of Damascus has become weak.
    The people want to run away.
    The people are ready to panic.
The people feel pain and suffering
    like a woman having a baby.
25 Damascus was a city of my joy.
    Why have the people not left that famous city yet?
26 Surely the young men will die in the public squares of that city.
    All of her soldiers will be killed at that time,” says the Lord of heaven’s armies.
27 “I will set fire to the walls of Damascus.
    The fire will completely burn the strong cities of Ben-Hadad.”

A Message About Kedar and Hazor

28 This message is about the tribe of Kedar and the kingdoms of Hazor. Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon defeated them. This is what the Lord says:

“Go and attack the people of Kedar.
    Destroy the people of the East.
29 Their tents and flocks will be taken away.
    Their tents and all their things will be carried off.
    Their enemy will take away their goods and camels.
Men will shout to them,
    ‘Terror on every side!’

30 “Run away quickly!
    People in Hazor, find a good place to hide!” says the Lord.
“Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon has made plans against you.
    He has made plans to defeat you!

31 “There is a nation that is comfortable.
    It is sure that no one will defeat it,” says the Lord.
“That nation does not have gates or fences to protect it.
    Its people live alone.
Attack that nation!
32 The enemy will steal their camels
    and their large herds of cattle.
I will scatter the Arabs to every part of the earth.
    And I will bring disaster on them from everywhere,” says the Lord.
33 “Hazor will become a place where wild dogs live.
    It will become an empty desert forever.
No one will live there.
    No man will stay in it.”

A Message About Elam

34 It was early in the time when Zedekiah was king of Judah. The Lord spoke this word to Jeremiah the prophet. This message is about the nation of Elam.

35 This is what the Lord of heaven’s armies says:

“I will break Elam’s bow.
    I will break its strength.
36 I will bring the four winds against Elam.
    I will bring them from the four corners of the skies.
I will scatter the people of Elam everywhere the four winds blow.
    And its captives will go to every nation.
37 I will break Elam to pieces in front of their enemies.
    The enemies want to destroy Elam.
I will bring disaster to Elam.
    I will show them how angry I am!” says the Lord.
“I will send a sword to chase Elam.
    It will chase them until I have killed them all.
38 I will show Elam that I am king.
    And I will destroy her king and her officers!” says the Lord.

39 “But I will make good things happen to Elam again
    in the future,” says 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