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?
The Forty-Fifth Prophecy of Jeremiah (see book comments for Jeremiah).
Concerning, &c. Supply the Ellipsis, from Jeremiah 47:1 .
Ammonites = sons of Ammon, north of Moab. When the tribes east of Jordan were carried away by Tiglath-pileser (2 Kings 15:29 ), Ammon supplanted Gad. This is the sin dealt with here.
the LORD. Hebrew. Jehovah. App-4 .
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.
behold. Figure of speech Asterismos.
Rabbah. Now 'Amman, on the highlands of Gilead. A large Roman city was built there four centuries later, called "Philadelphia". Its ruins yet remain.
heap = tel.
daughters: i.e. villages, or smaller dependent towns.
3.
Howl, O Heshbon, for Ai is spoiled: 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.
Heshbon. Compare Jeremiah 48:2 .
Ai. An Ammonite town, not yet identified.
cry = cry sadly.
hedges = fences.
4.
Wherefore gloriest thou in the valleys, thy flowing valley, O backsliding daughter? that trusted in her treasures, saying, Who shall come unto me?
Wherefore . . . ? Who . . . ? Figure of speech Erotesis.
thy flowing valley = thy valley flowing [with blood].
trusted = confided. Hebrew. bat a h . App-69 .
saying. Some codices, with three early printed editions, read "she who is saying in her heart".
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 right forth; and none shall gather up him that wandereth.
6.
And afterward I will bring again the captivity of the children of Ammon, saith the LORD.
bring again, &c. See note on Jeremiah 48:47 .
children = sons. Not the same word as Jeremiah 49:11 .
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?
The Forty-Sixth Prophecy of Jeremiah (see book comments for Jeremiah).
Edom. From Esau. Judgment for his unbrotherly conduct to Israel. Compare Psalms 137:7 . Isaiah 63:1 .Ezekiel 25:12-14 ; and Obadiah.
the LORD of hosts. See note on Jeremiah 6:6 .
Is . . . ? is . . . ? Figure of speech Erotesis.
wisdom . . . Teman? A grandson of Esau. See notes on p. 666.
Teman. A town in Edom. Not yet identified. Compare Job 2:11 .Amos 1:12 .Obadiah 1:9 . Habakkuk 3:3 .
8.
Flee ye, turn back, dwell deep, O inhabitants of Dedan; for I will bring the calamity of Esau upon him, the time that I will visit him.
dwell deep: i.e. in out of the way recesses.
Dedan. Not identified. He was a grandson of Abraham (Genesis 25:1-3 ). Compare Isaiah 21:13 .Ezekiel 25:13 . A tribe descended from Abraham by Keturah (Genesis 25:3 ).
9.
If grapegatherers come to thee, would they not leave some gleaning grapes? if thieves by night, they will destroy till they have enough.
grapegatherers. Compare Obadiah 1:5 .
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 spoiled, and his brethren, and his neighbours, and he is not.
But. Supply the Ellipsis thus: But [not so I], for I have laid Esau bare, &c.
11.
Leave thy fatherless children, I will preserve them alive; and let thy widows trust in me.
children = young children. Not the same word as in Jeremiah 49:6 .
trust = confide. Hebrew. batah . App-69 .
12.
For thus saith the LORD; Behold, they whose judgment was not to drink of the cup have assuredly drunken; and art thou he that shall altogether go unpunished? thou shalt not go unpunished, but thou shalt surely drink of it.
the cup. Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Subject), for its contents. See Jeremiah 25:15 .
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.
I have sworn. Reference to Pentateuch (Genesis 22:16 ). App-92 .
Bozrah. Now el Buseirah, south-east of the Dead Sea. Not the Bozrah of Jeremiah 48:24 .
14.
I have heard a rumour 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.
heathen = nations.
ye together =. yourselves out [to war].
15.
For, lo, I will make thee small among the heathen, and despised among men.
men. Hebrew. 'adam (with Art.) App-14 .
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.
terribleness = monstrous thing: i.e. an Edomite Asherah. App-42 .
pride = insolence.
the rock. Probably Sela.
nest. Compare Obadiah 1:4 .
eagle = vulture.
17.
Also Edom shall be a desolation: every one that goeth by it shall be astonished, and shall hiss at all the plagues thereof.
a desolation = an astonishment.
18.
As in the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah and the neighbour cities thereof, saith the LORD, no man shall abide there, neither shall a son of man dwell in it.
the overthrow, &c. Reference to Pentateuch (Genesis 19:25 .Deuteronomy 29:23; Deuteronomy 29:23 ). App-92 . A word almost restricted to that event.
19.
Behold, he shall come up like a lion from the swelling of 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 the time? and who is that shepherd that will stand before me?
he. Nebuchadnezzar. See note on Jeremiah 48:40 .
like a lion. Figure of speech Simile. Contrast Jeremiah 4:7 , where the assault is against Zion and the feelings are more deeply stirred.
swelling. Hebrew pride. Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Adjunct), for the proud beasts in the undergrowth of its banks. See Jeremiah 12:5 ; Jeremiah 50:44 . Compare Job 41 .
the strong = a strong one.
but = for.
him: i.e. Edom.
from her: i.e. from Idumea.
a chosen man: i.e. Nebuchadnezzar.
over her = over the pasturage.
who is like Me? Compare note on Exodus 15:11 .
appoint Me the time? i.e. who will summon or arraign Me?
shepherd = ruler.
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.
counsel. Referring to Teman's wisdom. Compare Jeremiah 49:7 .
taken = counselled. Figure of speech Polyptoton.
draw them out. As a dog drags away and tears a dead body.
habitations: or, folds.
21.
The earth is moved at the noise of their fall, at the cry the noise thereof was heard in the Red sea.
the noise thereof. Hebrew = its sound. Some codices, with eight early printed editions and Aramaean, read "at their noise" (plural)
in = at.
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.
fly as the eagle. Reference to Pentateuch (Deuteronomy 28:49 ). App-92 . Compare Jeremiah 48:40 .
mighty men. Hebrew. geber. App-14 .
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.
The Forty-Seventh Prophecy of Jeremiah (see book comments for Jeremiah).
Damascus. The prophecy concerns Syria generally, of which Damascus was the principal city.
Hamath. Now Hama, in the valley of the Greekntes, north of Damascus.
Arpad. Now Tell Erfad, thirteen miles north of Aleppo. Compare 2 Kings 18:34 ; 2 Kings 19:13 .Isaiah 10:9 ; Isaiah 36:19 ; Isaiah 37:13 .
evil tidings = calamitous report. Hebrew. ra'a' . App-44 .
sorrow = anxiety, or trouble. Hebrew. ra'a'. App-44 . Not the same word as in Jeremiah 49:24 . be quiet = rest.
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.
sorrows = pangs. Hebrew. hebel, as in Jeremiah 13:21 .
25.
How is the city of praise not left, the city of my joy!
not left = not restored, strengthened, or fortified. A Homonym. Here the meaning is as in Nehemiah 3:8 . See notes on Exodus 23:5 . Deu 32:36 . 1 Kings 14:10 . 2 Kings 14:26 . 2Ki 49:25 . Not its other meaning, to leave or forsake, as in Genesis 2:24 ; Genesis 39:6 . Nehemiah 5:10 . Psalms 49:10 . Mai. Jeremiah 4:1 (Hebrew = Ch. Jeremiah 3:19 ).
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.
men. Hebrew, plural of' 'enosh . App-14 .
27.
And I will kindle a fire in the wall of Damascus, and it shall consume the palaces of Ben-hadad.
Ben-hadad. Three kings of Damascus bore this official name. See 1Ki 15:18 . 2 Kings 13:3 , 2 Kings 13:25 .
28.
Concerning Kedar, and concerning the kingdoms of Hazor, which Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon shall smite, thus saith the LORD; Arise ye, go up to Kedar, and spoil the men of the east.
The Forty-Eighth Prophecy of Jeremiah (see book comments for Jeremiah).
Kedar. Name of the Bedouin dwelling in tents (Jeremiah 2:10 ), east of Palestine.
Hazor. Near the Euphrates and the Persian Gulf.
men = sons.
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 cry unto them, Fear is on every side.
Fear is on every side. Hebrew. magor missabib. Compare Jeremiah 6:25 ; Jeremiah 20:3 , Jeremiah 20:10 ; Jeremiah 46:5 .Lamentations 2:22 .
30.
Flee, get you far off, dwell deep, O ye inhabitants of Hazor, saith the LORD; for Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon hath taken counsel against you, and hath conceived a purpose against you.
conceived a purpose = devised a device. Figure of speech Polyptoton.
31.
Arise, get you up unto the wealthy nation, that dwelleth without care, saith the LORD, which have neither gates nor bars, which dwell alone.
which dwell alone. Reference to Pentateuch (Numbers 23:9 . Deuteronomy 33:28 ).
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.
all winds = all quarters. winds. Hebrew. ruach. App-9 .
in the utmost corners = have the corners of their hair or beards polled. Compare Jeremiah 9:26 .
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.
dragons = jackals.
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,
The Forty-Ninth Prophecy of Jeremiah (see book comments for Jeremiah).
Elam. The country east of the Tigris. Compare Daniel 8:1 , Daniel 8:2 . Its subjugation by Nebuchadnezzar (Jeremiah 25:25 ). Compare Habakkuk 2:8 .
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.
four. The number connected with the earth ( App-10 ).
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:
life = soul. Hebrew. nephesh. App-13 .
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 again the captivity of Elam, saith the LORD.
the latter days. The end or after part of the days.
bring again, &c. See note on Jeremiah 48:47 . Compare Deuteronomy 30:3 .