Jer 49:19-21 | JFB | STEP | 19. he —Nebuchadnezzar, or Nebuzara-dan; the name would at once suggest itself to the minds of the hearers ( ). swelling —as a lion which the overflow of the Jordan forced out of his lair on the banks, to ascend the neighboring heights [CALVIN ]. See as to the translation, "pride of the Jordan," see on . habitation of . . . strong —the fastnesses of Idumea (compare ). MAURER translates, "An ever verdant (literally, 'perennial') pasturage," that is, Idumea heretofore having enjoyed uninterrupted tranquillity; so in the image is retained, the Idumeans being compared to "a flock," and their king to "a shepherd," in this verse, and the enemy to "a lion" (compare ). English Version accords more with the Hebrew. suddenly —"in the twinkling of an eye," as the Hebrew implies. him . . . her —I will make Nebuzara-dan enter Idumea, and then, having in the twinkling of an eye effected the conquest, go away speedily: elsewhere. Instead of "but," translate, "for." GROTIUS translates, "run upon her," or "to her," instead of "run away from her." MAURER understands it, "I will make him (the Idumean) run away from her" (that is, from his own land); the similar change of reference of the pronouns ( ) favors this. who is a chosen man, &c.—God calls the choicest warriors to Him, to set " over " the work of devastating Idumea. God will surely execute His purpose, for He can call forth from all sides the agents He chooses. who is like me? — ( ). who will appoint me the time? —namely, for entering into a trial in judgment with Me (see Margin ). Image from law courts ( ). shepherd —leader of the Idumeans; following up the previous image, "a lion"; no Idumean shepherd shall withstand the lion sent by Jehovah ( ), or save the Idumean flock.

Jeremiah 49:19-21

19. he—Nebuchadnezzar, or Nebuzara-dan; the name would at once suggest itself to the minds of the hearers (Jer 48:40; 46:18).

swelling—as a lion which the overflow of the Jordan forced out of his lair on the banks, to ascend the neighboring heights [CALVIN]. See as to the translation, "pride of the Jordan," see on Jer 12:5.

habitation of . . . strong—the fastnesses of Idumea (compare Nu 24:21). MAURER translates, "An ever verdant (literally, 'perennial') pasturage," that is, Idumea heretofore having enjoyed uninterrupted tranquillity; so in Jer 49:20 the image is retained, the Idumeans being compared to "a flock," and their king to "a shepherd," in this verse, and the enemy to "a lion" (compare Jer 50:17-19). English Version accords more with the Hebrew.

suddenly—"in the twinkling of an eye," as the Hebrew implies.

him . . . her—I will make Nebuzara-dan enter Idumea, and then, having in the twinkling of an eye effected the conquest, go away speedily: elsewhere. Instead of "but," translate, "for." GROTIUS translates, "run upon her," or "to her," instead of "run away from her." MAURER understands it, "I will make him (the Idumean) run away from her" (that is, from his own land); the similar change of reference of the pronouns (Jer 50:44) favors this.

who is a chosen man, &c.—God calls the choicest warriors to Him, to set "over" the work of devastating Idumea. God will surely execute His purpose, for He can call forth from all sides the agents He chooses.

who is like me?— (Ex 15:11).

who will appoint me the time?—namely, for entering into a trial in judgment with Me (see Margin). Image from law courts (Job 9:19).

shepherd—leader of the Idumeans; following up the previous image, "a lion"; no Idumean shepherd shall withstand the lion sent by Jehovah (Job 41:10), or save the Idumean flock.

20. least of the flock—the weakest and humblest of the Chaldean host. Compare Jer 6:3, where the hostile leaders and their hosts are called "shepherds and their flocks."

draw . . . out—"shall drag them away captive" [GROTIUS]; shall drag them to and fro, as a lion (Jer 49:19) does feeble sheep [MAURER].

with them —that is, the habitation which they possess.

21. was heard in—that is, shall be heard at.

Red Sea—a considerable distance from Idumea; though the district at the Elantic bay of the Red Sea originally belonged to Idumea, and the sea itself was called from Edom, that is, "red" (Ge 25:30, Margin). Others translate, "the weedy sea" (Margin), and derive the name, "Red Sea," from its red weeds; the former view is preferable.