Jeremiah 49

The Judgment on the Ammonites

1 Concerning the Ammonites, this is what the LORD says: “Has Israel no sons? Is he without heir? Why then has Molech ▼

▼Or their king; also in verse 3

taken possession of Gad and his people settled in their cities? 2 Therefore, behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will sound the battle cry against Rabbah of the Ammonites. It will become a heap of ruins, and its villages will be burned. Then Israel will drive out their dispossessors, says the LORD. 3 Wail, O Heshbon, for Ai has been destroyed; cry out, O daughters of Rabbah! Put on sackcloth and mourn; run back and forth within your walls, for Molech will go into exile together with his priests and officials. 4 Why do you boast of your valleys, your valleys so fruitful, ▼

▼Or your valleys flowing

O faithless daughter? You trust in your riches [and say] , ‘Who can come against me?’ 5 Behold, I am about to bring terror upon you, declares the Lord GOD of Hosts, from all those around you. You will each be driven headlong, with no one to regather the fugitives. 6 Yet afterward I will restore the captivity of the Ammonites, declares the LORD.

The Judgment on Edom

7 Concerning Edom, this is what the LORD of Hosts says: “Is there no longer wisdom in Teman? Has counsel perished from the prudent? Has their wisdom decayed? 8 Turn [and] run! Lie low, O residents of Dedan, for I will bring disaster on Esau at the time I punish him. 9 If grape gatherers came to you, would they not leave some gleanings? Were thieves to come in the night, would they not steal only what they wanted? 10 But I will strip Esau bare; I will uncover his hiding places, and he will be unable to conceal himself. His descendants will be destroyed along with his relatives and neighbors, and he will be no more. 11 Abandon your orphans; I will preserve their lives. Let your widows trust in Me.” 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 go unpunished, for you must drink it too. 13 For by Myself I have sworn, declares the LORD, that Bozrah will become a desolation, a disgrace, a ruin, and a curse, and all her cities will be in ruins forever.” 14 I have heard a message from the LORD; an envoy has been sent among the nations [to say,] “Assemble yourselves to come against her! Rise up for battle!” 15 “For behold, I will make you small among the nations, despised among men. 16 The terror you cause and the pride of your heart have deceived you, O dwellers in the clefts of the rocks, ▼

▼Or of Sela

O occupiers of the mountain summit. Though you elevate your nest like the eagle, even from there I will bring you down,” declares the LORD. 17 “Edom will become an object of horror. Everyone who passes by will be appalled and will scoff because of all its wounds. 18 As Sodom and Gomorrah were overthrown along with their neighbors,” says the LORD, “no one will reside there; no man will dwell there. 19 Behold, one will come up like a lion from the thickets of the Jordan to the watered pasture. Indeed, I will chase [Edom] from [its land] in an instant. Who is the chosen one I will appoint for this? For who is like Me? Who will summon Me? And what shepherd can stand against Me?” 20 Therefore hear the plans that the LORD has made against Edom and the strategies He has devised against the people of Teman: The little ones of the flock will surely be dragged away, and their pasture will be made desolate because of them. 21 At the sound of their fall, the earth will quake; their cry will resound to the Red Sea. ▼

▼Or the Sea of Reeds

22 Look! An eagle will soar, then swoop down and spread its wings over Bozrah. In that day the hearts of Edom’s warriors will be like the heart of a woman in labor.

The Judgment on Damascus

23 Concerning Damascus: “Hamath and Arpad are put to shame, for they have heard a bad report; they are agitated like the sea; ▼

▼Hebrew on the sea or by the sea

their anxiety cannot be calmed. 24 Damascus has become feeble; she has turned to flee. Panic has gripped her; anguish and pain have seized her like a woman in labor. 25 How is the city of praise not forsaken, the town that brings Me joy? 26 For her young men will fall in her streets; all the warriors will be silenced in that day.” declares the LORD of Hosts. 27 “I will set fire to the walls of Damascus; it will consume the fortresses of Ben-hadad.”

The Judgment on Kedar and Hazor

28 Concerning Kedar and the kingdoms of Hazor, which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon defeated, this is what the LORD says: “Rise up, advance against Kedar, and destroy the people of the east! 29 They will take their tents and flocks, their tent curtains and all their goods. They will take their camels for themselves. They will shout to them: ‘Terror is on every side!’ 30 Run! Escape quickly! Lie low, O residents of Hazor, declares the LORD, for Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon has drawn up a plan against you; he has devised a strategy against you. 31 Rise up, advance against a nation at ease, one that dwells securely, declares the LORD. They have no gates or bars; they live alone. 32 Their camels will become plunder, and their large herds will be spoil. I will scatter to the wind in every direction those who shave their temples; I will bring calamity on them from all sides, declares the LORD. 33 Hazor will become a haunt of jackals, a desolation forever. No one will reside there; no man will dwell there.”

The Judgment on Elam

34 This is the word of the LORD that came to Jeremiah the prophet concerning Elam at the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah. 35 This is what the LORD of Hosts says: “Behold, I will shatter Elam’s bow, the mainstay 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 exiles will not go. 37 So I will shatter Elam before their foes, before those who seek their lives. I will bring disaster upon them, even My fierce anger, declares the LORD. I will send out the sword after them until I finish them off. 38 I will set My throne in Elam, and destroy its king and officials, declares the LORD. 39 Yet in the last days, I will restore Elam from captivity,” ▼

▼Or restore the fortunes of Elam

declares the LORD.