491 Concerning the sons of Ammon . Thus says the Lord : "Does Israel have no sons ? Or has he no heirs ? Why then has Malcam taken possession of Gad And his people settled in its cities ? 2 "Therefore behold , the days are coming ," declares the Lord , "That I will cause a trumpet blast of war to be heard Against Rabbah of the sons of Ammon ; And it will become a desolate heap , And her towns will be set on fire . Then Israel will take possession of his possessors ," Says the Lord . 3 "Wail , O Heshbon , for Ai has been destroyed ! Cry out, O daughters of Rabbah , Gird yourselves with sackcloth and lament , And rush back and forth inside the walls ; For Malcam will go into exile Together with his priests and his princes . 4 "How boastful you are about the valleys ! Your valley is flowing away, O backsliding daughter Who trusts in her treasures , saying, ' Who will come against me?' 5 "Behold , I am going to bring terror upon you," Declares the Lord GOD of hosts , "From all directions around you; And each of you will be driven out headlong , With no one to gather the fugitives together. 6 "But afterward e I will restore The fortunes of the sons of Ammon ," Declares the Lord .
7 Concerning Edom . Thus says the Lord of hosts , "Is there no longer any wisdom in Teman ? Has good counsel been lost to the prudent ? Has their wisdom decayed ? 8 "Flee away, turn back , dwell in the depths , O inhabitants of Dedan , For I will bring the disaster of Esau upon him At the time I punish him. 9 " If grape gatherers came to you, Would they not leave gleanings ? If thieves came by night , They would destroy only until they had enough . 10 "But I have stripped Esau bare , I have uncovered his hiding places So that he will not be able to conceal himself; His offspring has been destroyed along with his relatives And his neighbors , and he is no more . 11 "Leave your orphans behind , I will keep them alive ; And let your widows trust in Me." 12 For thus says the Lord , "Behold , those who were not sentenced to drink the cup will certainly drink it, and are you the one who will be completely acquitted ? You will not be acquitted , but you will certainly drink it. 13 "For I have sworn by Myself," declares the Lord , "that Bozrah will become an object of horror , a reproach , a ruin and a curse ; and all its cities will become perpetual ruins ." 14 I have heard a message from the Lord , And an envoy is sent among the nations , saying, " Gather yourselves together and come against her, And rise up for battle !" 15 "For behold , I have made you small among the nations , Despised among men . 16 "As for the terror of you, The arrogance of your heart has deceived you, O you who live in the clefts of the rock , Who occupy the height of the hill . Though you make your nest as high as an eagle's , I will bring you down from there ," declares the Lord . 17 "Edom will become an object of horror ; everyone who passes by it will be horrified and will hiss at all its wounds . 18 "Like the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah with its neighbors ," says the Lord , " no one will live there , nor will a son of man reside in it. 19 " Behold , one will come up like a lion from the thickets of the Jordan against a perennially watered pasture ; for in an instant I will make him run away from it, and whoever is chosen I shall appoint over it. For who is like Me, and who will summon Me into court? And who then is the shepherd who can stand against Me?" 20 Therefore hear the plan of the Lord which He has planned against Edom , and His purposes which He has purposed against the inhabitants of Teman : surely e they will drag them off , even the little ones of the flock ; surely e He will make their pasture desolate because of them. 21 The earth has quaked at the noise of their downfall . There is an outcry ! The noise of it has been heard at the Red e Sea . 22 Behold , He will mount up and swoop like an eagle and spread out His wings against Bozrah ; and the hearts of the mighty men of Edom in that day will be like the heart of a woman in labor .
23 Concerning Damascus . " Hamath and Arpad are put to shame , For they have heard bad news ; They are disheartened . There is anxiety by the sea , It cannot e be calmed . 24 "Damascus has become helpless ; She has turned away to flee , And panic has gripped her; Distress and pangs have taken hold of her Like a woman in childbirth . 25 "How the city of praise has not been deserted , The town of My joy ! 26 "Therefore , her young men will fall in her streets , And all the men of war will be silenced in that day ," declares the Lord of hosts . 27 "I will set fire to the wall of Damascus , And it will devour the fortified towers of Ben-hadad ."
28 Concerning Kedar and the kingdoms of Hazor , which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon defeated . Thus says the Lord , "Arise , go up to Kedar And devastate the men of the east .
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Jeremiah 49:1-28
Commentary on Jeremiah 49:1-6
(Read Jeremiah 49:1-6)
Might often prevails against right among men, yet that might shall be controlled by the Almighty, who judges aright; and those will find themselves mistaken, who, like the Ammonites, think every thing their own on which they can lay their hands. The Lord will call men to account for every instance of dishonesty, especially to the destitute.
Commentary on Jeremiah 49:7-22
(Read Jeremiah 49:7-22)
The Edomites were old enemies to the Israel of God. But their day is now at hand; it is foretold, not only to warn them, but for the sake of the Israel of God, whose afflictions were aggravated by them. Thus Divine judgments go round from nation to nation; the earth is full of commotion, and nothing can escape the ministers of Divine vengeance. The righteousness of God is to be observed amidst the violence of men.
Commentary on Jeremiah 49:23-27
(Read Jeremiah 49:23-27)
How easily God can dispirit those nations that have been most celebrated for valour! Damascus waxes feeble. It was a city of joy, having all the delights of the sons of men. But those deceive themselves who place their happiness in carnal joys.
Commentary on Jeremiah 49:28-33
(Read Jeremiah 49:28-33)
Nebuchadnezzar would make desolation among the people of Kedar, who dwelt in the deserts of Arabia. He who conquered many strong cities, will not leave those unconquered that dwell in tents. He will do this to gratify his own covetousness and ambition; but God orders it for correcting an unthankful people, and for warning a careless world to expect trouble when they seem most safe. They shall flee, get far off, and dwell deep in the deserts; they shall be dispersed. But privacy and obscurity are not always protection and security.