A message about Edom

Concerning Edom:

This is what the Lord Almighty says:

‘Is there no longer wisdom in Teman?
    Has counsel perished from the prudent?
    Has their wisdom decayed?
Turn and flee, hide in deep caves,
    you who live in Dedan,
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,
    so that he cannot conceal himself.
His armed men are destroyed,
    also his allies and neighbours,
    so there is no one to say,
11 “Leave your fatherless children; I will keep them alive.
    Your widows too can depend on me.”’

12 This is what the Lord says: ‘If those who do not deserve to drink the cup must drink it, why should you go unpunished? You will not go unpunished, but must drink it. 13 I swear by myself,’ declares the Lord, ‘that Bozrah will become a ruin and a curse,[a] an object of horror and reproach; and all its towns will be in ruins for ever.’

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 of your heart have deceived you,
you who live in the clefts of the rocks,
    who occupy the heights of the hill.
Though you build your nest as high as the eagle’s,
    from there I will bring you down,’
declares the Lord.
17 ‘Edom will become an object of horror;
    all who pass by will be appalled and will scoff
    because of all its wounds.
18 As Sodom and Gomorrah were overthrown,
    along with their neighbouring towns,’
says the Lord,
‘so no one will live there;
    no people will dwell in it.

19 ‘Like a lion coming up from Jordan’s thickets
    to a rich pasture-land,
I will chase Edom from its land in an instant.
    Who is the chosen one I will appoint for this?
Who is like me and who can challenge me?
    And what shepherd can stand against me?’

20 Therefore, hear what the Lord has planned against Edom,
    what he has purposed against those who live in Teman:
the young of the flock will be dragged away;
    their pasture will be appalled at their fate.
21 At the sound of their fall the earth will tremble;
    their cry will resound to the Red Sea.[b]
22 Look! An eagle will soar and swoop down,
    spreading its wings over Bozrah.
In that day the hearts of Edom’s warriors
    will be like the heart of a woman in labour.

A message about Damascus

23 Concerning Damascus:

‘Hamath and Arpad are dismayed,
    for they have heard bad news.
They are disheartened,
    troubled like[c] the restless sea.
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 labour.
25 Why has the city of renown not been abandoned,
    the town in which I delight?
26 Surely, her young men will fall in the streets;
    all her soldiers will be silenced in that day,’
declares the Lord Almighty.
27 ‘I will set fire to the walls of Damascus;
    it will consume the fortresses of Ben-Hadad.’

A message about Kedar and Hazor

28 Concerning Kedar and the kingdoms of Hazor, which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon attacked:

This is what the Lord says:

‘Arise, and attack Kedar
    and destroy the people of the East.
29 Their tents and their flocks will be taken;
    their shelters will be carried off
    with all their goods and camels.
People will shout to them,
    “Terror on every side!”

30 ‘Flee quickly away!
    Stay in deep caves, you who live in Hazor,’
declares the Lord.
‘Nebuchadnezzar 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;
    its people live far from danger.
32 Their camels will become plunder,
    and their large herds will be spoils of war.
I will scatter to the winds those who are in distant places[d]
    and will bring disaster on them from every side,’
declares the Lord.
33 ‘Hazor will become a haunt of jackals,
    a desolate place for ever.
No one will live there;
    no people will dwell in it.’

A message about Elam

34 This is the word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah the prophet concerning Elam, early in the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah:

35 This is what the Lord Almighty says:

‘See, I will break the bow of Elam,
    the mainstay of their might.
36 I will bring against Elam the four winds
    from the four quarters of heaven;
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,’
declares the Lord.
‘I will pursue them with the sword
    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 the fortunes of Elam
    in days to come,’
declares the Lord.

A message about Babylon

50 This is the word the Lord spoke through Jeremiah the prophet concerning Babylon and the land of the Babylonians:[e]

‘Announce and proclaim among the nations,
    lift up a banner and proclaim it;
    keep nothing back, but say,
“Babylon will be captured;
    Bel will be put to shame,
    Marduk filled with terror.
Her images will be put to shame
    and her idols filled with terror.”
A nation from the north will attack her
    and lay waste her land.
No one will live in it;
    both people and animals will flee away.

Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 49:13 That is, its name will be used in cursing (see 29:22); or, others will see that it is cursed.
  2. Jeremiah 49:21 Or the Sea of Reeds
  3. Jeremiah 49:23 Hebrew on or by
  4. Jeremiah 49:32 Or who clip the hair by their foreheads
  5. Jeremiah 50:1 Or Chaldeans; also in verses 8, 25, 35 and 45