Judah to Serve Nebuchadnezzar

27 Early in the reign of Zedekiah^[a](A) son of Josiah king of Judah, this word came to Jeremiah from the Lord: ² This is what the Lord said to me: “Make a yoke^(B) out of straps and crossbars and put it on your neck. ³ Then send^(C) word to the kings of Edom, Moab, Ammon,^(D) Tyre and Sidon^(E) through the envoys who have come to Jerusalem to Zedekiah king of Judah.

¹³ I swear^(A) by myself,” declares the Lord, “that Bozrah^(B) will become a ruin and a curse,^[a] an object of horror^(C) and reproach;^(D) and all its towns will be in ruins forever.”^(E)

A Prophecy Against Edom

¹² “This is what the Sovereign Lord says: ‘Because Edom^(A) took revenge on Judah and became very guilty by doing so, ¹³ therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will stretch out my hand^(B) against Edom and kill both man and beast.^(C) I will lay it waste, and from Teman^(D) to Dedan^(E) they will fall by the sword.^{(F) 14} I will take vengeance on Edom by the hand of my people Israel, and they will deal with Edom in accordance with my anger^(G) and my wrath; they will know my vengeance, declares the Sovereign Lord.’”^(H)

²⁹ “Edom^(A) is there, her kings and all her princes; despite their power, they are laid with those killed by the sword. They lie with the uncircumcised, with those who go down to the pit.^(B)

A Prophecy Against Edom

35 The word of the Lord came to me: ² “Son of man, set your face against Mount Seir;^(A) prophesy against it ³ and say: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am against you, Mount Seir, and I will stretch out my hand^(B) against you and make you a desolate waste.^{(C) 4} I will turn your towns into ruins^(D) and you will be desolate. Then you will know that I am the Lord.^(E)

⁵ “‘Because you harbored an ancient hostility and delivered the Israelites over to the sword^(F) at the time of their calamity,^(G) the time their punishment reached its climax,^{(H) 6} therefore as surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I will give you over to bloodshed^(I) and it will pursue you.^(J) Since you did not hate bloodshed, bloodshed will pursue you. ⁷ I will make Mount Seir a desolate waste^(K) and cut off from it all who come and go.^{(L) 8} I will fill your mountains with the slain; those killed by the sword will fall on your hills and in your valleys and in all your ravines.^{(M) 9} I will make you desolate forever;^(N) your towns will not be inhabited. Then you will know that I am the Lord.^(O)

¹⁰ “‘Because you have said, “These two nations and countries will be ours and we will take possession^(P) of them,” even though I the Lord was there, ¹¹ therefore as surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I will treat you in accordance with the anger^(Q) and jealousy you showed in your hatred of them and I will make myself known among them when I judge you.^{(R) 12} Then you will know that I the Lord have heard all the contemptible things you have said against the mountains of Israel. You said, “They have been laid waste and have been given over to us to devour.^(S)” ¹³ You boasted^(T) against me and spoke against me without restraint, and I heard it.^{(U) 14} This is what the Sovereign Lord says: While the whole earth rejoices, I will make you desolate.^{(V) 15} Because you rejoiced^(W) when the inheritance of Israel became desolate, that is how I will treat you. You will be desolate, Mount Seir,^(X) you and all of Edom.^(Y) Then they will know that I am the Lord.’”