Jeremiah 49:24

24 Damascus was discomforted, it was turned into flight; trembling took it, anguishes and sorrows held it, as a woman travailing of child (like a woman in labour/like a woman giving birth).

Jeremiah 49:24 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 49:24

Damascus is waxed feeble
Or, "is become remiss" ^F7; her hands hang down, not being able through fear and fright to lift them up against the enemy; that is, the inhabitants of Damascus, as the Targum: [and] turneth herself to flee;
instead of going out to meet the enemy, the inhabitants of this city meditated a flight, and turned their backs upon him in order to flee from him, and escape falling into his hands: and fear hath seized on [her]:
or, "she seized on fear" ^F8; instead of seizing on arms, and laying hold on them to defend herself with, she seized on that; or however that seized on her, and made her quite unfit to stand up in her own defence: anguish and sorrows have taken her as a woman in travail;
(See Gill on Jeremiah 49:22); A phrase often used to express the sudden and inevitable destruction of a people, and their distress and inability to help themselves.

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FOOTNOTES:

F7 (htpr) "remissa erit", Junius & Tremellius; "remissa est", Cocceius, Piscator; "remissa facta est", Schmidt.
F8 (hqyzxh jjrw) "et apprehendit tremorem", Munster; "et horrorem apprehendit", Schmidt; "et horrorem febrilem prehendet", Junius & Tremellius; "apprehendet", Piscator.

Jeremiah 49:24 In-Context

22 Lo! as an eagle he shall ascend, and fly out, and he shall spread abroad his wings on Bozrah; and the heart of the strong men of Idumea shall be in that day, as the heart of a woman travailing of child. (Lo! he shall ascend like an eagle, and fly out, and he shall spread abroad his wings over Bozrah; and the hearts of the strong men of Edom shall be on that day, like the heart of a woman in labour/like the heart of a woman giving birth.)

23 To Damascus. Hamath is shamed, and Arpad, for they heard a full wicked hearing; they were troubled in the sea, for anguish they might not have rest. (About Damascus. Hamath and Arpad be confused, for they heard a very wicked report; they were troubled like a restless sea, they could not take rest from their anguish.)

24 Damascus was discomforted, it was turned into flight; trembling took it, anguishes and sorrows held it, as a woman travailing of child (like a woman in labour/like a woman giving birth).

25 How forsook they a praiseable city, the city of gladness? (How they deserted the praiseworthy city, the happy, or the joyful, city!)

26 Therefore the young men thereof shall fall in the streets thereof, and all men of battle shall be still(ed) in that day, saith the Lord of hosts. (And so its young men shall fall in its streets, and all the men of battle shall die on that day, saith the Lord of hosts.)