Jeremiah 49:18-28

18 as Sodom and Gomorrah is destroyed, and the nigh cities thereof, saith the Lord. A man shall not dwell there, and the son of (a) man shall not inhabit it. (yea, it, and the cities nearby, shall be destroyed, like Sodom and Gomorrah, saith the Lord. No one shall live there, and no one shall inhabit it.)
19 Lo! as a lion he shall ascend from the pride of Jordan to the strong fairness; for I shall make him run suddenly to it; and who shall be the chosen man whom I shall set before him? For who is like to me, and who shall suffer me? and who is this shepherd, that shall against-stand my cheer? (Lo! like a lion he shall come up from the thickets of the Jordan River to the plentiful pastures; but suddenly I shall make him run away; and then who shall be the chosen one that I shall set before him? For who is like me? and who shall dare to challenge me? and who is this shepherd of the people, who shall stand against me?)
20 Therefore hear ye the counsel of the Lord, which he took to Edom, and his thoughts, which he thought of the dwellers of Teman. If the little (ones) of the flock cast not them down, if they destroy not with them the dwelling of them, else no man give credence to me. (And so hear ye the counsel, or the advice, of the Lord, which he brought against Edom, and his thoughts, which he thought against the inhabitants of Teman. The little ones of the flock shall be cast down, or carried off, and they shall destroy their dwelling places with them, else no one give credence to me/or else no one believe me.)
21 The earth was moved of the voice of [the] falling of them; the cry of voice thereof was heard in the Red Sea. (The earth was shaken at the sound of their falling; the cries of their voices were heard at the Red Sea, or at the Sea of Reeds.)
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.)
27 And I shall kindle (a) fire in the wall of Damascus, and it shall devour the buildings of Benhadad.
28 To Kedar, and to the realm[s] of Hazor, which Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, smote, the Lord saith these things. Rise ye, and ascend to Kedar, and destroy ye the sons of the east. (About Kedar, and the kingdoms of Hazor, which Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, struck, the Lord saith these things. Rise ye, and go up to Kedar, and destroy ye the people of the east.)

Jeremiah 49:18-28 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JEREMIAH 49

This chapter contains prophecies concerning the judgments of God on several nations and kingdoms, chiefly bordering on the land of Israel; on the Ammonites, Jer 49:1-6; on the Edomites, Jer 49:7-22; on the kingdom of Damascus, or the Syrians, Jer 49:23-27; on the Kedarenes or Arabians, Jer 49:28-33; and on the Elamites or Persians, Jer 49:34-39.

Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.