Commentary on Jeremiah and Lamentations - Volume 5

1Concerning the children of Ammon: Thus saith Jehovah, — Hath Israel no children? hath he no heir? Why doth their king inherit Gad, And his people dwell in its cities?

2Therefore, behold, the days are coming, saith Jehovah, That I will cause to be heard the trumpet of war At Rabbah, of the children of Ammon; And she shall be a heap of desolation, And her daughters shall be burned with fire, And possess his possessors shall Israel, saith Jehovah.

3Howl thou, Heshbon, for laid waste is Ai; Cry aloud, ye daughters of Rabbah. Gird on sackcloth, lament, Run here and there by the fences; For their king, into captivity is he gone, And his priests and his princes with him.

4Why gloriest thou in thy deep valleys? Flown down has thy valley, rebellious daughter! Who trusted in her hidden places, Saying, Who can come to me?

5Behold, I will bring on thee terror, saith the Lord, Jehovah of hosts, from all around thee; And ye shall be driven out, each one before him, And there will be none to gather the dispersed.

6But I will afterwards restore The captivity of the children of Ammon, saith Jehovah.

7Concerning Edom: Thus saith Jehovah of hosts, — Is there not wisdom any more in Teman? Has counsel perished from the intelligent? Overflowing has been their wisdom!

8Flee, ye inhabitants of Dedan, Who have turned andmade deep yourdwelling; For the ruin of Esau will I bring on him, At the time of his visitation.

9If vintagers had come to thee, Would they not have left some grapes? If thieves in the night, would they not have destroyed What would suffice them?

10But I will uncover Esau, I will disclose his hidden things, So that he cannot be concealed: Plundered shall be his seed, And his brethren and his neighbors; And he shall be no more.

11Leave thy orphans, I will nourish them; And thy widows, let them trust in me.

12For thus saith Jehovah, — Behold, those to whom it was not their judgment To drink the cup, shall surely drink, And shalt thou be exempted? Thou shalt not be exempted, For drinking thou shalt drink it.

13For I have by myself sworn, saith Jehovah, That a waste, a reproach, a desert, And a curse, shall Bozrah become; And all her cities shall be perpetual wastes.

14A hearing have we heard from Jehovah, And a messenger to the nations has been sent, — “Be ye gathered and come against her, And rise ye up to the battle.”

15For behold, small made I thee among the nations, Contemptible among men:

16Deceived thee has thy terror, the pride of thine heart; Thou who dwellest in the fissures of rocks, Who occupiest the heights of mountains: Though thou raisest high, as an eagle, thy nest, Thence will I draw thee down, saith Jehovah.

17And Edom shall become a waste; Every one passing by her shall be astonished, And shall hiss on account of all her strokes.

18As in the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah And of their neighboring cities, saith Jehovah, Dwell there shall no man, Nor shall a son of man abide there.

19Behold, as a lion from the swelling of Jordan, Will he ascend to the habitation of strength: After having made him to rest, I will make him flee from her; And who is the chosen one whom I shall set over her? For who is as I am? And who will protest against me? And who is the shepherd that before me will stand?

20Therefore, hear ye the counsel of Jehovah, Which he hath counseled against Edom, And his thoughts which he hath thought Against the inhabitants of Teman; Surely draw them forth shall the least of the flock, Surely destroyed over them shall be their dwellings.

21At the sound of their fall, tremble shall the earth, The cry of their voice shall at the Red Sea be heard.

22Behold, as an eagle will he ascend and fly, And will spread his wings over Bozrah; And the heart of the valiant men of Edom in that day Shall be like the heart of a sorrowful woman.

23Concerning Damascus: Ashamed is Hamath and Arpad; Because they heard a bad report, they melt away, Like a turbulent sea which cannot rest.

24Weakened is Damascus, she turns to flight, Terror hath laid hold on her, Anguish and pangs have seized her, As a woman in travail.

25How is not forsaken the city of praise — The city of my joy?

26Yet fall shall her young men in her streets, And all the men of war shall be cut off In that day, saith Jehovah of Hosts.

27For I will kindle a fire in the wall of Damascus, And it shall consume the palaces of Ben-hadad.

28Concerning Kedar, and the kingdoms of Hazor, which Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, had smitten: Thus saith Jehovah, — Arise ye, ascend against Kedar, And destroy the children of the east.

29Their tents and their flocks shall they take away, And their curtains and all their vessels; Their camels also shall they take to themselves, And they shall cry to them, “Terror ison every side.”

30Flee ye, depart far away, (Though deep have they made to dwell The inhabitants of Hazor, saith Jehovah;) For consulted against you hath Nebuchadnezzar, The king of Babylon, a counsel, And he hath purposed against you a purpose.

31Arise ye, ascend against a secure nation, That dwelleth in confidence, saith Jehovah; It hath neither gates nor bars, it dwelleth alone.

32And their camels shall became a prey, And the abundance of their cattle a plunder; And I will scatter them to every wind, Eventhe utmost corners; And from all the sides thereof Will I bring their destruction, saith Jehovah.

33And Hazor shall be the habitation of dragons, A perpetual desolation; Dwell there shall no man, Nor shall a son of man abide in her.

34The word which came to Jeremiah, the prophet, against Elam, at the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah, the king of Judah, saying:

35Thus saith Jehovah of hosts, — Behold, I will break the bow of Elam, The chief part of their strength;

36And I will bring against Elam four winds From the four quarters of the heavens; And I will scatter them to these four winds, And there shall not be a nation To which some fugitives from Elam shall not come.

37For I will terrify Elam before their enemies, And before those who seek their life; And I will bring on them the evil Of the indignation of my wrath, saith Jehovah; And I will send after them the sword Until I shall have consumed them;

38And I will erect my throne in Elam, And destroy thence the king and the princes, saith Jehovah.

39But it shall be in the latter days That I will restore the captivity of Elam, saith Jehovah.