Jeremiah 49

49:1-6 Ammon was the next nation brought to trial in the Lord’s courtroom. Ammon was the second of Lot’s descendants (see study note on 48:1-47); its territory was north of Moab and east of Israel. The destruction of Ammon occurred shortly after the fall of Jerusalem.49:1 After the fall of the northern kingdom of Israel in 722 BC, the Ammonites moved into territory that had been vacated by the tribe of Gad. • The Ammonites worshiped a fertility god named Molech (“ruler”), who was a lot like Baal (“master”).

49:2 Rabbah, the capital of Ammon, was destroyed in 582 BC.

49:3 The Ammonites might have thought that their deity, Molech, was powerful. However, the coming invader would take this idol into exile with his priests and officials; their ritual magic would be exposed as a fraud.

49:4-6 The Ammonites trusted in their wealth, but it could not provide security. The Lord ensured their judgment and their future restoration.

49:7-22 The people of Edom were descendants of Esau, Jacob’s brother (Gen 32:3). The land of Edom lay south of Moab, in the highlands rising east of the Arabah Valley. The divine Judge exercised his right to hold every nation accountable.49:7-8 Is there no wisdom: Edom was famous for its wise men, but they would suddenly appear foolish because they were unaware of the coming doom. • Teman and Dedan were cities of Edom.

49:9-11 Harvesters customarily left some of the crop for the poor (Lev 19:9-10); thieves would take only those grapes they could get quickly and easily. The invaders would take their time and mercilessly strip Edom bare, leaving only ruin behind them. However, the Lord promised to be merciful to the defeated nation’s orphans and widows.

49:12-22 The cup of judgment symbolized the fulfillment of the Lord’s decrees (see 25:15-17). This section vividly depicts the aftermath of a nation’s drinking from that cup.

49:13 Bozrah was a fortress built on top of a high rock with steep sides, but no place in Edom would be safe.

49:14 The ambassador might have been an angel sent by God (cp. 1 Kgs 22:20-22).

49:15-16 The leaders of Edom thought themselves powerful because they stirred fear in those who passed through their land on the King’s Highway. • Edom had a rock fortress, now called Petra; it was hard to find and could only be approached through a deep, narrow gorge. Even this remote place could not secure the Edomites against the Lord’s judgment.

49:18 As had occurred with the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, Edom would become uninhabited.

49:19 In divine judgment, the Lord would use the Babylonians to come like a lion . . . leaping on the sheep as they chased Edom’s leaders out of the land. • The Lord’s rhetorical questions implied the answer, “No one can challenge the Lord; he is the only Almighty ruler.”

49:22 The eagle, a common bird in the rugged mountains of Edom, is a metaphor for the rapid penetration of the region by the Babylonians.

49:23-27 Damascus, the capital of Aram (ancient Syria), and the Aramean cities of Hamath and Arpad, indicate Aram as the next object of the Lord’s judgment.

49:25 Damascus had a long history of power and glory at the hub of major trade routes. Its people enjoyed prosperity and joy, but they would lose these pleasures when they were forsaken by the Lord.

49:27 The city’s walls and palaces were probably built with timbers from the slopes of Mount Hermon. • Ben-hadad (literally son of the mighty one) was the royal title given to a long line of Aramean kings.

49:28-33 The nomads of Kedar roamed freely in the upper Arabian Desert east of Palestine. They were a belligerent people (Ps 120:5-7; Isa 21:13-16) who raised flocks and herds for lucrative trade with Tyre (Ezek 27:21). • Hazor was a region east of Damascus inhabited by nomads. • The poem urges King Nebuchadnezzar to attack, and it describes the impact of the battles.49:28-29 The Babylonians wanted to defeat the warriors of Kedar so they could capture their rich household goods and camels.

49:30 The Lord exhorted the people of Hazor to run and hide, even though it would do them no good. Nebuchadnezzar, the Babylonian king, had them on his agenda for conquest.

49:34-39 The final poetic message of this series was addressed to Elam. This nation, known for its ferocity, was located in the Zagros Mountains, far to the east beyond Babylon (Ezek 32:24).

49:35 The Elamite warriors were expert archers, but their skills could not save Elam.

49:36 The common aftermath of a successful invasion was for the victors to scatter the refugees far and wide.

49:37 The Lord would express his fierce anger through the great disaster to come upon Elam. No specific charge is mentioned here, but like other nations, Elam served false gods and was cruel in its wars against its neighbors.

49:38 I will set my throne in Elam: The Lord would express his supreme authority by destroying Elam’s king and officials.

49:39 The Lord’s decree of judgment was balanced by his promise to restore the fortunes of Elam. In 539 BC, a native of Elam named Cyrus conquered Babylon and founded the Persian Empire. Susa, the former capital of Elam, then became the capital of the Persian Empire (Esth 1:2). Cyrus would be God’s anointed instrument to set the Jews free (Isa 44:28–45:1).