JeremiahChapter 49
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1This is what the LORD says about the Ammonites:
"Doesn't Israel have any sons?
Doesn't he have anyone to receive his land?
Then why has Milcom taken over Gad?
Why do his people live in Gad's towns?a 2So look, the days are coming, says the LORD,
when I will sound the battle cry
against Rabbah of the Ammonites.
It will become a pile of ruins.
Its villages will be burned.
Then Israel will drive out those who drove them out,
says the LORD. 3Wail, Heshbon, for Ai is destroyed!
Cry out, you daughters of Rabbah!
Put on sackcloth and mourn.
Run here and there inside your walls.
For Milcom will be taken away as a captive,
along with his priests and officials. 4Why do you brag about your valleys,
your rich, fruitful valleys,
you unfaithful daughter?
You trust in your riches and say,
'Who can attack me?' 5Look, I am about to bring terror on you
from all those around you,
says the Lord GOD of Hosts.
Each of you will be chased away.
No one will gather those who run away. 6But later I will bring the Ammonites back from captivity," says the LORD. 7This is what the LORD of Hosts says about Edom:
"Is there no more wisdom in Teman?
Have wise people lost their good advice?
Has their wisdom rotted away? 8Turn and run!
Hide in deep places, you people of Dedan!
For I will bring disaster on Esau
at the time I punish him. 9If grape pickers came to you,
wouldn't they leave a few grapes behind?
If thieves came at night,
wouldn't they steal only what they wanted? 10But I will strip Esau bare.
I will uncover his hiding places.
He will not be able to hide.
His children will be destroyed,
and his relatives and neighbors too.
He will be gone. 11Leave your orphans behind.
I will keep them alive.
Let your widows trust in me." 12For this is what the LORD says: "If those who do not deserve to drink the cup must drink it, how can you go unpunished? You will not go unpunished. You must drink it too. 13I have made a promise by my own name, says the LORD. Bozrah will become an empty ruin and a thing of shame. It will be a wasteland. People will use its name as a curse. All her towns will be ruins forever." 14I have heard a message from the LORD.
A messenger has been sent to the nations to say,
"Gather together and march against her!
Get up and go to battle!" 15"For look, I will make you small among the nations.
People will look down on you. 16The terror you cause
and the pride of your heart have fooled you.
You live in the cracks of the rocks.
You hold the tops of the mountains.
You build your nest high like the eagle.
But I will bring you down even from there," says the LORD. 17"Edom will become a thing of horror.
All who pass by will be shocked.
They will make fun of all her wounds. 18"Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed, along with the towns near them," says the LORD. "Just like them, no one will live there. No one will stay there. 19Look, someone will come up like a lion
from the thick bushes by the Jordan
to a rich, green pasture.
In a moment I will chase Edom from her land.
Who is the chosen one I will put in charge of this?
Who is like me? Who can challenge me?
What shepherd can stand against me?" 20So hear the plans the LORD has made against Edom.
Hear what he plans against the people of Teman.
Surely the little ones of the flock will be dragged away.
Surely their pasture will be made empty because of them. 21When they fall, the earth will shake at the sound.
Their cry will be heard as far as the Red Sea. 22Look! An eagle will fly up and swoop down.
It will spread its wings over Bozrah.
On that day the hearts of Edom's strong men
will be like the heart of a woman giving birth. 23This is about Damascus:
"Hamath and Arpad are put to shame,
for they have heard bad news.
They are as restless as the sea.
Their worry cannot be calmed. 24Damascus has grown weak.
She has turned to run away.
Panic has taken hold of her.
Pain and suffering have grabbed her
like a woman giving birth. 25Why has the city of praise not been left empty,
the town that gives me joy? 26For her young men will fall in the streets.
All her soldiers will be silenced on that day,"
says the LORD of Hosts. 27"I will set fire to the walls of Damascus.
It will burn up the forts of Ben-hadad." 28This is about Kedar and the kingdoms of Hazor. Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon defeated them. This is what the LORD says:
"Get up and attack Kedar!
Destroy the people of the east! 29They will take their tents and flocks,
their tent curtains and all their goods.
They will take their camels for themselves.
They will shout to them, 'Terror is on every side!' 30Run! Get away fast!
Hide in deep places, you people of Hazor," says the LORD.
"For Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon has made a plan against you.
He has thought up a way to attack you. 31Get up and attack a nation that feels at ease.
It lives without worry," says the LORD.
"They have no gates or bars.
They live all alone. 32Their camels will be stolen.
Their large herds will be taken.
They cut the hair at the sides of their heads.
I will scatter them to the winds in every direction.
I will bring disaster on them from every side," says the LORD. 33"Hazor will become a home for wild dogs.
It will be an empty ruin forever.
No one will live there.
No one will stay there."b 34The LORD gave this message to Jeremiah the prophet about Elam. It came at the start of the rule of Zedekiah king of Judah. 35This is what the LORD of Hosts says:
"Look, I will break Elam's bow,
the main source of their strength. 36I will bring the four winds against Elam
from the four corners of the sky.
I will scatter them to all these winds.
There will be no nation
where Elam's captives do not go. 37I will smash Elam in front of their enemies,
in front of those who want to kill them.
I will bring disaster on them,
my burning anger," says the LORD.
"I will send the sword after them
until I have wiped them out. 38I will set my throne in Elam.
I will destroy its king and officials," says the LORD. 39"But in the last days
I will bring Elam back from captivity," says the LORD.