Concerning Edom. - To the Edomites, whom Israel were to leave undisturbed in their possession, since they were a kindred nations (Deuteronomy 2:4), Balaam announces that "Edom shall become a possession," i.e., shall be taken possession of by the ruler rising out of Israel. We have shown, in the explanation given of Numbers 24:18, that up to the time of the exile this utterance had been fulfilled merely by feeble attacks being made, since the Edomites were only temporarily subdued by the Israelites, then soon made themselves independent again, and made war on Israel. On account of their implacable hostility towards the people of God, Ezekiel (Ezekiel 25:12.), as well as Jeremiah in this prophecy, announces ruin to them. The contents of the prophecy before us are as follow: The far-famed wisdom of Teman will not preserve Edom from the destruction with which Jahveh will visit it. The judgment of desolation that has been decreed shall inevitably come on it (Jeremiah 49:7-13). The nations shall wage war against it, and make it small; because of its proud trust in the strength of its dwelling-place, it shall become the laughing-stock of every passer-by (Jeremiah 49:14-18). As a lion from the reedy places of Jordan suddenly attacks a herd, the Lord will drag the Edomites from their rocky dwelling, so that the earth shall quake with the crash of their fall, and the anguish of death shall seize their heroes (Jeremiah 49:19-22). In this prophecy Jeremiah has relied much on Obadiah, Obadiah 1:1-9, and reproduced much of his expressions regarding the fall of Edom.

(Note: The use made of Obadiah by Jeremiah has been so convincingly proved, especially by Caspari in his commentary on Obadiah, that even Ewald and Graf, who place the prophecy of Obadiah in the time of the exile, acknowledge this use that has been made of it, and therefore hold that the first part of the book of Obadiah is a fragment of an older oracle. This is a hypothesis which we have already shown, in the introduction to Obadiah, to be untenable.)

According to what has been said, his address falls into three strophes. In the first (Jeremiah 49:7-13), the judgment breaking over Edom is depicted as one that cannot be averted, and as having been irrevocably decreed by the Lord; in the second (Jeremiah 49:14-18), it is set forth as to its nature and the occasion of its occurrence; and in the third (Jeremiah 49:19-22), as to its completion and consequences.

Jeremiah 49:7-13

The judgment as inevitable. - Jeremiah 49:7. "Thus saith Jahveh of hosts: Is there no more wisdom in Teman? has wisdom perished from those of understanding? is their wisdom [all] poured out? Jeremiah 49:8. Flee, turn ye! hide yourselves, ye inhabitants of Dedan; for I bring the destruction of Esau upon him, the time [when] I visit him. Jeremiah 49:9. If grape-gatherers come to thee, they will not leave gleanings; if thieves by night, they destroy what suffices them. Jeremiah 49:10. For I have stripped Esau, I have uncovered his secret places, and he cannot cover himself; his seed is destroyed, and his brethren, and his neighbours, and he is not. Jeremiah 49:11. Leave thine orphans, I will keep them alive; and let thy widows trust me. Jeremiah 49:12. For thus saith Jahveh: Behold, they whose judgment was not to drink the cup shall certainly drink it: and art thou he [who] shall be quite unpunished? thou shalt not be unpunished, but shalt certainly drink. Jeremiah 49:13. For by myself have I sworn, saith Jahveh, that Bozrah shall become a desolation, a reproach, a waste, and a curse; and all its cities shall become everlasting wastes."

In order to frighten Edom out of his carnal security, the prophet begins by depicting the horror of the judgment coming down on this people, before which his wise men shall stand not knowing what to advise, and unable to find out any means for averting the evil. Teman, the home of the wise Eliphaz (Job 2:11), is here, as in Amos 1:12, Obadiah 1:9, the region of that name in Gebalene, the northern district of Idumea; see on Amos 1:12. The question, "Is there no longer wisdom in Teman?" is ironical, and has a negative meaning. The following clauses also are to be taken as questions, not as assent to the question, as Hitzig and Graf infer from the omission of בּנים אם is not the plural of בּן, "son," but the participle of בּוּן fo elpici or בּין, and equivalent to נבנים; cf. Isaiah 29:14.

Jeremiah 49:13 Parallel Commentaries

I have

Jeremiah 44:26 Therefore hear you the word of the LORD, all Judah that dwell in the land of Egypt; Behold, I have sworn by my great name...

Genesis 22:16 And said, By myself have I sworn, said the LORD, for because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son:

Isaiah 45:23 I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That to me every knee shall bow...

Ezekiel 35:11 Therefore, as I live, said the Lord GOD, I will even do according to your anger...

Amos 6:8 The Lord GOD has sworn by himself, said the LORD the God of hosts, I abhor the excellency of Jacob, and hate his palaces...

Bozrah

Jeremiah 49:22 Behold, he shall come up and fly as the eagle, and spread his wings over Bozrah...

Genesis 36:33 And Bela died, and Jobab the son of Zerah of Bozrah reigned in his stead.

Isaiah 34:6 The sword of the LORD is filled with blood, it is made fat with fatness, and with the blood of lambs and goats...

Isaiah 63:1 Who is this that comes from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? this that is glorious in his apparel...

Amos 1:12 But I will send a fire on Teman, which shall devour the palaces of Bozrah.

a desolation

Jeremiah 49:17,18 Also Edom shall be a desolation: every one that goes by it shall be astonished, and shall hiss at all the plagues thereof...

Isaiah 34:9-15 And the streams thereof shall be turned into pitch, and the dust thereof into brimstone...

Ezekiel 25:13,14 Therefore thus said the Lord GOD; I will also stretch out my hand on Edom, and will cut off man and beast from it...

Ezekiel 35:2-15 Son of man, set your face against mount Seir, and prophesy against it...

Joel 3:19 Egypt shall be a desolation, and Edom shall be a desolate wilderness, for the violence against the children of Judah...

Obadiah 1:18 And the house of Jacob shall be a fire, and the house of Joseph a flame, and the house of Esau for stubble...

Malachi 1:3,4 And I hated Esau, and laid his mountains and his heritage waste for the dragons of the wilderness...