ScriptureDepth's study of Jeremiah 49
“For I have sworn by myself,” says Yahweh, “that Bozrah will become an astonishment, a reproach, a waste, and a curse. All its cities will be perpetual wastes.”
Jeremiah 49:13
Yahweh declares to Edom that Bozrah will become a 'waste' and a 'curse', marking the definitive judgment against Edom's pride and security.
What Jeremiah 49 is about
Yahweh speaks against Ammon, questioning why Malcam possesses Gad (vv. 1-2). He declares that Rabbah will become a wasteland and Israel will reclaim its land (v. 2). The prophet calls for mourning in Heshbon and Rabbah, as Malcam will go into captivity (vv. 3-4). Yahweh promises terror on those who boast in their riches (vv. 5-6).
Next, Yahweh judges Edom, asking if wisdom is gone in Teman (vv. 7-8). He reveals that Esau will be exposed and destroyed (vv. 9-10). Yahweh states that Bozrah will become a desolation, and all its cities will be waste (vv. 13-14). Then, Damascus is warned of its impending destruction, with its young men falling in the streets (vv. 23-26). Yahweh commands destruction against Kedar and Hazor, saying Nebuchadnezzar will attack (vv. 28-30). Finally, Yahweh proclaims judgment against Elam but promises its future restoration (vv. 34-39).
Yahweh will reverse the captivity of Elam in the latter days, as He promises restoration.
Jeremiah 49 at a glance
- Jeremiah 49:1–6Prophecy Against Ammon
- Jeremiah 49:7–20Judgment on Edom
- Jeremiah 49:21–27Destruction of Damascus
- Jeremiah 49:28–33Judgment Against Kedar and Hazor
- Jeremiah 49:34–39Prophecy Regarding Elam
Key verse: Jeremiah 49:13
Summary and study helps: AI-drafted (September 2026), checked by automated Scripture gates. Spotted an error? Report it. Fixes are listed on the corrections page.
Chapter text
Read Jeremiah 49 (WEB)
Prophecy Against Ammon Jeremiah 49:1–6
1Verse 1. Of the children of Ammon. Yahweh says:“Has Israel no sons?Has he no heir?Why then does Malcam possess Gad,and his people dwell in its cities?2Verse 2. Therefore behold, the days come,”says Yahweh,“that I will cause an alarm of war to be heard against Rabbah of the children of Ammon;and it will become a desolate heap,and her daughters will be burned with fire:then Israel will possess those who possessed him,”says Yahweh.3Verse 3. “Wail, Heshbon, for Ai is laid waste!Cry, you daughters of Rabbah!Clothe yourself in sackcloth.Lament, and run back and forth among the fences;for Malcam will go into captivity,his priests and his princes together.4Verse 4. Why do you boast in the valleys,your flowing valley, backsliding daughter?You trusted in her treasures,saying, ‘Who will come to me?’5Verse 5. Behold, I will bring a terror on you,”says the Lord, Yahweh of Armies,“from all who are around you.All of you will be driven completely out,and there will be no one to gather together the fugitives.6Verse 6. “But afterward I will reverse the captivity of the children of Ammon,”says Yahweh.
Judgment on Edom Jeremiah 49:7–20
7Verse 7. Of Edom, Yahweh of Armies says:“Is wisdom no more in Teman?Has counsel perished from the prudent?Has their wisdom vanished?8Verse 8. Flee! Turn back!Dwell in the depths, inhabitants of Dedan;for I will bring the calamity of Esau on him when I visit him.9Verse 9. If grape gatherers came to you,would they not leave some gleaning grapes?If thieves came by night,wouldn’t they steal until they had enough?10Verse 10. But I have made Esau bare,I have uncovered his secret places,and he will not be able to hide himself.His offspring is destroyed,with his brothers and his neighbors;and he is no more.11Verse 11. Leave your fatherless children.I will preserve them alive.Let your widows trust in me.”12Verse 12. For Yahweh says: “Behold, they to whom it didn’t pertain to drink of the cup will certainly drink; and are you he who will altogether go unpunished? You won’t go unpunished, but you will surely drink.13Verse 13. For I have sworn by myself,” says Yahweh, “that Bozrah will become an astonishment, a reproach, a waste, and a curse. All its cities will be perpetual wastes.”14Verse 14. I have heard news from Yahweh,and an ambassador is sent among the nations,saying, “Gather yourselves together!Come against her!Rise up to the battle!”15Verse 15. “For, behold, I have made you small among the nations,and despised among men.16Verse 16. As for your terror,the pride of your heart has deceived you,O you who dwell in the clefts of the rock,who hold the height of the hill,though you should make your nest as high as the eagle,I will bring you down from there,” says Yahweh.17Verse 17. “Edom will become an astonishment.Everyone who passes by it will be astonished,and will hiss at all its plagues.18Verse 18. As in the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah and its neighbor cities,” says Yahweh,“no man will dwell there,neither will any son of man live therein.19Verse 19. “Behold, he will come up like a lion from the pride of the Jordan against the strong habitation:for I will suddenly make them run away from it;and whoever is chosen,I will appoint him over it.For who is like me?Who will appoint me a time?Who is the shepherd who will stand before me?”20Verse 20. Therefore hear the counsel of Yahweh, that he has taken against Edom;and his purposes, that he has purposed against the inhabitants of Teman:Surely they will drag them away,the little ones of the flock.Surely he will make their habitation desolate over them.
Destruction of Damascus Jeremiah 49:21–27
21Verse 21. The earth trembles at the noise of their fall;there is a cry, the noise which is heard in the Red Sea.22Verse 22. Behold, he will come up and fly as the eagle,and spread out his wings against Bozrah.The heart of the mighty men of Edom at that day will be as the heart of a woman in her pangs.23Verse 23. Of Damascus:“Hamath is confounded, and Arpad;for they have heard evil news.They have melted away.There is sorrow on the sea.It can’t be quiet.24Verse 24. Damascus has grown feeble,she turns herself to flee,and trembling has seized her.Anguish and sorrows have taken hold of her,as of a woman in travail.25Verse 25. How is the city of praise not forsaken,the city of my joy?26Verse 26. Therefore her young men will fall in her streets,and all the men of war will be brought to silence in that day,”says Yahweh of Armies.27Verse 27. “I will kindle a fire in the wall of Damascus,and it will devour the palaces of Ben Hadad.”
Judgment Against Kedar and Hazor Jeremiah 49:28–33
28Verse 28. Of Kedar, and of the kingdoms of Hazor, which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon struck. Yahweh says:“Arise, go up to Kedar,and destroy the children of the east.29Verse 29. They will take their tents and their flocks.they will carry away for themselves their curtains,all their vessels, and their camels;and they will cry to them, ‘Terror on every side!’30Verse 30. Flee!Wander far off!Dwell in the depths, you inhabitants of Hazor,” says Yahweh;“for Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon has taken counsel against you,and has conceived a purpose against you.31Verse 31. Arise! Go up to a nation that is at ease,that dwells without care,” says Yahweh;“that has neither gates nor bars,that dwells alone.32Verse 32. Their camels will be a booty,and the multitude of their livestock a plunder.I will scatter to all winds those who have the corners of their beards cut off;and I will bring their calamity from every side of them,”says Yahweh.33Verse 33. Hazor will be a dwelling place of jackals,a desolation forever.No man will dwell there,neither will any son of man live therein.”
Prophecy Regarding Elam Jeremiah 49:34–39
34Verse 34. Yahweh’s word that came to Jeremiah the prophet concerning Elam, in the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah, saying,35Verse 35. “Yahweh of Armies says:‘Behold, I will break the bow of Elam,the chief of their might.36Verse 36. I will bring on Elam the four winds from the four quarters of the sky,and will scatter them toward all those winds.There will be no nation where the outcasts of Elam will not come.37Verse 37. I will cause Elam to be dismayed before their enemies,and before those who seek their life.I will bring evil on them, even my fierce anger,’ says Yahweh;‘and I will send the sword after them,until I have consumed them.38Verse 38. I will set my throne in Elam,and will destroy from there king and princes,’ says Yahweh.39Verse 39. ‘But it will happen in the latter daysthat I will reverse the captivity of Elam,’ says Yahweh.”
World English Bible (public domain)
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Main themes in Jeremiah 49
God's sovereignty
Yahweh declares His authority over nations, asserting control over the fates of Ammon, Edom, Damascus, Kedar, and Elam. In verse 2, He proclaims that He will cause 'an alarm of war' against Rabbah, indicating His orchestration of events leading to destruction. His decisive power is evident in verse 20, where He warns about the inevitable fate of Edom, demonstrating His ultimate governance over all peoples.
Divine judgment
Divine judgment is a central focus, particularly against Edom and Ammon. In v. 13, Yahweh states that 'Bozrah will become an astonishment, a reproach,' signaling the severe consequences of sin. The calamities described in v. 21, including the trembling of the earth at their fall, illustrate the weight of judgment pronounced upon these nations for their arrogance.
Pride and humility
Pride is addressed explicitly in v. 16, where Yahweh condemns Edom, stating that 'the pride of your heart has deceived you.' This highlights the danger of self-reliance and arrogance in the face of impending judgment. The chapter moves this theme forward by contrasting the prideful boasting of nations with their upcoming humiliation and destruction, as seen in Edom's fate.
Hope and restoration
Though judgment prevails, the chapter concludes with a promise of restoration. In v. 6, Yahweh assures that He will 'reverse the captivity of the children of Ammon,' indicating a future opportunity for redemption. Similarly, in v. 39, He declares that He will also 'reverse the captivity of Elam,' offering hope amidst the prophetic declarations of doom.
Chapter outline
How Jeremiah 49 unfolds
Jeremiah 49:1–6 Prophecy Against Ammon
Yahweh questions Israel's status, asking 'Has Israel no sons?' while declaring that Malcam possesses Gad and will bring destruction to Rabbah, leading to Israel's eventual reclamation of the land (vv. 1-2, 6).
Jeremiah 49:7–20 Judgment on Edom
Yahweh questions Edom's wisdom, commands them to 'Flee! Turn back!' as calamity approaches, declaring judgment that will leave Edom in desolation due to their pride (vv. 7-10, 16-17).
Jeremiah 49:21–27 Destruction of Damascus
The earth trembles at the noise of the fall, as Damascus is seized by trembling and anguish, leading to the fall of its young men and the city's destruction by fire (vv. 21-27).
Jeremiah 49:28–33 Judgment Against Kedar and Hazor
Yahweh commands action against Kedar and Hazor, detailing the destruction Nebuchadnezzar will bring, while urging them to 'Flee! Wander far off!' as desolation approaches (vv. 28-30).
Jeremiah 49:34–39 Prophecy Regarding Elam
Yahweh declares judgment on Elam, breaking their might and scattering them, followed by a promise of restoration in the latter days (vv. 34-39). The section asserts that even in judgment, future hope remains for Elam.
Key verses
Jeremiah 49:13Yahweh declares to Edom that Bozrah will become a 'waste' and a 'curse', marking the definitive judgment against Edom's pride and security.
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Study questions
Questions for studying Jeremiah 49
- observeIn v2, what will happen to Rabbah of the children of Ammon?
- observeWhat does Yahweh say about the wisdom of Edom in v7?
- interpretEdom's pride in v16: how does it affect their fate according to God's words?
- interpretIn v34, what does the prophecy concerning Elam suggest about its future?
- applyWhen have you felt false security, like Ammon's trust in wealth in v4?
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Cross-references
Passages that echo Jeremiah 49
- Jeremiah 30Jeremiah 49:39 and Jeremiah 30:18Both reverse captivity: Jeremiah 49:39 says, 'I will reverse the captivity of Elam,' while Jeremiah 30:18 states, 'I will reverse the captivity of Jacob's tents.'
- Jeremiah 50Jeremiah 49:20 and Jeremiah 50:45Both counsel of Yahweh: Jeremiah 49:20 says, 'hear the counsel of Yahweh,' while Jeremiah 50:45 states, 'hear the counsel of Yahweh.'
- Obadiah 1Jeremiah 49:16 and Obadiah 1:3Both pride deceives: Jeremiah 49:16 states, 'the pride of your heart has deceived you,' while Obadiah 1:3 says the same phrase.
- Jeremiah 48Jeremiah 49:3 and Jeremiah 48:7Both trust in works: Jeremiah 49:3 states, 'you have trusted in your works,' while Jeremiah 48:7 says, 'you have trusted in your works and in your treasures.'
- Amos 1Jeremiah 49:23 and Amos 1:3Both punishment for Damascus: Jeremiah 49:23 states, 'they have heard evil news,' while Amos 1:3 says, 'I will not turn away its punishment.'
- Jeremiah 25Jeremiah 49:8 and Jeremiah 25:23Both calamity of Esau: Jeremiah 49:8 states, 'I will bring the calamity of Esau on him,' while Jeremiah 25:23 mentions people in the same region.
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Where to go from here
- Jeremiah: the whole bookJeremiah ministered longer through darker days than any other prophet: called as a young man around 627 BC in…
- Full Year Chronological Bible, day 248Day 248 of 365: Jeremiah 48–50.
- RepentanceWhat the Bible says about repentance, with verses.
- Common Bible questionsThe questions people bring to Bible study, each answered from the text.
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