Jeremiah 49:7-22 - A Message Concerning Edom

⁷ This is what Jehovah of Hosts says about Edom: Is there no longer any wisdom in Teman? Has wisdom disappeared from your people? Has their wisdom vanished? ⁸ Turn and run, take cover in deep places inhabitants of Dedan. When I punish them, I will bring disaster on the descendants of Esau. ⁹ If people come to pick your grapes, will they not leave a few grapes behind? If thieves come during the night, will they steal only until they have had enough? ¹⁰ Yet, I will strip the descendants of Esau. I will find their hiding places. They will not be able to hide. Their children and relatives will be destroyed. None of their neighbors will say: ¹¹ Abandon your orphans, and I will keep them alive. Your widows can trust me.

¹² This is what Jehovah says: If those who do not deserve to drink from the cup still drink from it, why should you go unpunished? You will not go unpunished. You must drink from it. ¹³ I take an oath on myself, says Jehovah, that Bozrah will become a pile of rubble. It will become something horrifying, ridiculed, ruined, and cursed. All its cities will lie in ruins permanently.

¹⁴ I heard a message from Jehovah. A messenger was sent among the nations to say: Assemble and attack Edom. Get ready for battle. ¹⁵ Edom, I will make you the smallest of nations and despised among humanity. ¹⁶ You have frightened other people. Your arrogance has deceived you. You live on rocky cliffs and occupy the highest places in the hills. Even though you build your nest as high as an eagle, I will bring you down from there, proclaims Jehovah.

¹⁷ Jehovah said: The destruction that will come on Edom will be so terrible that everyone who passes by will be shocked and terrified. ¹⁸ The same thing will happen to Edom that happened to Sodom and Gomorrah, when they and the nearby towns were destroyed. No one will ever live there again. I Jehovah have spoken.

¹⁹ Like a lion coming out of the thick woods along the Jordan River up to the green pastureland, I will come and make the Edomites run away suddenly from their country. Then the leader I choose will rule the nation. Who can be compared to me? Who would dare challenge me? What ruler could oppose me?

²⁰ Hear that which I have determined against the people of Edom, and to what I intend to do to the people of the city of Teman. Even their children will be dragged off, and everyone will be horrified. ²¹ When Edom falls, there will be such a noise that the entire earth will shake. The cries of alarm will be heard as far away as the Gulf of Aqaba. ²² The enemy will attack Bozrah like an eagle swooping down with outspread wings. On that day Edom's soldiers will be as frightened as a woman in labor.