Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Jeremiah 49:14
I have heard a rumor from the LORD, and an ambassador is sent unto the heathen, [saying], Gather ye together, and come against her, and rise up to the battle.
14 18. These vv. are parallel to Oba 1:1-4, whence they are borrowed; see introd. note.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 14. I have heard a rumour] The Lord has revealed to me what he is about to do to the Edomites.
An ambassador is sent] I believe this means only that God has given permission, and has stirred up the hearts of these nations to go against those whom he has doomed to destruction.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
I have heard a rumour from the Lord: Obadiah beginneth his prophecy much with such words. God hath revealed his will to me in a vision or a dream.
An ambassador is sent unto the heathen: he speaks after the manner of earthly princes, who use to send their ambassadors to other princes to declare their minds to them.
Saying, Gather ye together, and come against her, and rise up to the battle: the meaning is, God hath made such impressions upon other nations, he hath inclined them, or set them on work, to get together in armies to come against Edom in battle.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
14. (Ob1-3).
ambassador . . . unto theheathena messenger from God to stir up the Chaldeans againstEdom.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
I have heard a rumour from the Lord,…. “A hearing” l; or a report concerning the destruction of Edom, made to him in a dream or vision, by the spirit of God, as a spirit of prophecy:
and an ambassador is sent to the Heathen; or a messenger; Jeremiah the prophet, as some; or an angel, as Kimchi suggests, sent to gather the nations to war against Bozrah; or a divine impulse, as others, with which the Chaldeans were impressed; which was as a voice to them,
[saying], gather ye together, and come against her, and rise up to the battle; get your forces together, and come against Bozrah or Edom, to invade and subdue it; attack it in a military way, not doubting of victory; see Ob 1:1.
l “auditum audivi”, V. L. Pagninus, Montanus, Schmidt.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
The Prophet again shews that God would be the author of the calamity of which he speaks; for if things were viewed by men, no one could have thought that the Idumeans could in so short a time be destroyed. It was therefore necessary for the faithful to raise upwards their minds. And this the Prophet had in view when he said that all this would be from God.
But most forcible are his words when he says, We have heard a hearing; some say, “a report,” but improperly, as I think; for though, שמועה, shemuoe, often means a report or rumor, yet here it ought to be taken for a proclamation, which God published as it were by his own heralds. For the similitude is taken from men, proclaiming war against their enemies by a solemn rite. Then Jeremiah says, that a voice was heard sent from above, because it was God’s purpose publicly and openly to testify, that what we read here of the destruction of Edom would take place. We now then understand the meaning of the Prophet, when he says, A hearing have we heard from Jehovah
Then follows immediately a confirmation, a messenger, or an ambassador, is sent to the nations God, indeed, had no messenger or herald to proclaim war against the Idumeans, or to rouse up the Assyrians and Chaldeans; but the Prophets usually spoke thus, that men, being led to the very scene, might know that what was said was real, and would not be without its effect, as prophecies were as so many embassies. And according to this view, the prophets, as we have stated elsewhere, sometimes besieged and stormed cities, sometimes sounded the trumpet, even for this purpose, to show that their doctrine was linked with its execution, for God never spoke by them to no purpose or in vain. The Prophet at the same time reminds us that the Chaldeans and the Assyrians were in God’s hand, so that he could by a nod or a hiss rouse them to war, as it is said elsewhere,
“
God will hiss for the fly of Egypt.” (Isa 7:18)
The Prophet then means, that the Chaldeans and the Assyrians would be ready to obey God, as though they were hired soldiers, and enlisted under his banner.
We now then see how forcible was this mode of speaking; for the faithful might hence learn, that it was in God’s power to perform whatever he proclaimed by his servant, because he could by one word rouse, draw, arm, and lead to war the Assyrians and the Chaldeans, as he also says, Be ye assembled, and come against her, and rise up to battle And he speaks of many nations, lest any one should think that the Idumeans would be able to resist, for he is not immediately conquered who is attacked by his enemies. But the Prophet meets this doubt, and says that there would be many nations, who, with their united strength, would come against the people of Edom, so that they would have no power to resist. Nearly the same words are found in Obadiah. It now follows —
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
B. The Subsequent Conditions Jer. 49:14-18
TRANSLATION
(14) I have heard tidings from the LORD, and an ambassador has been sent to the nations: Gather yourselves and come against her! Rise up to battle! (15) For behold I have made you small among the nations, despised among men. (16) As for your terribleness, the pride of your heart has deceived you, O dweller in the clefts of the rock, O holder of the heights of the hills. Though you have made high your nest like an eagle, from thence I will bring you down (oracle of the LORD). (17) And Edom shall become an astonishment; every one who passes by shall be astonished and shall whistle over all of her wounds. (18) As the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah and their neighbors (says the LORD) a man shall not dwell there nor a son of man sojourn there.
COMMENTS
Jeremiah begins the second section of the Edom oracle by announcing that he has heard a rumor or report directly from the Lord. God has revealed to the prophet that He has sent an heavenly ambassador or messenger to the nations urging them to come to battle against Edom (Jer. 49:14). God guides the counsels of nations. Often they carry out His plans and fulfill His purposes without even being aware that they are being used of God. The Lord has decreed that Edom shall be small among the nations and despised among men (Jer. 49:15). To this end he grants success to the enemies who march against Edom.
Again the finger of accusation points to national arrogance as the supreme cause of Edoms doom. Your terribleness should probably be understood as the terror you inspire. No doubt many enemies upon approaching Edom were overcome with fear as they beheld what seemed to be unconquerable fortresses nestled in the inaccessible clefts of the mountains. This reputation of invincibleness had misled Edom and had given birth to pride or arrogance within the hearts of the inhabitants of that land.After all, even if the other cities of the land fell there was still that impregnable fortress Sela or Petra, the Rock. Accessible only. by a narrow ravine which could easily be defended by a handful of men this city was the ultimate confidence of the Edomites. The inhabitants had cut huge cisterns for the storage of water and supplies so as to be able to withstand a siege of the longest possible duration. The references to the clefts of the rock and the height of the hill likely refer to this desert stronghold. The God of Israel will humble the arrogant pride of Edom. Even though they might build their fortresses as high in those mountains as an eagle might build her nest, God will bring them down to the ground (Jer. 49:16).
Suddenly the picture changes. The battle is over and Edom has fallen. Centuries pass and Edom remains uninhabited, a complete desolation. Those who pass by the area will hiss or whistle in astonishment at the extent of the desolation. The destruction of Edom shall remind men of the earlier destruction of the cities of the plain in that the whole region would henceforth be uninhabited (Jer. 49:18). Of the Patriarchal accounts mentioned in the prophetic books none is mentioned so frequently as the Sodom account. The number of occurrences and the distribution of the references are truly remarkable. From the eighth century on the cities of the plain, made famous by Genesis 19, became proverbial for divine judgment. Their destruction became the norm for punishmentthe standard which other judgments approximated or equaled. The emphasis here is not on the manner of Sodoms overthrow but on the permanent effects of that destruction.[395] Some commentators call attention to the fact that whereas in the case of Moab and Ammon a promise of restoration is appended to the oracle of doom, no such promise appears in the Edom oracle. Edom will be destroyed as completely as Sodom and Gomorrah; there will be no restoration, That this observation is not particularly significant is indicated by two facts. First, Zephaniah (Jer. 2:9) uses the Sodom and Gomorrah simile in reference to Moab and Ammon. Second, the prophet Amos (Jer. 9:12) foretold that Edom would be included in the Messianic kingdom, at least that is the interpretation that James put upon the passage (Act. 15:15-18).
[395] Cf. Isa. 13:19-20; Jer. 50:40.
Fuente: College Press Bible Study Textbook Series
(14) I have heard a rumour from the Lord . . .The thought is that of Jehovah, as the great King, sending forth His herald or envoy to call the nations to the attack on Edom. (Comp. Jer. 46:3-4.)
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
14. Rumour Tidings.
Ambassador Herald.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Jer 49:14. I have heard a rumour, &c. The prophets frequently represent God as a mighty monarch, summoning nations, and sending them where he will, to execute his orders. See Isa 13:2; Isa 18:3. The Chaldeans are here referred to.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Jer 49:14 I have heard a rumour from the LORD, and an ambassador is sent unto the heathen, [saying], Gather ye together, and come against her, and rise up to the battle.
Ver. 14. I have heard a rumour from the Lord. ] See on Oba 1:1 .
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Jer 49:14-16
14I have heard a message from the LORD,
And an envoy is sent among the nations, saying,
Gather yourselves together and come against her,
And rise up for battle!
15For behold, I have made you small among the nations,
Despised among men.
16As for the terror of you,
The arrogance of your heart has deceived you,
O you who live in the clefts of the rock,
Who occupy the height of the hill.
Though you make your nest as high as an eagle’s,
I will bring you down from there, declares the LORD.
Jer 49:14 There is a literary relationship between this verse and the opening verses (i.e., Jer 49:1-4) of Obadiah. I assume that Jeremiah has influenced Obadiah and, thereby makes Obadiah an early post-exilic prophet (which goes against the order of the book in the scroll of the Minor Prophets).
YHWH’s prophet is calling on a foreign invader to decimate Edom.
1. gather yourselves – BDB 867, KB 1062
2. come against her – BDB 97, KB 112, Qal IMPERATIVE
3. rise up for battle – BDB 877, KB 1086, Qal IMPERATIVE, cf. Oba 1:1
Jer 49:16
NASBAs for the terror of you
NKJVYour fierceness
NRSVthe terror you inspire
TEVyour pride
NJByour reputation for ferocity
JPSOAyour horrible nature
REByour overbearing arrogance
This word (BDB 814) occurs only here. Most lexicons relate it to the VERB listed just above it in BDB shuddering (cf. Job 21:6; Psa 55:5; Isa 21:4; Eze 7:18).
The AB (p. 331) speculates that it may relate to the name of an idol, possibly mentioned in 1Ki 15:13 (twice), because the NOUN is FEMININE but the VERB (deceive, BDB 674, KB 728, Hiphil PERFECT) is MASCULINE.
arrogance Edom thought her topography (i.e., a high table land or plateau) would make her immune to invasion but she was mistaken.
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
heathen = nations.
ye together =. yourselves out [to war].
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Jer 49:14-18
Jer 49:14-18
THE NATURE OF EDOM’S JUDGMENT (Jer 49:14-18)
I have heard tidings from Jehovah, and an ambassador is sent among the nations, [saying], Gather yourselves together, and come against her, and rise up to the battle. For, behold, I have made thee small among the nations, and despised among men. As for thy terribleness, the pride of thy heart hath deceived thee, O thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rock, that holdest the height of the hill: though thou shouldest make thy nest as high as the eagle, I will bring thee down from thence, saith Jehovah. And Edom shall become an astonishment: every one that passeth by it shall be astonished, and shall hiss at all the plagues thereof. As in the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah and the neighbor cities thereof, saith Jehovah, no man shall dwell there, neither shall any son of man sojourn therein.
Thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rocks…
(Jer 49:15). Edom was probably the best fortified nation on earth when Jeremiah prophesied. The rocky vastness of Mount Seir, where Petra (Sela) was located, is a marvel even to this day for all who ever saw the place. Even yet it seems incredible that a nation with such a stronghold could be defeated.
Much of the little Book of Obadiah is incorporated into these prophecies by Jeremiah, and again we have evidence that Jeremiah was familiar with all that any of the prophets before him had written. Obadiah wrote during the ninth century B.C., and Jeremiah prophesied more than two centuries afterward.
Obadiah is not the only prophet who gave pronouncements of God’s wrath upon the Edomites. Others are Eze 25:12-14; Eze 35:1-15; Joe 3:19; Amo 9:12; Isa 21:11-12; Isa 34:5-7; Isa 63:1-6. So far I have already commented upon all of these (except the ones in Ezekiel). To all of these, of course, there must also be added the prophecies against Edom through the prophet Jeremiah.
Sodom and Gomorrah and the neighbor cities…
(Jer 49:18). What is meant here is that the destruction of Edom would be total and complete like that of Sodom and Gomorrah, and that the old seat of the nation would become uninhabited. This, of course, is true to this very day. The neighbor cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were Admah and Zeboiim (Gen. 18–19; Deu 29:23-25 )
The Subsequent Conditions Jer 49:14-18
Jeremiah begins the second section of the Edom oracle by announcing that he has heard a rumor or report directly from the Lord. God has revealed to the prophet that He has sent an heavenly ambassador or messenger to the nations urging them to come to battle against Edom (Jer 49:14). God guides the counsels of nations. Often they carry out His plans and fulfill His purposes without even being aware that they are being used of God. The Lord has decreed that Edom shall be small among the nations and despised among men (Jer 49:15). To this end he grants success to the enemies who march against Edom.
Again the finger of accusation points to national arrogance as the supreme cause of Edoms doom. Your terribleness should probably be understood as the terror you inspire. No doubt many enemies upon approaching Edom were overcome with fear as they beheld what seemed to be unconquerable fortresses nestled in the inaccessible clefts of the mountains. This reputation of invincibleness had misled Edom and had given birth to pride or arrogance within the hearts of the inhabitants of that land.-After all, even if the other cities of the land fell there was still that impregnable fortress Sela or Petra, the Rock. Accessible only. by a narrow ravine which could easily be defended by a handful of men this city was the ultimate confidence of the Edomites. The inhabitants had cut huge cisterns for the storage of water and supplies so as to be able to withstand a siege of the longest possible duration. The references to the clefts of the rock and the height of the hill likely refer to this desert stronghold. The God of Israel will humble the arrogant pride of Edom. Even though they might build their fortresses as high in those mountains as an eagle might build her nest, God will bring them down to the ground (Jer 49:16).
Suddenly the picture changes. The battle is over and Edom has fallen. Centuries pass and Edom remains uninhabited, a complete desolation. Those who pass by the area will hiss or whistle in astonishment at the extent of the desolation. The destruction of Edom shall remind men of the earlier destruction of the cities of the plain in that the whole region would henceforth be uninhabited (Jer 49:18). Of the Patriarchal accounts mentioned in the prophetic books none is mentioned so frequently as the Sodom account. The number of occurrences and the distribution of the references are truly remarkable. From the eighth century on the cities of the plain, made famous by Genesis 19, became proverbial for divine judgment. Their destruction became the norm for punishment-the standard which other judgments approximated or equaled. The emphasis here is not on the manner of Sodoms overthrow but on the permanent effects of that destruction. Cf. Isa 13:19-20; Jer 50:40. Some commentators call attention to the fact that whereas in the case of Moab and Ammon a promise of restoration is appended to the oracle of doom, no such promise appears in the Edom oracle. Edom will be destroyed as completely as Sodom and Gomorrah; there will be no restoration, That this observation is not particularly significant is indicated by two facts. First, Zephaniah (Jer 2:9) uses the Sodom and Gomorrah simile in reference to Moab and Ammon. Second, the prophet Amos (Jer 9:12) foretold that Edom would be included in the Messianic kingdom, at least that is the interpretation that James put upon the passage (Act 15:15-18).
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
heard: Jer 51:46, Isa 37:7, Eze 7:25, Eze 7:26, Oba 1:1, Mat 24:6
an ambassador: Isa 18:2, Isa 18:3, Isa 30:4
Gather: Jer 50:9-16, Jer 51:11, Jer 51:27, Jer 51:28, Isa 13:2, Isa 13:3
Reciprocal: 2Ki 19:7 – hear a rumour Jer 49:28 – Arise
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Jer 49:14. The changing back and forth between the first and third persons in the language need not confuse us. It should be understood that God is the source of all the statements, and the prophet is the one who is delivering them to man. Hence we here have Jeremiah expressly confirming the declaration in the preceding sentence and telling us he has heard a rumor from the Lord. The first word is from SHEMUWAH, which Strong defines, Something heard, i. e., an announcement That announcement was a prediction that, the heathen (nations) would gather force against Edom.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Jer 49:14-16. I have heard a rumour Hebrew, , a report or message, from the Lord, and an ambassador is sent unto the heathen. Obadiah begins his prophecy against Edom in similar words. The prophets, it must be observed, often represent God as summoning armies, and setting them in array of battle against those people whom he has decreed to destroy. And his stirring up mens spirits to invade such countries, is described here as if he had sent an ambassador to the Chaldeans and their confederates, to engage them in a war against the Idumeans; according to the methods which earthly princes use to engage their allies. Lowth. For lo, I will make thee small, &c. I will bring thee low and make thee very contemptible. Thy terribleness hath deceived thee Thou hast been formerly terrible to all about thee, and looked upon as impregnable; and the confidence thou hast had in this thy strength hath made thee careless and secure, and thereby given thy enemies an advantage against thee. O thou that dwellest in the clefts, &c. St. Jerome, who lived in the neighbourhood, tells us, in his commentary upon Obadiah, that Idumea was a rocky mountainous country, and that the inhabitants dwelt in caves dug out of the rocks and hills. Though thou shouldest make thy nest as high as the eagle The greatest height or strength cannot place thee out of the reach of divine vengeance. The eagle is remarkable for its flying high, and making its nest in very high and inaccessible rocks: see note on Job 39:27-28.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
49:14 I have heard a rumour from the LORD, and an ambassador is sent to the nations, [saying], Gather ye together, and come against {p} her, and rise up to the battle.
(p) That is, Bozrah.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
Jeremiah had heard a message that Yahweh had sent out by messenger to the nations, ordering them to prepare for battle against Edom. Yahweh would humiliate Edom among the nations and make her an object of contempt.