Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Jeremiah 49:31
Arise, get you up unto the wealthy nation, that dwelleth without care, saith the LORD, which have neither gates nor bars, [which] dwell alone.
31. Arise ] addressed to the enemies of these tribes.
Three grounds of encouragement are given to the invading army, ( a) the people have felt hitherto secure against attack, ( b) they have no walled towns, ( c) they have no powerful neighbours, from whom to seek aid.
which dwell alone ] considering themselves immune from invasion. For the expression in this sense cp. Deu 33:28; Psa 4:8 (R.V. mg.).
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
31, 32. These vv. are in all probability a later addition, influenced by Eze 38:11.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
The wealthy nation – Or, a nation at rest, living securely and in confidence.
Which dwell alone – They dwell alone, i. e., have neither alliances with other nations, nor contact by commerce.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 31. The wealthy nation] goi sheleiv, “the peaceable nation”-
Have neither gates nor bars] The Arabs, who had nothing but their tents; no cities, nor even permanent villages.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
The supposed result of Nebuchadnezzars counsels, giving charge to his armies to march against the Kedarens, which lived at case and quiet, and took no care; that had no cities, nor gates, nor bars to keep their enemies out, nor were near any neighbours that could assist them, nor very near to one another, living in tents, so might easily be overrun, and conquered, and made a prey to enemies.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
31. wealthyrather, “tranquil”(1Ch 4:40).
neither gates nor barsTheArabs, lying out of the track of the contending powers of Asia andAfrica, took no measures of defense and had neither walled cities norgates (Eze 38:11). Theythought their scanty resources and wilderness position would tempt nofoe.
aloneseparated fromother nations, without allies; and from one another scatteredasunder. So as to Israel’s isolation (Num 23:9;Deu 33:28; Mic 7:14).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Arise, get you up unto the wealthy nation,…. Or, “to the nation [that is] at ease” s; the people that live quietly and in peace; have no wars with their neighbours, nor any among themselves; which seems to be the better sense of the word, for these Kedarenes were not a very wealthy people: these words do not express the counsel and purpose of Nebuchadnezzar; or are an address of his to his army, commanding them to arise, and invade the country of Arabia; for they are the words of the Lord, and are addressed to him and his army to go up in a hostile manner against the Kedarenes, here described:
that dwelleth without care, saith the Lord; not without the care of their flocks, or without providing things necessary for themselves and families; they were not an indolent people, that lived an idle and inactive life; but they dwelt “confidently”, or “securely” t, as it may be rendered; they had no thought nor care to defend themselves from an enemy; they had no fear of any, imagining that no one would think it worth while to give themselves any trouble to invade them; their meanness they supposed was a protection to them:
which have neither gates nor bars; to their cities, or to their houses, being in no fear of an enemy to come and plunder them:
[which] dwell alone; being in no alliance with other nations; nor dwelling together in cities, towns, and villages, at least the common people; the greater part of them being scattered up and down, a few in one place, and a few in another; they dwelt for the convenience of feeding their flocks.
s “ad gentem quietam”, V. L. Munster, Schmidt; “tranquillam”, Junius Tremellius, Piscator “pacificam”, so some in Vatablus, Pagninus, Montanus. t “habitantem confidenter”, V. L. Pagninus; “in fiducia”, Montanus; “in fiducia magna”, Vatablus; “secure”, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Schmidt.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
He confirms the last verse, repeating what he had already said, Arise, ascend; but he adds, against a quiet nation This was the deep dwelling of which he had spoken; for the Kedareans, as they thought themselves to be as it were in another world, were secure; and hence he says, against a secure nation. The word שליו, sheliu, means delicate, as we have seen elsewhere, but in this place its meaning is secure. For though there might be no joys there, it is yet said to be a secure nation, גוי שליו, gui sheliu, a nation which feared nothing. And then he explains himself, a dweller in confidence, one without fear and anxiety.
And he gives the reason, because they had no need of gates and bars, and they dwelt alone Some interpreters think that the pride of the Kedareans is denoted, because they would not protect themselves in the usual way, and regarded gates and bars as nothing. But the Prophet’s meaning is different, that as they were barbarians and shepherds and beyond the reach of envy, they thought that no enemy would ever come to them. For what are the causes of wars but avarice and ambition? and who would wish to rule over barbarous nations living on their mountains? and then wealth cannot be found in a wild uncultivated country. As then the Kedareans were such, the Prophet says that they dwelt securely, though they were not fortified by gates and bars, but lived alone. He then says that they lived alone, not because they thought much of themselves as being solitary, and regarded themselves as being above kings — for solitude often produces pride and obstinacy; but the meaning of the Prophet, as I have said, is quite different, even because the Kedareans thought that they had no need of friends and assistants, because they depended not on their neighbors for aid, but were contented with their own deserts. And at the same time they did not think that any enemy would disturb them, as there was no cause and no occasion.
We now then perceive again why the Prophet says, that they made deep to dwell, that is, that they had their dwelling deep, even because poverty and the absence of all riches were to them a sort of safe fortress: as they had no splendor and no dignity, they thought themselves exempt from the common lot of other men. But nevertheless he says that the Chaldeans would come and plunder them of what they had. It follows, —
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(31-33) Arise, get you up . . .The command of Jehovah goes forth to the invaders. Their work will be an easy one, for they are sent against a people that dwell defenceless in the open country, with no walls or gates, dwelling alone, without allies, their camels and their flocks offering an easy prey. Compare the description of Laish in Jdg. 18:7. The prophet repeats the characteristic term of scorn which we have found in Jer. 9:26; Jer. 25:23, them that dwell in the utmost corners, or more accurately, those with cropped-hair temples, as descriptive of the wild tribes that are thus doomed to destruction. Their land shall be a dwelling-place for jackals (not dragons; see Note on Jer. 9:11), desolate for ever.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
31. Wealthy nation Rather, nation at ease.
Neither gates nor bars A truthful and graphic picture of these dwellers in tents, who not only have no city walls, but they are also without houses.
Dwell alone An important additional feature.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
A Renewed Call To Nebuchadrezzar To Carry Out YHWH’s Purpose ( Jer 49:31-33 ).
Jer 49:31-33
“Arise, get you up to a nation which is at ease,
Which dwells without care,
The word of YHWH,
Who have neither gates nor bars,
Who dwell alone.
And their camels will be a booty,
And the large numbers of their cattle a spoil,
And I will scatter to all winds those who have the corners (of their hair) cut off,
And I will bring their calamity from every side of them,
The word of YHWH,
And Hazor will be a dwelling-place of jackals,
A desolation for ever,
No man will dwell there,
Nor will any son of man sojourn in it.”
We have here a picture of the desert semi-nomads of ‘Kedar’, split up into different sub-tribes, living in tents in the desert where no one troubled them, and where no gates or bars were required to protect them, because the desert itself was their wall. At this time they were rich in cattle and camels, but felt at ease because of their situation, forgetting that their very wealth would prove to be a magnet to such as the Babylonians.
But now Nebuchadrezzar was called on to disturb their ease, take possession of their camels and large numbers of cattle, and scatter them into the desert. And we are given a reason for this. It was because of their idolatry. They, whose supposed descent from Ishmael should have ensured that they worshipped Abraham’s God, had themselves become idol worshippers, as was proved by their ritual act of cutting off the ‘corners’ of their hairs (having cropped hair temples). Compare for similar religious symbols Jer 47:5.
The peoples of Kedar were to be hemmed in by the huge Babylonian armies, with no way of escape (‘I will bring their calamity from every side’), and even those in southern Arabia would be affected as Hazor became a dwellingplace for wild beasts, never again inhabited. Whether there was an actual town of that name, or whether it was an oasis encampment which had possibly become more urbanised, we do not know. But whichever it was it would be desolated. Thus all who followed after idols, not just Israel/Judah, came under God’s judgment.
The fulfilment of this came about when, after the battle of Carchemish, Babylon proceeded to extend its empire and seize spoil, establishing its authority over the lower Euphrates, Palestine and the Syro-Arabian desert. The so-called Babylonian Chronicle records the fulfilment of this in 599 BC
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Jer 49:31. Arise, &c. The prophet gives the Chaldeans a commission from God to undertake this expedition, and seize upon the wealth of the inhabitants of Kedar; who are described from their peculiarity of living in tents in the wilderness.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Jer 49:31 Arise, get you up unto the wealthy nation, that dwelleth without care, saith the LORD, which have neither gates nor bars, [which] dwell alone.
Ver. 31. Arise, go you up into the wealthy nation. ] Or, Quiet nation, that dwelleth without care. Heb., In confidence: but such a security doth not secure any, but oft betrayeth. Infelix felicitas quae non est in Domino, saith Oecolampadius here: There is no true happiness or safety but in God.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
which dwell alone. Reference to Pentateuch (Num 23:9. Deu 33:28).
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
wealthy nation: or, nation that is at ease, Jer 48:11, Psa 123:4, Isa 32:9, Isa 32:11
that: Jdg 18:7-10, Jdg 18:27, Isa 47:8, Eze 30:9, Eze 38:11, Eze 39:6, Nah 1:12, Zep 2:15
which dwell: Num 23:9, Deu 33:28, Jdg 18:28, Mic 7:14
Reciprocal: Jer 49:28 – Arise Amo 6:1 – to them
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Jer 49:31. Arise is a prediction in the form of an order from God for the King of Babylon to make the attack on the Arabians. Wealthy iB from SHE- LEVAH, which Strong defines, Tranquil; (ill a bad sense) careless; ab-stractly, security. They seemed to have the feeling that no danger could overhang them. Neither gates nor bars, dwell alone. This refers to their manner of life, dwelling in tents away from civilization in general.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
49:31 {f} Arise, go up to the wealthy nation, that dwelleth without care, saith the LORD, which have neither gates nor bars, [which] dwell alone.
(f) He shows that they of Hazor will flee to the Arabians for comfort but that will not help them.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
The Lord instructed Nebuchadnezzar to go against these nomads-who lived at ease and securely in the desert, by themselves, rather than in walled cities.
"Carefree living was frowned upon in Old Testament times, since even the most heavily fortified location could be overthrown. The life of the Christian, who has been bought with a price (1Co 6:20; 1Co 7:23), must be spent in the service of God and man, not in selfish indulgence." [Note: Harrison, Jeremiah and . . ., p. 182.]