Jeremiah 49:19

49:7-22 The Edomites were old enemies to the Israel of God. But their day is now at hand; it is foretold, not only to warn them, but for the sake of the Israel of God, whose afflictions were aggravated by them. Thus Divine judgments go round from nation to nation; the earth is full of commotion, and nothing can escape the ministers of Divine vengeance. The righteousness of God is to be observed amidst the violence of men.

Behold, he shall come up like a lion from the swelling of Jordan,.... The Targum rightly interprets it of a king and his army, paraphrasing the words thus, "behold, a king with his army shall come up against them, as a lion comes up from the height of Jordan;'' not the king of Edom that should come up against Judea, or to defend himself against those that invaded him; but Nebuchadnezzar and his army that should come up against the Edomites from the land of Judea, where Jordan was, having first subdued that; or should come with that strength, fury, and fierceness, as a lion when forced out of its covert near the river Jordan, by the overflowing of its banks, and obliged to betake himself to higher grounds; who, being enraged, roars and tears in pieces all in his way. Monsieur Thevenot (w) says, that Jordan is beset on both sides with little, thick, and pleasant woods; and Mr. Maundrell (x) observes, that "there is a first and outermost bank to the river, about a furlong, upon a level, before you come to the second bank, to which it may be supposed the river did, and still does, overflow; and the second bank is so beset with bushes and trees, such as tamarisk, willows, and oleanders, &c. that you can see no water till you have made your way through them.

Verses 19-22. - Figures descriptive of the unique physical qualities of the destined conqueror of Edom. Both figures have been used before (see Jeremiah 4:7 ; Jeremiah 48:40 ). Verse 19. - He shall some. T he subject is withheld, as in ch. 46:18 (see note); 48:40. The swelling of Jordan; rather, the pride of Jordan ; i.e. the luxuriant thickets on its banks. See on Jeremiah 12:5, where the phrase first occurs. Against the habitation of the strong ; rather, to the evergreen pasture. The word rendered "evergreen" is one of those which are the despair of interpreters, from their fulness of meaning. The root-meaning is simply "continuance," whether it be continuance of strength (comp. Micah 6:2 , Hebrew) or of the flow of a stream ( Deuteronomy 21:4 ; Amos 5:24 ), or, as here, of the perennial verdure of a well watered pasturage. But I will suddenly make him run away from her. Make whom? The lion? Such is the natural inference from the Authorized Version, but the context absolutely forbids it. It seems useless to mention the crowd of explanations which have been offered of this "obscure and much-vexed passage," as old Matthew Poole calls it, since in Jeremiah 50:44 we have precisely the same phrase, but with another suffix, which clears up the meaning. We may, therefore, either read (with the Septuagint and the Syriac Version), "For I will suddenly make them run away from it" (viz. the pasture), or keep the old reading "him" for "them," and explain "him" as meaning the Edomites.

The expression used for "suddenly" is very forcible; we might render, with Ewald, "in the twinkling of an eye." And who is a chosen man, etc.? A still more difficult clause. If the text is correct, which cannot be assumed as certain, we should probably render, with Ewald, "and will appoint over it [ i.e. the land of Edom] him who is chosen," viz. Nebuchadnezzar. Who will appoint me the time? The same phrase is rendered in Job 9:19 , "Who shall set me a time to plead?" (comp. the Latin phrase dicur dicere ). To drag a defendant before the tribunal implies equality of rank. One might venture to do this with Nebuchadnezzar, if he were not the representative of One still mightier. Finally, Who is that shepherd that will stand before me? The land of Edom has been likened to a pasture; it is natural that the ruler should be now described as a shepherd (comp. Jeremiah 29:34) Jeremiah 49:19

19 . he shall come up ] viz. the enemy who is to prevail over Edom. like a lion ] Cp. Jeremiah 4:7 . pride ] better than mg. swelling . See on ch. Jeremiah 12:5 . against the strong habitation ] mg. unto the permanent pastures . See on Jeremiah 23:3 . We may either explain here, homestead whose surroundings have made it appear lasting , or (emending MT. with Du. and Co.) pasture of rams , or of sheep . but I will suddenly … appoint over her ] obscure. Co. (cp. mg.) emends to “so will I suddenly drive them away, and their choice rams will I visit,” i.e. their flocks shall be seized, as the end of the v . suggests. The flock is the people and the shepherd their ruler. Cp. Jeremiah 25:34 ff. appoint me a time ] i.e. claim the power of protesting against God’s decision. Cp. Job 9:19 . 19–21 . These vv . recur with variations in Jeremiah 50:44-46 .

Behold, {q} he shall come up like a lion from the swelling of Jordan against the habitation of the strong: but I will suddenly make {r} him run away from her: and who is a chosen man, that I may appoint over her? for who is like me? and who will appoint me the time? and who is that {s} shepherd that will stand before me? (q) That is, Nebuchadnezzar after he has overcome Judah, which is meant by the swelling of Jordan, will come against mount Seir and Edom. (r) That is, the Israelites whom the Edomites kept as prisoners to hast away from there. (s) The captain and governor of the army meaning Nebuchadnezzar.

(19) Like a lion from the swelling of Jordan.— Better, as in Jeremiah 12:5 , the pride of Jordan — i.e., the thick jungle-forests which were the glory of its banks. Against the habitation of the strong.—Better, against the evergreen pasturage. The word for “habitation” is that used in Jeremiah 6:2 for the place where shepherds encamp, the other substantive conveys the idea of permanence rather than strength, and the image by which the prophet paints the Chaldæan invasion is that of a lion (comp. Jeremiah 5:6) making its way through the jungle, and rushing upon the flocks and herds in one of the meadow tracts along the course of the Jordan. But I will suddenly make him run away from her.—Literally, I will wink, I will make him . . . The pronouns are obscure in the Hebrew as in the English, but the meaning seems to be, “I will, as in the twinkling of an eye, drive him (Edom) away from it” (his pasturage, or habitation). And who is a chosen man, that I may appoint over her?—Better, who is a chosen one, and I will appoint him . . .? The word translated “chosen one” is commonly associated with the idea of youth, the flower of a nation’s strength, its chosen champions. Commentators for the most part apply it to Nebuchadnezzar as being, in the full vigour of his strength, the chosen ruler whom Jehovah would appoint over Edom.

The interrogative form, however, and the implied negative answer to the questions that follow suggest a different interpretation. “Who,” the prophet asks in a tone of scorn, as though Jehovah spoke by him, “is a chosen champion of Edom? and I will appoint him.” The implied answer is that Edom has no such champion. Compare the taunting words uttered by Jehu (2Kings 10:2-3)—“Look even out the best and meetest of your master’s sons”—and Rabshakeh (2Kings 18:23). Who is like me? and who will appoint me the time?—The questions follow rapidly one on another in the same tone. To “appoint a time” was the technical phrase, as in Job 9:19, for the notice by which a prosecutor summoned the accused to trial. “Who,” Jehovah asks, “will thus summon Me, and before what tribunal?” “What shepherd (i.e., what ruler) will stand before Me to defend his flock against My power?”

Concluding strophe. The fall of Edom is compared to the state of a flock worried by an enemy strong as a lion Jeremiah 4:7 , and swift as an eagle. Jeremiah 49:19 The swelling of Jordan - Or, the pride of Jordan, the thickets on his banks (marginal reference note). Against the habitation of the strong - Or, to the abiding pasturage. The lion stalks forth from the jungle to attack the fold, sure to find sheep there because of the perennial (evergreen) pasturage: "but I will suddenly make him (the flock, Edom) run away from her (or it, the pasturage)." And who is a chosen ... - Better, and I will appoint over it, the abandoned land of Edom, him who is chosen, i. e., my chosen ruler Nebuchadnezzar. Who will appoint me the time? - The plaintiff, in giving notice of a suit, had to mention the time when the defendant must appear (see the margin). Yahweh identifies himself with Nebuchadnezzar Jeremiah 25:9, and shows the hopelessness of Edom's cause. For who is like Yahweh, His equal in power and might? Who will dare litigate with Him, and question His right? etc.

This verse is very variously interpreted; some by he understand the Jews, some understand Nebuchadnezzar, some understand the Edomites; I think the last is most probable to be here meant, because of the next words. The Edomites shall come out against the Chaldeans like a lion, as lions lurking about Jordan when it overfloweth come out to take their prey. But I will suddenly make him run away from her: these words are variously understood, those who by he in the former part of the verse understand Nebuchadnezzar, interpret the running here mentioned of his running over the whole country of Edom; to me it appeareth a much more probable sense to interpret it of the Edomites running away from Nebuchadnezzar out of their own country, which seems to be understood by her ; all that makes a difficulty is the particle from , which yet makes the sense good enough, if by her we understand the Edomites’ own land. In the Hebrew it is, I will break them , or I will quiet them, and make them to run. Who is a chosen man, that I may appoint over her ? whom shall I set over Edom? Into whose hands shall I give that country, that he may rule over it? For who is like me? for I can do whatsoever I please. And who will appoint me a time to plead with men? so Job 9:19 ; or a time to fight? Who is that shepherd that will stand before me? what is that king or potentate of the earth that will stand before me?

19. he—Nebuchadnezzar, or Nebuzara-dan; the name would at once suggest itself to the minds of the hearers (Jer 48:40; 46:18). swelling—as a lion which the overflow of the Jordan forced out of his lair on the banks, to ascend the neighboring heights [Calvin]. See as to the translation, "pride of the Jordan," see on [991]Jer 12:5. habitation of … strong—the fastnesses of Idumea (compare Nu 24:21). Maurer translates, "An ever verdant (literally, 'perennial') pasturage," that is, Idumea heretofore having enjoyed uninterrupted tranquillity; so in Jer 49:20 the image is retained, the Idumeans being compared to "a flock," and their king to "a shepherd," in this verse, and the enemy to "a lion" (compare Jer 50:17-19). English Version accords more with the Hebrew. suddenly—"in the twinkling of an eye," as the Hebrew implies. him … her—I will make Nebuzara-dan enter Idumea, and then, having in the twinkling of an eye effected the conquest, go away speedily: elsewhere. Instead of "but," translate, "for." Grotius translates, "run upon her," or "to her," instead of "run away from her." Maurer understands it, "I will make him (the Idumean) run away from her" (that is, from his own land); the similar change of reference of the pronouns (Jer 50:44) favors this. who is a chosen man, &c.—God calls the choicest warriors to Him, to set "over" the work of devastating Idumea.

God will surely execute His purpose, for He can call forth from all sides the agents He chooses. who is like me?—(Ex 15:11). who will appoint me the time?—namely, for entering into a trial in judgment with Me (see Margin). Image from law courts (Job 9:19). shepherd—leader of the Idumeans; following up the previous image, "a lion"; no Idumean shepherd shall withstand the lion sent by Jehovah (Job 41:10), or save the Idumean flock.