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Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Jeremiah 49:7–22. His two-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
The Edomites come next to receive their doom from God, by the mouth of Jeremiah: they also were old enemies to the Israel of God; but their day will come to be reckoned with, and it is now at hand, and is foretold, not only for warning to them, but for comfort to the Israel of God, whose afflictions were very much aggravated by their triumphs over them and joy in their calamity, Psa 137:7. Many of the expressions used in this prophecy concerning Edom are borrowed from the prophecy of Obadiah, which is concerning Edom; for, all the prophets being inspired by one and the same Spirit, there must needs be a wonderful harmony and agreement in their predictions. Now here it is foretold,
I.That the country of Edom should be all wasted and made desolate, that the calamity of Esau should be brought upon him, the calamity he has deserved, and God has long designed him, for his old sins, Jer 49:8. The time is at hand when God will visit him, and call him to an account, and then they shall flee from the sword, turn back from the battle, and dwell deep in some close caverns, where they shall hide themselves. All they have shall be carried off by the conqueror; whereas grape-gatherers will leave some gleanings, and even thieves know when they have enough and will destroy no further, those that destroy them shall never be satiated, (Jer 49:9, Jer 49:10); they shall make Esau quite bare, shall strip the Edomites of all they have, shall find out ways and means to come at their most hidden treasure, shall discover even the secret places where they thought to secure their wealth, and rifle them, so that they shall none of them save their wealth, no, nor save themselves nor their children, that might be concealed in a little room: He shall not be able to hide himself, and his seed too is spoiled. His brethren the Moabites, and his neighbours the Philistines, whom he might have expected succours from, or at least shelter with, are spoiled as well as he and disabled to do him any service. And he is not, or there is not he, there is none to him, none left him, that may say what follows (Jer 49:11), Leave thy fatherless children, I will preserve them alive. When they are flying, or dying, there shall be none left, no relation, no friend, no, not so much as any parish officers to take care of their wives and children that they leave behind. Edom is not, he is cut off and gone; nor is there any to say, Leave me thy orphans. If the master of a family be cut off, or forced away, it is some comfort if he have a friend to leave his family with, whom he can confide in; but they shall have none such, for they shall all be involved in the same calamity. The Chaldee makes these to be the words of God to his people, distinguishing them from the Edomites in this calamity; and they read it, "But you, O house of Israel! you shall not leave your orphans; I will secure them, and let your widows rest on my word. Whatever becomes of the widows and fatherless of the Edomites, I will take care of yours." Note, it is an unspeakable comfort to the people of God, when they are dying, that they may leave their surviving relations with God, may, in faith, commit them to him and encourage them to trust in him; and, though they cannot promise themselves great things in the world for them, yet they may hope that he will preserve them alive, always, provided that they trust in him. Let the Edomites, for their part, count upon no other than to be made a desolation and a reproach; for the decree has gone forth; God hath sworn it by himself (Jer 49:13), that their cities shall be wasted, nay, they shall be perpetual wastes, they shall be made mean and despicable; they had made a mighty figure, but God will make them small among the heathen; and those that despised God's people shall themselves be despised among men (Jer 49:15, Oba 1:2), nay, they shall be made monstrous, and even a prodigy (Jer 49:17): Edom shall be such a desolation that every one who goes by shall be astonished; nay, worse yet, they shall be made a terror; Edom shall be made like Sodom and Gomorrah, none shall care for coming near the ruins of it, no man shall abide there (Jer 49:18), such a frightful place shall it be made.
II.That the instruments of this destruction should be very resolute and formidable.
They have their commission from God; he summons them into this service (Jer 49:14): I have heard a rumour, or report, from the Lord, heard it by the prophecy of Obadiah, heard it by a whisper to myself, that an ambassador, or herald, or messenger, is sent to the Gentiles, who are to lay Edom waste, saying, Gather you together, muster all the forces you can, and come against her; for (Jer 49:20) this is the counsel that he hath taken against Edom. The matter is settled, the decree has gone forth, and there is no resisting it. God has determined that Edom shall be laid waste, and then he that is to be employed in wasting it shall come swiftly and strongly. Nebuchadnezzar is he or whom it is here foretold,
1.That he shall come up like a lion, with fierceness and fury, like a lion enraged by the swelling of Jordan overflowing his banks, which forces him out of his covert by the water-side into the higher grounds, Jer 49:19. He shall come roaring, come to devour all that come in his way. He shall come against the habitation of the strong, the forts and castles; and I will cause him to come suddenly into the land (so the next words might well be read), so as to find them unprovided with necessaries for a defence; for I will look out a chosen man to appoint over her, to do this execution, a man fit for the purpose, one chosen out of the people; for when God has work to do he will find out the fittest instruments to be employed in doing it: "Who is like me for choosing the instruments, and spiriting them for the work? And who will appoint me the time? Who will challenge me, and fix a time and place to meet me? Who will join issue with me in battle? And, when I send a lion into the flock, who is that shepherd that can, or dare, stand before me, or against me, to oppose that lion, and think to rescue any of the flock?" Note, When God has work to do of any kind he will soon find those that are able to engage in it, and all the world cannot find those that are able to engage against it. Nay, if God will have Edom destroyed, and their peopled dislodged, there needs not a lion, a fierce lion to do it: Even the least of the flock shall draw them out (Jer 49:20); the meanest servant in Nebuchadnezzar's retinue, the weakest of all that follow his camp, shall draw them out for the slaughter, shall force them to flee, or to surrender, and make their habitations desolate with them. God can bring to pass the greatest works by instruments least likely. When the Chaldean army comes against the Edomites all hands shall be employed and the poorest soldier in it shall have a pluck at them.
2.Nebuchadnezzar shall come, not only like a lion, the king of beasts, but like an eagle, the king of birds (Jer 49:22): He shall fly as the eagle upon his prey, so swiftly, so strongly, shall clap his wings upon Bozrah, to secure it for himself (as before, Jer 48:40), and immediately the hearts of the mighty men shall fail them, for they shall see he is an enemy that it is in vain to struggle with.
III.That the Edomites' confidences should all fail them in the day of their distress.
1.They trusted to their wisdom, but that shall stand them in no stead. This is the first thing fastened upon in this prophecy against Edom, Jer 49:7. That nation used to be famous for wisdom, and their statesmen were thought to excel in politics; and yet now they shall take such wrong measures in all their counsels, and be so baffled in all their designs, that people shall ask, with wonder, What is the matter with the Edomites? Is wisdom no more in Teman? Have the wise men of the east country (Kg1 4:30) become fools? Are those at their wits' end that were thought to have the monopoly of prudence? Has counsel perished from the understanding men? It is so, when God is designing the ruin of a people; for whom he will destroy he infatuates. See Job 12:20. Has their wisdom vanished? Is it tired? (so some); is it worn out? (so others); has it become useless? so others. Yes, it will do them no service when God comes forth to contend with them.
2.They trusted to their strength, but neither shall that avail them, Jer 49:16. They had been a terror to all their neighbours; every body feared them and truckled to them, and this made them proud and conceited of themselves and their own strength, and very secure; because no neighbouring nation durst meddle with them, they thought no nation in the world durst. Their country was much of it mountainous, having many passes which they thought themselves able to make good against any invader; but this terribleness of theirs deceived them, and so did their imaginary inaccessibleness; they did not prove so strong as they were formidable, nor so safe as they were secure. High as they are, God will bring them down; for, as there is no wisdom, so there is no might against the Lord, See these expressions, Oba 1:3, Oba 1:4, Oba 1:8.
IV.That their destruction should be inevitable and very remarkable.
1.God hath determined it (Jer 49:12); he hath said it; nay (Jer 49:13), he hath sworn it, that the Edomites shall not go unpunished, but that they shall drink the cup of trembling, which is put into the hands of all their neighbours; even those whose judgment, or doom, was not to drink of the cup, who had not so well deserved it as they had done, nations that had not been such enemies to Israel as they had been, or Israel itself, that was God's peculiar people, and among whom there were many, very many, who kept his ordinances, upon which account they might have expected an exemption; and yet they had been made to drink of the bitter cup; and shall the Edomites think to pass it? No; they shall surely drink of it. Note, When God punishes the less guilty it is folly for the more guilty to promise themselves impunity; and when judgment begins at God's house it will reach the strangers.
2.All the world shall take notice of it (Jer 49:21): The earth is moved, and all the nations are put into a concern, at the noise of their fall; the news of it shall make them tremble. The noise of the outcry is heard to the Red Sea, which flowed upon the coasts of Edom. So loud shall be the shouts of the conquerors and the shrieks of the conquered, and such a mighty noise shall the news of this destruction of Idumea make in the nations, that is shall be heard among the ships that lie in the Red Sea to take in lading (Kg1 9:26), and then they shall carry the news of it to the remotest shore. Note, The fall of those who have affected to make a noise with their pomp and power will make so much the greater noise.
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Summary
Jeremiah 49:15 delivers a potent divine judgment against the nation of Edom, prophesying their profound humiliation and a drastic reduction in their status among the surrounding nations. This pronouncement is a direct consequence of Edom's deep-seated pride and their mistaken belief in their own invincibility, serving as a powerful declaration of God's absolute sovereignty over all peoples and His unwavering commitment to bringing low those who exalt themselves. The verse encapsulates a dramatic reversal of fortune, where a nation once confident in its strength and secure in its mountain strongholds will become utterly despised and insignificant in the eyes of the world.
Context
Literary Context
Jeremiah 49:15 is an integral part of the "Oracles Against the Nations," a significant section of the book of Jeremiah spanning chapters 46-51. This collection serves to underscore Yahweh's universal dominion, demonstrating that His authority extends far beyond Israel to encompass all surrounding kingdoms and peoples. More specifically, verses 7-22 of chapter 49 are dedicated to the oracle concerning Edom, following similar judgments pronounced against Egypt, Philistia, Moab, and Ammon. This particular verse functions as a foundational declaration of God's direct intention to humble Edom, setting the stage for the more detailed descriptions of their impending downfall and the destruction of their seemingly impregnable strongholds that follow in Jeremiah 49:16-22. The immediate preceding verses highlight Edom's arrogant self-reliance and their trust in their fortified dwellings, making God's explicit declaration of their diminishment particularly striking and ironic.
Historical & Cultural Context
Edom, situated southeast of Judah in the rugged, mountainous region of Seir, was a nation descended from Esau, the brother of Jacob (Genesis 25:30). Their capital, Petra (also known as Sela), was famed for its naturally defensible and seemingly impregnable rock-cut fortresses, which instilled in its inhabitants a profound sense of security and, consequently, arrogance. Historically, Edom maintained a consistently contentious and often hostile relationship with Israel. They frequently displayed animosity and even actively participated in or gloated over Judah's misfortunes, most notably during the Babylonian siege and subsequent destruction of Jerusalem (Obadiah 1:10-14). This long-standing animosity, coupled with their national pride and self-sufficiency, made them a prime target for divine judgment, which was often meted out to nations that opposed God's people or exalted themselves against His divine will and purposes.
Key Themes
This verse powerfully contributes to several overarching themes prevalent in the book of Jeremiah and the broader prophetic literature. Firstly, it emphatically underscores the theme of Divine Judgment and Sovereignty, asserting God's absolute authority and power to humble even the most arrogant and seemingly secure nations. No earthly power, no matter how formidable, is beyond His reach or ultimate judgment, as evidenced by His sovereign control over all kingdoms and their rise and fall (Daniel 2:21). Secondly, it highlights the recurring biblical motif of the Humiliation of the Proud. Edom's inherent pride and self-exaltation are directly confronted by God's explicit promise to make them "small" and "despised," powerfully illustrating the timeless biblical principle that pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. Thirdly, the judgment pronounced upon Edom embodies the theme of Divine Justice for Hostility. While not explicitly detailed in this specific verse, the broader narrative of Edom's consistent animosity and betrayal towards Israel suggests that this judgment is a just recompense for their actions against God's covenant people, aligning with the foundational promise that God will bless those who bless Israel and curse those who curse them (Genesis 12:3).
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This primitive root (H5414) is remarkably versatile, primarily meaning "to give," but used with the greatest latitude of application, including "put," "appoint," or "cause." In the context of "I will make thee small," it signifies God's direct, active, and sovereign agency in bringing about Edom's diminished state. This is not a passive observation of Edom's decline but a purposeful, intentional divine act that will ensure their humiliation. God is the initiator and executor of this severe judgment.
This word (H6996) denotes being "abbreviated," "diminutive," or "insignificant," whether literally in terms of quantity, size, or number, or figuratively in age or importance. Applied to Edom, it means they will be drastically reduced in power, influence, and overall standing among the nations. It stands in direct opposition to their self-perception of grandeur and strength, indicating a profound and irreversible loss of national prestige and territorial integrity.
Derived from a primitive root (H959), this term means "to disesteem," "scorn," "contemn," or to regard as "vile." When God declares that Edom will be "despised among men," it signifies a complete and utter loss of honor, respect, and dignity in the eyes of other nations and humanity at large. Their former might and pride will be replaced by contempt and disregard, representing a deeply humiliating and public reversal of their perceived status.
Verse Breakdown
"For, lo, I will make thee small among the heathen"
This initial clause serves as the divine pronouncement of judgment, immediately highlighting God's direct and active role ("I will make") in Edom's downfall. The term "small" conveys a reduction in their power, influence, and territorial scope, standing in sharp contrast to Edom's self-assured might and perceived security. To be made "small among the heathen" (or nations) implies that their humiliation will be public, evident, and acknowledged by all surrounding peoples, stripping them of their perceived exceptionalism and reducing them to the status of common, diminished nations.
"and despised among men"
This second clause functions as a parallel and intensifying statement to the first, further emphasizing the theme of profound humiliation. Not only will Edom suffer a diminishment in power and status, but they will also experience a complete loss of honor and respect. To be "despised among men" indicates that their once-feared reputation for strength and security will be utterly replaced by widespread scorn and contempt from humanity at large, signifying a complete and devastating reversal of their proud self-image and national standing.
Literary Devices
Jeremiah 49:15 masterfully employs several potent literary devices to convey its message of inescapable divine judgment. The verse functions as a direct Prophetic Oracle, a solemn and authoritative declaration from God delivered through His prophet, which imbues the pronouncement with absolute certainty and divine authority. There is clear Parallelism evident between the two clauses: "small among the heathen" and "despised among men." This synonymous parallelism reinforces the central theme of Edom's profound humiliation by presenting it through two distinct but complementary facets – a reduction in power and a loss of respect. The divine action of "making" Edom small and despised is a form of Anthropomorphism, attributing human-like agency and intentionality to God, thereby emphasizing His direct and purposeful involvement in their fate. Furthermore, the prophecy itself contains a profound element of Irony, as Edom, a nation renowned for its pride, arrogance, and seemingly impregnable fortresses, is precisely targeted for abasement, demonstrating that their greatest perceived strength will ultimately become the very source of their greatest downfall and public shame.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Jeremiah 49:15 powerfully articulates the foundational biblical truth that God is utterly sovereign over all nations and that unchecked pride inevitably precipitates a catastrophic fall. It underscores His impartial justice, demonstrating unequivocally that even nations outside of His direct covenant with Israel are held accountable to His universal moral law and will face righteous judgment for their arrogance, hostility, and opposition to His purposes. This divine judgment serves as a stark and enduring reminder that true security, lasting honor, and genuine stability come not from earthly fortifications, military might, or self-exaltation, but solely from a posture of humility and reverent reliance upon the Almighty. The ultimate fate of Edom stands as a timeless testament to God's unparalleled power to humble the proud and to exalt the lowly, thereby fulfilling His righteous and sovereign purposes throughout human history.
Reflection and Application
Jeremiah 49:15 offers profound and timeless lessons that resonate deeply with individuals and communities in every age. It serves as a powerful and sobering warning against the insidious nature of pride, reminding us that any form of self-exaltation, whether personal or corporate, ultimately positions us in opposition to the sovereign will of God. Just as Edom placed its trust in its seemingly impregnable fortresses and its own inherent strength, we too are often tempted to find our security, identity, and worth in our achievements, material wealth, social status, intellectual prowess, or even our moral superiority, rather than in humble and complete reliance on God. This verse issues a compelling call for us to diligently examine our hearts for any vestiges of arrogance, prompting us to actively cultivate a spirit of profound humility, dependence, and submission to the Lord. Furthermore, it offers immense reassurance regarding God's unwavering sovereignty over all earthly powers and geopolitical landscapes. In a world frequently dominated by seemingly unassailable nations, oppressive systems, or overwhelming global challenges, Jeremiah's prophecy reminds us that God remains eternally on the throne, meticulously orchestrating history and ensuring that His perfect justice will ultimately prevail. Our trust, therefore, should be firmly placed in His unfailing control, knowing with certainty that He will bring low every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge and glory of God.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why was Edom specifically targeted for such a severe judgment by God?
Edom was singled out for severe judgment primarily due to its long history of persistent pride and its consistently hostile and treacherous actions against God's covenant people, Israel. Descended from Esau, Jacob's brother, Edom often harbored deep-seated resentment and animosity towards Israel, viewing them as rivals. Their national pride was significantly fueled by their geographical location in seemingly impregnable rock fortresses, which led them to a false sense of invincibility and self-sufficiency (Jeremiah 49:16). More critically, Edom actively participated in or rejoiced over the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians, failing to offer aid to their kin and even cutting off escape routes for fleeing Judahites, demonstrating a profound lack of compassion and an act of betrayal (Obadiah 1:10-14). This combination of deep-seated arrogance and cruel actions against God's chosen people incurred divine wrath, demonstrating that God holds all nations accountable for their moral conduct and their treatment of His people.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
While Jeremiah 49:15 prophesies a specific historical judgment against the nation of Edom, its profound theological implications find ultimate Christ-centered fulfillment. The prophecy of Edom's humiliation and reduction to nothingness powerfully foreshadows the ultimate humbling of all human pride, self-exaltation, and opposition to God through the person and redemptive work of Jesus Christ. Just as God declared, "I will make thee small and despised," Christ, though He was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. He willingly became "small" and "despised" in the eyes of the world, enduring rejection, suffering, and crucifixion, yet through this ultimate act of profound humility and self-sacrifice, He triumphed decisively over all the powers of darkness, sin, and death (Colossians 2:15). The judgment on Edom's pride points forward to Christ's glorious second coming, when He will return as the King of kings and Lord of lords, to humble all earthly kingdoms and establish His eternal, righteous reign, bringing low every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God and His truth (2 Corinthians 10:5). Ultimately, the promise of a world where the proud are abased and the humble are exalted is fully realized in the kingdom of God, inaugurated by Christ's first advent and consummated at His glorious return, where every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.