Jeremiah

Warnings about Jerusalem's destruction due to unfaithfulness, with promises of a new covenant.

Chapter 49

1 Concerning the Ammonites, thus saith the LORD; Hath Israel no sons? hath he no heir? why then doth their king inherit Gad, and his people dwell in his cities?

*Regarding the Ammonites, the LORD says this: Does Israel not have children? Does he not have an heir? So why does their king take over Gad's land, and his people live in his cities?

2 Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will cause an alarm of war to be heard in Rabbah of the Ammonites; and it shall be a desolate heap, and her daughters shall be burned with fire: then shall Israel be heir unto them that were his heirs, saith the LORD.

*So, the Lord says that one day there will be war sounds in Rabbah, home of the Ammonites. It will become empty and destroyed, and its nearby areas will also be burned. At this point, Israel will inherit what was once theirs, as promised by the Lord.

3 Howl, O Heshbon, for Ai is spoiled: cry, ye daughters of Rabbah, gird you with sackcloth; lament, and run to and fro by the hedges; for their king shall go into captivity, and his priests and his princes together.

*"Shout out, Heshbon, because Ai has been destroyed! Daughters of Rabbah, put on sackcloth and cry loudly while running around the edges of fields. Their king will be captured, along with his priests and leaders."

4 Wherefore gloriest thou in the valleys, thy flowing valley, O backsliding daughter? that trusted in her treasures, saying, Who shall come unto me?

*Why do you boast in your valleys, your beautiful valley, you unfaithful daughter? You trusted in your riches and asked, Who will come to me?

5 Behold, I will bring a fear upon thee, saith the Lord GOD of hosts, from all those that be about thee; and ye shall be driven out every man right forth; and none shall gather up him that wandereth.

*Look, I will cause you fear, says the Lord God of armies, by everyone around you. You will be forced to leave quickly, and no one will pick up those who wander away.

6 And afterward I will bring again the captivity of the children of Ammon, saith the LORD.

*"Afterward, I will restore the children of Ammon from captivity," says the Lord.

7 Concerning Edom, thus saith the LORD of hosts; Is wisdom no more in Teman? is counsel perished from the prudent? is their wisdom vanished?

*About Edom, the Lord says this: Has wisdom disappeared in Teman? Has wise advice ended for the intelligent people? Has their wisdom gone away?

8 Flee ye, turn back, dwell deep, O inhabitants of Dedan; for I will bring the calamity of Esau upon him, the time that I will visit him.

*Run away, go back, hide deep, people of Dedan; because I will bring disaster to Esau, the time I will punish him.

9 If grapegatherers come to thee, would they not leave some gleaning grapes? if thieves by night, they will destroy till they have enough.

*If people who pick grapes visit you, wouldn't they leave some leftover grapes for others to collect? If thieves come at night, they will ruin things until they get what they want.

10 But I have made Esau bare, I have uncovered his secret places, and he shall not be able to hide himself: his seed is spoiled, and his brethren, and his neighbours, and he is not.

*But I revealed Esau's hidden spots, so he can't hide. His descendants are ruined, and his family and neighbors don't exist anymore.

11 Leave thy fatherless children, I will preserve them alive; and let thy widows trust in me.

*Leave the fatherless kids, I'll keep them alive; let your widowed women rely on me.

12 For thus saith the LORD; Behold, they whose judgment was not to drink of the cup have assuredly drunken; and art thou he that shall altogether go unpunished? thou shalt not go unpunished, but thou shalt surely drink of it.

*So, God says this: Those who weren't supposed to drink from the cup have definitely drunk from it. And are you the one who won't be punished at all? No, you will be punished too, and you will definitely drink from that cup.

13 For I have sworn by myself, saith the LORD, that Bozrah shall become a desolation, a reproach, a waste, and a curse; and all the cities thereof shall be perpetual wastes.

*I promise on my own, says God, that Bozrah will turn into nothingness, shame, ruin, and a curse. All its cities will always be empty and unused.

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.

*I heard a message from God about a situation. An envoy was sent to non-believers with a request: gather together, attack, and prepare for war.

15 For, lo, I will make thee small among the heathen, and despised among men.

*"For indeed, I will make you less important among the people of other nations, and not respected by others."

16 Thy terribleness hath deceived thee, and the pride of thine heart, 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 the LORD.

*Your greatness has tricked you, and your proud heart, you who live in the rock's hidden places and rule the mountain's peak. Even if you build your home as high as an eagle's nest, I will bring you down from there, says the LORD.

17 Also Edom shall be a desolation: every one that goeth by it shall be astonished, and shall hiss at all the plagues thereof.

*Edom will be empty and abandoned. People passing by will be shocked and will hiss at all the bad things happening there.

18 As in the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah and the neighbour cities thereof, saith the LORD, no man shall abide there, neither shall a son of man dwell in it.

*Just like how Sodom, Gomorrah, and nearby cities were destroyed, says the Lord, no one will be able to live there, and no human being will dwell in that area.

19 Behold, he shall come up like a lion from the swelling of Jordan against the habitation of the strong: but I will suddenly make 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 shepherd that will stand before me?

*Look, someone will come like a powerful lion from the big Jordan River to the home of the strong people. But I will quickly make him run away. Who is a special person I can put in charge? Because no one is like me and who can I let decide when it happens? And who is the shepherd that will stand up to me?

20 Therefore hear the counsel of the LORD, that he hath taken against Edom; and his purposes, that he hath purposed against the inhabitants of Teman: Surely the least of the flock shall draw them out: surely he shall make their habitations desolate with them.

*So listen to what God has planned against Edom and the people of Teman. Even the smallest member of the flock will cause their downfall, and their homes will be empty because of it.

21 The earth is moved at the noise of their fall, at the cry the noise thereof was heard in the Red sea.

*The ground shakes when they fall, their loud cry was heard in the Red Sea.

22 Behold, he shall come up and fly as the eagle, and spread his wings over Bozrah: and at that day shall the heart of the mighty men of Edom be as the heart of a woman in her pangs.

*Look, someone will arrive and soar like an eagle, spreading their wings over Bozrah. On that day, the strong people of Edom's hearts will be as weak as a woman in labor.

23 Concerning Damascus. Hamath is confounded, and Arpad: for they have heard evil tidings: they are fainthearted; there is sorrow on the sea; it cannot be quiet.

*About Damascus. Hamath and Arpad are confused because they heard bad news. They are scared, and there is sadness near the sea; it can't be calm.

24 Damascus is waxed feeble, and turneth herself to flee, and fear hath seized on her: anguish and sorrows have taken her, as a woman in travail.

*Damascus is weak and tries to escape, filled with fear. She is in great pain and sadness, like a woman having a baby.

25 How is the city of praise not left, the city of my joy!

*How can the city of praise ever be abandoned, the city of my happiness?

26 Therefore her young men shall fall in her streets, and all the men of war shall be cut off in that day, saith the LORD of hosts.

*So, young warriors will fall on the streets, and all strong fighters will be eliminated that day, says the Lord of armies.

27 And I will kindle a fire in the wall of Damascus, and it shall consume the palaces of Benhadad.

*I will start a fire in Damascus's wall, and it will destroy Benhadad's royal places.

28 Concerning Kedar, and concerning the kingdoms of Hazor, which Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon shall smite, thus saith the LORD; Arise ye, go up to Kedar, and spoil the men of the east.

*Regarding Kedar and the kingdoms of Hazor, which King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon will destroy, the Lord says: Go and attack the eastern people in Kedar.

29 Their tents and their flocks shall they take away: they shall take to themselves their curtains, and all their vessels, and their camels; and they shall cry unto them, Fear is on every side.

*They will take their tents and animals, along with their coverings and containers, and camels. They will shout, "Danger is everywhere!"

30 Flee, get you far off, dwell deep, O ye inhabitants of Hazor, saith the LORD; for Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon hath taken counsel against you, and hath conceived a purpose against you.

*Run away and hide far away, people of Hazor, says the Lord, because Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, has planned against you and made up his mind to harm you.

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.

*Get up and go to the prosperous country where people live without worries, says the Lord. They don't need gates or locks, and they live by themselves.

32 And their camels shall be a booty, and the multitude of their cattle a spoil: and I will scatter into all winds them that are in the utmost corners; and I will bring their calamity from all sides thereof, saith the LORD.

*Their camels will be taken as prize, and many of their animals will be seized. I will blow them away from every direction, even those far away, says the Lord. Their troubles will come at them from everywhere.

33 And Hazor shall be a dwelling for dragons, and a desolation for ever: there shall no man abide there, nor any son of man dwell in it.

*Hazor will become a home for dragons and a barren place forever. No person can live there, nor can anyone's child reside in it.

34 The word of the LORD that came to Jeremiah the prophet against Elam in the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah, saying,

*The message from God given to Jeremiah the prophet about Elam at the start of King Zedekiah's rule in Judah, stating,

35 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Behold, I will break the bow of Elam, the chief of their might.

*So says the Lord of armies: Look, I will shatter Elam's strength, their greatest power.

36 And upon Elam will I bring the four winds from the four quarters of heaven, and will scatter them toward all those winds; and there shall be no nation whither the outcasts of Elam shall not come.

*I will send the four winds from all parts of the sky to Elam, spreading them in every direction. No country will be spared from the exiles of Elam.

37 For I will cause Elam to be dismayed before their enemies, and before them that seek their life: and I will bring evil upon them, even my fierce anger, saith the LORD; and I will send the sword after them, till I have consumed them:

*For I will make Elam afraid of their enemies and those who want to kill them. I will unleash my intense anger and sayings, the Lord says, and I will send swords after them until they are all gone.

38 And I will set my throne in Elam, and will destroy from thence the king and the princes, saith the LORD.

*I will place my throne in Elam and eliminate the king and leaders, says the Lord.

39 But it shall come to pass in the latter days, that I will bring again the captivity of Elam, saith the LORD.

*In the future, I will return the people of Elam who were taken away, says God.

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