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Bible in Basic English

Jeremiah 49:20

For this cause give ear to the decision of the Lord which he has made against Edom, and to his purposes designed against the people of Teman: Truly, they will be pulled away by the smallest of the flock; truly, he will make waste their fields with them.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Edomites;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Counsels and Purposes of God, the;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Bozrah;   Sela;   Teman;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Edom;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Eliphaz;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Edom;   Teman;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Greek Versions of Ot;   Obadiah, Book of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - South ;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Teman, Temani, Temanites ;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Job;   Uz;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Jeremiah (2);   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Edox, Idumea;   Eliphaz;   Judah I.;   Teman;  

Parallel Translations

Legacy Standard Bible
Therefore hear the counsel of Yahweh which He has counseled against Edom, and His purposes which He has purposed against the inhabitants of Teman: surely they will drag them off, even the little ones of the flock; surely He will make their pasture desolate because of them.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Therefore hear the plan of the LORD which He has planned against Edom, and His purposes which He has purposed against the inhabitants of Teman: surely they will drag them off, even the little ones of the flock; surely He will make their pasture desolate because of them.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Therefore heare the counsell of the Lorde that he hath taken vpon Idumea, and his purpose that he hath deuised vpon the citizens of Theman: The least of the flocke shall trayle them, and looke what fayre habitation they haue, they shall make it waste, and them selues also.
Darby Translation
Therefore hear the counsel of Jehovah, which he hath taken against Edom, and his purposes which he hath purposed against the inhabitants of Teman: The little ones of the flock shall certainly draw them away; he shall certainly make their habitation desolate for them.
New King James Version
Therefore hear the counsel of the LORD that He has taken against Edom, And His purposes that He has proposed against the inhabitants of Teman: Surely the least of the flock shall draw them out; Surely He shall make their dwelling places desolate with them.
Literal Translation
So then, hear the counsel of Jehovah which He has planned against Edom, and His purposes which He has purposed against those living in Teman: Surely they shall drag them, the least of the flock. Surely He shall make their dwellings desolateover them.
World English Bible
Therefore hear the counsel of Yahweh, that he has taken against Edom; and his purposes, that he has purposed against the inhabitants of Teman: Surely they shall drag them away, [even] the little ones of the flock; surely he shall make their habitation desolate over them.
King James Version (1611)
Therfore heare the counsell of the Lord, that he hath taken against Edom, & his purposes that hee hath purposed against the inhabitants of Teman: surely the least of the flocke shall draw them out: surely hee shall make their habitations desolate with them.
King James Version
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.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Therfore heare the councell of the LORDE, that he hath taken vpon Idumea: & his purpose, that he hath deuysed vpon the citesyns of Theman: The leest of the flocke shal teare them in peces, & loke what fayre thynge they haue, they shal make it waist, & them selues also.
THE MESSAGE
So, listen to this plan that God has worked out against Edom, the blueprint of what he's prepared for those who live in Teman: "Believe it or not, the young, the vulnerable— mere lambs and kids—will be dragged off. Believe it or not, the flock in shock, helpless to help, will watch it happen. The very earth will shudder because of their cries, cries of anguish heard at the distant Red Sea. Look! An eagle soars, swoops down, spreads its wings over Bozrah. Brave warriors will double up in pain, helpless to fight, like a woman giving birth to a baby."
Amplified Bible
Therefore hear the plan of the LORD which He has devised against Edom, and [hear] what He has purposed against the inhabitants of Teman: surely they will be dragged away, even the little ones of the flock; surely He will make their dwelling place desolate because of them.
American Standard Version
Therefore hear ye the counsel of Jehovah, that he hath taken against Edom; and his purposes, that he hath purposed against the inhabitants of Teman: Surely they shall drag them away, even the little ones of the flock; surely he shall make their habitation desolate over them.
Revised Standard Version
Therefore hear the plan which the LORD has made against Edom and the purposes which he has formed against the inhabitants of Teman: Even the little ones of the flock shall be dragged away; surely their fold shall be appalled at their fate.
Update Bible Version
Therefore hear the counsel of Yahweh, that he has taken against Edom; and his purposes, that he has purposed against the inhabitants of Teman: Surely they shall drag them away, [even] the little ones of the flock; surely he shall make their habitation desolate over them.
Webster's Bible Translation
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.
New Century Version
So listen to what the Lord has planned to do against Edom. Listen to what he has decided to do to the people in the town of Teman. He will surely drag away the young ones of Edom. Their hometowns will surely be shocked at what happens to them.
New English Translation
So listen to what I, the Lord , have planned against Edom, what I intend to do to the people who live in Teman. Their little ones will be dragged off. I will completely destroy their land because of what they have done.
Contemporary English Version
Listen to my plans for you, people of Edom. Your children will be dragged off and your country destroyed.
Complete Jewish Bible
So hear the plan of Adonai that he has devised against Edom, and his purpose that he will accomplish against those who live in Teman: the least of the flock will drag them away; their own pasture will be in shock at them.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Therefore heare the counsell of the Lorde that hee hath deuised against Edom, and his purpose that hee hath conceiued against the inhabitants of Teman: surely the least of the flocke shall drawe them out: surely he shall make their habitations desolate with them.
George Lamsa Translation
Therefore, hear the counsel that the LORD has devised against Edom, and his purposes that he has purposed against the inhabitants of Teman: Surely even the least of the flock they shall shear; and the enemy shall make their folds desolate over them.
Hebrew Names Version
Therefore hear the counsel of the LORD, that he has taken against Edom; and his purposes, that he has purposed against the inhabitants of Teman: Surely they shall drag them away, [even] the little ones of the flock; surely he shall make their habitation desolate over them.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
Therefore hear ye 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 drag them away, surely their habitation shall be appalled at them.
New Living Translation
Listen to the Lord 's plans against Edom and the people of Teman. Even the little children will be dragged off like sheep, and their homes will be destroyed.
New Life Bible
So hear the plan the Lord has made against Edom. Listen to His plans which He has made against the people of Teman. Even the little ones of the flock will be pulled away. For sure He will make their fields an empty waste because of them.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
that ye have wrought wickedness in your hearts, when ye sent me, saying, Pray thou for us to the Lord; and according to all that the Lord shall speak to thee we will do.
English Revised Version
Therefore hear ye the counsel of the LORD, that he hath taken against Edom; and his purposes, that he hath purposed against the inhabitants of Teman: Surely they shall drag them away, even the little ones of the flock; surely he shall make their habitation desolate with them.
Berean Standard Bible
Therefore hear the plans that the LORD has made against Edom and the strategies He has devised against the people of Teman: The little ones of the flock will surely be dragged away, and their pasture will be made desolate because of them.
New Revised Standard
Therefore hear the plan that the Lord has made against Edom and the purposes that he has formed against the inhabitants of Teman: Surely the little ones of the flock shall be dragged away; surely their fold shall be appalled at their fate.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Wherefore, hear ye The counsel of Yahweh which he hath counseled against Edom, And his devices which he hath devised against the inhabitants of Teman, - Surely the little ones of the flock shall drag them away, Surely he will cause their fold to be astounded over them.
Douay-Rheims Bible
Therefore hear ye the counsel of the Lord, which he hath taken concerning Edom: and his thoughts which he hath thought concerning the inhabitants of Theman: surely the little ones of the flock shall cast them down, of a truth they shall destroy them with their habitation.
Lexham English Bible
Therefore hear the plan of Yahweh that he has planned against Edom, and his plans that he has planned against the inhabitants of Teman. Surely they will drag them away, the little ones of the flock. Surely he will cause to be desolated over them their grazing place.
Easy-to-Read Version
So listen to what the Lord has planned to do to the people of Edom. Listen to what he has decided to do to the people in Teman. The enemy will drag away the young kids of Edom's flock. Edom's pastures will be empty because of what they did.
English Standard Version
Therefore hear the plan that the Lord has made against Edom and the purposes that he has formed against the inhabitants of Teman: Even the little ones of the flock shall be dragged away. Surely their fold shall be appalled at their fate.
New American Standard Bible
Therefore hear the plan of the LORD which He has planned against Edom, and His purposes which He has in mind against the inhabitants of Teman: they will certainly drag them off, even the little ones of the flock; He will certainly make their pasture desolate because of them.
Good News Translation
So listen to the plan that I have made against the people of Edom, and to what I intend to do to the people of the city of Teman. Even their children will be dragged off, and everyone will be horrified.
Christian Standard Bible®
Therefore, hear the plans that the Lord has drawn up against Edom and the strategies He has devised against the people of Teman: The flock's little lambs will certainly be dragged away, and their grazing land will be made desolate because of them.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Therfor here ye the councel of the Lord, which he took of Edom, and his thouytis, whiche he thouyte of the dwelleris of Theman. If the litle of the floc caste not hem doun, if thei distrien not with hem the dwellyng of hem, ellis no man yyue credence to me.
Young's Literal Translation
Therefore, hear ye the counsel of Jehovah, That He hath counselled concerning Edom, And His devices that He hath devised Concerning the inhabitants of Teman: Drag them out do not little ones of the flock, Make desolate over them doth he not their habitation?

Contextual Overview

7 About Edom. This is what the Lord of armies has said. Is there no more wisdom in Teman? have wise suggestions come to an end among men of good sense? has their wisdom completely gone? 8 Go in flight, go back, take cover in deep places, you who are living in Dedan; for I will send the fate of Edom on him, even the time of his punishment. 9 If men came to get your grapes, would they not let some be uncut on the vines? if thieves came by night, would they not make waste till they had enough? 10 I have had Esau searched out, uncovering his secret places, so that he may not keep himself covered: his seed is wasted and has come to an end, and there is no help from his neighbours. 11 Put in my care your children who have no father, and I will keep them safe; and let your widows put their faith in me. 12 For the Lord has said, Those for whom the cup was not made ready will certainly be forced to take of it; and are you to go without punishment? you will not be without punishment, but will certainly be forced to take from the cup. 13 For I have taken an oath by myself, says the Lord, that Bozrah will become a cause of wonder, a name of shame, a waste and a curse; and all its towns will be waste places for ever. 14 Word has come to me from the Lord, and a representative has been sent to the nations, to say, Come together and go up against her, and take your places for the fight. 15 For see, I have made you small among the nations, looked down on by men. 16 ••• Three dots are used where it is no longer possible to be certain of the true sense of the Hebrew words, and for this reason no attempt has been made to put them into Basic English. the pride of your heart has been a false hope, O you who are living in the cracks of the rock, keeping your place on the top of the hill: even if you made your living-place as high as the eagle, I would make you come down, says the Lord.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

the counsel: Jeremiah 50:45, Psalms 33:11, Proverbs 19:21, Isaiah 14:24-27, Isaiah 46:10, Isaiah 46:11, Acts 4:28, Ephesians 1:11

Teman: Jeremiah 49:7, Job 6:19, Job 6:20

Surely: The prophet having given the name of the shepherd to the generals of the army, pursues the same metaphor, calling the common soldiers, "the least of the flock;" who shall have strength and courage enough to the defeat the Idumean forces. Jeremiah 37:10, Jeremiah 50:45, Zechariah 4:6, 1 Corinthians 1:27-29

make: Jeremiah 49:13, Jeremiah 49:17, Jeremiah 49:18, Malachi 1:3, Malachi 1:4

Reciprocal: Genesis 36:15 - duke Teman Judges 9:53 - woman 1 Chronicles 1:36 - Teman 1 Chronicles 1:45 - Temanites 1 Chronicles 4:41 - the habitations Ezekiel 25:13 - Teman Amos 1:12 - Teman Obadiah 1:9 - O

Cross-References

Genesis 30:13
And Leah said, Happy am I! and all women will give witness to my joy: and she gave him the name Asher.
Genesis 46:17
And the sons of Asher: Jimnah and Ishvah and Ishvi and Beriah, and Sarah, their sister; and the sons of Beriah: Heber and Malchiel.
Genesis 49:24
But their bows were broken by a strong one, and the cords of their arms were cut by the Strength of Jacob, by the name of the Stone of Israel:
Genesis 49:25
Even by the God of your father, who will be your help, and by the Ruler of all, who will make you full with blessings from heaven on high, blessings of the deep stretched out under the earth, blessings of the breasts and of the fertile body:
Genesis 49:31
There Abraham and Sarah his wife were put to rest, and there they put Isaac and Rebekah his wife, and there I put Leah to rest.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Therefore hear the counsel of the Lord that he hath taken against Edom,.... The decree of the Lord; the purpose and resolution he had taken up in his heart against the Idumeans, which was wisely formed, and upon just and good grounds:

and his purposes that he hath purposed against the inhabitants of Teman; a principal place in Edom, the inhabitants of which were famous for their wisdom, Jeremiah 49:7; and therefore are here particularly mentioned; there being no wisdom, nor understanding, nor counsel against the Lord, so as to frustrate his purposes and designs, which have always their effect, Proverbs 19:21;

surely the least of the flock shall draw them out; not the Persians, the least of the sons of Japheth, as some Rabbins in Jarchi c; nor the Israelites, as Kimchi, particularly Rachel's sons, or the posterity of Joseph and Benjamin; but the common soldiers, the weakest and most feeble in the Chaldean army: as princes are compared to shepherds, their people are like flocks; and now the least of these in the king of Babylon's army should be a match for the strongest of the Edomites; and should draw them out of their habitations, as dogs or wolves drag sheep out of the folds, and draw about dead carcasses, and devour them. The words are in the form of an oath, "if the least of the flock do not draw them out"; that is, as I live they shall; or I swear by myself they shall certainly do it; so the Targum,

"if they do not draw and kill the mighty of the people:''

surely he shall make their habitations desolate with them; or, "their folds"; the sheep shall be destroyed, and their folds shall be demolished; that is, the inhabitants of Edom shall be slain with the sword, and their cities, towns, and villages, shall be laid waste.

c Vid. T. Bab. Yoma, fol. 10. 1.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Edom stretched along the south of Judah from the border of Moab on the Dead Sea to the Mediterranean and the Arabian deserts, and held the same relation to Judah which Moab held toward the kingdom of Israel. Although expressly reserved from attack by Moses Deuteronomy 2:5, a long feud caused the Edomites to cherish so bitter an enmity against Judah, that they exulted with cruel joy over the capture of Jerusalem by the Chaldaeans, and showed great cruelty toward those why fled to them for refuge.

Of the prophecies against Edom the first eight verses of Obadiah are also found in Jeremiah (see the marginal references). As Jeremiah wrote before the capture of Jerusalem, and Obadiah apparently after it (see Jeremiah 49:13-14), it might seem certain that Obadiah copied from Jeremiah. Others held the reverse view; while some consider that the two prophets may both have made common use of some ancient prediction. See the introduction to Obadiah.

The prophecy is divisible into three strophes. In the first Jeremiah 49:7-13, the prophet describes Edom as terror-stricken.

Jeremiah 49:7

Teman - A strip of land on the northeast of Edom, put here for Edom generally. Its inhabitants were among those “children of the East” famed for wisdom, because of their skill in proverbs and dark sayings.

Jeremiah 49:8

Dwell deep - Jeremiah 49:30. The Dedanites, who were used to travel through the Edomite territory with their caravans, are advised to retire as far as possible into the Arabian deserts to be out of the way of the invaders.

Jeremiah 49:9

Translate it: “If vintagers come to thee, they will not leave any gleaning: if thieves by night, they will destroy their fill.”

Jeremiah 49:10

But - For. The reason why the invaders destroy Edom so completely. His secret places are the hiding-places in the mountains of Seir.

His seed - Esau’s seed, the Edomites; his brethren are the nations joined with him in the possession of the land, Amalek, and perhaps the Simeonites; his neighbors are Dedan, Tema, Buz.

Jeremiah 49:11

As with Moab Jeremiah 48:47, and Ammon Jeremiah 49:6, so there is mercy for Edom. The widows shall be protected, and in the orphans of Edom the nation shall once again revive.

Jeremiah 49:12

Translate it: “Behold they whose rule was not to drink of the cup shall surely drink etc.” It was not the ordinary manner of God’s people to suffer from His wrath: but now when they are drinking of the wine-cup of fury Jeremiah 25:15, how can those not in covenant with Him hope to escape?

Jeremiah 49:14-18

The second strophe, Edom’s chastisement.

Jeremiah 49:14

Rumour - Or, “revelation.”

Ambassador - Or, messenger, i. e., herald. The business of an ambassador is to negotiate, of a herald to carry a message.

Jeremiah 49:15

Small ... - Rather, small among the nations, i. e., of no political importance.

Jeremiah 49:16

Edom’s “terribleness” consisted in her cities being hewn in the sides of inaccessible rocks, from where she could suddenly descend for predatory warfare, and retire to her fastnesses without fear of reprisals.

The clefts of the rock - Or, the fastnesses of Sela, the rock-city, Petra (see Isaiah 16:1).

The hill - i. e., Bozrah.

Jeremiah 49:17

Better, “And Edom shall become a terror: every passer by shalt be terrified, and shudder etc.”

Jeremiah 49:18

Neighbour ... - Admah and Zeboim.

A son of man - i. e., “Any man.” From 536 a.d. onward, Petra suddenly vanishes from the pages of history. Only in the present century was its real site discovered.

Jeremiah 49:19-22

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.

Jeremiah 49:20

Surely the least ... - Rather, Surely they will worry them, the feeble ones of the flock: surely their pasture shall be terror-stricken over them. No shepherd can resist Nebuchadnezzar Jeremiah 49:19, but all flee, and leave the sheep unprotected. Thereupon, the Chaldaeans enter, and treat the poor feeble flock so barbarously, that the very fold is horrified at their cruelty.

Jeremiah 49:21

Is moved - Quakes.

At the cry ... - The arrangement is much more poetical in the Hebrew, The shriek - to the sea of Suph (Exodus 10:19 note) is heard its sound.

Jeremiah 49:22

Nebuchadnezzar shall swoop down like an eagle, the emblem of swiftness.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Jeremiah 49:20. The inhabitants of Teman — Taken here for the whole of Idumea. These are a kind of synonyms which prevent monotony, and give variety to the poet's versification.

Surely the least of the flock shall draw them out — They shall be like timid sheep; the weakest foe shall overcome them.


 
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