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King James Version

Jeremiah 49:16

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 .

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Eagle;   Edomites;   Heart;   Pride;   Rock;   Security;   Self-Righteousness;   Thompson Chain Reference - Exaltation-Abasement;   Humiliation of Sinners;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Eagle, the;   Edomites, the;   Heart, Character of the Unrenewed;   Pride;   Rocks;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Cave;   Eagle;   Idumea;   Sela;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Birds;   Edom;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Pride;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Cave;   Eagle;   Edom;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Mibzar;   Nest;   Sela;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Birds;   Edom;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Eagle;   Greek Versions of Ot;   Nest;   Obadiah, Book of;   Rock;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Nest;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Eagle,;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Eagle;   Idumaeans;   Obadiah;   Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types - Nest;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Eagle;   Edom;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Deceivableness;   Eagle;   Jeremiah (2);   Nest;   Obadiah, Book of;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Edox, Idumea;   Vulture;  

Parallel Translations

English Standard Version
The horror you inspire has deceived you, and the pride of your heart, you who live in the clefts of the rock, who hold the height of the hill. Though you make your nest as high as the eagle's, I will bring you down from there, declares the Lord .
Geneva Bible (1587)
Thy feare, and ye pride of thine heart hath deceiued thee, thou that dwellest in the cleftes of the rocke, and keepest the height of ye hil: though thou shouldest make thy nest as hie as the egle, I wil bring thee downe from thece, sayth the Lord.
Christian Standard Bible®
As to the terror you cause,your arrogant heart has deceived you.You who live in the clefts of the rock,you who occupy the mountain summit,though you elevate your nest like the eagles,even from there I will bring you down.
Hebrew Names Version
As for your terror, the pride of your heart has deceived you, O you who dwell in the clefts of the rock, who hold the height of the hill: though you should make your nest as high as the eagle, I will bring you down from there, says the LORD.
Darby Translation
Thy terribleness, the pride of thy heart, hath deceived thee, thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rock, that holdest the height of the hill. Though thou shouldest make thy nest high as the eagle, I will bring thee down from thence, saith Jehovah.
Easy-to-Read Version
Edom, you made other nations afraid, so you thought you were important. But your pride has fooled you. You live in caves, high on the cliff. Your home is high in the hills. But even if you build your home as high as an eagle's nest, I will bring you down from there." This is what the Lord said.
Amplified Bible
"As for Your terror, The pride and arrogance of your heart have deceived you, O you who live in the clefts of the rock (Sela also called Petra), Who hold and occupy the height of the hill. Though you make your nest as high as the eagle's, I will bring you down from there," says the LORD.
American Standard Version
As for thy terribleness, the pride of thy heart hath deceived thee, 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 Jehovah.
Berean Standard Bible
The terror you cause and the pride of your heart have deceived you, O dwellers in the clefts of the rocks, O occupiers of the mountain summit. Though you elevate your nest like the eagle, even from there I will bring you down," declares the LORD.
Contemporary English Version
Pride tricks you into thinking that other nations look at you with fear. You live along the cliffs and high in the mountains like the eagles, but I am the Lord , and I will bring you down.
Complete Jewish Bible
Your capacity to terrorize has deceived you and made you arrogant. You make your home in the rocky crags and seize the top of the mountain; but even if you build your nest high as an eagle's, from there I will drag you down," says Adonai .
JPS Old Testament (1917)
Thy terribleness hath deceived thee, even the pride of thy 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.
King James Version (1611)
Thy terriblenesse hath deceiued thee, and the pride of thine heart, O thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rocke, that holdest the height of the hill: thogh thou shouldest make thy nest as high as the eagle, I will bring thee downe from thence, saith the Lord.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
If ye set your face toward Egypt, and go in there to dwell; then it shall be, that the sword which ye fear shall find you in the land of Egypt, and the famine to which ye have regard, shall overtake you, coming after you in Egypt; and there ye shall die.
English Revised Version
As for thy terribleness, the pride of thine heart hath deceived thee, 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;
Lexham English Bible
Your terror has deceived you, the pride of your heart, O you who dwell in the clefts of the rock, you who seize the height of the hill. Though you make your nest high like the eagle, from there I will bring you down," declares Yahweh.
Literal Translation
Your dreadfulness has deceived you, the pride of your heart, you who live in the clefts of the rock, who hold the height of the hill. Though you should make your nest as high as the eagle, I will bring you down from there, declares Jehovah.
New Century Version
Edom, you frightened other nations, but your pride has fooled you. You live in the hollow places of the cliff and control the high places of the hills. Even if you build your home as high as an eagle's nest, I will bring you down from there," says the Lord .
New English Translation
The terror you inspire in others and the arrogance of your heart have deceived you. You may make your home in the clefts of the rocks; you may occupy the highest places in the hills. But even if you made your home where the eagles nest, I would bring you down from there," says the Lord .
New King James Version
Your fierceness has deceived you,The pride of your heart,O you who dwell in the clefts of the rock,Who hold the height of the hill!Though you make your nest as high as the eagle,I will bring you down from there," says the Lord. Obadiah 1:3, 4 ">[fn]
New Living Translation
You have been deceived by the fear you inspire in others and by your own pride. You live in a rock fortress and control the mountain heights. But even if you make your nest among the peaks with the eagles, I will bring you crashing down," says the Lord .
New Life Bible
As for the fear you have caused, the pride of your heart has fooled you, O you who live in the holes of rocks, who live on the top of the hill. Even if you make your nest as high as an eagle's, I will bring you down from there," says the Lord.
New Revised Standard
The terror you inspire and the pride of your heart have deceived you, you who live in the clefts of the rock, who hold the height of the hill. Although you make your nest as high as the eagle's, from there I will bring you down, says the Lord .
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Thy monstrous thing, hath deceived thee, The insolence of thy heart, O thou that inhabitest the hidden recesses of the cliff, That boldest fast the height of the hill, - Though thou set high as an eagle, thy nest, From thence, will I bring thee down, Declareth Yahweh;
Douay-Rheims Bible
Thy arrogancy hath deceived thee, and the pride of thy heart: O thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rock, and endeavourest to lay hold on the height of the hill: but though thou shouldst make thy nest as high as an eagle, I will bring thee down from thence, saith the Lord.
George Lamsa Translation
Your wickedness has deceived you, and the pride of your heart. O you that dwell in the clefts of the rock, who hold the height of the hill; who say in your hearts, Who can bring us down to the ground? though you make your nest among the stars, and though you make your nest as high as the eagles, I will bring you down from there, says the LORD.
Good News Translation
Your pride has deceived you. No one fears you as much as you think they do. You live on the rocky cliffs, high on top of the mountain; but even though you live as high up as an eagle, the Lord will bring you down. The Lord has spoken."
New American Standard Bible
"As for the terror you cause, The arrogance of your heart has deceived you, You who live in the clefts of the rock, Who occupy the height of the hill. Though you make your nest as high as an eagle's, I will bring you down from there," declares the LORD.
Webster's Bible Translation
Thy terribleness hath deceived thee, [and] the pride of thy heart, O thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rock, that holdest the hight of the hill: though thou shouldst make thy nest as high as the eagle, I will bring thee down from thence, saith the LORD.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Thy hye stomacke, and the pryde of thy heart hath deceaued thee, because thou doest dwell in the holes of stonye rockes, and hast the hye mountaynes in possession: Neuerthelesse, though thy nest were as hye as the Egles, yet I wyll cast thee downe saith the Lorde.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Thi boost, and the pride of thin herte, hath disseyued thee, that dwellist in the caues of stoon, and enforsist to take the hiynesse of a litil hil; whanne thou as an egle hast reisid thi nest, fro thennus Y schal drawe thee doun, seith the Lord.
Young's Literal Translation
Thy terribleness hath lifted thee up, The pride of thy heart, O dweller in clefts of the rock, Holding the high place of the height, For thou makest high as an eagle thy nest, From thence I bring thee down, An affirmation of Jehovah.
World English Bible
As for your terror, the pride of your heart has deceived you, O you who dwell in the clefts of the rock, who hold the height of the hill: though you should make your nest as high as the eagle, I will bring you down from there, says Yahweh.
Revised Standard Version
The horror you inspire has deceived you, and the pride of your heart, you who live in the clefts of the rock, who hold the height of the hill. Though you make your nest as high as the eagle's, I will bring you down from there, says the LORD.
Update Bible Version
As for your terribleness, the pride of your heart has deceived you, O you that dwell in the clefts of the rock, that hold the height of the hill: though you should make your nest as high as the eagle, I will bring you down from there, says Yahweh.
Bible in Basic English
••• 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.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Thy hie stomack & the pryde of thy herte haue disceaued ye, because thou wilt dwell in the holes of stony rockes, and haue the hie mountaynes in possession. Neuertheles though thy nest were as hie as the Aegles, yet wil I cast the downe, saieth the LORDE.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"As for the terror of you, The arrogance of your heart has deceived you, O you who live in the clefts of the rock, Who occupy the height of the hill. Though you make your nest as high as an eagle's, I will bring you down from there," declares the LORD.
Legacy Standard Bible
As for the terror of you,The arrogance of your heart has deceived you,O you who dwell in the clefts of the rock,Who seize the height of the hill.Though you make your nest as high as an eagle's,I will bring you down from there," declares Yahweh.

Contextual Overview

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? 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. 9 If grapegatherers come to thee, would they not leave some gleaning grapes? if thieves by night, they will destroy till they have enough. 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. 11 Leave thy fatherless children, I will preserve them alive; and let thy widows trust in 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. 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. 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. 15 For, lo, I will make thee small among the heathen, and despised among men. 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 .

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

terribleness: Jeremiah 48:29, Proverbs 16:18, Proverbs 18:21, Proverbs 29:23, Isaiah 25:4, Isaiah 25:5, Isaiah 49:25, Obadiah 1:3

dwellest: Song of Solomon 2:14, Isaiah 2:21

though: Jeremiah 48:28, Job 39:27, Isaiah 14:13-15, Ezekiel 28:11-19, Amos 9:2, Obadiah 1:4

Reciprocal: Job 29:18 - I shall die Isaiah 42:11 - let the inhabitants Jeremiah 21:13 - Who Jeremiah 22:23 - makest Jeremiah 48:14 - We Jeremiah 49:4 - Who Jeremiah 50:31 - O thou Jeremiah 51:53 - mount Ezekiel 17:3 - A great Habakkuk 2:9 - set Malachi 1:3 - laid Romans 7:11 - deceived Ephesians 4:22 - deceitful

Cross-References

Genesis 30:6
And Rachel said, God hath judged me, and hath also heard my voice, and hath given me a son: therefore called she his name Dan.
Genesis 49:1
And Jacob called unto his sons, and said, Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you that which shall befall you in the last days.
Genesis 49:2
Gather yourselves together, and hear, ye sons of Jacob; and hearken unto Israel your father.
Genesis 49:24
But his bow abode in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob; (from thence is the shepherd, the stone of Israel:)
Genesis 49:25
Even by the God of thy father, who shall help thee; and by the Almighty, who shall bless thee with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep that lieth under, blessings of the breasts, and of the womb:
Genesis 49:26
The blessings of thy father have prevailed above the blessings of my progenitors unto the utmost bound of the everlasting hills: they shall be on the head of Joseph, and on the crown of the head of him that was separate from his brethren.
Genesis 49:27
Benjamin shall ravin as a wolf: in the morning he shall devour the prey, and at night he shall divide the spoil.
Numbers 10:25
And the standard of the camp of the children of Dan set forward, which was the rereward of all the camps throughout their hosts: and over his host was Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai.
Deuteronomy 33:22
And of Dan he said, Dan is a lion's whelp: he shall leap from Bashan.
Judges 13:2
And there was a certain man of Zorah, of the family of the Danites, whose name was Manoah; and his wife was barren, and bare not.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Thy terribleness hath deceived thee, [and] the pride of thine heart,.... Some render it, "thine idol" o; see 1 Kings 15:13; which, being terrible to them, they thought it might be so to others, and protect them. In the place referred to the word "miphlezeth" is used, and comes from the same root with this, which signifies to be terrible and formidable, and cause to tremble, as the idols of the Gentiles were to their worshippers, and others. The Vulgate Latin version of the above place interprets it of Priapus, which was an idol set up in gardens to frighten birds and thieves from coming thither p. So Kimchi observes, that some interpret it here of idolatrous worship or superstition; but it is to be understood either of the roughness and terribleness of their country, abounding with rocks and mountains, which made it inaccessible; or rather of that terror which they struck into their neighbouring nations, by their wealth and riches, their power and strength, their courage and valour, and skill in military affairs; and having such strong cities, fortresses, and fastnesses, natural and artificial, of which they were proud; and, on account of all which, fancied that none would dare to invade them; or, if they did, their attempts would be fruitless; and this deceived them, making them careless and secure:

O thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rock; the land of Idumea being very hilly and rocky. Jerom q says, who lived near it, that all the southern part of Idumea, from Eleutheropolis to Petra and Hailah, had their habitations in caves cut out of rocks:

that holdest the height of the hill; that dwelt on the tops of hills and mountains, and in towers and fortified places built upon them, as Kimchi and Ben Melech; who think respect is had particularly to Mount Seir. The Targum is,

"for thou art like to an eagle that dwells in the clefts of the rock, whose high habitation is inn strong place;''

hence it follows:

though thou shouldest make thy nest as high as the eagle, I will bring thee down from thence, saith the Lord; signifying, though they might think themselves as safe and as much out of the reach of men as an eagle's nest, and were as high and as secure in their own imaginations; yet they should be come at by their enemies, be fetched out of their strong holds, and reduced to the lowest and most miserable state and condition; of which they might be assured, since the Lord had spoken it, who would do it by the hand of the Chaldeans. The allusion to the eagle is very pertinent to illustrate the self-exaltation and self-security of the Edomites; the eagle being a bird that flies higher than any other, as Kimchi on the place observes, even up to the clouds, and out of sight; hence Homer r calls it the high flying eagle; and which builds its nest in high places, in the tops of rocks; so Aristotle s says, they make their nests, not in plains, but in high places, especially in cragged rocks; and Pliny t relates that they build their nests in rocks; and he also says u of the vultures, who seem to be meant by the eagles in Matthew 24:28; that they build their nests in the highest rocks, and which no man can reach.

o תפלצתך "simulacrum tuum", Pagninus, Vatablus; "idolum", Grotius. So R. Sol. Urbin Ohel Moed, fol. 12. 1. p "--------Deus, inde ego furum, aviumque Maxima formido." Horat. Sermon. l. 1. Satyr. 8. ver. 3, 4. "Et custos furum atque avium cum falce saligna Hellespontiaci servet tutela Priapi". Virgil. Georgic. l. 4. ver. 110, 111. q Comment. in Obad. fol. 52. C. r Iliad. 22. v. 308. s De Hist. Animal. l. 9. c. 32. t Nat. Hist. l. 10. c. 3. u Ibid. c. 6.

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 49:16. O thou that dwellest — All Idumea is full of mountains and rocks, and these rocks and mountains full of caves, where, in time of great heats, and in time of war, the people take shelter.


 
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