Introduction: Prophecies Concerning the Nations
Chapter 49 in Yirmiyahu is a chapter of prophecies concerning the nations: Ammon, Edom, Damascus, Kedar, the kingdoms of Chatzor, and Elam. In this section, we delve deeply into the prophecy concerning Edom, and from there continue to Damascus, to the tent-dwellers of Kedar and Chatzor, and to Elam - which is the kingdom of Media. We will proceed through the pesukim following the commentary of the Malbim, incorporating insights from other commentators and Midrashim along the way.
"I Have Heard a Tidings from Hashem" - A Prophecy for the End of Days
שְׁמוּעָה שָׁמַעְתִּי מֵאֵת יְהֹוָה וְצִיר בַּגּוֹיִם שָׁלוּחַ הִתְקַבְּצוּ וּבֹאוּ עָלֶיהָ וְקוּמוּ לַמִּלְחָמָה׃ - "I have heard a tidings from Hashem, and an envoy has been sent among the nations: Gather together and come against her, and rise up for battle!"
This phrase also appears in the book of Ovadiah, except that there it reads "and an envoy was sent [shulach] among the nations," whereas here it reads "is sent [shalooch]." The prophet says: I heard a report from Hashem, and, as it were, an angel serves as an emissary among the nations to rally all of them to gather and wage war against Bozrah and its cities. The Malbim explains that this section is a prophecy for the End of Days: I heard in prophecy that in the future, all the nations will send an envoy and emissary to muster for war against Edom. Why is such a massive gathering needed? Because in the End of Days, the nation of Edom will be vast and powerful, so that fighting them will require waging war against the entire Roman empire; that is, many nations will have to unite to stand against them.
כִּי הִנֵּה קָטֹן נְתַתִּיךָ בַּגּוֹיִם בָּזוּי בָּאָדָם׃ - "For behold, I have made you small among the nations, despised among men."
The prophet, as it were, expresses wonder: Why do all the nations need to assemble? After all, you were very small among the nations, so why would anyone even pay attention to you and come to fight you? You were despised among men, so who elevated you to such glory and populous prominence that everyone must unite to wage war against you? The Radak explains "small" in several ways: that they were few in number, or that their land was not expansive. However, in his view, the more precise explanation is that "small" denotes lowliness and degradation. That is, this does not refer to physical size, but rather serves as an essential description of Edom's degradation: I will make you small and despised among the nations.
"Your Dread Has Deceived You" - Pride Rooted in Idolatry
תִּפְלַצְתְּךָ הִשִּׁיא אֹתָךְ זְדוֹן לִבֶּךָ שֹׁכְנִי בְּחַגְוֵי הַסֶּלַע תֹּפְשִׂי מְרוֹם גִּבְעָה כִּי תַגְבִּיהַּ כַּנֶּשֶׁר קִנֶּךָ מִשָּׁם אוֹרִידְךָ נְאֻם־יְהֹוָה׃ - "Your dread has deceived you, the presumption of your heart, O dweller in the clefts of the rock, who holds the height of the hill; though you make your nest as high as the eagle, from there I will bring you down, says Hashem."
"Your dread" [tiflitzetekha] - some explain that this refers to idolatry, as it is written regarding Maacah, "who made an abominable image [mifletzet] for the Asherah," an idol so grotesque that all who beheld it were seized with shuddering [palatzut]. Others explain that it refers to literal dread, meaning fear and trembling: the terror you cast upon the nations around you is what inflated your arrogance. In other words, the fact that you inspired dread and trembling in those around you elevated your malicious pride until you went and tormented your brother Yaakov. The arrogance that came from feeling superior, with everyone trembling before you, led to this malice of heart and the harassment of your brother Yaakov. Targum Yonatan translates "tiflitzetekha" as your foolishness.
The Malbim explains that "your dread" refers to idolatry: the image of your idol led you to believe that you were at the pinnacle of greatness, imagining you had an idol that would aid you. Furthermore, "the presumption of your heart" refers to your denial of the core principles of faith. This led you to be "a dweller in the clefts of the rock" - a place fortified by its natural strength, dwelling in solid rock - and one who "holds the height of the hill," protected by its elevation. You felt completely invincible, convinced you occupied a high and mighty fortress that could never be breached.
To this, the Holy One, blessed be He, responds: Even if you make your nest as high as the eagle and set your dwelling at the highest peak - which will happen in the End of Days - "from there I will bring you down, says Hashem." I will cast you down from the highest heights to the deepest depths, from the highest roof to the deepest pit. Hashem grants them this elevation precisely so that the fall will be far more forceful and devastating. This is the principle of "He makes nations great, and destroys them" (Iyov 12:23). The Holy One elevates a nation, just as we see: "After these things King Ahasuerus promoted Haman" - for if Haman had merely been thrown from the first floor, the crash would not make much of an impact. They raise him up high, and then cast him down, producing a crash reverberating to this day; to this day, with our Purim noisemakers, we recall that resounding crash. When someone rises high and falls, the impact is immense. This is also the meaning of "I will ascend above the heights of the clouds" - here it means: I will elevate you to the heights so that your ultimate downfall will be all the greater.
Like the Overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah
וְהָיְתָה אֱדוֹם לְשַׁמָּה כֹּל עֹבֵר עָלֶיהָ יִשֹּׁם וְיִשְׁרֹק עַל־כׇּל־מַכּוֹתֶהָ׃ כְּמַהְפֵּכַת סְדֹם וַעֲמֹרָה וּשְׁכֵנֶיהָ אָמַר יְהֹוָה לֹא־יֵשֵׁב שָׁם אִישׁ וְלֹא־יָגוּר בָּהּ בֶּן־אָדָם׃ - And Edom shall become a desolation; everyone who passes by it shall be astonished and shall hiss at all its plagues. As in the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah and their neighbors, said Hashem, no man shall abide there, neither shall any mortal dwell in it.
Edom will be an eternal desolation like the overthrow of Sodom; just as Sodom remains a desolate place to this day, so Edom will become a ruin. "Everyone who passes by it shall be astonished" - from the expression of one who stands dumbfounded in shock. "And shall hiss" - as the Metzudas David explains, it is the way of people to whistle when seeing something prominent that has been destroyed. This is human nature: one sees something shocking and whistles with his mouth in astonishment. Today this may be less common, but anyone who remembers thirty years ago knows it was very common, sometimes even accompanied by an exclamation of amazement, expressing shock and dismay at something unnatural. The motif of whistling as an expression of astonishment appears frequently throughout the Nevi'im. "At all its plagues" - over all the blows that one will see Hashem inflicted upon Edom. And regarding "no man shall abide there, neither shall any mortal dwell in it," the Malbim already explained above what is meant by "man," what is meant by "mortal," and why the matter is stated twice.
Like a Lion from the Pride of the Jordan
הִנֵּה כְּאַרְיֵה יַעֲלֶה מִגְּאוֹן הַיַּרְדֵּן אֶל־נְוֵה אֵיתָן כִּי־אַרְגִּיעָה אֲרִיצֶנּוּ מֵעָלֶיהָ וּמִי בָחוּר אֵלֶיהָ אֶפְקֹד כִּי מִי כָמוֹנִי וּמִי יֹעִידֶנִּי וּמִי־זֶה רֹעֶה אֲשֶׁר יַעֲמֹד לְפָנָי׃ - Behold, like a lion he shall come up from the pride of the Jordan against the strong habitation; but I will suddenly chase him away from it, and who is a chosen one whom I may appoint over it? For who is like Me, and who will challenge Me? And who is the shepherd that can stand before Me?
"The pride of the Jordan" is the lair of lions. The Malbim explains this as an allegory: the capital city of Edom is like a sheepfold, a pasture for flocks, and a predatory lion attacks this sheepfold. All the sheep that were resting there calmly, reclining at ease, are suddenly confronted by a lion that begins to tear them apart. And from where does it come? From the pride of the Jordan, where the mighty lions dwell. The allegorical meaning: a mighty and powerful king will come to conquer Edom at a time when Edom is tranquil and resting securely in its fold.
"For I will suddenly chase him away from it" - Hashem says: I will cause the lion to run away and depart from the fold for a moment. This means that although it seems the lion has come and overwhelmed everything, Hashem says there will be a lull, a period of calm, when the lion retreats and returns to his place for a brief time. And afterwards: "and who is a chosen one whom I may appoint over it" - Hashem will once again muster every elite warrior against that fold. "Chosen" refers to those selected for war, the heroic warriors, as in "and his chosen ones" said of Pharaoh's army, "all the chosen chariots." And regarding this we saw earlier, "and an envoy is sent among the nations." In other words: Edom will suffer a blow, but will not yet be wiped out; the enemy will withdraw and subsequently return once more.
"For who is like Me, and who will challenge Me?" - Who is like Me, who musters against them elite troops for war, and who can stand against Me? Nor can they summon Me to court before earthly judges, for "who will challenge Me?" - who can summon Me to judgment and litigation? And lest one think the shepherd might rescue the sheep from the lions and from those chosen warriors, the verse states: "And who is the shepherd that can stand before Me?" - the shepherd has no power; who is the shepherd who can stand before Hashem and wage war against Him? For it is I Who sent the lions, I Who sent the chosen troops to conquer Edom, and no one can stand against Hashem.
The Counsel and Thoughts of Hashem - The Youngest of the Flock
לָכֵן שִׁמְעוּ עֲצַת־יְהֹוָה אֲשֶׁר יָעַץ אֶל־אֱדוֹם וּמַחְשְׁבוֹתָיו אֲשֶׁר חָשַׁב אֶל־יֹשְׁבֵי תֵימָן אִם־לוֹא יִסְחָבוּם צְעִירֵי הַצֹּאן אִם־לֹא יַשִּׁים עֲלֵיהֶם נְוֵהֶם׃ - Therefore hear the counsel of Hashem that He has devised against Edom, and His purposes that He has planned against the inhabitants of Teiman: surely the youngest of the flock shall drag them away; surely their habitation shall be made desolate because of them.
Hear what the Holy One, blessed be He, counsels against Edom, and His designs that He has purposed against the inhabitants of Teiman. We have already explained that "Teiman" either refers to the southern region, or to Teiman the son of Eliphaz, who is among the peoples of Edom. "If not" is always the language of an oath, as in "Hashem, Master of Legions, has sworn, saying: Surely as I have planned, so shall it come to pass." "Shall drag them away" - as in "drag and cast away," meaning they will trample them.
Who are "the youngest of the flock"? According to the Radak, this refers to Yisrael, who until now were young and weak in comparison to the nations, and they will drag Edom away. And against Edom, where Esav was the elder, it was said: "and the elder shall serve the younger." The Midrash teaches: "the youngest of the flock" refers to the descendants of Rachel, teaching that Esav falls only by the hand of the seed of Rachel - Yosef and Binyamin, who were the youngest of the tribes. "Surely their habitation shall be made desolate because of them" - the word for "desolate" is related to shemamah, meaning that Hashem will cause their pasture and their homes to become desolate over them. And Targum Yonasan renders: "If they do not drag them away and kill the mighty of the nation," meaning they will slay the leaders of the people.
The Malbim notes the precision in the distinction between eitzah ("counsel") and machashavot ("thoughts"): eitzah is the intended purpose, the bottom line, the ultimate result; whereas machashavot are the means through which the Holy One, blessed be He, weighs how to bring it into execution. The thoughts are the process, and the counsel is the result. Concerning Edom, the Holy One, blessed be He, devised the decree to achieve the ultimate end, while concerning the land of Teiman, which is under Edom's dominion - it will serve as the means to reach that end.
Regarding "the youngest of the flock shall drag them away," the Malbim explains in line with the earlier parable: we spoke of lions, "as a lion coming up from the pride of the Jordan," and those lions will drag and haul away the youngest of the sheepfold. That is to say, according to Radak, the youngest of the flock are Yisrael who drag away Edom, whereas according to the Malbim, the youngest of the flock are those who will be dragged away from Edom by the lions. For we compared Edom to sheep resting comfortably in their fold, and now the lions come and drag and haul away the youngest of the flock, and that place which had been a peaceful sheepfold will become a desolate wasteland, utterly unfit for a fold, turning instead into ruins. Rashi explains that the youngest of the flock are the lowliest of the nations; and Chazal expound that this refers to Persia, for Persia is the youngest among the sons of Yaphet.
מִקּוֹל נִפְלָם רָעֲשָׁה הָאָרֶץ צְעָקָה בְּיַם־סוּף נִשְׁמַע קוֹלָהּ׃ - At the sound of their fall the earth trembled; a cry was heard at the Yam Suf.
Their fall will be so immense that the earth will shake at the sound of it. And what is "a cry was heard at the Yam Suf"? The Malbim explains that there will be a cry as great as that which was once heard at the Yam Suf. The last time such a terrible outcry was heard was at the Yam Suf, which is why the verse links it: the place where there had once been a mighty cry was the Yam Suf, and here there will be an outcry just like the cry of the Yam Suf.
Like an Eagle Over Botzrah - Which Is Rome
הִנֵּה כַנֶּשֶׁר יַעֲלֶה וְיִדְאֶה וְיִפְרֹשׂ כְּנָפָיו עַל־בׇּצְרָה וְהָיָה לֵב גִּבּוֹרֵי אֱדוֹם בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא כְּלֵב אִשָּׁה מְצֵרָה׃ - Behold, he shall mount up and swoop down like an eagle, and spread his wings over Botzrah; and on that day the heart of the mighty men of Edom shall be like the heart of a woman in travail.
Here the verse identifies that "strong fold" mentioned earlier, the sheepfold: it is Botzrah, the capital of Edom's kingdom. The enemy will reach it and swoop down like an eagle, arriving at great speed and spreading his wings over Botzrah to destroy it. And lest you think the mighty men of Edom will fight back and turn the battle at the gate, the verse says: the heart of the mighty men of Edom shall be like the heart of a woman in travail - weak, helpless, and devoid of strength.
And who is being spoken of here? The Malbim notes: Abarbanel already demonstrated in his works with conclusive proofs that Rome is the city of Botzrah mentioned by the prophets, and her allies and co-religionists are the Edom of whom the seers prophesied. That is, when Botzrah is mentioned, it refers to Rome, and Edom encompasses all the Edomite nations, as we noted. In the End of Days, they will clash with the descendants of Yishmael, and this is the War of Gog and Magog prophesied by Yechezkel. There is a whole series of lessons on this from Sefer Yechezkel and other sources, where the Malbim details everything destined to occur, elaborating along the lines of the Abarbanel that the conflict will be a war between the children of Yishmael and the children of Edom.
And this is already beginning to unfold before our eyes. There are bombings throughout Europe, and people live in constant fear of terrorists. They have little they can do, having absorbed a fifth column of millions of Muslims into their midst, and out of "political correctness" they do not allow themselves to expel them or even name who the forces of evil are - who the wicked, the terrorists, and the dangerous elements are. It is always said that these are good people and it is merely incidental, that every place has its problematic individuals; when an attack is mentioned, Islam is never mentioned - it supposedly has nothing to do with Islam, they are always merely "terrorists." Slowly, slowly they remain asleep, until the time of the War of Gog and Magog arrives, when they will rise up from within, and then we will witness the war of Yishmael against Edom, which is the War of Gog and Magog. As the saying goes: not all Muslims are terrorists, but it is certainly remarkable that all the terrorists are Muslim.
Thus, says the Malbim, after the War of Gog and Magog prophesied by Yechezkel takes place - between the children of Yishmael and the children of Edom - Botzrah will be destroyed, and all her allies and those bound to her faith, covenant, and religion will fall. In other words, this also speaks of a downfall of Christianity, a religion fraught with heresy, centered around an impure trinity that attributes divine power to flesh and blood.
The Prophecy Concerning Damascus
לְדַמֶּשֶׂק בּוֹשָׁה חֲמָת וְאַרְפָּד כִּי־שְׁמֻעָה רָעָה שָׁמְעוּ נָמֹגוּ בַּיָּם דְּאָגָה הַשְׁקֵט לֹא יוּכָל׃ - Concerning Damascus: Hamath is confounded, and Arpad, for they have heard evil tidings; they are melted away; there is anxiety on the sea, it cannot be quiet.
The chapter addresses prophecies concerning several nations: we saw a prophecy concerning Ammon, we saw one concerning Edom, and now the prophet prophesies concerning Damascus. Hamath and Arpad were kingdoms of Aram, and Damascus was the head of the kingdom. "Hamath and Arpad are confounded, for they have heard bad tidings," and therefore "they are melted." And what is meant by "there is anxiety in the sea"? The Malbim explains that anxiety itself is portrayed as a stormy sea that cannot be calmed; anxiety will surge within them until they melt in the sea of distress filling their hearts. The Metzudat David, on the other hand, explains that the metaphor refers to a traveler upon the sea whose heart is gripped by dread - in the same way, they will melt from fear and anxiety. According to the Malbim, where their heart becomes like a sea of turmoil, "they are melted" means dissolving away: their hearts will dissolve from the sea of anxieties within.
רָפְתָה דַמֶּשֶׂק הִפְנְתָה לָנוּס וְרֶטֶט הֶחֱזִיקָה צָרָה וַחֲבָלִים אֲחָזַתָּה כַּיּוֹלֵדָה׃ - Damascus has grown feeble, she has turned to flee, and trembling has seized her; anguish and pangs have taken hold of her, like a woman in childbirth.
Here Scripture describes the nature of the bad tidings they heard: that Damascus has grown feeble and turned to flee, running before the enemy. Yet she cannot flee, because "trembling has seized her." What is retet (trembling)? The Malbim explains: a weakness in the joints of the legs, similar to "his knees knocked against each other," a state in which the legs shake and tremble. The Malbim adds that it relates to the expression "the way was perverse (yarat) against me," signifying an obstruction that prevents one from walking along the way. Damascus will wish to flee and escape, but anguish and pangs will seize her like a woman in labor - like a laboring woman whose pain and contractions prevent her from moving, causing her to double over in place in agony.
The Malbim further notes: it is not without reason that Scripture compares the city to a woman in childbirth, for whenever the prophets describe a conquered city, they liken it to a woman in labor. Just as a laboring woman expels what is inside her womb, the child, so too when a city is breached and its wall falls, the inhabitants within are driven out - taken captive, plundered, and struck down. The breaching of the wall is thus like the opening of the womb, which is why "anguish and pangs have taken hold of her, like a woman in childbirth."
אֵיךְ לֹא־עֻזְּבָה עִיר תְּהִלָּת קִרְיַת מְשׂוֹשִׂי׃ - How is the city of praise not spared, the city of my joy!
There are two explanations here. The Radak explains: "How was it not forsaken" - how did the enemy not leave off from waging war against it? Damascus looks on in disbelief as its people flee before the invader, crying: How could they not spare Damascus? After all, it is a city of renown, a metropolis of joy! Its inhabitants were certain the conqueror would leave Damascus intact, since it was such an exquisite city. For as is well known, when an enemy beholds a splendid, beautiful city, he generally has no interest in destroying it; rather, he seeks to preserve and capture it intact, desiring to possess it for himself. Yet here - they did not spare it from devastation, but destroyed it entirely.
The Malbim explains - and this alternative view is also found in the Radak and Rashi - that *ozevah* derives from the root of *ma'azivah*, the plaster and stone filling used to reinforce a rampart. We find this usage in "and they fortified (va-ya'azvu) Jerusalem as far as the broad wall," "like the forsaken boughs (ka'azuvat ha-choresh)," and "you shall surely release (azov ta'azov)." The question is thus: How was the renowned city not fortified and reinforced? For a city so celebrated for its majesty and stature surely ought to have been fortified with mighty ramparts that would secure it and not allow it to fall so easily. Moreover, it is "the city of my joy" - a city brimming with cheer, whose people were neither broken nor demoralized. As noted earlier, when people are despondent, no one has the will to fight; but when they are spirited and joyous, they "rejoice to meet weapons," as the Malbim puts it, marching out eagerly to war. Why, then, did no one step forward to fight and defend this celebrated, joyful city?
לָכֵן יִפְּלוּ בַחוּרֶיהָ בִּרְחֹבֹתֶיהָ וְכׇל־אַנְשֵׁי הַמִּלְחָמָה יִדַּמּוּ בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא נְאֻם יְהֹוָה צְבָאוֹת׃ - Therefore her young men shall fall in her streets, and all the men of war shall be silenced on that day, says the Lord of Hosts.
"Therefore" (*lachen*) introduces an oath. "Her young men shall fall in her streets" - anyone witnessing events in Damascus in modern times can grasp this vividly; hundreds of thousands have fallen in its streets. "And all the men of war shall be silenced (*yidammu*)" - from the root denoting silence, or ruin, for every ruined city is termed silent. Rashi explains that desolation and silence go hand in hand: a ruined place is silent, whereas an inhabited city teems with life. The Radak explains that *yidammu* means they will be cut down, as in "the Lord has put us to silence (hidmanu)," and cites additional biblical verses supporting this meaning.
The Malbim explains that Hashem is answering the earlier question: "How is the city of praise not fortified, the city of my joy?" How could it be that its walls were not reinforced and it did not muster the strength to defend itself? The answer: because its young men fell inside its own streets rather than on the battlefield - they never even went out to wage war; and all its warriors were silenced and cut down, accomplishing nothing.
וְהִצַּתִּי אֵשׁ בְּחוֹמַת דַּמָּשֶׂק וְאָכְלָה אַרְמְנוֹת בֶּן־הֲדָד׃ - And I will kindle a fire in the wall of Damascus, and it shall consume the palaces of Ben-hadad.
Fire will rage there and consume the palaces of Ben-hadad, the royal palace. Ben-hadad was the title of the king of Aram at the time it was overthrown by Nevuchadnezzar, whereas Rezin was king when it was laid waste earlier by Sennacherib; this is why Scripture specifically identifies the palaces of Ben-hadad here. Anyone who wishes may observe parallels even in our own era: Assad has dropped barrels of burning crude oil onto residential buildings, likely for lack of conventional explosives. The flames rage against the walls of Damascus and consume the palaces of Ben-hadad.
The Prophecy Concerning Kedar and the Kingdoms of Chatzor
לְקֵדָר וּלְמַמְלְכוֹת חָצוֹר אֲשֶׁר הִכָּה נְבוּכַדְרֶאצַּר מֶלֶךְ־בָּבֶל כֹּה אָמַר יְהֹוָה קוּמוּ עֲלוּ אֶל־קֵדָר וְשׇׁדְדוּ אֶת־בְּנֵי־קֶדֶם׃ - Concerning Kedar, and concerning the kingdoms of Chatzor, which Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon struck down. Thus says Hashem: Arise, go up against Kedar, and plunder the children of the east!
Having concluded the prophecy regarding Damascus, the prophet now turns to Kedar and the kingdoms of Chatzor, whom Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon also struck down. It is noteworthy that while Nebuchadrezzar struck down all the other nations as well, his name was not specifically mentioned in their prophecies; their downfall was recorded, but not the identity of the conqueror. Only here does Scripture state, "which Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon struck down." Radak raises this question and explains: the other nations suffered blows at the hands of various conquerors at different times, which is why no specific conqueror was named there; Kedar, however, was struck down only by Nebuchadrezzar. Edom, Moab, Ammon, and Aram had all been struck down in the past by Israel as well - as we find when David fought against them, among others - whereas Kedar and the kingdoms of Chatzor are not recorded as having suffered defeat at any hands other than Nebuchadrezzar's. Therefore, it specifically states, "which Nebuchadrezzar struck down."
Notice also that the vocalized reading (keri) is "Nebuchadrezzar" (נבוכדראצר), while the written text (ketiv) contains a vav: "Nebuchadretzor" (נבוכדראצור). It is quite likely that he was known by both names, which is why it was written in both forms. This aligns with Radak's well-known approach regarding keri and ketiv: that the written form also represents a legitimate way in which that matter or individual's name was pronounced, and therefore one must address the written form as well, not only the spoken reading.
"And plunder the children of the east" - Radak explains that "the children of the east" (Bnei Kedem) are also descendants of Yishmael, just like Kedar, as the Torah states: "Yetur, Naphish, and Kedemah." Targum Yonatan translates this as "the sons of the east" - that is, those who dwell in the east - which describes the people of Kedar who indeed lived in the east. These Kedarites were tent-dwellers, and it is them whom Nebuchadrezzar strikes down.
אׇהֳלֵיהֶם וְצֹאנָם יִקָּחוּ יְרִיעוֹתֵיהֶם וְכׇל־כְּלֵיהֶם וּגְמַלֵּיהֶם יִשְׂאוּ לָהֶם וְקָרְאוּ עֲלֵיהֶם מָגוֹר מִסָּבִיב׃ - Their tents and their flocks shall they take; their curtains, all their vessels, and their camels shall they carry away for themselves; and they shall call out concerning them: 'Terror all around!'
Being tent-dwellers, whenever they sense that an enemy is approaching, they are under no obligation to stay in place: they simply pack up their tents and move elsewhere. This is the nature of nomadic tent-dwellers, who are nearly impossible to pin down, for whenever they perceive that an enemy is drawing near, they flee and relocate. This is the meaning of the verse: they take their tents and flocks, their curtains, all their vessels, and their camels, carrying everything they possess from one place to another. "And they shall call out concerning them: 'Terror all around!'" - they cry out and proclaim that danger looms on every side, causing everyone to flee rather than remain where they are.
נֻסוּ נֻּדוּ מְאֹד הֶעְמִיקוּ לָשֶׁבֶת יֹשְׁבֵי חָצוֹר נְאֻם־יְהֹוָה כִּי־יָעַץ עֲלֵיכֶם נְבוּכַדְרֶאצַּר מֶלֶךְ־בָּבֶל עֵצָה וְחָשַׁב עֲלֵיכֶם מַחֲשָׁבָה׃ - Flee, wander far away, dwell in the depths, O inhabitants of Chatzor, says Hashem; for Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon has taken counsel against you, and has devised a plan against you.
Accordingly, the prophet counsels them in the name of Hashem: it will not be enough merely to take your tents and move to another campsite. "Flee, wander far away, dwell in the depths" - retreat to the most distant, secluded places, into the deepest hiding spots where no one will know your whereabouts. The reason: "for Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon has taken counsel against you, and has devised a plan against you."
קוּמוּ עֲלוּ אֶל־גּוֹי שְׁלֵיו יוֹשֵׁב לָבֶטַח נְאֻם־יְהֹוָה לֹא־דְלָתַיִם וְלֹא־בְרִיחַ לוֹ בָּדָד יִשְׁכֹּנוּ׃ - Arise, go up against an untroubled nation that dwells securely, says Hashem; they have neither gates nor bars; they dwell alone.
Now the verse addresses Nebuchadnezzar's forces, as Malbim explains: you will not need to search for where this nation is hidden, for they are tranquil, dwelling securely, and have no thought of fleeing. Nor will you need to lay siege to fortresses, for "they have neither gates nor bars" - they have no fortifications, no gates, and no bolts. Nor need you fear that neighbors might come to their aid, because "they dwell alone" - they are isolated, without neighboring allies, and there is no one who will come to their rescue. Nebuchadrezzar is effectively being invited to take their land with ease, with virtually no effort and without a real war.
Malbim notes a fine distinction: "Untroubled" (shalev) always denotes internal tranquility, where there is no rebellion among the people and no discord; whereas "dwells securely" (yoshev lavetach) denotes security from external enemies, indicating that they do not fear foreign threats. This nation is tranquil with respect to internal strife and also feels secure from foreign adversaries; consequently, they are entirely unprepared for battle, allowing you to conquer them effortlessly.
וְהָיוּ גְמַלֵּיהֶם לָבַז וַהֲמוֹן מִקְנֵיהֶם לְשָׁלָל וְזֵרִתִים לְכׇל־רוּחַ קְצוּצֵי פֵאָה וּמִכׇּל־עֲבָרָיו אָבִיא אֶת־אֵידָם נְאֻם־יְהֹוָה׃ - "Their camels shall become plunder, and the multitude of their cattle a spoil; and I will scatter to all winds those whose corners are cut off, and from all its sides I will bring their disaster, says the Lord."
"Those whose corners are cut off" (ketzutzei fe'ah) - an expression we have already seen above. Some explain that this refers to those who are circumcised: the Malbim explains that they were from the descendants of Yishmael, and the descendants of Yishmael cut off their foreskin, meaning they were circumcised, trimming the extremity of their body - their foreskin. Yet Scripture did not wish to call them "circumcised" (mulim), since mulim is an honorable term reserved for one who removes his foreskin and performs periah (uncovering) like Israel; and since their circumcision is incomplete, it does not designate them as circumcised, but rather as "those whose corners are cut off." Another explanation: "And I will scatter to all winds the ketzutzei fe'ah" - I will scatter them to every wind in the edges and corners of the earth; ketzutzei derives from katzeh (edge), meaning I will scatter them to all edges of the earth, to every wind situated in every corner of the world.
The Malbim notes the precise distinction between "plunder" (baz) and "spoil" (shalal): shalal refers to what is left behind ownerless after the battle, which is the meaning of "taking spoil," coming to gather what the enemy abandoned; whereas baz refers to what the soldiers pillage in the midst of battle, each taking for himself. Therefore, the camels will become "plunder," seized by the soldiers during the heat of battle, since the enemy will want to strip them of their camels to prevent any escape - as they could flee on camels. In contrast, "the multitude of their cattle," representing the vast herds, does not need to be seized urgently, and will be gathered later as spoil at the conclusion of the war.
וְהָיְתָה חָצוֹר לִמְעוֹן תַּנִּים שְׁמָמָה עַד־עוֹלָם לֹא־יֵשֵׁב שָׁם אִישׁ וְלֹא־יָגוּר בָּהּ בֶּן־אָדָם׃ - "And Chatzor shall become a dwelling place for jackals, a desolation forever; no man shall dwell there, nor shall any son of man reside in it."
"A dwelling place" (me'on) means a habitation, as in the phrase "a dwelling place You have been for us." And "jackals/serpents" (tannim) - the Metzudos explains that this is a type of serpent, while others understand it as the jackal familiar to us today, as opinions vary on the exact identity of the tannim mentioned in Scripture. In reality, both serpents and jackals are typically found in uninhabited, desolate places.
The Prophecy Concerning Elam
אֲשֶׁר הָיָה דְבַר־יְהֹוָה אֶל־יִרְמְיָהוּ הַנָּבִיא אֶל־עֵילָם בְּרֵאשִׁית מַלְכוּת צִדְקִיָּה מֶלֶךְ־יְהוּדָה לֵאמֹר׃ - "That which was the word of the Lord to Yirmiyahu the prophet concerning Elam in the beginning of the reign of Tzidkiyahu, king of Yehudah, saying:"
The chapter continues with another prophecy concerning one of the nations: the word of the Lord to Yirmiyahu regarding Elam, at the start of the reign of King Tzidkiyahu of Yehudah. Our Sages state: Elam assisted the Chaldeans and joined them to harm Israel; therefore, they too must drink from the cup of wrath. Elam corresponds to the kingdom of Media, known to us as Media and Persia from Megillat Esther.
כֹּה אָמַר יְהֹוָה צְבָאוֹת הִנְנִי שֹׁבֵר אֶת־קֶשֶׁת עֵילָם רֵאשִׁית גְּבוּרָתָם׃ - "Thus says the Lord of Hosts: Behold, I am breaking the bow of Elam, the mainstay of their might."
Why does Scripture speak specifically of a bow in connection with Elam? The straightforward understanding is that "the bow of Elam" symbolizes their strength and power, just as a warrior holding a bow possesses formidable force; breaking the bow thus represents shattering their might. But the Malbim adds that the primary weapon of Elam was the bow, and they were renowned expert archers. Since the prophecy foretells the dismantling of their strength and prowess, it targets the very domain in which their prowess was manifested: "Behold, I am breaking the bow of Elam, the mainstay of their might" - the pinnacle of Elam's martial skill was archery.
וְהֵבֵאתִי אֶל־עֵילָם אַרְבַּע רוּחוֹת מֵאַרְבַּע קְצוֹת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְזֵרִתִים לְכֹל הָרֻחוֹת הָאֵלֶּה וְלֹא־יִהְיֶה הַגּוֹי אֲשֶׁר לֹא־יָבוֹא שָׁם נִדְּחֵי עֵילָם׃ - "And I will bring upon Elam four winds from the four corners of the heavens, and I will scatter them to all these winds; and there shall be no nation where the outcasts of Elam shall not come."
Hashem says: I will bring against Elam four winds from the four ends of heaven, as though four winds strike them, each wind scattering them toward the opposite direction. If a wind blows from the south - it will scatter them north; if from the north - it will cast them south; from east to west, and from west to east. Each wind hurls them toward its opposite counterpart, so that they will be scattered across all four directions and everywhere. Targum Yonatan renders "four winds" as "four kingdoms" (arba malkhavan) - meaning this is not merely a metaphor, but points to its fulfillment: the four winds represent four kings.
As an aside: there is hardly an expression people use that does not have a source in our traditional texts. Today, when someone wants to tell someone in a derogatory way to scatter, they say in Hebrew, "let him go to all the winds" - and this is the language of Scripture: "and I will scatter them to all these winds." It is an expression of a curse, and it is therefore advisable not to use it.
וְהַחְתַּתִּי אֶת־עֵילָם לִפְנֵי אֹיְבֵיהֶם וְלִפְנֵי מְבַקְשֵׁי נַפְשָׁם וְהֵבֵאתִי עֲלֵיהֶם רָעָה אֶת־חֲרוֹן אַפִּי נְאֻם־יְהֹוָה וְשִׁלַּחְתִּי אַחֲרֵיהֶם אֶת־הַחֶרֶב עַד כַּלּוֹתִי אוֹתָם׃ - "And I will shatter Elam before their enemies and before those who seek their life; and I will bring evil upon them, My fierce anger, says Hashem; and I will send the sword after them until I have consumed them."
"And I will shatter" (ve-hachtati) is from the root of chittah, meaning brokenness or terror, as in "fear not and do not be dismayed (al techat)." I will shatter Elam - the land and state of Elam - before their enemies and before those who seek their life, and those who seek their life will overtake them. "And I will bring evil upon them, My fierce anger," "and I will send the sword after them" to the point of destruction.
וְשַׂמְתִּי כִסְאִי בְּעֵילָם וְהַאֲבַדְתִּי מִשָּׁם מֶלֶךְ וְשָׂרִים נְאֻם־יְהֹוָה׃ - "And I will set My throne in Elam, and I will destroy king and princes from there, says Hashem."
Rashi explains "My throne" as My siege; how is "and I will set My throne" expressed? In that Hashem will set a siege around Elam. Radak explains: since I will destroy king and princes from there, it will be clear to all that salvation is from Hashem, that the Holy One, blessed be He, orchestrated everything - this is the meaning of "and I will set My throne in Elam," referring to that era.
וְהָיָה בְּאַחֲרִית הַיָּמִים אָשִׁיב אֶת־שְׁבוּת עֵילָם נְאֻם־יְהֹוָה׃ - "And it shall be in the end of days that I will return the captivity of Elam, says Hashem."
Metzudat David explains that this does not refer to the "end of days" of the coming of Mashiach, but rather means after a long time. I will return the captives of Elam to their land, and they will then return to their former state.
In summary:
In this part of the chapter, we saw the continuation of the prophecy concerning Edom: the gathering of the nations to wage war against it at the end of days, its pride rooted in idolatry and insolence of heart, and its casting down from a high roof into a deep pit - that the Holy One, blessed be He, elevates a nation so that its fall will be all the more catastrophic, in the sense of "He makes nations great, and destroys them." We saw the parable of the lion coming up from the pride of the Jordan against the habitation of the flock; the counsel of Hashem and His thoughts - the ultimate end and the means; and Bozrah, which is Rome, regarding which Abarbanel explains that the war at the end of days will be between the descendants of Yishmael and the descendants of Edom, which is the war of Gog and Magog. Following this came the prophecy of Damascus, which will melt away in an ocean of anxiety and be seized with the pangs of a woman in labor, its young men falling in its streets rather than on the battlefield; followed by the prophecy of Kedar and Chatzor, the tent-dwellers who have neither gates nor bars, whose land Nevuchadretzar will take without effort; and finally, the prophecy of Elam, whose bow will be shattered and who will be scattered to the four winds, until after a long time Hashem returns its captivity.