Ver. 4. — The valleys ; i.e. long-extended plains, such as were suitable for corn-fields (Isa. xvii. 5; Ps. Ixv. 14), and such as characterized the territory of the Ammonites. Thy flowing valley. " Flowing ; " that is, abounding with rich crops. The meaning of the phrase, however, is only probable.
Ver. 5. — The Ammonitish community dis- solved ; every one caring for himself. Every man right forth ; i.e. straight before him, in a wild panic which expels every thought but that of self-preservation. Him that wandereth. (Jollectively for "the wan- derers," t.e. the fugitives. So it is said of the Babylonians, that they are " like aheep with none to gather them."
Ver. 6. — Revival of the Ammonitei (iee on ch. zlviii. 47).
Vers. 7 — 10. — A startling picture of the judgment Impending over Edom, the severify of which is to be inferred from the behaviour of the sufferers. Observe, no allusion is made by Jeremiah to any special bitter feeling of the Edomites towards the Israel- ites, such as is implied in Isa. xxxiv. ; Ezek. XXXV., and other passages. With regard to the fulfilment of the prophecy, we may fairly quote in the first place Mai. i. 2—4. The agents in the desolation there referred to (still fresh in Malachi's recollection) are probably the Nabathseans (an Arab race, though writing Aramaic), who, after occupy- ing Edom, dropped their nomad habits, de- voted themselves to commerce, and founded the kingdom of Arabia Petrsea. Meantime the Edomites maintained an independent ex- istence in the midst of the Jewish colonists, till John Hyroanus compelled them to accept circumcision about B.o. 130. In spite of this enforced religious and political union, the Edomites remained perfectly conscious of their nationality, and we find them men- tioned as a distinct factor in the community in Josephus's account of the great Jewish war. They pass away from history after the destruction of Jerusalem, a.d. 70.
Yer. 7. — Temau was celebrated for its " wisdom," i.e. for a practical moral philo- sophy, similar to that which we find in the leas distinctly religions portions of tlie Book of Proverbs. It was this " wisdom " which formed the common element in the higher tultureof the Semitic peoples, and of which
the sacred narrator speaks when he_ tajt that " Solomon's wisdom excelled the wisdom of all tlie children of the east country" (1 Kings iv. 30). One of Job's friends, Eli- phaz, was a Temanite (Job ii. 11). From ver. 20, however, it appears that Teman is here used for Edom in general, of which it formed apart. "Wisdom" was doubtless cultivated thr{mghout Idumeea (Obad. 8), the "land of Uz," in which Job dwelt, was probably in the east of Edom (see on oh. XXV. 20). Is their wisdom vanished t The Hebrew, with its characteristic love for mate- rial symbols, has, " Is their wisdom poured out?" So in oh. xix. 7, " I will pour out [a different word, however, is used] the counsel of Judah." The body being re- garded as a vessel, it was natural to repre- sent the principle of life, both physical (Isa. liii. 12) and intellectual (as here), under the symbol of a liquid.
Ver. 8. — Turn back. The grammatical form is peculiar (literally, be made to turn baelc). 6 the punctuation is not an over- sight, the object is to suggest the compulsive- ness of the change of route of the Uedanites. Swell deep ; i.e. tarry in the deepest recesses ye can find, so as to avoid the calamities of the Edomites. The Dedanites, it will be remembered, were a tribe devoted to com- merce (see on oh. xxv. 23). Isaiah had al- ready, on an earlier occasion, given the same advice as Jeremiah, viz. to leave the beaten track and take refuge in a less exposed part of the desert, where shrubs and thorn-bushes ("the forest," or rather, "the thickete") would secure them to some extent from obser- vation (Isa. xxi. 13). See, however, ver. 10. Ver. 9. — If grape-gatherers, etc. Jere- miah modifies his original in Obad. 5 ; the interrogative clauses here become affirma- tive. Render, If vintagers come to thee, they viU not leave any gleanings; if thieves by night, thay destroy what i$ sufficient for
Ver. 10. — But, etc.; rather, /or. Thevene gives the reason why the destruction is n complete. " It is I, Jehovahj who made Esau bare," etc. " Esau," i.e. Edom (Geu. xxv. 30). His seed ; {.e. the Edomites. His brethren, or kinsmen ; i.e. the Amalekites (Gen. xxxvi. 12). His neighbours ; t.e. the tribes of Dedan, Tema, and Bu2 (oh. xxv. 23).
Vers. 11—13. — ^A merciful mitigation of the prophet's stern threat. The true God will provide for the widows and orphans, if Edom will but commit them to him. And let not Edom think it strange that he is punished ; for even Israel, the chosen people, has drunk of the bitter cup. Yea, Jehovah has sworn "by himself" that all Edom's cities shall be laid waste.
Ver. 11. — Leave thy fatherlen duldren,
OH. XLix. 1— 39.] THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET JEREMIAH.
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etc. The invitation meani moie than might be supposed. It is equivalent to a promise of the revival of the Bdomltish people (oomp. on oh. xlvi. 26 ; zlviii. 47).
Ver. 12. — ^Whose judgment was not, eto. ; rather, to vihom it was not due, etc. Jehovah condeBcends to speak from a human point of view. So, in Isa. xxvili. 21, the punish- ment of Jerusalem is called bis " strange work. " Have assuredly drunken ; rather, thall surely drink.
Ver. 13. — Bozrah. This seems to have been at one time the capital of Edom (see Amos i. 12 ; Isa. xxxiv. 6 ; Ixiii. 1). It was a hill city (comp. on ver. 16) ; a village called Busalra(i.e. little Bozi ah) now stands among its ruins. Perpetual vrastes. A phrase characteristic of Jeremiah (see also ch. XXV. 9) and of the second part of Isaiah (Iviii. 12 ; Ixi. 4).
Vers. 14 — 18. — Based at first on the older prophecy (see Chad. 1 — 4) ; then follow two verses in Jeremiah's peculiar manner. As yet Edom feels himself secure in bis rocky home. But a Divine impulse already stirs the nation, through whom Jehovah wills to bumble the proud. Edom shall become a second Sodom.