JER 49

Jeremiah 49:24

WEB

Damascus has grown feeble, she turns herself to flee, and trembling has seized her. Anguish and sorrows have taken hold of her, as of a woman in travail.

BSB

Damascus has become feeble; she has turned to flee. Panic has gripped her; anguish and pain have seized her like a woman in labor.

KJV

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

Matthew Henry

Verses 23–27

Jeremiah 49:23–27

The kingdom of Syria lay north of Canaan, as that of Edom lay south, and thither we must now remove and take a view of the approaching fate of that kingdom, which had been often vexatious to the Israel of God. Damascus was the metropolis of that kingdom, and the ruin of the whole is supposed in the ruin of that: yet Hamath and Arpad, two other considerable cities, are names (Jer 49:23), and the palaces of Ben-hadad, which he built, are particularly marked for ruin, Jer 49:27; see also Amo 1:4. Some think Ben-hadad (the son of Hadad, either their idol, or one of their ancient kings, whence the rest descended) was a common name of the kings of Syria, as Pharaoh of the kings of Egypt. Now observe concerning the judgment of Damascus, 1. It begins with a terrible fright and faint-heartedness. They hear evil tidings, that the king of Babylon, with all his force, is coming against them, and they are confounded; they know not what measures to take for their own safety, their souls are melted, they are faint-hearted, they have no spirit left them, they are like the troubled sea, that cannot be quiet (Isa 57:20), or like men in a storm at sea (Psa 107:26); or the sorrow that begins in the city shall go to the sea-coast, Jer 49:23. See how easily God can dispirit those nations that have been most celebrated for valour. Damascus now waxes feeble (Jer 49:24), a city that thought she could look the most formidable enemy in the face now turns herself to flee, and owns it is to no more purpose to think of contending with her fate than for a woman in labour to contend with her pains, which she cannot escape, but must yield to. It was a city of praise (Jer 49:25), not praise to God, but to herself, a city much commended and admired by all strangers that visited it. It was a city of joy, where there was an affluence and confluence of all the delights of the sons of men, and abundance of mirth in the enjoyment of them. We read it (though there is no necessity for this) the city of my joy, which the prophet himself had sometimes visited with pleasure. Or it may be the speech of the king lamenting the ruin of the city of his joy. But now it is all overwhelmed with fear and grief. Note, Those deceive themselves who place their happiness in carnal joys; for God in his providence can soon cast a damp upon them and put an end to them. He can soon make a city of praise to be a reproach and a city of joy to be a terror to itself. 2. It ends with a terrible fall and fire. (1.) The inhabitants are slain (Jer 49:26): The young men, who should fight the enemy and defend the city, shall fall by the sword in her streets; and all the men of war, mighty men, expert in war, and engaged in the service of their country, shall be cut off. (2.) The city is laid in ashes (Jer 49:27): The fire is kindled by the besiegers in the wall, but it shall devour all before it, the palaces of Ben-hadad particularly, where so much mischief had formerly been hatched against God's Israel, for which it is now thus visited.

Cross-references: Jer 49:23 · Jer 49:27 · Amos 1:4 · Isa 57:20 · Ps 107:26 · Jer 49:24 · Jer 49:25 · Jer 49:26

Hebrew interlinear

H7503

רָפָהrâphâh/raw-faw'/

v — slacken

Derivation: a primitive root;

to slacken (in many applications, literal or figurative)

KJV: abate, cease, consume, draw (toward evening), fail, (be) faint, be (wax) feeble, forsake, idle, leave, let alone (go, down), (be) slack, stay, be still, be slothful, (be) weak(-en). See 7495.

רָפָה

vb — sink

רָפָה vb. sink, relax

Qal

1. sink down

2. sink, drop

3. sink, relax, abate

4. relax, withdraw

Niph. idle

Pi. causat.: let wings drop

Hiph. causat.

1. let drop

2. let go

3. refrain

Hithp. hast shewn thyself slack

H1834

דַּמֶּשֶׂקDammeseq/dam-meh'-sek/

n-pr-loc — Damascus

Derivation: or דּוּמֶשֶׂק; or דַּרְמֶשֶׂק; of foreign origin;

Damascus, a city of Syria

KJV: Damascus.

דַּמֶּ֫שֶׂק

n.pr.loc — Damascus

דַּמֶּ֫שֶׂק n.pr.loc. Damascus

H6437

פָּנָהpânâh/paw-naw'/

v — turn, face, appear, look

Derivation: a primitive root;

to turn; by implication, to face, i.e. appear, look, etc.

KJV: appear, at (even-) tide, behold, cast out, come on, × corner, dawning, empty, go away, lie, look, mark, pass away, prepare, regard, (have) respect (to), (re-) turn (aside, away, back, face, self), × right (early).

פָּנָה

vb — turn

פָּנָה 135 vb. turn

Qal 117

1.

a. turn toward

b. turn from

c. turn and do a thing

d. turn, decline

e. turn toward, approach

2.

a. turn and look, look

b. of inanimate things, face

c. esp. fig. look at, regard

d. look for = expect

e. fig. look at = consider

Hiph.

1. turn

2. make a turn, shew (signs of) turning

Hoph. be ye turned back!

H5127

נוּסnûwç/noos/

v — flit, vanish

Derivation: a primitive root;

to flit, i.e. vanish away (subside, escape; causatively, chase, impel, deliver)

KJV: × abate, away, be displayed, (make to) flee (away, -ing), put to flight, × hide, lift up a standard.

נוּס

vb — flee

נוּס 160 vb. flee, escape

Qal

1. flee

2. escape

3. take flight, depart, disappear

4. fly (to the attack) on horseback.

Po‛lel the breath of י׳ driveth at it, driveth it on

Hithpo‛l. in order to take flight before the bow

Hiph.

1. put to flight

2. drive hastily to a safe place

3. cause to disappear, hide

H7374

רֶטֶטreṭeṭ/reh'-tet/

n-m — terror

Derivation: from an unused root meaning to tremble;

terror

KJV: fear.

רֶ֫טֶט

n.[m.] — trembling

רֶ֫טֶט n.[m.] trembling, panic;—abs. Je 49:24

H2388

חָזַקchâzaq/khaw-zak'/

v — fasten, seize, be strong, courageous, strengthen, cure, help, repair, fortify, obstinate, bind, restrain, conquer

Derivation: a primitive root;

to fasten upon; hence, to seize, be strong (figuratively, courageous, causatively strengthen, cure, help, repair, fortify), obstinate; to bind, restrain, conquer

KJV: aid, amend, × calker, catch, cleave, confirm, be constant, constrain, continue, be of good (take) courage(-ous, -ly), encourage (self), be established, fasten, force, fortify, make hard, harden, help, (lay) hold (fast), lean, maintain, play the man, mend, become (wax) mighty, prevail, be recovered, repair, retain, seize, be (wax) sore, strengthen (self), be stout, be (make, shew, wax) strong(-er), be sure, take (hold), be urgent, behave self valiantly, withstand.

חָזַק

vb — be firm

חָזַק 291 vb. be or grow firm, strong, strengthen

Qal

I. intrans. be or grow strong

II. transit. only strengthened him not

Pi.

1. make strong (physically)

2. strengthen the hands (acc.) of anyone, sustain, encourage

3. make strong = bold, encourage

4. make firm

5. make rigid, hard, i.e. perverse, obstinate, harden

Hiph.

1.

a. make strong, strengthen

b. make firm, the kingdom

c. display strength

2. make severe, of battle

3. support

4. = repair

5. prevail

6. esp. take or keep hold of, seize, grasp

Hithp.

1. strengthen oneself

2. put forth strength, use one's strength

3. withstand

4. hold strongly with

H6869

צָרָהtsârâh/tsaw-raw'/

n-f — tightness, trouble, rival

Derivation: feminine of 6862;

tightness (i.e. figuratively, trouble); transitively, a female rival

KJV: adversary, adversity, affliction, anguish, distress, tribulation, trouble.

בַּצָּרָה

n.f — dearth

בַּצָּרָה n.f. dearth, destitution

צָרָה

n.f — straits

צָרָה 72 n.f. id. [r.dz.ac] straits, distress

צָרָה

n.f — vexer

[צָרָה] n.f. vexer, rival-wife;—sf. 1 S 1:6.

H2256

חֶבֶלchebel/kheh'-bel/

n-m — rope, line, district, inheritance, noose, company, throe, ruin

Derivation: or חֵבֶל; from 2254;

a rope (as twisted), especially a measuring line; by implication, a district or inheritance (as measured); or a noose (as of cords); figuratively, a company (as if tied together); a throe (especially of parturition); also ruin

KJV: band, coast, company, cord, country, destruction, line, lot, pain, pang, portion, region, rope, snare, sorrow, tackling.

חֵ֫בֶל

n.m — pain

חֵ֫בֶל n.m. pain, pang

1. pains of travail

2. of other than birth-pangs

חֶ֫בֶל

n.m — cord

חֶ֫בֶל n.m. f. cord, territory, band

1. cord, rope

2. measuring-cord, line

3. measured portion, lot, part, region

4. band, company of prophets

חֶ֫בֶל

n.m — destruction

חֶ֫בֶל n.m. destructionMi 2:10

חֹבְלִים

n.[m.]pl — union

חֹבְלִים n.[m.]pl. union (lit. binders) name of Zec.’s second symbolic staff

H270

אָחַזʼâchaz/aw-khaz'/

v — seize

Derivation: a primitive root;

to seize (often with the accessory idea of holding in possession)

KJV: be affrighted, bar, (catch, lay, take) hold (back), come upon, fasten, handle, portion, (get, have or take) possess(-ion).

אָחַז

vb — grasp

אָחַז 68 vb. grasp, take hold of, take possession

Qal grasp, take hold of

Niph. be caught

Pi. enclose, overlay

Hoph. fastened

H3205

יָלַדyâlad/yaw-lad'/

v — bear young, beget, act as midwife, show lineage

Derivation: a primitive root;

to bear young; causatively, to beget; medically, to act as midwife; specifically, to show lineage

KJV: bear, beget, birth(-day), born, (make to) bring forth (children, young), bring up, calve, child, come, be delivered (of a child), time of delivery, gender, hatch, labour, (do the office of a) midwife, declare pedigrees, be the son of, (woman in, woman that) travail(-eth, -ing woman).

יָלַד

vb — bear

יָלַד 497 vb. bear, bring forth, beget

Qal

1. bear, bring forth

2. less often beget

3. of both parents

Niph. be born

Pi. cause (or help) to bring forth, viz., assist or tend as midwife

Pu. be born

Hiph.

1. beget (a father a child)

2. bear

Hoph. day of one's being born = birthday

Hithp. declared their pedigree

Bible49 app

Get translation compare, commentary, and interlinear study — offline, on iPhone and Mac.

See Bible49