Prophecies against Ammon

1To the people of Ammon:

This is what the LORD says:

“Does Israel have no sons?

Does he have no heir?

Why then has Milcoma taken possession of Gad,

and his people settled in its towns?

2Therefore, look, the time isb coming,”

declares the LORD,

“when I’ll cause a battle cry to be heard in

Rabbahc of the Ammonites.

It will become a desolate mound,

and its towns will be burned with fire.

Israel will take possession of those who possessed him,”

says the LORD.

3“Wail, Heshbon, because Ai is destroyed.

Cry out, daughters of Rabbah,

put on sackcloth and lament.

Run back and forth inside the walls,

for Milcom is going into exile

along with his priests and his princes.

4Why do you boast in your valleys?

Your valley is flowing away, faithless daughter,

who trusted in her treasures,

saying, ‘Who will come against me?’

5Look, I’m bringing terror on you from all around you,”

declares the Lord GOD of the Heavenly Armies.

“You will be driven out, fleeing recklessly,d

and there will be no one to gather the fugitives.

6But afterwards I’ll restore the fortunes of

the people of Ammon,”e

declares the LORD.

Prophecies against Edom

7To Edom:

This is what the LORD of the Heavenly Armies says:

“Is there no longer wisdom in Teman?

Has counsel perished among the prudent?

Is their wisdom gone?

8Flee, turn around!

Go to a remote place to stay,

residents of Dedan!

For I’ll bring Esau’sf disaster on him

at the time when I punish him.

9If the grape harvesters came to you,

would they not leave gleanings?

If thieves came at night, they would destroy

only until they had enough.

10But I’ll strip Esau bare.

I’ll uncover his hiding places so he cannot conceal himself.

His offspring, his relatives,

and his neighbors will be destroyed,

and he will no longer exist.

11Leave your orphans. I’ll keep them alive.

Let your widows trust in me.”

12For this is what the LORD says: “Look, those who don’t deserveg to drink the cup will surely drink it, and will you actually go unpunished? You won’t go unpunished! You will certainly drink it!h 13Indeed, I’ve sworn by myself,” declares the LORD, “that Bozrah will become an object of horror and scorn, a waste, and an object of ridicule. All her towns will become perpetual ruins.”

14I’ve heard a message from the LORD,

and a messenger has been sent

among the nations:

“Gather together and come up against her,

and rise up to fight.

15Indeed, I’ll make you the least of the nations,

despised among men.

16The terror you cause and the pride of your heart have deceived you.

You who live in hidden places in the rocks,

who hold on to the heights of the hill,

although you make your nest high like the eagle,

I’ll bring you down from there,”

declares the LORD.

17“Edom will become an object of horror. Everyone who passes by her will be horrified and will scoffi because of all her wounds. 18Just like the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah and theirj neighbors,” says the LORD, “no one will live there. No human being will reside in it. 19Look, like a lion comes up from the thicket of the Jordan to a pasture that grows year round,k so I’ll drive theml away from her in an instant, and I’ll appoint whomever is chosen over her. Indeed, who is like me? Who gives me counsel? Who is the shepherd who will stand against me?” 20Therefore, hear the plan that the LORD has made against Edom, and the strategy that he devised against the inhabitants of Teman. Surely he will drag the little ones of the flock away. Surely their pasture will be desolate because of them. 21The earth will quake at the sound of their fall. A cry—it’s her voice—is heard at the Reedm Sea. 22Look, he will rise up and fly swiftly like an eagle. He will spread his wings against Bozrah, and on that day the hearts of the warriors of Edom will be like the heart of a woman in labor.

Prophecies against Damascus

23To Damascus:

“Hamath and Arpad will be humiliated.

Their courage melts because they have heard bad news.

There is anxiety liken the sea that cannot be calmed.

24Damascus will become weak.

She will turn to flee, but panic will seize her.

Distress and anguish will take hold of her

like that ofo a woman giving birth.

25Whyp is the famous city,q the joyful town,

not abandoned?

26Therefore her young men will fall in her streets,

and all her soldiers will be silenced on that day,”

declares the LORD of the Heavenly Armies.

27“I’ll kindle a fire in the wall of Damascus,

and it will devour the strongholds of Ben-hadad.”

Prophecies against Kedar and Hazor

28To Kedar and the kingdoms of Hazor that King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon destroyed:

This is what the LORD says:

“Arise, go against Kedar!

Plunder the people of the east!

29Take their tents and their flocks,

their tent curtains and all their goods.

Take their camels away from them.

Cry out against them, ‘Terror is all around!’

30Flee! Run away quickly!

Go to a remote place to stay, residents of Hazor,”

declares the LORD.

“For King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon has formed a plan

and devised a strategy against them.

31“Arise, go up against a nation at ease, living securely,”

declares the LORD,

“without gates or bars, living alone.

32Their camels will become booty,

their many herds will become spoil.

I’ll scatter to the winds

those who shave the corners of their beards,r

and I’ll bring disaster on them from every side,”

declares the LORD.

33“Hazor will become a dwelling place for jackals,

a perpetual wasteland.

No one will live there;

no human being will reside in it.”

Prophecies against Elam

34This is what came as a message from the LORD to Jeremiah the prophet about Elam at the beginning of the reign of King Zedekiah of Judah:

35This is what the LORD of the Heavenly Armies says:

“Look, I’m going to break the bow of Elam,

the finest of their troops.

36I’ll bring the four winds against Elam

from the four corners of the heavens,

and I’ll scatter them to all these winds.

There will be no nation to which the exiles

from Elam won’t go.

37I’ll terrify Elam before their enemies

and before those who seek to kill them.

I’ll bring on them disaster and become fiercely angry at them,”

declares the LORD.

“I’ll send the sword after them,

until I’ve made an end of them.

38I’ll put my throne in Elam,

and destroy the king and the officials there,”

declares the LORD.

39“But in the latter days I’ll restore

the fortunes of Elam,”

declares the LORD.