Jeremiah 49:1

JEREMIAH 49

PROPHECIES AGAINST AMMON; EDOM; SYRIA; HAZOR; AND ELAM;

Jeremiah 49:1-6

PROPHECY AGAINST AMMON

"Of the children of Ammon. Thus saith Jehovah: Hath Israel no sons? hath he no heir? why then doth Malcam possess Gad, and his people dwell in the cities thereof? Therefore the days come, saith Jehovah, that I will cause an alarm of war to be heard against Rabbah of the children of Amman; and it shall become a desolate heap, and her daughters shall be burned with fire: then shall Israel possess them that did possess him, saith Jehovah. Wail, O Heshbon, for Ai is laid waste; cry, ye daughters of Rabbah, gird you with sackcloth: lament, and run to and fro among the fences; for Malcam shall go into captivity, his priests and his princes together. Wherefore gloriest thou in the valleys, thy flowing valley, O backsliding daughter that trustest in her treasures, saying, Who shall come unto me? Behold, I will bring a fear upon thee, saith the Lord, Jehovah of hosts, from all that are round about thee; and ye shall be driven out every man right forth, and there shall be none to gather together the fugitives. But afterward I will bring back the captivity of the children of Ammon, saith Jehovah."

"Hath Israel no sons ... no heir ..." (Jeremiah 49:1)? To understand this, one needs to recall some of the history of Ammon.

AMMON AND THE AMMONITES

Ammon and Moab, were born to Lot by his incestuous union with his daughters (Genesis 19). Their original home was the extensive area east of the Jordan river, northward from the Moabites, and between the Arnon and Jabbok rivers. During the Amorite invasion, the Ammonites lost some of their territory to Sihon (Numbers 21:21-31), who in turn was conquered by Israel under Moses; and the territory was assigned to the tribe of Gad.

Thus, Israel benefited the Ammonites by destroying their old enemies, making the later conduct of Ammon even more reprehensible. Both during the days of the Judges and in the reigns of Saul and David they frequently fought against Israel (2 Samuel 10).

Amos prophesied against Ammon, particularly condemning them for "ripping up the women with child" (Amos 1:13).

The Ammonites regained their territory, and enlarged it by taking Heshbon from Moab, after Tiglath-pileser carried off the tribes of Israel that were east of the Jordan. They hated Israel and Judah continually, and their king engineered the assassination of Gedaliah (Jeremiah 40).

This prophecy, therefore, begins with the question, "Why is the pagan god Malcam and his Ammonite followers in possession of the land God gave to Gad?" Is it because Gad has no heirs? The message is that God will throw Ammon out of the land they have usurped from Israel.

"Alarm of war to be heard against Rabbah ..." (Jeremiah 49:2). This was the most important Ammonite city and was defended by a strong citadel. It was here that David king of Israel arranged the murder of Bathsheba's husband (2 Samuel 11:15).

Along with Damascus, this place has continued as one of the oldest continually populated cities in the entire area. The modern Rabbah is Amman, capital of the Hashemite kingdom of Jordan.

"Wail, O Heshbon ..." (Jeremiah 49:3). Robinson exclaimed that, "This must be corrupt, because Heshbon was a Moabite city."[1]

But Heshbon, at the time of Jeremiah's prophecy was occupied by Ammon. This was the royal city of Sihon, king of the Amorites, whom Israel defeated (Numbers 32:37). Israel assigned it to Gad; and when an opportunity came, Ammon had taken the city. Generally, however, it was a Moabite city.

"Ai is laid waste ..." (Jeremiah 49:3) This is not the Ai captured by Joshua, for that was on the west side of Jordan. This place is mentioned nowhere else, and the location of it is unknown.

"Malcam shall go into captivity ..." (Jeremiah 49:3). This national pagan deity of the Ammonites was exactly the same as Milcom, or Molech.[2] Solomon erected high places in Jerusalem, not only for Molech, in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, but also for many other pagan gods and goddesses to please his wives.

Solomon was punished for this, as indicated by Ahijah, and God rent out of the hand of Solomon ten tribes of Israel, giving the ten tribes to Jeroboam I (1 Kings 11:31-33).

That the burning of infant children as sacrifices to this deity was actually practiced by the Israelites is proved by such passages as Deuteronomy 12:31; 18:10-13. Also, it is quite likely that David, after the capture of Rabbah, sacrificed many of the survivors by making them "pass through the fire to Molech." The passage on which this is based is disputed, but this writer, nevertheless, believes that is exactly what happened (2 Samuel 12:26-31).

"Wherefore gloriest thou in the valleys ..." (Jeremiah 49:4)? The exact meaning of the text here is not known, but it is clear enough that "the valleys" were a possession in which the Ammonites trusted and gloried, along with the "treasures" mentioned in the same verse. The trusting in any material thing is sinful; and the "glorying" of mortals in anything whatsoever, except in the grace and forgiveness of God is likewise wrong.

"I will bring fear upon thee ... ye shall be driven out ... there shall be none to gather the fugitives ..." (Jeremiah 49:5). The total ruin of Ammon is prophesied here. The Bible records the fulfillment of it in 2 Samuel 12:25-31. The Ammonites were captured, the crown of their god Malcam, weighing a talent of gold, and set with precious stones, was given to David; and "the spoil of the city was exceeding much."

"But afterward, I will turn back the captivity of the children of Ammon ..." (Jeremiah 49:6). Here again, the "afterward" suggests the times of Messiah. The Ammonites were eventually absorbed into the peoples of Arabia, some of whom were present on Pentecost; and it is very likely that "the three thousand souls saved that day" included some of the descendants of the Ammonites (Acts 2).