Jeremiah 49:34

PROPHECY AGAINST ELAM

"The word of Jehovah that came to Jeremiah the prophet concerning Elam, in the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah, saying, Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: Behold, I will break the bow of Elam, the chief of their might. And upon Elam will I bring the four winds from the four quarters of heaven, and will scatter them toward all those winds; and there shall be no nation whither the outcasts of Elam shall not come. And I will cause Elam to be dismayed before their enemies, and before them that seek their life; and I will bring evil upon them, even my fierce anger, saith Jehovah; and I will send the sword after them, till I have consumed them: and I will set my throne in Elam, and will destroy from thence king and princes, saith Jehovah. But it shall come to pass in the latter days, that I will bring back the captivity of Elam, saith Jehovah."

Elam was a very ancient kingdom mentioned in Genesis 14:1. Feinberg stated that it was two hundred miles east of Babylon and west of the Tigris river;[12] and Hyatt located it "east of Babylonian and north of the Persian Gulf."[13]

The prophecy, unlike others in this chapter, is dated in the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah in 498 B.C. Scholars, seeking to find some reason why this prophecy was given have surmised that, "At the time of this prophecy through Jeremiah the Elamites were threatening Babylon; and the Jewish exiles (hoping for a quick end of their exile) were expecting Elam to overthrow Babylon."[14] If that is true, the prophecy was then designed to show that no power could stand in the way of Babylon.

"I will break the bow of Elam ..." (Jeremiah 49:35). The Elamites were famous for their skilled use of the bow (Isaiah 22:6), but their skilled bowmen would not be able to stand against the judgment of God.

"Four winds from the four quarters of heaven ..." (Jeremiah 49:36). Jamieson thought this is a reference to "Nebuchadnezzar's army, made up of soldiers from the four quarters of heaven,"[15] from all over the world.

"Till I have consumed them ..." (Jeremiah 49:37). A total destruction of Elam as any kind of deterrent to the power and ambitions of Nebuchadnezzar is prophesied.

"I will set my throne in Elam ..." (Jeremiah 49:38). This occurred when Nebuchadnezzar, God's instrument, "set up his throne in Media, of which Elam was a part."[16]; Jeremiah 43:10 provides an example of how Nebuchadnezzar erected his throne in various countries which he conquered. A similar thing is prophesied here.

"In the latter days, I will bring back the captivity of Elam ..." (Jeremiah 49:39). "In the latter days" is a reference to the times of the Messiah; and it is a fact that Elamites participated in the blessings of the kingdom of God that began on Pentecost.

"How hear we every man in our own language wherein we were born? Parthians and Medes and Elamites, etc." (Acts 2:8,9)? Some of these, no doubt, were baptized on that Pentecost and formed part of the nucleus of the church of Jesus Christ the kingdom of God.

Note that "bringing back the captivity" of a nation was not primarily a promise of release from physical captivity, but a release from the slavery of sin. No captivity of Elam was mentioned.