Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible
Jeremiah 49:23-27
Judgment Against Damascus (Jeremiah 49:23).
Damascus was the capital city of Aram, an Aramean state which was north of Israel and part of what we now call Syria. It was situated on the main trade routes and was a prosperous trading centre. The Aramean confederacy of which it was a part also included the great cities and regions of Hamath and Arpad. In the times of independence, prior to their subjugation by first Assyria and then Babylon, and following the days of David, and Solomon at his peak, Damascus had regularly been an adversary of Israel, seeking in its greed to obtain regular tribute from them, although sometimes, especially when danger loomed from the north, e.g. in the form of Assyria, they would be in an alliance. This situation naturally arose from the nature of the area, composed as it was of small kingdoms, which each at times sought to take advantage of the others and exact tribute from them.
But one consequence of this constant bickering and fighting was that they weakened each other, so that while in the days when David and Solomon ruled supreme over most of the area, and in the days of the powerful kings Jehoshaphat of Judah and Ahab of Israel, and later Uzziah of Judah and Jeroboam II of Israel, they were able to form alliances to thwart the Assyrian threat, at other times they were unable to do so. Had they all lived at peace and in harmony, each kingdom establishing its own prosperity, they would have been powerful enough when united to resist any outside invasion. But their greed resulted in the very opposite situation. They constantly fought each other with the result that whilst Israel had been able to supply 2000 chariots to the coalition formed to combat Assyria in the time of Ahab (853 BC), by the time of his sons Israel, as a result of the warlike activities of Damascus, was reduced to possessing only ten chariots, and was thus in no position to assist Damascus when the Assyrians under Shalmaneser III again invaded in 841 BC. Hazael of Damascus had to withstand them alone, losing large numbers of chariots and men in the process, and having to withdraw to Damascus and endure a seige. This allowed the Assyrians to lay waste the countryside, although failing to take Damascus. Thus the ability of the area to defend itself was constantly being reduced as a result of its own greed.
For certain periods, especially in the days of Hazael and Benhadad, Damascus lorded itself over Israel (2 Kings 8:12; 2 Kings 10:32; 2Ki 12:18; 2 Kings 13:7; 2 Kings 13:22), but its power was later diminished and then smashed by Assyria, this latter occurring just prior to the time when Samaria was also destroyed in 722 BC (see 2 Kings 16:9; 2 Kings 17:5)) and Israel (northern Israel as opposed to Judah) ceased as a separate nation. Since then its effectiveness had been restricted, and it had been tributary first to Assyria, and then to Babylon.
But like most of the small nations at that time it would take ever opportunity to free itself from the yoke if there was a whiff of freedom. Tribute was heavy, and freedom from it something to be diligently sought. While it might appear to us as madness to seek to resist Babylon, they had no overall view which enabled them to know the real might of those against whom they rebelled, who could sometimes appear not to be so strong because they were occupied elsewhere. Thus by the time of Jeremiah Damascus was a very much weakened city, being part of the Assyrian province of Hamath, now under the control of Babylon.
‘Of Damascus.'
Once again we have a brief heading indicating the subject of the prophecy.
“Hamath is confounded, and Arpad,
For they have heard evil tidings,
They are melted away,
There is sorrow on the sea, it cannot be quiet.”
Hamath was a large city which was on the northernmost border of what was described as the land given by YHWH to Israel (Numbers 34:8), and was at one stage under Solomon's control (2 Chronicles 8:4). It was an integral part of wider Aram. It lay in a strong position in the valley of the Orontes, and under the name of Hamah is still a flourishing city today. In the Scriptures Arpad is always linked with Hamath (see Isaiah 10:9; Isaiah 36:19; Isaiah 37:13) and was clearly therefore also an important city at the time. Under the name Arpaddu it is referred to in cuneiform inscriptions, and its suggested site, Tel Rif‘at, is around 30 kilometres (20 miles) north west of Aleppo.
The prophecy clearly links these two cities with Damascus. As important cities in the Aramean Confederacy they would take part in any revolt against Babylonian supremacy. Here their dismay is described at the thought of what is coming on them from the north. The evil tidings mentioned was no doubt the approach of Nebuchadrezzar's armies, and their hearts were melting within them at the thought of them. The ‘sorrow on the sea' is a little difficult as Aram was inland and had no coastline, but the idea may well be that Tyre and Sidon, which were seaports, were, because they were allies, included in the general dismay with the idea that the dismay had reached even as far as the sea. Alternately there may have been an inland lake in Aram of which we are unaware (‘sea' often refers to a lake, compare the ‘sea of Galilee/Chinnereth'). Some would translate as ‘like the restless sea' but that is not strictly true to the Hebrew.
“Damascus is waxed feeble,
She turns herself to flee, and trembling has seized on her,
Anguish and sorrows have taken hold of her,
As of a woman in birth pains.'
How is the city of praise not forsaken?
The city of my delight?”
Therefore her young men will fall in her streets,
And all the men of war will be brought to silence in that day,
The word of YHWH of hosts,
And I will kindle a fire in the wall of Damascus,
And it will devour the palaces of Ben-hadad.”
Damascus was a powerfully fortified city and had previously resisted Assyrian sieges before finally succumbing. It was probably seen as the most powerful city in the Aramean confederacy. But she too would be terrified of the approaching Babylonians (or whoever the assailants would be). She too will shudder and cry out like a woman in birth pains, because of the anguish and sorrow coming on her, and will seek to escape by fleeing. But it will be too late. The prophecy expresses this in its surprise that the delightful city, renowned for its trade, has not been forsaken. Why are the people still there? Why have they not fled? There can be only one answer. They have left it too late. As a result her young men will fall in her streets as they resist the enemy, and her men of war will be silenced for ever. Then the city will be put to the torch, and all its fine palaces destroyed.
‘City of praise --- city of my delight' are phrases intended to bring out that she is so delightful that even YHWH praises her and is delighted in her. It is not indicating that she was the chosen of YHWH, unless we see it as chosen for destruction.
‘The palaces of Benhadad.' The dynasty of Benhadad (which had included Benhadad I, Hazael, and Benhadad II) had been very influential in Damescene history to such an extent that their palaces were seen in these terms even though that dynasty had ceased. It is, of course, very possible that they had built at least some of them. There is a poignancy in the fact that the remains of their famous dynasty would be put to the flames.