Jeremiah 49:23-27

VII. AN ORACLE CONCERNING DAMASCUS

Jeremiah 49:23-27

Damascus was the capital of the kingdom of Aram (Syria), the northern neighbor of Israel. During the ninth century before Christ the Syrians were the most formidable foe with whom the nations of Israel and Judah had to do battle. Damascus reached the height of its power under Hazael (841-801 B.C.) who oppressed Israel and Judah throughout his reign. Damascus suffered greatly in the campaign of Shalmaneser IV in 797 B.C. and the king of Israel was able to recover the territories which he had lost to Hazael (2 Kings 13:25). Under king Rezin (750-732 B.C.) Syria again oppressed the people of God (2 Kings 16:6) and many Judeans were taken captive to Damascus (2 Chronicles 28:5). In 732 B.C. the mighty Assyrian king Tiglath-pileser crushed Damascus and thereby unwittingly fulfilled the prophecies of Isaiah (Isaiah 17:1) and Amos (Jeremiah 1:4-5). Thereafter Damascus lost its political influence. Very little is known about Damascus in the days of Jeremiah. Perhaps some day texts will be unearthed which will shed more light on the political background of the oracle concerning Damascus. Meanwhile it is best to assign the Damascus oracle to the period just prior to the battle of Carchemish.

TRANSLATION

(23) Concerning Damascus. Hamath is ashamed and Arpad; for they have heard an evil report, they are melted away, at the sea there is sorrow; it cannot find rest. (24) Damascus is feeble, she has turned to flee and trembling has seized her; sorrow and pangs have seized her as a woman in childbirth. (25) How sad that the city of praise is not forsaken, the city of my joy? (26) Therefore, her young men shall fall in her streets, and all the men of battle shall be silenced in that day (oracle of the LORD of hosts). (27) I will kindle a fire against the wall of Damascus and it will consume the palaces of Ben-hadad.

A. A Picture of Consternation Jeremiah 49:23-24

COMMENTS

The oracle against Damascus opens with a vivid picture of the consternation that sweeps over the land of Aram with the approach of a dreaded enemy. Hamath and Arpad,[396] prominent cities of northern Aram, melt in fear at the reported approach of the foe. The exact meaning of the phrase there is sorrow on the sea (Jeremiah 49:23) is uncertain. Some take the expression to mean that the anxious concern over the invasion of the land extends to the seashore, i.e., throughout the country. Others suggest that the prophet is poetically describing the sea as participating in the sorrow of the land of Aram. As the news of invasion sweeps southward even Damascus, the once proud and powerful city, becomes paralyzed by fear. Using one of his favorite figures Jeremiah compares the anguish of Damascus to that of a woman in travail (Jeremiah 49:24).

[396] Hamath is located about 110 miles north of Damascus and Arpad about 96 miles north of Hamath.

B. A Picture of Conflict Jeremiah 49:25-27

The fear of the foe has so paralyzed the inhabitants of Damascus that they cannot flee from their city even though they realize that to remain there will mean disaster to them. The prophet laments, How sad it is that the city of praise has not been abandoned. It is impossible to tell from this context whether the lament is sarcastic or sincere. Men have sung the praises of the city of Damascus throughout history. Because of its geographical location at the juncture of several important trade routes the city in antiquity was prosperous and flourishing. In appreciation for the beauty of this place the prophet refers to it as the city of my joy(Jeremiah 49:25). But because the inhabitants of Damascus would not flee from before the enemy her young men shall fall in her streets and all the men of war shall be cut off in that day (Jeremiah 49:26). Jeremiah 49:27 is based on Amos 1:4; Amos 1:14. The phrase kindle a fire denotes the ravages of war (cf. Numbers 21:28; Deuteronomy 32:22). The conflagration shall consume the places of Benhadad. At least two kings of Damascus named Benhadad appear in the books of Kings. Some think that Benhadad was something of a throne name of the kings of Damascus.

Information concerning the city of Damascus subsequent to the fall of that city to the Assyrians in 732 B. C. is scanty. To date no reference to a destruction of Damascus following the days of Jeremiah has been found. The destroyer of Damascus is unnamed in the prophecy for he is relatively unimportant. The important thing is At the destruction comes from the Lord the God of Israel. Most likely the prediction was fulfilled by Nebuchadnezzar after the battle of Carchemish (605 B.C.) when he victoriously marched throughout the Hatti land i.e., Syria-Palestine.