Jeremiah 49:17 meaning summary explained with word-by-word analysis enriched with context, commentary and Cross References from KJV, NIV, ESV and NLT.
Jeremiah 49:17 kjv
Also Edom shall be a desolation: every one that goeth by it shall be astonished, and shall hiss at all the plagues thereof.
Jeremiah 49:17 nkjv
"Edom also shall be an astonishment; Everyone who goes by it will be astonished And will hiss at all its plagues.
Jeremiah 49:17 niv
"Edom will become an object of horror; all who pass by will be appalled and will scoff because of all its wounds.
Jeremiah 49:17 esv
"Edom shall become a horror. Everyone who passes by it will be horrified and will hiss because of all its disasters.
Jeremiah 49:17 nlt
"Edom will be an object of horror.
All who pass by will be appalled
and will gasp at the destruction they see there.
Jeremiah 49 17 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Isa 13:19-22 | Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, ... will be like Sodom and Gomorrah ... | Desolation of a proud nation |
| Jer 18:16 | to make their land a desolation, a perpetual hiss... | Parallel for lasting desolation and scorn |
| Jer 19:8 | I will make this city a desolation, a hiss... | Jerusalem's desolation met with scorn |
| Jer 50:13 | Because of the wrath of the LORD, it will not be inhabited, but will be wholly desolate... everyone who passes by Babylon will be appalled and hiss. | Nearly identical language for Babylon's judgment |
| Lam 2:15-16 | All who pass along the way clap their hands at you; they hiss... | Public mockery of Jerusalem's ruin |
| Ezek 27:36 | The merchants among the peoples hiss at you... | Foreigners' scorn at Tyre's downfall |
| Ezek 35:3-4, 7 | "Behold, I am against you, Mount Seir... I will make you a perpetual desolation." | Direct judgment against Edom's pride (Mount Seir) |
| Joel 3:19 | Egypt shall become a desolation and Edom a desolate wilderness, for the violence... | Specific desolation of Edom |
| Obad 1:3-4 | The pride of your heart has deceived you, you who live in the clefts... I will bring you down... | Edom's pride leading to its downfall |
| Obad 1:10 | For the violence done to your brother Jacob, shame shall cover you... | Edom judged for its hostility towards Israel |
| Zeph 2:15 | This is the exultant city that lived securely, that said in her heart, "I am, and there is none else besides me." How has she become a desolation, a resting place for beasts! | Humiliation of a proud, secure city |
| Mal 1:2-5 | "Is not Esau Jacob's brother?" ... "I have loved Jacob but hated Esau. I have made his hill country a desolation..." | Divine election and Edom's perpetual desolation |
| Deut 29:22-24 | Later generations... will ask, "Why has the LORD done thus to this land?" Then people will say, "It is because they abandoned the covenant..." | Observers asking about extreme devastation |
| Job 27:23 | He claps his hands at him and hisses at him from his place. | Hissing as a sign of contempt and dismissal |
| Ps 79:4 | We have become a taunt to our neighbors, mocked and derided by those around us. | Israel's suffering as a public spectacle |
| Isa 34:5-10 | For my sword has drunk its fill in the heavens... it descends for judgment on Edom... it shall be desolate from generation to generation... | God's comprehensive judgment on Edom |
| Jer 25:9-11 | this whole land shall become a desolation and a waste, and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years. | Universal desolation for nations' disobedience |
| Ps 37:35-36 | I have seen a wicked, ruthless man, spreading himself like a flourishing native tree. But he passed away, and behold, he was no more... | Pride followed by sudden, complete disappearance |
| Rev 18:9-10 | And the kings of the earth, who committed sexual immorality... will weep and mourn over her when they see the smoke of her burning... | World leaders lamenting the fall of a great city (Babylon) |
| Rom 12:19 | "Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord." | God's sovereignty in judgment and retribution |
| Gal 6:7 | Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. | Reaping the consequences of one's actions |
| 1 Pet 5:5 | Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." | Divine opposition to pride |
Jeremiah 49 verses
Jeremiah 49 17 meaning
Jeremiah 49:17 declares a future state of extreme desolation for Edom, such that all who observe it will be filled with profound shock, horror, and open contempt. The verse signifies that Edom's destruction will be so complete and its previous pride so thoroughly brought low that it will evoke a public display of revulsion and scorn from anyone passing through or by its former territory, an open demonstration of its utter downfall and ruin brought about by divine judgment.
Jeremiah 49 17 Context
Jeremiah 49 forms part of a series of prophecies against various foreign nations, reflecting God's sovereign control over all peoples, not just Israel. Specifically, verses 7-22 are an oracle of judgment against Edom. Edom, descended from Esau, was a perpetual adversary of Israel, known for its mountainous, fortified terrain, its national pride, and its historical animosity. Its inhabitants felt secure in their elevated dwelling places (Sela/Petra), believing their wisdom and strength were unassailable. This prophecy declares that despite their perceived security, Edom will face total devastation and humiliation due to its pride and violence against God's people. Verse 17 depicts the overwhelming shock and derision that its ruin will provoke in observers, emphasizing the severity and public nature of God's judgment upon a nation that vaunted itself against the Lord and His chosen people.
Jeremiah 49 17 Word analysis
Everyone:
- Hebrew: כָּל (kol) - all, every, any.
- Significance: Emphasizes universality. Not just Edom's immediate enemies, but any passerby, even neutral observers, will be witness to its profound ruin, highlighting the widespread knowledge of its downfall.
who passes by:
- Hebrew: עֹבֵר עָלֶיהָ (ʿovēr ʿāleyhā) - literally "passing over/upon it."
- Significance: This imagery implies a journey, someone encountering the desolation rather than residing in it. It suggests that the ruin will be so striking that even casual travelers cannot ignore it, drawing their full attention to the catastrophe. It also implies a future where Edom's land will be traversable, but only as a path through ruins.
it:
- Hebrew: עָלֶיהָ (ʿāleyhā) - upon it (referring to Edom/its land).
- Significance: Refers to the physical land, cities, and former strongholds of Edom, which will be the visible evidence of the judgment.
will be appalled:
- Hebrew: יִשֹּׁם (yiššōm) - from the root שָׁמֵם (shamem), meaning to be desolate, waste, astonished, appalled, dumbfounded.
- Significance: Conveys a sense of horror and shock. The destruction will be so immense and unexpected, given Edom's pride and perceived security, that it will elicit an astonished and fearful reaction, a mental and emotional desolation mirroring the physical one.
and hiss:
- Hebrew: וְשָׁרַק (wĕšāraq) - from the root שָׁרַק (sharaq), meaning to hiss, whistle, jeer, sneer.
- Significance: This sound expresses scorn, contempt, mockery, and derision. It's a non-verbal expression of shock mixed with triumph or disdain over the fallen. It underscores the utter humiliation of Edom, whose former greatness and arrogance will now be met with public scorn rather than admiration.
because of all its disasters:
- Hebrew: עַל כָּל־ מַכֹּתֶיהָ (ʿal kol-makkōtheyhā) - literally "upon/because of all its blows/strikes/plagues."
- Significance: "Disasters" (makkot) implies divinely inflicted blows, plagues, or calamities, often used for severe judgments. The "all" indicates a comprehensive and overwhelming nature of the devastation. It is the full extent of the judgments, not just a partial ruin, that will cause such reactions. This highlights God's thoroughness in delivering justice.
"Everyone who passes by it will be appalled and hiss":
- Significance: This phrase emphasizes the public and undeniable nature of Edom's catastrophe. Its fall will not be unnoticed or forgotten but will become a widely recognized example of divine retribution, eliciting universal reactions of astonishment and derision. It's a stark contrast to Edom's earlier boastful security, now utterly shattered.
Jeremiah 49 17 Bonus section
The historical fulfillment of Jeremiah's prophecies against Edom began with the Neo-Babylonian conquest, continuing through later periods until Edom vanished as a distinct national entity. This outcome serves as a compelling demonstration of the Lord's absolute sovereignty over nations and His covenant faithfulness, as Edom's demise paved the way for Judah's eventual return. The prophecy against Edom stands as an enduring warning that relying on human strength, wisdom, or geographic advantage, coupled with arrogance and hostility toward God's purposes, inevitably leads to devastating judgment.
Jeremiah 49 17 Commentary
Jeremiah 49:17 vividly portrays the extreme extent of God's judgment against Edom, making its ruin an object lesson for all. Edom's national pride, security in its fortifications, and historical malice towards Israel rendered it an enemy deserving of divine wrath. The prophecy underscores that no nation, however strong or proud, can withstand the judgment of the Lord. The reactions of passersby—appalled astonishment and scornful hissing—serve as powerful symbols. "Appalled" (shamem) reflects the shocking totality of the destruction, a physical desolation so profound it generates an emotional one in observers. "Hissing" (sharaq) conveys open contempt, a final, public humiliation for a nation that once boasted of its impregnability. This verse is not merely a prediction of ruin but a theological statement about God's justice; it ensures that those who observe Edom's fate will recognize the hand of God in its complete and utter downfall, confirming the truth that pride goes before destruction (Prov 16:18). It’s a testament to the fact that while God is merciful, He is also righteous, and those who relentlessly oppose Him and His people will ultimately reap the consequences of their actions.