Jeremiah 49:23 kjv
Concerning Damascus. Hamath is confounded, and Arpad: for they have heard evil tidings: they are fainthearted; there is sorrow on the sea; it cannot be quiet.
Jeremiah 49:23 nkjv
Against Damascus. "Hamath and Arpad are shamed, For they have heard bad news. They are fainthearted; There is trouble on the sea; It cannot be quiet.
Jeremiah 49:23 niv
Concerning Damascus: "Hamath and Arpad are dismayed, for they have heard bad news. They are disheartened, troubled like the restless sea.
Jeremiah 49:23 esv
Concerning Damascus: "Hamath and Arpad are confounded, for they have heard bad news; they melt in fear, they are troubled like the sea that cannot be quiet.
Jeremiah 49:23 nlt
This message was given concerning Damascus. This is what the LORD says: "The towns of Hamath and Arpad are struck with fear,
for they have heard the news of their destruction.
Their hearts are troubled
like a wild sea in a raging storm.
Jeremiah 49 23 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Jeremiah 49:23 | Hamath also is confounded; for they have heard evil tidings. | Prophet Jeremiah's prophecy |
| Ezekiel 27:18 | Damascus was thy merchant in the multitude of the wares of thy making, for the multitude of all riches; the wine of Helbon, and white wool. | Description of Tyre's trade |
| Jeremiah 2:36 | Why gaddest thou about so much to change thy way? thou shalt be ashamed also of Egypt, as thou wast ashamed of Assyria. | Judah's unfaithfulness |
| Isaiah 23:4 | Be thou ashamed, O Zidon: for the sea hath spoken, even the strength of the sea, saying, I have not travailed, nor brought forth children, neither have I nourished up young men, nor brought up virgins. | Judgment on Tyre |
| Jeremiah 17:18 | Let them be confounded that persecute me, but let not me be confounded: let them be dismayed, but let not me be dismayed: bring upon them the day of evil, and destroy them with double destruction. | Jeremiah's prayer |
| Psalm 35:4 | Let them be put to shame and confusion that seek after my life: let them be turned back and brought to confusion that devise my hurt. | David's imprecatory psalm |
| Isaiah 51:17,19 | Awake, awake, stand up, O Jerusalem, which hast drunk at the hand of the LORD the cup of his fury; thou hast drunken the dregs of the cup of trembling, and wrung them out. ... There is none to guide her among all the sons whom she hath brought forth; neither is there any that taketh her by the hand of all the sons that she hath brought up. | Judgment on Jerusalem |
| Jeremiah 10:14 | Every man is brutish by knowledge: every founder is confounded by the graven image: for his molten image is falsehood, and there is no breath in them. | Idolatry condemned |
| Jeremiah 51:46 | And lest your heart faint, and ye fear for the rumour that shall be told in the land; a rumour shall both come the one year, and after him another year, and violence in the land, ruler against ruler. | Prophecy against Babylon |
| Ezekiel 32:30 | The princes of the east are with all the sheep of Bozrah: they have with them the Tyrians, and the multitude of them, and all others with them are helpers of them in fear, by reason of the force of their armies: for they have also brought the heap of the battle. | Judgment on Egypt |
| Hosea 7:11 | Ephraim also is like a silly dove without heart: they call unto Egypt, they go to Assyria. | Israel's reliance on foreign powers |
| Amos 8:9-10 | And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord GOD, that I will cause the sun to go down at noon, and I will darken the earth in the clear day: And I will turn your feasts into mourning, and all your songs into lamentation; and I will bring up sackcloth upon all loins, and baldness upon every head; and I will make it as the mourning of an only son, and the end thereof as a bitter day. | Judgment on Israel |
| Psalm 69:19 | Thou hast known my reproach, and my shame, and my confusion. | David's suffering |
| Jeremiah 14:1-2 | The word of the LORD that came to Jeremiah concerning the drouth. Judah mourneth, and the gates thereof languish; they are black unto the ground; and the cry of Jerusalem is gone up. And the nobles thereof have sent their little ones to the water: they came to the pits, and found no water; they returned with their vessels empty: they were ashamed and confounded, and covered their heads. | Judgment through drought |
| Proverbs 10:7 | The memory of the just is blessed: but the name of the wicked shall rot. | Wisdom sayings |
| Isaiah 29:14 | Therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvellous work among this people, even a marvellous work and a wonder: for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid. | Judgment on Judah |
| Jeremiah 50:35-37 | A sword is upon the Chaldeans, saith the LORD, and upon the inhabitants of Babylon, and upon her princes, and upon her wise men. A sword is upon the liars; and they shall be put to confusion: a sword is upon her mighty men; and they shall be dismayed. A sword is upon their horses, and upon their chariots, and upon all the mingled people that are in the midst of her; and they shall become as women: a sword is upon her treasures; and they shall be robbed. ... Therefore shall all hands be feeble, and every man's heart shall melt. | Prophecy against Babylon |
| Lamentations 2:14 | Thy prophets have seen vain and foolish things for thee: and they have not discovered thine iniquity, to turn away thy captivity; but have seen for thee false burdens and causes of banishment. | Jeremiah's Lament |
Jeremiah 49 verses
Jeremiah 49 23 Meaning
The people of Hamath and Arpad are put to shame because they have heard bad news. Their heart is troubled, like the sea, and it cannot be calm.
Jeremiah 49 23 Context
This verse is part of Jeremiah's prophecy against various nations. Specifically, chapter 49 deals with the judgment of God upon the Ammonites, Edomites, and Damascus. This particular verse focuses on Damascus, the capital city of Aram (Syria). The context indicates that Damascus will be overwhelmed with confusion and distress upon hearing devastating news, implying a significant military defeat or a catastrophic event that would strike fear into its populace and leadership. This reflects a broader theme in Jeremiah where nations that oppressed or were indifferent to God's people would face divine judgment. The "evil tidings" likely refer to military conquests or impending destruction.
Jeremiah 49 23 Word Analysis
Hamath: This refers to the city of Hamath in northern Syria, an important ancient city and kingdom.
also: Connects this judgment to prior judgments against other nations mentioned in the chapter.
is confounded: The Hebrew word (Hebrew: בושׁ, bush) signifies shame, disgrace, confusion, and being put to shame. It implies a loss of composure and effectiveness due to terrible news or defeat.
for: Introduces the reason for the confusion.
they have heard: Indicates a reception of information, specifically bad news.
evil tidings: The Hebrew phrase (Hebrew: רע, ra; Hebrew: שׁמע, shama‘; Hebrew: שׁמוּעָה, sh’mû‘âh) means bad news, ill reports, or something dreadful being heard. This points to a devastating report, likely of military defeat, loss of dominion, or catastrophic destruction.
Hamath also is confounded; for they have heard evil tidings.: The city and its people are in a state of panic and shame because of grave news received. This news has rendered them ineffective and filled them with dread.
heart is faint, as the sea: This descriptive phrase indicates a profound disturbance and restlessness. The analogy to the sea suggests an uncontrollable churning, an inability to find peace or stability. This is reinforced by the following clause.
and cannot be quiet: The inability to find rest or peace mirrors the profound agitation caused by the "evil tidings." It conveys a state of ongoing turmoil and lack of resolution.
Jeremiah 49 23 Bonus Section
The prophet's pronouncements often involved hyperbole to emphasize the severity of God's judgment. The use of "confounded" and the imagery of a restless sea highlights not just military defeat but a psychological and spiritual destabilization of the affected nations. This foreshadows the broader implications of God's sovereignty over all nations and His power to bring them low when they oppose His will or inflict harm upon His people. The helplessness and inability to find quiet reflect a state where earthly power and wisdom have failed them, leaving them exposed to divine reckoning.
Jeremiah 49 23 Commentary
The verse paints a vivid picture of national panic and despair. Damascus, a prominent city, is overcome by the shock of devastating news. The source of this news isn't specified, but it leads to a profound state of confusion and fear. The analogy of a troubled sea captures the unmanageable emotional and psychological impact this news has on the inhabitants. Their stability is gone, replaced by an uncontrollable churning of fear and uncertainty, reflecting a loss of all hope and control in the face of God's judgment.