Jeremiah 49 30

Jeremiah 49:30 kjv

Flee, get you far off, dwell deep, O ye inhabitants of Hazor, saith the LORD; for Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon hath taken counsel against you, and hath conceived a purpose against you.

Jeremiah 49:30 nkjv

"Flee, get far away! Dwell in the depths, O inhabitants of Hazor!" says the LORD. "For Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon has taken counsel against you, And has conceived a plan against you.

Jeremiah 49:30 niv

"Flee quickly away! Stay in deep caves, you who live in Hazor," declares the LORD. "Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon has plotted against you; he has devised a plan against you.

Jeremiah 49:30 esv

Flee, wander far away, dwell in the depths, O inhabitants of Hazor! declares the LORD. For Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon has made a plan against you and formed a purpose against you.

Jeremiah 49:30 nlt

Run for your lives," says the LORD.
"Hide yourselves in deep caves, you people of Hazor,
for King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon has plotted against you
and is preparing to destroy you.

Jeremiah 49 verses

Jeremiah 49 30 meaning

Jeremiah 49:30 is a prophetic oracle that conveys an urgent divine command to the inhabitants of Hazor, a tribal group in Arabia, to flee and seek deep refuge. The instruction is based on an imminent and severe threat: Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, has meticulously planned and devised a destructive campaign specifically against them. This verse underscores God's sovereignty over historical events and human rulers, using Nebuchadnezzar as an instrument of His judgment against the peoples of the desert.

Jeremiah 49 30 Context

Jeremiah 49 falls within a larger section of Jeremiah's prophecies (chapters 46-51) containing oracles against various foreign nations. These prophecies demonstrate that Yahweh, the God of Israel, is sovereign over all peoples and nations, not just Israel. Specifically, Jeremiah 49 pronounces judgment on Ammon, Edom, Damascus, Kedar, Hazor, and Elam. This particular verse focuses on Hazor, which refers not to the famous ancient city in northern Israel, but rather to a desert dwelling tribal group, likely associated with the nomadic Kedarites in the Arabian desert, as mentioned in Jer 49:28. The historical context is the period of the Babylonian Empire's rise to dominance under Nebuchadnezzar II (late 7th-early 6th century BCE). Babylon was actively campaigning throughout the ancient Near East, subjugating nations. The prophecy announces that even these seemingly remote and resilient desert tribes, like Hazor, are not beyond God's reach and will face Nebuchadnezzar's destructive force, which is divinely orchestrated. The impending invasion served as a polemic against any notion that these nations or their deities could protect them from the all-powerful God who commanded even the most potent earthly empire.

Jeremiah 49 30 Word analysis

• Flee (נוּסוּ - nūsū): This is an imperative verb, emphasizing an urgent, decisive act of flight or seeking escape. It denotes movement away from danger. Its repetition with the following phrase intensifies the command.
• Run for your lives! Stay in deep shelters, you inhabitants of Hazor (הַעְמִיקוּ לָשֶׁבֶת יֹשְׁבֵי חָצוֹר - ha‘ămīqū lāševeṯ yōšəḇēi Ḥāṣōr):
  • Go deep (הַעְמִיקוּ - ha‘ămīqū): An imperative verb meaning "to go deep," "to sink deep," or "to hide deeply." It implies seeking profound concealment, whether in a physical sense (e.g., in caves, fortresses, or distant wilderness) or in utter remoteness. This isn't just a casual escape but a desperate and thorough attempt to vanish from sight, indicative of the severity of the coming threat.
  • to dwell/sit (לָשֶׁבֶת - lāševeṯ): This infinitive indicates the purpose of going deep – to settle or remain there. It suggests that the refuge needs to be secure enough for dwelling.
  • inhabitants of Hazor (יֹשְׁבֵי חָצוֹר - yōšəḇēi Ḥāṣōr): This is the specific addressee of the prophecy. As noted, this "Hazor" likely refers to an Arab tribe or region, rather than the northern Canaanite city, given its pairing with Kedar in v. 28 and the desert context. These desert dwellers were typically known for their mobility, but here they are commanded to hide profoundly.
• declares the LORD (נְאֻם יְהוָה - nə’ūm Yahweh): This is a prophetic formula, authenticating the message as directly from God. It highlights divine authority and absolute certainty of fulfillment, distinguishing the prophet's words from human opinion.
• for Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon (כִּי־יָעַץ עֲלֵיכֶם נְבוּכַדְרֶאצַּר מֶלֶךְ־בָּבֶל - kî yā‘aṣ ‘ǎlêḵem Nəḇūḵaḏreṣṣar meleḵ Bāvel):
  • for (כִּי - kî): introduces the reason for the command to flee.
  • Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon (נְבוּכַדְרֶאצַּר מֶלֶךְ־בָּבֶל - Nəḇūḵaḏreṣṣar meleḵ Bāvel): The precise identification of the human agent of destruction. He is named, underscoring the specific and historical nature of the impending doom. He is not merely a conqueror but an instrument in God’s sovereign plan.
• has laid a plan against you, and devised a scheme against you (יָעַץ עֲלֵיכֶם עֵצָה, וְחָשַׁב עֲלֵיכֶם מַחֲשָׁבָה - yā‘aṣ ‘ǎlêḵem ‘ēṣāh wəḥāšaḇ ‘ǎlêḵem maḥǎšāvāh): This is a poetic parallelism emphasizing the deliberate and thorough nature of the Babylonian king’s intention.
  • laid a plan (יָעַץ עֲלֵיכֶם עֵצָה - yā‘aṣ ‘ǎlêḵem ‘ēṣāh): Literally, "counselled a counsel against you." Ya'atz means to counsel, plan, or advise. Etsah is counsel, plan. This suggests a calculated, strategic decision, not a spontaneous attack.
  • devised a scheme (וְחָשַׁב עֲלֵיכֶם מַחֲשָׁבָה - wəḥāšaḇ ‘ǎlêḵem maḥǎšāvāh): Literally, "thought a thought against you." Khashav means to think, consider, plot. Machashavah is a thought, device, or scheme. This intensifies the prior phrase, denoting deep consideration and evil intention, indicating a predetermined strategy targeting Hazor.

Jeremiah 49 30 Bonus section

The choice of Hazor as a target of judgment alongside Kedar in this chapter (v. 28) points to a period when the Babylonian Empire extended its influence beyond settled agricultural lands into the remote regions and trade routes of Arabia. These desert tribes, often perceived as unconquerable due to their mobility and knowledge of the harsh terrain, are explicitly shown to be within God's judgment, delivered through Nebuchadnezzar. This emphasizes God's comprehensive sovereignty that no people, culture, or geographic location is exempt from His judgment when they commit evil. The reference to Nebuchadnezzar’s deliberate plan (‘etsah) and devised scheme (machashavah) against Hazor foreshadows the broader theological truth that while human agents execute plans, it is ultimately God's overarching purpose that stands, often hidden in the workings of history (cf. Prov 19:21).

Jeremiah 49 30 Commentary

Jeremiah 49:30 functions as a divine summons for the people of Hazor to escape an impending judgment. The urgency conveyed by the repeated commands to "flee" and "go deep to dwell" emphasizes the gravity and inevitability of the catastrophe. God reveals that this threat is not random but stems from a meticulously calculated military campaign orchestrated by Nebuchadnezzar, the most dominant monarch of the era. The very act of naming Nebuchadnezzar solidifies the prophecy's specificity and underscores God's total control over historical forces and geopolitical movements. Even the elaborate "plans" and "schemes" of a pagan king are implicitly shown to be under the ultimate authority of Yahweh, making Nebuchadnezzar an unwitting instrument of divine will. This demonstrates God's judicial oversight extending beyond His covenant people to encompass all nations, revealing a God whose sovereignty is universal. The vulnerability of Hazor, a likely nomadic or semi-nomadic desert group, despite their typical resilience and elusive nature, highlights that no one can evade God's determined judgment. This prophecy serves as a powerful warning against relying on one's strength or perceived remoteness when confronted with divine decrees, emphasizing the call to humility and fear of the Lord.