Jeremiah 49:32 meaning summary explained with word-by-word analysis enriched with context, commentary and Cross References from KJV, NIV, ESV and NLT.
Jeremiah 49:32 kjv
And their camels shall be a booty, and the multitude of their cattle a spoil: and I will scatter into all winds them that are in the utmost corners; and I will bring their calamity from all sides thereof, saith the LORD.
Jeremiah 49:32 nkjv
Their camels shall be for booty, And the multitude of their cattle for plunder. I will scatter to all winds those in the farthest corners, And I will bring their calamity from all its sides," says the LORD.
Jeremiah 49:32 niv
Their camels will become plunder, and their large herds will be spoils of war. I will scatter to the winds those who are in distant places and will bring disaster on them from every side," declares the LORD.
Jeremiah 49:32 esv
Their camels shall become plunder, their herds of livestock a spoil. I will scatter to every wind those who cut the corners of their hair, and I will bring their calamity from every side of them, declares the LORD.
Jeremiah 49:32 nlt
Their camels and other livestock will all be yours.
I will scatter to the winds these people
who live in remote places.
I will bring calamity upon them
from every direction," says the LORD.
Jeremiah 49 32 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Lev 19:27 | You shall not ... clip the corners of your beard. | Israelite prohibition of pagan hair practices |
| Deut 14:1 | You shall not cut yourselves nor make any bald place on your foreheads ... | Prohibition against practices common among pagans |
| Isa 21:13 | The oracle concerning Arabia. ... you who travel, O you caravans of Dedanites. | Prophecy against Arabian tribes |
| Isa 21:16 | ...all the glory of Kedar will fail. | Specific judgment on Kedar |
| Jer 25:23 | Dedan, Tema, Buz, and all who cut the corners of their hair; | Other mention of "cutters of hair" and related tribes |
| Jer 46:28 | ...I will not make a complete end of you; But I will correct you... | Contrast with God's judgment on other nations |
| Ezek 5:10 | Therefore fathers among you shall eat their sons... and I will scatter... | Divine scattering as severe judgment |
| Ezek 25:4 | ...I will deliver you to the people of the East as a possession. | Loss of possessions as judgment on neighbor nations |
| Deut 28:30 | You shall build a house, but not dwell in it... | Property plundered in judgment |
| Deut 28:64 | The LORD will scatter you among all peoples, from one end of the earth... | Dispersion as a curse of the covenant |
| Jer 9:16 | I will scatter them also among the nations... | God's judgment of scattering Israel |
| Jer 49:30 | Flee, get far away, dwell deep, O inhabitants of Hazor, declares the LORD... | Command to flee preceding this judgment |
| Jer 49:31 | Get up, go against a nation at ease, dwelling securely, declares the LORD. | Description of the target people's complacency |
| Zeph 1:13 | ...their houses shall be a desolation... | Plunder of property in judgment |
| Amos 9:8 | ...I will destroy it from the face of the earth. | God's sovereignty over nations' existence |
| Ps 44:11 | You have given us up like sheep for food, And have scattered us among... | Experience of scattering and despair |
| Lam 4:16 | The face of the LORD has scattered them. | Acknowledgment of divine scattering |
| Zech 10:9 | I will sow them among the peoples, and they shall remember Me in far countries | Scattering with a future hope of remembrance |
| Rom 1:18 | For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness... | Divine wrath against unrighteousness |
| Jude 1:15 | ...to execute judgment on all, to convict all who are ungodly... | Ultimate judgment against the ungodly |
| Acts 17:26 | ...He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth... | God's sovereignty over all nations and their dwelling |
Jeremiah 49 verses
Jeremiah 49 32 meaning
Jeremiah 49:32 declares a divine judgment against certain Arabian tribes, specifically Kedar and the kingdoms of Hazor, identified by their practice of cutting the corners of their hair. The prophecy states that their valuable possessions, such as camels and a multitude of cattle, will become spoils of war. Furthermore, the people themselves will be utterly scattered in every direction ("to all winds"), and disaster will be brought upon them from all sides by the LORD, affirming the certainty and comprehensiveness of this judgment.
Jeremiah 49 32 Context
Jeremiah 49:32 is part of a larger section (Jeremiah 46-51) comprising prophecies against various foreign nations. Specifically, this verse falls within the oracle directed at Kedar and the kingdoms of Hazor, located in the Arabian desert (Jer 49:28-33). The historical setting is the late 7th to early 6th century BCE, a period of rising Babylonian power. Yahweh commissions Nebuchadnezzar's forces to execute judgment upon these proud and complacent nomadic tribes, who lived in unwalled encampments yet felt secure (Jer 49:31). The preceding verses describe their vulnerability and impending doom. The "cutting of the corners of their hair" identifies them culturally and religiously as distinct from Israel, against whom God has commanded a different grooming practice (Lev 19:27), implying their pagan associations. The prophecy's tone is one of decisive, comprehensive judgment.
Jeremiah 49 32 Word analysis
- Their camels shall be a booty:
camels(Heb. gemalleihem): Signified immense wealth, transport, and a primary economic asset for nomadic desert tribes. Their loss implies total economic ruin.booty(Heb. shalal): Denotes war plunder, reinforcing that their possessions would be forcibly taken by invaders.
- and the multitude of their cattle a spoil;
multitude of their cattle(Heb. hamon mikneihem): Refers to large flocks and herds, another vital asset. The abundance mentioned highlights the scale of their prosperity and thus the devastation of their loss.spoil(Heb. baz): Similar to booty, emphasizing comprehensive appropriation of their movable property.
- and I will scatter to all winds those who cut the corners of their hair,
I will scatter(Heb. va'ezrem): This first-person declaration highlights divine agency. Scattering is a common biblical motif of divine judgment, signifying total dispersion and loss of national or tribal cohesion.to all winds(Heb. lechol-ruach): Literally "to every wind," an idiomatic expression denoting utter, widespread, and chaotic dispersal in every direction, leaving no hope of regathering.those who cut the corners of their hair(Heb. qetsutsei phe'ah): This is a critical identifier. It refers to a specific pagan grooming practice, possibly associated with pagan deities or mourning rituals (see Lev 19:27; Jer 25:23). This distinguishing mark implies a polemic against foreign, idolatrous customs that stand in contrast to God's chosen people's distinct identity. This cultural practice likely marked dedication to local gods or signified social identity.
- and I will bring their calamity from every side, declares the LORD.
I will bring(Heb. va'avi): Reiteration of divine initiation and active involvement in the judgment.their calamity(Heb. eidam): Refers to disaster, misfortune, or utter ruin.from every side(Heb. mikol-tsedadeyha): Implies no avenue of escape or safety. The calamity will be pervasive, surrounding them entirely.declares the LORD(Heb. ne'um-YHVH): A prophetic formula emphasizing the absolute authority, certainty, and divine origin of the pronouncement. It leaves no doubt that this is Yahweh's immutable word.
Jeremiah 49 32 Bonus section
The historical fulfillment of this prophecy would have likely occurred during Nebuchadnezzar's extensive campaigns across the Near East. Though direct historical records from this period concerning Kedar and Hazor are scarce, Babylonian expansion often disrupted nomadic tribal structures and absorbed their territories or resources. This prophecy also echoes broader biblical themes where distinctive cultural markers, especially those tied to pagan religious rites, draw divine disapproval, reinforcing the principle of unique covenant identity for God's people. While often focusing on judgment, these prophecies against nations implicitly serve to affirm God's righteous character and His active rule over all humanity.
Jeremiah 49 32 Commentary
Jeremiah 49:32 functions as a stern divine decree against specific Arabian nomadic tribes, revealing God's absolute sovereignty over all nations, even those outside Israel. The oracle vividly portrays a judgment of complete ruin, encompassing both economic desolation (plunder of camels and cattle) and demographic dispersion (scattering "to all winds"). The unique identification of the condemned people by their distinctive hair-trimming practice, which stands in direct contrast to Israelite law (Lev 19:27), underscores a veiled polemic against pagan practices and identities. This detail served as a clear marker for the original audience, connecting cultural distinctiveness with their impending divine punishment. The comprehensive nature of the calamity, striking "from every side," emphasizes the inescapability of God's wrath, ensuring that no facet of their life or geographical location would provide refuge. The repeated declaration "declares the LORD" firmly grounds this judgment in divine authority and foreknowledge, making it an unalterable certainty. It's a reminder that no people group or their customs are beyond the purview of the sovereign God's justice.