A Chiastic Reconfiguration Of Jeremiah 49:7-22

Kuruvilla Thomas
Bangalore
Published on 17 July 2024 *

Fig. 1

Introduction

This study treats Jeremiah 49:7-22 as a cryptochiasmus in order to arrive at a coherent reconfiguration of the text ( see definition of cryptochiasmus in [1] ). If you wish to skip the technicalities of a chiastic parse, you may read starting from Section 4 of the Discussion section, which has the reconfigured text.

This short prophecy in Jeremiah 49:7-22 predicts the devastation of the Edomites by the Babylonians under Nabonidus and later by the Romans, and it predicts the destruction of Satan's kingdoms, 'Babylon' and the Beast, at the start of the Millennial Reign.

Discussion

1. Presuppositions

We base our parse of Jeremiah 49:7-22 on the assumption that it refers to 3 Periods:

1. Edom is defeated by the Babylonians (c. 553BC). Nabonidus invades Edom and destroys it.
2. Idumea is Destroyed during The First Jewish–Roman War (66AD–73AD). The Roman army destroys Idumea and Judea and kills most of its people.
3. Satan's Empires ("Edom") are Destroyed at the Start of Christ's reign over the earth (2030AD). Satan's Empires of 'Babylon' and the Beast ("Edom") are annihilated forever.

2. Parsing the chiasmus

We will use the NIV Bible for this parse.

Parsing this chiasmus involves dividing portions of the text into the three categories above. We will call the time of the Destruction of Edom by the Babylonians Period 1, the First Jewish-Roman War Period 2 and the ruin of "Edom" at the start of Christ's Millennial Reign Period 3. ( Note that parts of this prophecy have close correspondence with passages in Obadiah [3].)

Categorizing Jeremiah 49:7-22

Vs 7b-8 belong to Period 1. Ancient Edom is destroyed for its imprudent actions. The people of Dedan near its borders are warned to flee. ( We treat 7a as an introductory statement that lies outside the chiasmus, based on similar opening statements in Jer. 49:1,28.)

vs 9-11 belong to Period 3. Satan's kingdoms, "Babylon" and the Beast are utterly destroyed (we have categorized text similar to that of vs 9,10a in Obadiah 1:5-6 as belonging to Period 3 [3]). Verses 10b and 11 go together and seem to fit Satan's kingdoms better than ancient Edom (see commentary below).

vs 12-13 belong to Period 2. During the First Jewish-Roman war, Edom/Idumea is eternally destroyed for its past sins. We expect to see this Period in all cryptochiasmi.

vs 14-20 belong to Period 3. 'Edom', the wicked of Satan's empires, is defeated and destroyed. Verses 14-16 are similar to Obadiah 1:1-4, and in our parse of Obadiah [3] we have categorized the passage in Obadiah as belonging to Period 3. Verses 19-20 are similar to Jer. 50:44-45, and in our parse of Jeremiah 50-51 [4], we have categorized these verses as belonging to Period 3.

vs 21-22 belongs to Period 1. Edom is defeated by the Babylonians. Note that although vs 21 is similar to Jer. 50:46 and categorized as Period 3 in our parse of Jeremiah 50-51 [4], the effect of Edom's fall here only extends to the Red Sea and not the whole world as in Jer. 50:46.

Original text

We color-code the chiastic units of the original text (NIV) below for easy visual identification using: red for Period 1, blue for Period 2 and green for Period 3. We have retranslated parts of the text.

Jeremiah 49:7b-22 7b “Is there no longer wisdom in Teman? Has counsel perished from the prudent? Has their wisdom decayed? 8 Turn and flee, hide in deep caves, you who live in Dedan, for I will bring disaster on Esau at the time when I punish him.
9 If grape pickers came to you, would they not leave a few grapes? If thieves came during the night, would they not steal only as much as they wanted? 10 But I will strip Esau bare; I will uncover his hiding places, so that he cannot conceal himself. His children are destroyed, and his brothers, and his neighbors;[a] there is no one to say, 11 ‘Leave your fatherless children; I will keep them alive. Your widows too can depend on me.’”
12 This is what the Lord says: “If those who are not meant [b] to drink the cup must drink it, why should you go unpunished? You will not go unpunished, but must drink it. 13 I swear by myself,” declares the Lord, “that Bozrah will become a ruin and a curse, an object of horror and reproach; and all its towns will be in ruins forever.”
14 I have heard a message from the Lord; an envoy was sent to the nations to say, “Assemble yourselves to attack it! Rise up for battle!”
15 “Now I will make you small among the nations, despised by mankind. 16 The terror you inspire and the pride of your heart have deceived you, you who live in the clefts of the rocks, who occupy the heights of the hill. Though you build your nest as high as the eagle’s, from there I will bring you down,” declares the Lord. 17 “Edom will become an object of horror; all who pass by will be appalled and will scoff because of all its wounds. 18 As Sodom and Gomorrah were overthrown, along with their neighboring towns,” says the Lord, “so no one will live there; no people will dwell in it.
19 Behold, he will come up, like a lion from the thickets of the Jordan, to the seat of world power when I abruptly chase the wicked away from it. Who is the chosen one I will appoint over it? Who is like me? Who will appoint me the time? And who is that shepherd that will stand before me?” [c]
20 Therefore, hear what the Lord has planned against Edom, what he has purposed against those who live in Teman: Surely they will be dragged away, even the least of the flock; their pasture will be emptied of them.[d]
21 At the sound of their fall the land [e] will tremble; their cry will resound to the Red Sea. 22 Look! An eagle will soar and swoop down, spreading its wings over Bozrah. In that day the hearts of Edom’s warriors will be like the heart of a woman in labor.

Retranslation notes for Jeremiah 49:7-22
[a] vs 10 "His children are destroyed, and his brothers, and his neighbors;" instead of "His armed men are destroyed, also his allies and neighbors, so".
[b] vs 12 "are not meant" instead of "do not deserve".
[c] vs 19 "Behold, he will come up, like a lion from the thickets of the Jordan, to the seat of world power when I abruptly chase the wicked away from it. Who is the chosen one I will appoint over it? Who is like me? Who will appoint me the time? And who is that shepherd that will stand before me?" instead of "Like a lion coming up from Jordan’s thickets to a rich pastureland,I will chase Edom from its land in an instant. Who is the chosen one I will appoint for this? Who is like me and who can challenge me? And what shepherd can stand against me?”.
[d] vs 20 "Surely they will be dragged away, even the least of the flock; their pasture will be emptied of them" instead of "The young of the flock will be dragged away; their pasture will be appalled at their fate". Based on the NASB and Septuagint.
[e] vs 21 "land" instead of "earth".

3. Building the reconfigured text

From this parse, it appears that Jeremiah 49:7-22 forms a cryptochiasmus as below:

A1   vs 7b-8 Period 1. Edom is devastated by the Babylonians
  B1   vs 9-11 Period 3. Modern 'Edom' is destroyed
    X   vs 12-13 Period 2. Idumea is destroyed during the First Jewish-Roman war
  B2   vs 14-20 Period 3. Satan's kingdom, 'Edom', is defeated
A2   vs 21-22 Period 1. Edom is defeated by Nabonidus

We now reconfigure the passages in the right order based on the chiastic structure above and based on the ordering rules of a cryptochiasmus [1].

We lead with central pivot point 'X'. The corresponding subunits (for example, subunit A1 corresponds to A2) are placed contiguously to form units (for example, A1,A2 is a unit) so that we get a list of such units.

The sequence selected for rearrangement is:

X  [A1,A2]  [B1,B2]        (1)

Translating (1) into verse numbers, we get:

vs 12-13  [vs 7b-8, vs 21-22]   [vs 9-11, vs 14-20]        (2)

We arrive at the reconfigured passage in the next section by rearranging the verses so they are in sequence (2).

4. Jeremiah 49:7-22 Reconfigured

Idumea is Destroyed during The First Jewish–Roman War (66AD–73AD) (vs 12-13)



Edom is defeated by the Babylonians (c. 553BC) (vs 7b-8, vs 21-22)



Satan's Empires ("Edom") are Destroyed at the Start of Christ's reign over the earth (2030AD) (vs 9-11, vs 14-20)

Chiasmus 1: The wicked of Satan's Kingdoms, "Babylon" and the Beast, are destroyed by the righteous (vs 9-11,14-17)


Chiasmus 2: The coming Messiah takes over as leader of the world (vs 18-20)

5. A Commentary on the Reconfigured Text

5.0 Introductory Statement (vs 7a)

Chapter 49 7a Concerning Edom:
This is what the Lord Almighty says:

This passage introduces the prophecy in the cryptochiasmus. The three Periods of this chiasmus are regarding three different "Edoms": Period 1 is about ancient Edom at the time of the prophecy; Period 2 about Idumea (the Greek name for Edom), which had come under Judea's control; and Period 3 is regarding modern "Edom", another name for the people of Satan's empires, "Babylon" and the Beast. ( Note that there is close correspondence between some of the passages of this prophecy and those in Obadiah [3].)

We propose that Jeremiah made this prophecy some time after the Babylonian attacks on Jerusalem (c 587BC), towards the end of his ministry (Edom is punished in Period 1 for its actions against Jerusalem during and after the Babylonian attack on the city c. 587BC).

5.1 Idumea is Destroyed during The First Jewish–Roman War (66AD–73AD) (vs 12-13)

This Period is arranged in the form of a single-unit chiasmus:

A1 vs 12a Idumea is destroyed by the Romans
    X vs 12b The Judahites are punished by the Romans
A2 vs 13 Idumea is destroyed by the Romans

Subunit A1: Idumea is destroyed by the Romans (vs 12a)

12a This is what the Lord says: “If those who are not meant to drink the cup must drink it, why should you go unpunished?

The Idumeans had been conquered by the Judahites under the Hasmonean leader John Hyrcanus I (110BC), and Idumea had become a part of Judea. So when the Romans devastated Judea, they also destroyed Idumea and killed all the people in it (see Obadiah 1:10). The Judahites are "the ones who are not meant to drink of the cup (of God's wrath)", for, as the chosen people, they should have received God's blessings and not faced His punishment.

Pivot X: The Judahites are punished by the Romans (vs 12b)

12b You will not go unpunished, but must drink it.

We propose that this pivot is a parenthetical passage that is addressed to the Judahites. The majority of the Judahites were punished in this war for their wickedness and for rejecting Christ. (See details on the First Jewish-Roman War in our parse of Daniel 9 [2].)

Subunit A2: Idumea is destroyed by the Romans (vs 13)

13 I swear by myself,” declares the Lord, “that Bozrah will become a ruin and a curse, an object of horror and reproach; and all its towns will be in ruins forever.”

By the time of this First Jewish-Roman war, the Idumeans had converted to Judaism, and so God treated them like the Judahites and destroyed all the Idumeans who did not turn to Christ.

After this assault by the Romans, the Idumeans no longer existed as a distinct people (see also Isaiah 34:6-10, Jeremiah 14:13). But the Idumeans who believed in Jesus (see Mark 3:8) escaped this massacre (Matt. 24:15-16) and joined the community of Christian Judahites; so the two sometimes-hostile "brother nations" were united as one people under Christ.

5.2 Edom is defeated by the Babylonians (c. 553BC) (vs 7b-8, vs 21-22)

This Period is arranged in the form of a single-unit chiasmus:

A1 vs 7b-8 God sends the Babylonians to punish Edom
    X vs 21 Edom is conquered
A2 vs 22 God sends the Babylonians to punish Edom

We propose that this chiasmus is read in the sequence: [A1,A2],[X].

Subunit A1: God sends the Babylonians to punish Edom (vs 7b-8)

7b “Is there no longer wisdom in Teman? Has counsel perished from the prudent? Has their wisdom decayed?

Teman was an important city in Edom, known for its wisdom (see Baruch 3:22,23, see also Obadiah 1:8-9), but the "wise" men of Teman have led the Edomites into the foolish actions that attracted God's wrath. The Edomites were punished because they gloated over the defeat of Judea, and even participated in the plunder and slaughter of the Judahites when Nebuchadnezzar conquered Jerusalem (c. 587BC), as detailed in Obadiah 1:11-14 [3] (see also Psalms 137:7, 1 Esdras 4:45). The Edomites had also invaded and settled in the northern Negev in the territory of Judah a few years later, an act that was obviously imprudent, since Judea was a territory of the mighty Babylonians at the time.

8 Turn and flee, hide in deep caves, you who live in Dedan, for I will bring disaster on Esau at the time when I punish him.

We can infer from Ezekiel 25:13 that the Edomites of the time controlled land to their south in Arabia, up to the oasis town of Dedan. The Dedanites (an Arab tribe known for their trading - Gen 25:3, Ezekiel 27:20) are urged to flee and hide so that they do not share in Edom's punishment. The Babylonian king Nabonidus invaded all of Edom c. 553BC; he stayed for a few years in self-imposed exile in the oasis town of Tema/Tayma, close to Dedan (see Isaiah 21:13,14).

Pivot X: Edom is conquered (vs 21)

21 At the sound of their fall the land will tremble; their cry will resound to the Red Sea.

The Edomite defeat affects all of the land, even up to its farthest western borders at the Red Sea - Elath, on the Red Sea, was Edom's sea port (see 1 Kings 9:26, 2 Kings 16:6).

This defeat is considered the beginning of the end of Edom (see Malachi 1:3-4): they were forced to move west from their land to the south of Judea by the Nabateans (by the 2nd century), incorporated into the Jewish nation by the Maccabees (c. 125BC), and were no longer a nation after a Roman slaughter in Period 2 (c 70AD).

Subunit A2: God sends the Babylonians to punish Edom (vs 22)

This passage continues from the corresponding Subunit A1 above.

22 Look! An eagle will soar and swoop down, spreading its wings over Bozrah. In that day the hearts of Edom’s warriors will be like the heart of a woman in labor.

The Babylonians under Nabonidus invaded Edom (c. 553BC) with the speed and strength of an eagle (Bozrah, the capital, synecdochically represents Edom) (cf. Jer. 48:40). At that time, Edom's warriors were weak and fearful like pregnant women (cf. Jer. 48:41).

5.3 Satan's Empires ("Edom") are Destroyed at the Start of Christ's reign over the earth (2030AD) (vs 9-11, vs 14-20)

The wicked people of Satan's Kingdoms ('Babylon' and the Beast) are called 'Edom'/'Esau' in this and a few other other prophecies (for ex., see Obadiah), but in what sense does 'Edom'/'Esau' represent them? It may be that: just as Esau, the father of the Edomites, sold his birthright for a meal (Gen. 25:29-34), Satan's worshippers, those who are a part of 'Babylon' and the Beast, have sold their souls and their inheritance in Christ's eternal kingdom for relatively trifling temporal benefits (see 1 Tim. 6:10, Heb. 12:16,17).

This Period is structured as a series of 2 chiasmi.

Chiasmus 1: The wicked of Satan's Kingdoms, "Babylon" and the Beast, are destroyed by the righteous (vs 9-11,14-17)

A1 vs 9-11 The wicked of "Babylon" and the Beast empire are destroyed
    X vs 14 God incites the righteous of the world to rise up against the wicked
A2 vs 15-17 The wicked of "Babylon" and the Beast empire are destroyed

We propose that this chiasmus is read in the sequence: [X], [A1,A2]. Note that this chiasmus is similar to Chiasmus 1 in Period 3 of Obadiah, but with the Pivot and Subunits interchanged.

Subunit A1: The wicked of "Babylon" and the Beast empire are destroyed (vs 9-11)

9 If grape pickers came to you, would they not leave a few grapes? If thieves came during the night, would they not steal only as much as they wanted? 10a But I will strip Esau bare; I will uncover his hiding places, so that he cannot conceal himself.

Addressing the people of "Esau" (the wicked of "Babylon" and the Beast), God predicts that they will be ransacked. Grape pickers leave gleanings, thieves do not usually steal everything, but 'Esau' will be thoroughly looted and destroyed. All its many hiding places, both for its powerful people and for its immense riches, will be discovered (see also Obadiah 1:5,6 in [3]).

10b His children are destroyed, and his brothers, and his neighbors; there is no one to say, 11 ‘Leave your fatherless children; I will keep them alive. Your widows too can depend on me.’”

The empires of "Esau" have a complex web of subsidiaries ("children") and allied organizations ("brothers, neighbors, widows"), all of which will be dismantled (see Rev 18:9-19). These organizations cannot survive, now that "Esau" is destroyed.

Pivot X: God incites the righteous of the world to rise up against the wicked (vs 14)

14a I have heard a message from the Lord; an envoy was sent to the nations to say, 14b “Assemble yourselves to attack it! Rise up for battle!”

God sends a message to the righteous around the world that they must rise up and attack the wicked of "Babylon" and the Beast empire (see also Obadiah 1:1 Isaiah 13:2-5, Jer. 50:42-43).

Subunit A2: The wicked of "Babylon" and the Beast empire are destroyed (vs 15-17)

15 “Now I will make you small among the nations, despised by mankind. 16 The terror you inspire and the pride of your heart have deceived you, you who live in the clefts of the rocks, who occupy the heights of the hill. Though you build your nest as high as the eagle’s, from there I will bring you down,” declares the Lord. 17 “Edom will become an object of horror; all who pass by will be appalled and will scoff because of all its wounds.

Addressing the people of "Esau" (in 49:15-16), God predicts that they will be defeated and despised ("small among the nations"). The people of "Esau" have enjoyed great security, power and wealth ("you who live in the clefts of the rocks...") through their association with Satan, and this has made them proud and arrogant (see Rev 13:5-7). But God will bring them down to the dust from their "nests as high as the eagle’s" (see also Obadiah 1:2-4 in [3], see Ezekiel 39). The people of earth will be appalled at the great "wounds" sustained by the kingdom of "Esau".

Chiasmus 2: The coming Messiah takes over as leader of the world (vs 18-20)

A1 vs 18 "Esau" is destroyed
    X vs 19 The coming Messiah assumes leadership over the world
A2 vs 20 "Esau" is destroyed

Subunit A1: "Esau" is destroyed (vs 18)

18 As Sodom and Gomorrah were overthrown, along with their neighboring towns,” says the Lord, “so no one will live there; no people will dwell in it.

The people of "Esau" (note that "Esau" is a worldwide empire and not a city or country) are as evil as Sodom, Gomorrah and its neighbouring towns (see also Isaiah 13:19, see Deut. 29:23), and so "Esau" will be utterly destroyed forever like those ancient cities (see Rev 18).

Pivot X: The coming Messiah assumes leadership over the world (vs 19)

19a Behold, he will come up, like a lion from the thickets of the Jordan, to the seat of world power when I abruptly chase the wicked away from it.

While God uses His army to rapidly remove the wicked "Edomites" from the seat of power over the world, the coming Messiah, the Lion of Judah, will take over as ruler of the world with the strength and speed of a lion (a verse similar to 49:19 can be found in Jer. 50:44).

19b Who is the chosen one I will appoint over it? Who is like me? Who will appoint me the time? And who is that shepherd that will stand before me?

The four rhetorical questions of this passage indicate that the coming Messiah will reign over the world on behalf of God and Christ:

• Who is the chosen one I will appoint over it? God will appoint the Messiah as the ruler of the world, as the King of kings (see Revelation 19:16). The very word "messiah" or "anointed one" implies a selection by God, for only the chosen one is anointed.
• Who is like me? The Messiah will faithfully do as God orders him, and in this sense he will be like God. The coming Messiah will be the Archangel Michael incarnate, and the name Micha-el means "Who is like God?"
• Who will appoint me the time? The Messiah will spend time with God to take leadership instructions from Him (see Isaiah 11:2).
• Who is that shepherd that will stand before me? Michael has been a shepherd or prince from the spiritual realm for millennia, especially to the Israelites (see Dan. 10:21). Now he will be a shepherd to Israel and the world on behalf of God from the physical realm.

Subunit A2: "Esau" is destroyed (vs 20)

20 Therefore, hear what the Lord has planned against Edom, what he has purposed against those who live in Teman: Surely they will be dragged away, even the least of the flock; their pasture will be emptied of them.

The army that God raises against "Edom/Esau" will drag away the people of "Esau" from their positions of power around the world (the seats of power are "pasture" in which the "flock" of 'Edom' fed). 'Teman', in this Period, synecdochically represents "Edom".

( This passage, Jeremiah 49:19-20, which is regarding 'Edom', is similar to Jer. 50:44-45 regarding 'Babylon', serving to support our position that, for prophecy regarding this Period, 'Edom' is another name for Satan's kingdoms - see also our parse of Obadiah [3].)

Conclusion

With this chiastic reconfiguration of the text, we have shown that Jeremiah 49:7-22 contains prophecies on three distinct Periods. The fall of ancient Edom, which was hostile to God's chosen, seems to be a type of the fall of Satan's kingdoms at the start of the Millennial Reign.

References

[1] A Definition of Cryptochiasmus
[2] A Chiastic Reconfiguration Of "The 70 Weeks Of Daniel"
[3] A Chiastic Reconfiguration Of Obadiah
[4] A Chiastic Reconfiguration Of Jeremiah 50-51
[5] A Commentary on Ezekiel 39





* First version published on 15 December 2021.