(ז) לֶאֱד֗וֹם כֹּ֤ה אָמַר֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה צְבָא֔וֹת הַאֵ֥ין ע֛וֹד חׇכְמָ֖ה בְּתֵימָ֑ן אָבְדָ֤ה עֵצָה֙ מִבָּנִ֔ים נִסְרְחָ֖ה חׇכְמָתָֽם׃ (ח) נֻ֤סוּ הׇפְנוּ֙ הֶעְמִ֣יקוּ לָשֶׁ֔בֶת יֹשְׁבֵ֖י דְּדָ֑ן כִּ֣י אֵ֥יד עֵשָׂ֛ו הֵבֵ֥אתִי עָלָ֖יו עֵ֥ת פְּקַדְתִּֽיו׃ (ט) אִם־בֹּֽצְרִים֙ בָּ֣אוּ לָ֔ךְ לֹ֥א יַשְׁאִ֖רוּ עוֹלֵל֑וֹת אִם־גַּנָּבִ֥ים בַּלַּ֖יְלָה הִשְׁחִ֥יתוּ דַיָּֽם׃ (י) כִּֽי־אֲנִ֞י חָשַׂ֣פְתִּי אֶת־עֵשָׂ֗ו גִּלֵּ֙יתִי֙ אֶת־מִסְתָּרָ֔יו וְנֶחְבָּ֖ה לֹ֣א יוּכָ֑ל שֻׁדַּ֥ד זַרְע֛וֹ וְאֶחָ֥יו וּשְׁכֵנָ֖יו וְאֵינֶֽנּוּ׃ (יא) עׇזְבָ֥ה יְתֹמֶ֖יךָ אֲנִ֣י אֲחַיֶּ֑ה וְאַלְמְנוֹתֶ֖יךָ עָלַ֥י תִּבְטָֽחוּ׃ {ס} (יב) כִּי־כֹ֣ה ׀ אָמַ֣ר יְהֹוָ֗ה הִ֠נֵּ֠ה אֲשֶׁר־אֵ֨ין מִשְׁפָּטָ֜ם לִשְׁתּ֤וֹת הַכּוֹס֙ שָׁת֣וֹ יִשְׁתּ֔וּ וְאַתָּ֣ה ה֔וּא נָקֹ֖ה תִּנָּקֶ֑ה לֹ֣א תִנָּקֶ֔ה כִּ֥י שָׁתֹ֖ה תִּשְׁתֶּֽה׃ (יג) כִּ֣י בִ֤י נִשְׁבַּ֙עְתִּי֙ נְאֻם־יְהֹוָ֔ה כִּֽי־לְשַׁמָּ֧ה לְחֶרְפָּ֛ה לְחֹ֥רֶב וְלִקְלָלָ֖ה תִּהְיֶ֣ה בׇצְרָ֑ה וְכׇל־עָרֶ֥יהָ תִהְיֶ֖ינָה לְחׇרְב֥וֹת עוֹלָֽם׃ (יד) שְׁמוּעָ֤ה שָׁמַ֙עְתִּי֙ מֵאֵ֣ת יְהֹוָ֔ה וְצִ֖יר בַּגּוֹיִ֣ם שָׁל֑וּחַ הִֽתְקַבְּצוּ֙ וּבֹ֣אוּ עָלֶ֔יהָ וְק֖וּמוּ לַמִּלְחָמָֽה׃ (טו) כִּֽי־הִנֵּ֥ה קָטֹ֛ן נְתַתִּ֖יךָ בַּגּוֹיִ֑ם בָּז֖וּי בָּאָדָֽם׃ (טז) תִּֽפְלַצְתְּךָ֞ הִשִּׁ֤יא אֹתָךְ֙ זְד֣וֹן לִבֶּ֔ךָ שֹֽׁכְנִי֙ בְּחַגְוֵ֣י הַסֶּ֔לַע תֹּֽפְשִׂ֖י מְר֣וֹם גִּבְעָ֑ה כִּֽי־תַגְבִּ֤יהַּ כַּנֶּ֙שֶׁר֙ קִנֶּ֔ךָ מִשָּׁ֥ם אוֹרִֽידְךָ֖ נְאֻם־יְהֹוָֽה׃ (יז) וְהָיְתָ֥ה אֱד֖וֹם לְשַׁמָּ֑ה כֹּ֚ל עֹבֵ֣ר עָלֶ֔יהָ יִשֹּׁ֥ם וְיִשְׁרֹ֖ק עַל־כׇּל־מַכּוֹתֶֽהָ׃ (יח) כְּֽמַהְפֵּכַ֞ת סְדֹ֧ם וַעֲמֹרָ֛ה וּשְׁכֵנֶ֖יהָ אָמַ֣ר יְהֹוָ֑ה לֹא־יֵשֵׁ֥ב שָׁם֙ אִ֔ישׁ וְלֹא־יָג֥וּר בָּ֖הּ בֶּן־אָדָֽם׃ (יט) הִ֠נֵּ֠ה כְּאַרְיֵ֞ה יַעֲלֶ֨ה מִגְּא֣וֹן הַיַּרְדֵּן֮ אֶל־נְוֵ֣ה אֵיתָן֒ כִּֽי־אַרְגִּ֤יעָה אֲרִיצֶ֙נּוּ֙ מֵעָלֶ֔יהָ וּמִ֥י בָח֖וּר אֵלֶ֣יהָ אֶפְקֹ֑ד כִּ֣י מִ֤י כָמ֙וֹנִי֙ וּמִ֣י יֹעִידֶ֔נִּי וּמִי־זֶ֣ה רֹעֶ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר יַעֲמֹ֖ד לְפָנָֽי׃ {ס} (כ) לָכֵ֞ן שִׁמְע֣וּ עֲצַת־יְהֹוָ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֤ר יָעַץ֙ אֶל־אֱד֔וֹם וּמַ֨חְשְׁבוֹתָ֔יו אֲשֶׁ֥ר חָשַׁ֖ב אֶל־יֹשְׁבֵ֣י תֵימָ֑ן אִם־ל֤וֹא יִסְחָבוּם֙ צְעִירֵ֣י הַצֹּ֔אן אִם־לֹ֥א יַשִּׁ֛ים עֲלֵיהֶ֖ם נְוֵהֶֽם׃ (כא) מִקּ֣וֹל נִפְלָ֔ם רָעֲשָׁ֖ה הָאָ֑רֶץ צְעָקָ֕ה בְּיַם־ס֖וּף נִשְׁמַ֥ע קוֹלָֽהּ׃ (כב) הִנֵּ֤ה כַנֶּ֙שֶׁר֙ יַעֲלֶ֣ה וְיִדְאֶ֔ה וְיִפְרֹ֥שׂ כְּנָפָ֖יו עַל־בׇּצְרָ֑ה וְֽ֠הָיָ֠ה לֵ֞ב גִּבּוֹרֵ֤י אֱדוֹם֙ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֔וּא כְּלֵ֖ב אִשָּׁ֥ה מְצֵרָֽה׃ {פ}
(כג) לְדַמֶּ֗שֶׂק בּ֤וֹשָֽׁה חֲמָת֙ וְאַרְפָּ֔ד כִּֽי־שְׁמֻעָ֥ה רָעָ֛ה שָׁמְע֖וּ נָמֹ֑גוּ בַּיָּ֣ם דְּאָגָ֔ה הַשְׁקֵ֖ט לֹ֥א יוּכָֽל׃ (כד) רָפְתָ֥ה דַמֶּ֛שֶׂק הִפְנְתָ֥ה לָנ֖וּס וְרֶ֣טֶט ׀ הֶחֱזִ֑יקָה צָרָ֧ה וַחֲבָלִ֛ים אֲחָזַ֖תָּה כַּיּוֹלֵדָֽה׃ (כה) אֵ֥יךְ לֹֽא־עֻזְּבָ֖ה עִ֣יר (תהלה) [תְּהִלָּ֑ת] קִרְיַ֖ת מְשׂוֹשִֽׂי׃ (כו) לָכֵ֛ן יִפְּל֥וּ בַחוּרֶ֖יהָ בִּרְחֹבֹתֶ֑יהָ וְכׇל־אַנְשֵׁ֨י הַמִּלְחָמָ֤ה יִדַּ֙מּוּ֙ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֔וּא נְאֻ֖ם יְהֹוָ֥ה צְבָאֽוֹת׃ (כז) וְהִצַּ֥תִּי אֵ֖שׁ בְּחוֹמַ֣ת דַּמָּ֑שֶׂק וְאָכְלָ֖ה אַרְמְנ֥וֹת בֶּן־הֲדָֽד׃ {פ}
(כח) לְקֵדָ֣ר ׀ וּֽלְמַמְלְכ֣וֹת חָצ֗וֹר אֲשֶׁ֤ר הִכָּה֙ (נבוכדראצור) [נְבוּכַדְרֶאצַּ֣ר] מֶלֶךְ־בָּבֶ֔ל כֹּ֖ה אָמַ֣ר יְהֹוָ֑ה ק֚וּמוּ עֲל֣וּ אֶל־קֵדָ֔ר וְשָׁדְד֖וּ אֶת־בְּנֵי־קֶֽדֶם׃ (כט) אׇהֳלֵיהֶ֤ם וְצֹאנָם֙ יִקָּ֔חוּ יְרִיעוֹתֵיהֶ֧ם וְכׇל־כְּלֵיהֶ֛ם וּגְמַלֵּיהֶ֖ם יִשְׂא֣וּ לָהֶ֑ם וְקָרְא֧וּ עֲלֵיהֶ֛ם מָג֖וֹר מִסָּבִֽיב׃ (ל) נֻ֩סוּ֩ נֻּ֨דוּ מְאֹ֜ד הֶעְמִ֧יקוּ לָשֶׁ֛בֶת יֹשְׁבֵ֥י חָצ֖וֹר נְאֻם־יְהֹוָ֑ה כִּֽי־יָעַ֨ץ עֲלֵיכֶ֜ם נְבוּכַדְרֶאצַּ֤ר מֶלֶךְ־בָּבֶל֙ עֵצָ֔ה וְחָשַׁ֥ב (עליהם) [עֲלֵיכֶ֖ם] מַחֲשָׁבָֽה׃ (לא) ק֣וּמֽוּ עֲל֗וּ אֶל־גּ֥וֹי שְׁלֵ֛יו יוֹשֵׁ֥ב לָבֶ֖טַח נְאֻם־יְהֹוָ֑ה לֹא־דְלָתַ֧יִם וְלֹֽא־בְרִ֛יחַ ל֖וֹ בָּדָ֥ד יִשְׁכֹּֽנוּ׃ (לב) וְהָי֨וּ גְמַלֵּיהֶ֜ם לָבַ֗ז וַהֲמ֤וֹן מִקְנֵיהֶם֙ לְשָׁלָ֔ל וְזֵרִתִ֥ים לְכׇל־ר֖וּחַ קְצוּצֵ֣י פֵאָ֑ה וּמִכׇּל־עֲבָרָ֛יו אָבִ֥יא אֶת־אֵידָ֖ם נְאֻם־יְהֹוָֽה׃ (לג) וְהָיְתָ֨ה חָצ֜וֹר לִמְע֥וֹן תַּנִּ֛ים שְׁמָמָ֖ה עַד־עוֹלָ֑ם לֹא־יֵשֵׁ֥ב שָׁם֙ אִ֔ישׁ וְלֹא־יָג֥וּר בָּ֖הּ בֶּן־אָדָֽם׃ {ס} (לד) אֲשֶׁ֨ר הָיָ֧ה דְבַר־יְהֹוָ֛ה אֶל־יִרְמְיָ֥הוּ הַנָּבִ֖יא אֶל־עֵילָ֑ם בְּרֵאשִׁ֗ית מַלְכ֛וּת צִדְקִיָּ֥ה מֶלֶךְ־יְהוּדָ֖ה לֵאמֹֽר׃ (לה) כֹּ֤ה אָמַר֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה צְבָא֔וֹת הִנְנִ֥י שֹׁבֵ֖ר אֶת־קֶ֣שֶׁת עֵילָ֑ם רֵאשִׁ֖ית גְּבוּרָתָֽם׃ (לו) וְהֵבֵאתִ֨י אֶל־עֵילָ֜ם אַרְבַּ֣ע רוּח֗וֹת מֵֽאַרְבַּע֙ קְצ֣וֹת הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וְזֵ֣רִתִ֔ים לְכֹ֖ל הָרֻח֣וֹת הָאֵ֑לֶּה וְלֹא־יִהְיֶ֣ה הַגּ֔וֹי אֲשֶׁ֛ר לֹא־יָב֥וֹא שָׁ֖ם נִדְּחֵ֥י (עולם) [עֵילָֽם]׃ (לז) וְהַחְתַּתִּ֣י אֶת־עֵ֠ילָ֠ם לִפְנֵ֨י אֹיְבֵיהֶ֜ם וְלִפְנֵ֣י ׀ מְבַקְשֵׁ֣י נַפְשָׁ֗ם וְהֵבֵאתִ֨י עֲלֵיהֶ֧ם ׀ רָעָ֛ה אֶת־חֲר֥וֹן אַפִּ֖י נְאֻם־יְהֹוָ֑ה וְשִׁלַּחְתִּ֤י אַֽחֲרֵיהֶם֙ אֶת־הַחֶ֔רֶב עַ֥ד כַּלּוֹתִ֖י אוֹתָֽם׃ (לח) וְשַׂמְתִּ֥י כִסְאִ֖י בְּעֵילָ֑ם וְהַאֲבַדְתִּ֥י מִשָּׁ֛ם מֶ֥לֶךְ וְשָׂרִ֖ים נְאֻם־יְהֹוָֽה׃ (לט) וְהָיָ֣ה ׀ בְּאַחֲרִ֣ית הַיָּמִ֗ים (אשוב) [אָשִׁ֛יב] אֶת־[שְׁב֥וּת] (שבית) עֵילָ֖ם נְאֻם־יְהֹוָֽה׃ {פ}
(1) Concerning the Ammonites.
Thus said GOD:
Has Israel no sons,
Has he no heir?
Then why has MilcomaMilcom The name of the Ammonite deity; vocalized Malcam here and in v. 3. dispossessed Gad,
And why have his people settled in Gad’sbGad’s Heb. “his.” towns? (2) Assuredly, days are coming
—declares GOD —
When I will sound the alarm of war
Against Rabbah of the Ammonites;
It shall become a desolate mound,
And its villages shall be set on fire.
And Israel shall dispossess
Those who dispossessed him
—said GOD. (3) Howl, O Heshbon, for Ai is ravaged!
Cry out, O daughters of Rabbah!
Gird on sackcloth, lament,
And run to and fro in the sheepfolds.cAnd run to and fro in the sheepfolds Meaning of Heb. uncertain.
For Milcom shall go into exile,
Together with his priests and attendants. (4) Why do you glory in strength,
Your strength is drained,dWhy … drained Meaning of Heb. uncertain; for “strength” cf. Akkadian emuqu.
O rebellious daughter,
You who relied on your treasures,
[Who said:] Who dares attack me? (5) I am bringing terror upon you
—declares my Sovereign GOD of Hosts—
From all those around you.
Every one of you shall be driven in every direction,ein every direction Lit. “straight ahead.”
And none shall gather in the fugitives.
(6) But afterward I will restore the fortunes of the Ammonites—declares GOD. (7) Concerning Edom.
Thus said GOD of Hosts:
Is there no more wisdom in Teman?
Has counsel vanished from the prudent?
Has their wisdom gone stale? (8) Flee, turn away, sit down low,
O inhabitants of Dedan,
For I am bringing Esau’s doom upon him,
The time when I deal with him. (9) If vintagers were to come upon you,
Would they leave no gleanings?
Even thieves in the night
Would destroy only for their needs!fIf vintagers were to come upon you, / Would they leave no gleanings? / Even thieves in the night / Would destroy only for their needs! Cf. Obad. 1.5: “If thieves were to come to you, / Marauders by night, / They would steal no more than they needed. / If vintagers came to you, / They would surely leave some gleanings.” (10) But it is I who have bared Esau,
Have exposed his place of concealment;
He cannot hide.
His offspring is ravaged,
His kin and his neighbors—
He is no more.gHe is no more Some Septuagint mss. read “And there is none to say.” (11) “Leave your orphans with me,
I will rear them;
Let your widows rely on me!”
(12) For thus said GOD: If they who rightly should not drink of the cup must drink it, are you the one to go unpunished? You shall not go unpunished: you will have to drink! (13) For by Myself I swear—declares GOD —Bozrah shall become a desolation, a mockery, a ruin, and a curse;ha curse Cf. note at 24.9 and 42.18. and all its towns shall be ruins for all time. (14) I have received tidings from GOD,
And an envoy is sent out among the nations:
Assemble, and move against her,
And rise up for war! (15) For I will make you least among nations,
Most despised among humankind. (16) Your horrible nature,iYour horrible nature Meaning of Heb. uncertain.
Your arrogant heart has seduced you,
You who dwell in clefts of the rock,
Who occupy the height of the hill!
Should you nest as high as the eagle,
From there I will pull you down
—declares GOD. (17) And Edom shall be a cause of appallment; whoever passes by will be appalled and will hissjhiss Cf. note at 18.16. at all its wounds. (18) It shall be like the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah and their neighbors—said GOD: nobody shall live there, no human shall sojourn there. (19) It shall be as when a lion comes up out of the jungle of the Jordan against a secure pasture: in a moment I can harry him out of it and appoint over it anyone I choose.kI can harry him out of it and appoint over it anyone I choose Emendation yields “he can harry them [i.e., the sheep] out of it; and what champion could one place in charge of them?” Then who is like Me? Who can summon Me? Who is the shepherd that can stand up against Me? (20) Hear, then, the plan that GOD has devised against Edom, and what has been purposed against the inhabitants of Teman:
Surely the shepherd boys
Shall drag them away;
Surely the pasture shall be
Aghast because of them. (21) At the sound of their downfall
The earth shall shake;
The sound of screaming
Shall be heard at the Sea of Reeds. (22) See, like an eagle he flies up,
He soars and spreads his wings against Bozrah;
And the heart of Edom’s warriors in that day
Shall be like the heart of a woman in travail. (23) Concerning Damascus.
Hamath and Arpad are shamed,
For they have heard bad news.
They shake with anxiety,
LikelLike So a few mss. Most mss. and editions read “In.” the sea that cannot rest. (24) Damascus has grown weak,
She has turned around to flee;
Trembling has seized her,
Pain and anguish have taken hold of her,
Like a woman in childbirth. (25) How has the glorious city not been deserted,mHow has the glorious city not been deserted Emendation yields “How has the glorious city been deserted”; so Vulgate.
The citadel of my joy! (26) Assuredly, her young men shall lie fallen in her squares.
And all her warriors shall be stilled in that day
—declares GOD of Hosts. (27) I will set fire to the wall of Damascus,
And it shall consume the fortresses of Ben-hadad. (28) Concerning Kedar and the kingdoms of Hazor, which King Nebuchadrezzar of Babylon conquered.
Thus said GOD:
Arise, march against Kedar,
And ravage the Kedemites! (29) They will take away their tents and their flocks,
Their tent cloths and all their gear;
They shall carry off their camels,
And shall proclaim against them:
Terror all around! (30) Flee, wander far,
Sit down low, O inhabitants of Hazor
—says GOD.
For King Nebuchadrezzar of Babylon
Has devised a plan against you
And formed a purpose against you: (31) Rise up, attack a tranquil nation
That dwells secure
—says GOD —
That has no barred gates,
That dwells alone. (32) Their camels shall become booty,
And their abundant flocks a spoil;
And I will scatter to every quarter
Those who have their hair clipped;
And from every direction I will bring
Disaster upon them
—says GOD. (33) Hazor shall become a lair of jackals,
A desolation for all time.
No one shall live there,
No human shall sojourn there.
(34) The word of GOD that came to the prophet Jeremiah concerning Elam, at the beginning of the reign of King Zedekiah of Judah: (35) Thus said GOD of Hosts: I am going to break the bow of Elam, the mainstay of their strength. (36) And I shall bring four winds against Elam from the four quarters of heaven, and scatter them to all those winds. There shall not be a nation to which the fugitives from Elam do not come. (37) And I will break Elam before their enemies, before those who seek their lives; and I will bring disaster upon them, My flaming wrath—declares GOD. And I will dispatch the sword after them until I have consumed them. (38) And I will set My throne in Elam,
And wipe out from there king and officials
—says GOD. (39) But in the days to come I will restore the fortunes of Elam—declares GOD.
“See, your abode shall enjoy the fat of the earth
And*enjoy the fat of the earth / And Others “be away from the fat of the earth and from.” the dew of heaven above.
(40) Yet by your sword you shall live,
And you shall serve your brother;
But when you grow restive,
You shall break his yoke from your neck.” (41) Now Esau harbored a grudge against Jacob because of the blessing which his father had given him, and Esau said to himself, “Let but the mourning period of my father come, and I will kill my brother Jacob.” (42) When the words of her older son Esau were reported to Rebekah, she sent for her younger son Jacob and said to him, “Your brother Esau is consoling himself by planning to kill you. (43) Now, my son, listen to me. Flee at once to Haran, to my brother Laban. (44) Stay with him a while, until your brother’s fury subsides— (45) until your brother’s anger against you subsides—and he forgets what you have done to him. Then I will fetch you from there. Let me not lose you both in one day!”
Questions:
- What did Esav feel when he realized Yaakov had received his blessing?
- Why doesn't Esav immediately kill Yaakov?
- Would you describe Esav's response as "wise"? Why or why not?
- Does Esav's behavior seem consistent or inconsistent with some of his earlier actions? Do you think his character changes over time?
- Why does Rivka think she'd lose both sons in one day if Esav acts on his anger?
- Explore Genesis 33 (included below), in which Esav does not kill Yaakov. Has he changed his mind? Are the circumstances different? Do you think he felt the same as he did in Genesis 27?