Jeremiah 49:1-18

YAHWEH says to the Ammonites: “Has Israel no sons? Is there no one to inherit her land? What right did your god Molech have to take the territory of Gad, and the people of Molech to occupy its towns? Therefore, I say to you, The days are coming when I will cause the Ammonites of Rabbah to hear the battle cries of their attackers. I will turn her into a heap of ruins and her surrounding villages will be set on fire. Then Israel will drive out those who drove her out. I, YAHWEH, affirm it! Weep and wail, Heshbon, for Ai has been destroyed! Shriek, women of Rabbah! Put on sackcloth and mourn; run back and forth in confusion! For enemies will lead Molech away and take him captive with all his priests and servants. Why do you glory in your ebbing strength, you rebellious ones? For you trust in your great wealth and say, ‘Who will dare to attack me?’ Look, I will bring terror upon you,” says Lord YAHWEH, Commander of Angel Armies. “Terror will come from every side; everyone will run away, and no one will be there to bring them back together. But I affirm to you, I will one day bring back the captive Ammonites.” YAHWEH, Commander of Angel Armies, says to Edom: “Is there no wise person left in Teman? Have all the advisers run out of common sense? Has all their wisdom vanished? People of Dedan, turn and run! Go into hiding, for I will bring ruin on Esau when my time to punish him has come. People who harvest grapes always leave some for the poor. Thieves who break in at night only take what they want. However, I have taken everything from Esau’s descendants. I have uncovered his hiding places so that he can hide no longer. All the Edomites are ruined, along with their relatives and neighbors, with no one left to say, ‘Leave your orphans, I’ll take care of them; let your widows depend on me!’ ” For YAHWEH says, “Even those nations that don’t deserve to be punished must drink from the cup filled with my anger. So how do you hope to escape? You will not go unpunished but will certainly have to drink from that same cup. For I have sworn by my great name, YAHWEH, that your capital city of Bozrah and all its surrounding villages will become nothing but desert ruins. Bozrah will be a laughingstock, a curse, and an object of horror forever.” I have received a word from YAHWEH. A messenger has been sent to tell the nations: “Assemble your armies for battle and get ready to attack Edom.” “Behold, I will make you the least of nations; all the world will despise you. Your proud heart has deceived you. Your pride rests in thinking everyone is afraid of you. But I, YAHWEH, say to you whose home is in the rocky cliffs, who live high on the mountaintop, though you make your nest as high as the eagle’s, I will topple you from your high place! “I will make Edom an object of horror and astonishment; everyone who passes by it will be appalled and will make insulting remarks because of all its disasters! I, YAHWEH, say to you: As Sodom and Gomorrah and their neighboring towns were destroyed and no one will live there again, not one person will ever settle in Edom again.