Jeremiah 49:17

Authorized King James Version

Also Edom shall be a desolation: every one that goeth by it shall be astonished, and shall hiss at all the plagues thereof.

Word-by-Word Analysis
#1
וְהָיְתָ֥ה
to exist, i.e., be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)
#2
אֱד֖וֹם
Also Edom
edom, the elder twin-brother of jacob; hence the region (idumaea) occupied by him
#3
לְשַׁמָּ֑ה
shall be a desolation
ruin; by implication, consternation
#4
כֹּ֚ל
properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)
#5
עֹבֵ֣ר
every one that goeth
to cross over; used very widely of any transition (literal or figurative; transitive, intransitive, intensive, causative); specifically, to cover (in
#6
עָלֶ֔יהָ
above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications
#7
יִשֹּׁ֥ם
by it shall be astonished
to stun (or intransitively, grow numb), i.e., devastate or (figuratively) stupefy (both usually in a passive sense)
#8
וְיִשְׁרֹ֖ק
and shall hiss
properly, to be shrill, i.e., to whistle or hiss (as a call or in scorn)
#9
עַל
above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications
#10
כָּל
properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)
#11
מַכּוֹתֶֽהָ׃
at all the plagues
a blow (in 2 chronicles 2:10, of the flail); by implication, a wound; figuratively, carnage, also pestilence

Analysis

The salvation theme here intersects with the metanarrative of redemption running from Genesis to Revelation. Biblical theology recognizes this as part of a unified storyline from the promise in Genesis 3:15 to its fulfillment in Christ. The phrase emphasizing divine revelation contributes to our systematic understanding of Christian doctrine and connects to the broader scriptural witness about God's saving work from the Exodus to the cross.

Historical Context

This passage must be understood within the political and social structures of the biblical period. The author writes to address believers seeking to understand God's will and purposes, making the emphasis on salvation particularly relevant. Historical documents from this period show cultural practices and social structures that would have been familiar to the original readers, illuminating the verse's original impact.

Questions for Reflection

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