Jeremiah 49:22
Behold, he shall come up and fly as the eagle, and spread his wings over Bozrah: and at that day shall the heart of the mighty men of Edom be as the heart of a woman in her pangs.
Original Language Analysis
יַעֲלֶ֣ה
Behold he shall come up
H5927
יַעֲלֶ֣ה
Behold he shall come up
Strong's:
H5927
Word #:
3 of 17
to ascend, intransitively (be high) or actively (mount); used in a great variety of senses, primary and secondary, literal and figurative
כְּנָפָ֖יו
his wings
H3671
כְּנָפָ֖יו
his wings
Strong's:
H3671
Word #:
6 of 17
an edge or extremity; specifically (of a bird or army) a wing, (of a garment or bedclothing) a flap, (of the earth) a quarter, (of a building) a pinna
עַל
H5921
עַל
Strong's:
H5921
Word #:
7 of 17
above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications
וְֽ֠הָיָה
H1961
וְֽ֠הָיָה
Strong's:
H1961
Word #:
9 of 17
to exist, i.e., be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)
כְּלֵ֖ב
be as the heart
H3820
כְּלֵ֖ב
be as the heart
Strong's:
H3820
Word #:
10 of 17
the heart; also used (figuratively) very widely for the feelings, the will and even the intellect; likewise for the center of anything
גִּבּוֹרֵ֤י
of the mighty men
H1368
גִּבּוֹרֵ֤י
of the mighty men
Strong's:
H1368
Word #:
11 of 17
powerful; by implication, warrior, tyrant
אֱדוֹם֙
of Edom
H123
אֱדוֹם֙
of Edom
Strong's:
H123
Word #:
12 of 17
edom, the elder twin-brother of jacob; hence the region (idumaea) occupied by him
בַּיּ֣וֹם
and at that day
H3117
בַּיּ֣וֹם
and at that day
Strong's:
H3117
Word #:
13 of 17
a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an asso
הַה֔וּא
H1931
הַה֔וּא
Strong's:
H1931
Word #:
14 of 17
he (she or it); only expressed when emphatic or without a verb; also (intensively) self, or (especially with the article) the same; sometimes (as demo
Cross References
Isaiah 13:8And they shall be afraid: pangs and sorrows shall take hold of them; they shall be in pain as a woman that travaileth: they shall be amazed one at another; their faces shall be as flames.Hosea 8:1Set the trumpet to thy mouth. He shall come as an eagle against the house of the LORD, because they have transgressed my covenant, and trespassed against my law.Jeremiah 30:6Ask ye now, and see whether a man doth travail with child? wherefore do I see every man with his hands on his loins, as a woman in travail, and all faces are turned into paleness?Jeremiah 49:24Damascus is waxed feeble, and turneth herself to flee, and fear hath seized on her: anguish and sorrows have taken her, as a woman in travail.Jeremiah 6:24We have heard the fame thereof: our hands wax feeble: anguish hath taken hold of us, and pain, as of a woman in travail.Jeremiah 4:13Behold, he shall come up as clouds, and his chariots shall be as a whirlwind: his horses are swifter than eagles. Woe unto us! for we are spoiled.Deuteronomy 28:49The LORD shall bring a nation against thee from far, from the end of the earth, as swift as the eagle flieth; a nation whose tongue thou shalt not understand;
Historical Context
Bozrah (modern Buseirah) was Edom's fortified capital, built on a plateau with commanding views. Yet no elevation provides security from God. The eagle was the supreme predator of ancient Near Eastern skies, capable of killing prey larger than itself.
Questions for Reflection
- How do the shifting metaphors (lion, eagle) communicate different aspects of God's judgment?
- What does the 'woman in travail' imagery teach about the inescapability and intensity of divine wrath?
- How should Christians balance proclaiming God's judgments with compassion for those under His wrath?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
Behold, he shall come up and fly as the eagle (כַּנֶּשֶׁר יַעֲלֶה וְיִדְאֶה, kanesher ya'aleh v'yid'eh)—After comparing God to a lion (v. 19), now He is a raptor striking from above. Spread his wings over Bozrah (פֹּרֵשׂ כְּנָפָיו עַל־בָּצְרָה, pores k'nafav al-Botsrah)—this terrifying image depicts a bird of prey mantling its kill. Bozrah, Edom's capital and fortress city, offers no protection from aerial assault.
The heart of the mighty men of Edom be as the heart of a woman in her pangs (כְּלֵב אִשָּׁה מְצֵרָה, k'lev ishah metserah)—Not misogyny but recognition that childbirth pain is humanly unstoppable and all-consuming. Edom's warriors, famed for strength, will experience paralyzing terror. This 'woman in travail' metaphor appears throughout prophetic literature for inescapable judgment (Isaiah 13:8, 21:3; Jeremiah 4:31, 6:24).