Jeremiah 49:36

Authorized King James Version

And upon Elam will I bring the four winds from the four quarters of heaven, and will scatter them toward all those winds; and there shall be no nation whither the outcasts of Elam shall not come.

Word-by-Word Analysis

יָב֥וֹא

H935

shall not come

to go or come (in a wide variety of applications)

אֶל

H413

near, with or among; often in general, to

עֵולָֽם׃

H5867

And upon Elam

elam, a son of shem and his descendants, with their country; also of six israelites

מֵֽאַרְבַּע֙

H702

from the four

four

הָרֻח֣וֹת

H7307

them toward all those winds

wind; by resemblance breath, i.e., a sensible (or even violent) exhalation; figuratively, life, anger, unsubstantiality; by extension, a region of the

מֵֽאַרְבַּע֙

H702

from the four

four

קְצ֣וֹת

H7098

quarters

a termination

הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם

H8064

of heaven

the sky (as aloft; the dual perhaps alluding to the visible arch in which the clouds move, as well as to the higher ether where the celestial bodies r

וְזֵ֣רִתִ֔ים

H2219

and will scatter

to toss about; by implication, to diffuse, winnow

#10

לְכֹ֖ל

H3605

properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)

#11

הָרֻח֣וֹת

H7307

them toward all those winds

wind; by resemblance breath, i.e., a sensible (or even violent) exhalation; figuratively, life, anger, unsubstantiality; by extension, a region of the

#12

הָאֵ֑לֶּה

H428

these or those

#13

וְלֹֽא

H3808

not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles

#14

יִהְיֶ֣ה

H1961

to exist, i.e., be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)

#15

הַגּ֔וֹי

H1471

and there shall be no nation

a foreign nation; hence, a gentile; also (figuratively) a troop of animals, or a flight of locusts

#16

אֲשֶׁ֛ר

H834

who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc

#17

לֹֽא

H3808

not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles

#18

יָב֥וֹא

H935

shall not come

to go or come (in a wide variety of applications)

#19

שָׁ֖ם

H8033

there (transferring to time) then; often thither, or thence

#20

נִדְּחֵ֥י

H5080

whither the outcasts

to push off; used in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively (to expel, mislead, strike, inflict, etc.)

#21

עֵולָֽם׃

H5867

And upon Elam

elam, a son of shem and his descendants, with their country; also of six israelites

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 covenant community 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

How does the salvation theme in this verse connect to the overarching narrative of Scripture, and what does this reveal about God's character and purposes?
In what ways does understanding covenant community in its original context challenge or deepen contemporary Christian thinking about salvation?
What systematic theological implications arise from this verse's treatment of salvation, and how does it contribute to a biblical theology of soteriology and the doctrine of salvation?

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