New English Translation
Jeremiah 49:4
4Why do you brag about your great power? Your power is ebbing away, you rebellious people of Ammon, who trust in your riches and say, ‘Who would dare to attack us?’
Jeremiah 49:4 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Wherefore gloriest thou in the valleys, thy flowing valley, O backsliding daughter? that trusted in her treasures, saying, Who shall come unto me?
- New International Version (NIV)Why do you boast of your valleys, boast of your valleys so fruitful? Unfaithful Daughter Ammon, you trust in your riches and say, ‘Who will attack me?’
- English Standard Version (ESV)Why do you boast of your valleys, O faithless daughter, who trusted in her treasures, saying, 'Who will come against me?'
- New King James Version (NKJV)Why do you boast in the valleys, Your flowing valley, O backsliding daughter? Who trusted in her treasures, saying, ‘Who will come against me?’
Context of Jeremiah 49:4
2Because you did that, I, the Lord, affirm that a time is coming when I will make Rabbah, the capital city of Ammon, hear the sound of the battle cry. It will become a mound covered with ruins. Its villages will be burned to the ground. Then Israel will take back its land from those who took their land from them. I, the Lord, affirm it! 3Wail, you people in Heshbon, because Ai in Ammon is destroyed. Cry out in anguish, you people in the villages surrounding Rabbah. Put on sackcloth and cry out in mourning. Run about covered with gashes. For your god Milcom will go into exile along with his priests and officials. Why do you brag about your great power? Your power is ebbing away, you rebellious people of Ammon, who trust in your riches and say, ‘Who would dare to attack us?’ 5I will bring terror on you from every side,” says the Lord God who rules over all. “You will be scattered in every direction. No one will gather the fugitives back together. 6Yet in days to come I will reverse Ammon’s ill fortune.” says the Lord.
Read all of Jeremiah 49Jeremiah 49:4 word by word
מַה־תִּתְהַֽלְלִי֙ בָּֽעֲמָקִ֔ים זָ֣ב עִמְקֵ֔ךְ הַבַּ֖ת הַשּֽׁוֹבֵבָ֑ה הַבֹּֽטְחָה֙ בְּאֹ֣צְרֹתֶ֔יהָ מִ֖י יָב֥וֹא אֵלָֽי׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Wherefore gloriestהָלַלhâlal · to boast: boastH1984
- thou in the valleysעֵ֫מֶק‛êmeq · valleyH6010
- thy flowingזוּבzûb · to flow: flowingH2100
- O backslidingשׁוֹבֵבshôbêb · backslidingH7728
- daughterבַּתbath · daughterH1323
- that trustedבָּטַחbâţach · to trustH982
- in her treasuresאוֹצָר'ôtsâr · treasureH214
- Who shall comeבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
Cross-references for Jeremiah 49:4
- Jeremiah 9:23The Lord says, “Wise people should not boast that they are wise. Powerful people should not boast that they are powerful. Rich people should not boast that they are rich.
- Isaiah 28:1The splendid crown of Ephraim’s drunkards is doomed, the withering flower, its beautiful splendor, situated at the head of a rich valley, the crown of those overcome with wine.
- Isaiah 47:7You said, ‘I will rule forever as permanent queen!’ You did not think about these things; you did not consider how it would turn out.
- Revelation 18:7As much as she exalted herself and lived in sensual luxury, to this extent give her torment and grief because she said to herself, ‘I rule as queen and am no widow; I will never experience grief!’
- Jeremiah 3:14“Come back to me, my wayward sons,” says the Lord, “for I am your true master. If you do, I will take one of you from each town and two of you from each family group, and I will bring you back to Zion.
- Jeremiah 7:24But they did not listen to me or pay any attention to me. They followed the stubborn inclinations of their own wicked hearts. They acted worse and worse instead of better.
- Hosea 4:16Israel has rebelled like a stubborn heifer! Soon the Lord will put them out to pasture like a lamb in a broad field!
- Jeremiah 48:7“Moab, you trust in the things you do and in your riches. So you too will be conquered. Your god Chemosh will go into exile along with his priests and his officials.
- Psalms 49:6They trust in their wealth and boast in their great riches.
- Psalms 52:7“Look, here is the man who would not make God his protector! He trusted in his great wealth and was confident about his plans to destroy others.”
- Psalms 62:10Do not trust in what you can gain by oppression! Do not put false confidence in what you can gain by robbery! If wealth increases, do not become attached to it!
- Proverbs 10:15The wealth of a rich person is like a fortified city, but the poor are brought to ruin by their poverty.
- Ezekiel 28:4By your wisdom and understanding you have gained wealth for yourself; you have amassed gold and silver in your treasuries.
- 1 Timothy 6:17Command those who are rich in this world’s goods not to be haughty or to set their hope on riches, which are uncertain, but on God who richly provides us with all things for our enjoyment.
- Jeremiah 49:16The terror you inspire in others and the arrogance of your heart have deceived you. You may make your home in the clefts of the rocks; you may occupy the highest places in the hills. But even if you made your home where the eagles nest, I would bring you down from there,” says the Lord.
- Jeremiah 21:13Listen, you who sit enthroned above the valley on a rocky plateau. I am opposed to you,’ says the Lord. ‘You boast, “No one can swoop down on us. No one can penetrate into our places of refuge.”
Commentaries on Jeremiah 49:4
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4Wherefore gloriest thou - Though thy valleys be fruitful, yet glory not in them. Though thou have much political and military power, do not trust in them, nor in the multitude of thy cities; a stronger than thou is coming against thee.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4Thy flowing valley - The (fertile) valley in which Rabbah was situated. The Septuagint again has: “in the valleys of the Anakim,” as in Jeremiah 47:5 (see the note).Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4-6The Ammonites relied on their wealth, but it could not keep them safe. The Lord ensured their judgment and future restoration.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. thy flowing valley--rather, "thy valley shall flow," namely with the blood of the slain; in sad contrast to their "valleys" in which they had heretofore "gloried," as flowing with milk and honey [Grotius]. Or else, as Margin, "shall flow away." backsliding--apostate from Jehovah, the God of their father Lot, to Molech. treasures--her resources for resisting the foe. Who shall, &c.--Who can come ... (Jr 21:13).Read the comment
Topics related to Jeremiah 49:4
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Jeremiah 49
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
New English Translation — © 1996-2016 Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C.
Commentaries