Jeremiah 49:31

Arise, get you up unto the wealthy nation, that dwelleth without care, saith the LORD, which have neither gates nor bars, which dwell alone. GET YOU UP UNTO THE WEALTHY NATION - rather, 'the tranquil nation' (, "The land was wide, and quiet, and peaceable"). WHICH HAVE NEITHER GATES NOR BARS. The Arabs, lying out of the track of the contending powers of Asia and Africa, took no measures of defense, and had neither walled cities nor gates (). They thought their scanty resources and wilderness - position would tempt no foe. WHICH DWELL ALONE - separated from other nations, without allies; and from one another scattered asunder. So as to Israel's isolation ...

He confirms the last verse, repeating what he had already said, _Arise_, _ascend_; but he adds, _against a quiet nation _This was the _deep _dwelling of which he had spoken; for the Kedareans, as they thought themselves to be as it were in another world, were secure; and hence he says, _against a secure nation. _The word שליו, _sheliu_, means delicate, as we have seen elsewhere, but in this place its meaning is secure. For though there might be no joys there, it is yet said to be a secure nation, גוי שליו, _gui sheliu_, a nation which feared nothing. And then he explains himself, a _dweller in confidence_, one without fear and anxiety. And he gives the reason, because they had no need of _gates _and _bars_, and they _dwelt alone _Some interpreters think that the pride of the Kedareans is denoted, because they would not protect themselves in the usual way

28-33 Nebuchadnezzar would make desolation among the people of Kedar, who dwelt in the deserts of Arabia. He who conquered many strong cities, will not leave those unconquered that dwell in tents. He will do this to gratify his own covetousness and ambition; but God orders it for correcting an unthankful people, and for warning a careless world to expect trouble when they seem most safe. They shall flee, get far off, and dwell deep in the deserts; they shall be dispersed. But privacy and obscurity are not always protection and security....

Verse Jeremiah 49:31. _THE WEALTHY NATION_] גוי שליו _goi sheleiv_, "the peaceable nation"- _HAVE NEITHER GATES NOR BARS_] The Arabs, who had nothing but their tents; no cities, nor even _permanent villages_....

THE WEALTHY NATION - Or, a nation at rest, living securely and in confidence. WHICH DWELL ALONE - They dwell alone, i. e., have neither alliances with other nations, nor contact by commerce....

EXPOSITION On Ammon, Edom, Damascus, Kedar and Hazer, and Elam. JEREMIAH 49:1 The violence of the Ammonites shall be severely punished. JEREMIAH 49:1 HATH ISRAEL NO SONS! The violent seizure, perpetrated before his eyes, of parts of the sacred territory, forces the indignant question from the prophet, "How can these things be?" It was so on a former occasion (see Jeremiah 2:14), and it is so again, now that the Ammonites are occupying the land of the Gadites. True, the present generation has lost its property, but the next is the heir to all its rights and privileges. THEIR KING; rather, _their King—_the

ARISE, GET YOU UP UNTO THE WEALTHY NATION,.... Or, "to the nation [that is] at ease" s; the people that live quietly and in peace; have no wars with their neighbours, nor any among themselves; which seems to be the better sense of the word, for these Kedarenes were not a very wealthy people: these words do not express the counsel and purpose of Nebuchadnezzar; or are an address of his to his army, commanding them to arise, and invade the country of Arabia; for they are the words of the Lord, and are addressed to him and his army to go up in a hostile manner against the Kedarenes, here described: THAT DWELLETH WITHOUT CARE, SAITH THE LORD; not without the care of their flocks, or without providing things necessary for themselves and families; they were not an indolent people, that lived an idle and inactive life; but they dwelt "confidently", or "securely" t, as it may be rendered; they...

CHAPTER 49 Concerning Ammon, Edom, Damascus, Kedar, and Elam _ 1. Concerning the Ammonites (Jeremiah 49:1) _ 2. Concerning Edom (Jeremiah 49:7) 3. Concerning Damascus (Jeremiah 49:23) 4. Concerning Kedar and Hazor (Jeremiah 49:28) 5. Against Elam (Jeremiah 49:34) Ammon was the younger brother of Moab, and, like the Moabites, the Ammonites were a wicked people, though they had no cities like Moab, but were restless wanderers; they were also the enemies of Israel. The predic

THE ARABIAN TRIBES. Kedar (Jeremiah 2:10) a branch of the Ishmaelites (Genesis 25:13), is here used generically for Arab tribes E. of Palestine. Hazor, perhaps a collective term meaning settlements, seems to denote Arabs in village communities, as distinct from the nomadic tribes. Yahweh summons the foe (here identified with the Babylonians, though no campaign of Nebuchadrezzar against Arabs is known), and promises that they shall capture the nomads-' tents and camels. The village-dwellers are told to seek a refuge (dwell deep, as in Jeremiah 49:8), and the foe is called (Jeremiah 49:31) to attack this defenceless people, confident

WHICH DWELL ALONE. Reference to Pentateuch (Numbers 23:9; Deuteronomy 33:28)....