The Meaning of Jeremiah 49:20 Explained

Jeremiah 49:20

KJV: Therefore hear the counsel of the LORD, that he hath taken against Edom; and his purposes, that he hath purposed against the inhabitants of Teman: Surely the least of the flock shall draw them out: surely he shall make their habitations desolate with them.

YLT: Therefore, hear ye the counsel of Jehovah, That He hath counselled concerning Edom, And His devices that He hath devised Concerning the inhabitants of Teman: Drag them out do not little ones of the flock, Make desolate over them doth he not their habitation?

Darby: Therefore hear the counsel of Jehovah, which he hath taken against Edom, and his purposes which he hath purposed against the inhabitants of Teman: The little ones of the flock shall certainly draw them away; he shall certainly make their habitation desolate for them.

ASV: Therefore hear ye the counsel of Jehovah, that he hath taken against Edom; and his purposes, that he hath purposed against the inhabitants of Teman: Surely they shall drag them away, even the little ones of the flock; surely he shall make their habitation desolate over them.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Therefore hear  the counsel  of the LORD,  that he hath taken  against Edom;  and his purposes,  that he hath purposed  against the inhabitants  of Teman:  Surely the least  of the flock  shall draw them out:  surely he shall make their habitations  desolate  with them. 

What does Jeremiah 49:20 Mean?

Chapter Summary: Jeremiah 49

1  The judgment of the Ammonites
6  Their restoration
7  The judgment of Edom
23  of Damascus
28  of Kedar
30  of Hazor
34  and of Elam
39  The restoration of Elam

What do the individual words in Jeremiah 49:20 mean?

Therefore hear the counsel of Yahweh that He has taken against Edom and His purposes He has proposed the inhabitants of Teman surely not shall draw them out the least of the flock desolate with them He shall make their dwelling places
לָכֵ֞ן שִׁמְע֣וּ עֲצַת־ יְהוָ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֤ר יָעַץ֙ אֶל־ אֱד֔וֹם וּמַ֨חְשְׁבוֹתָ֔יו חָשַׁ֖ב יֹשְׁבֵ֣י תֵימָ֑ן אִם־ לֹ֤א יִסְחָבוּם֙ צְעִירֵ֣י הַצֹּ֔אן יַשִּׁ֛ים עֲלֵיהֶ֖ם נְוֵהֶֽם

שִׁמְע֣וּ  hear 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine plural
Root: שָׁמַע 
Sense: to hear, listen to, obey.
עֲצַת־  the  counsel 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: עֵצָה 
Sense: counsel, advice, purpose.
יְהוָ֗ה  of  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
אֲשֶׁ֤ר  that 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
יָעַץ֙  He  has  taken 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יׄועֵץ 
Sense: to advise, consult, give counsel, counsel, purpose, devise, plan.
אֶל־  against 
Parse: Preposition
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
אֱד֔וֹם  Edom 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֱדֹום 
Sense: Edom.
וּמַ֨חְשְׁבוֹתָ֔יו  and  His  purposes 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: מַחֲשָׁבָה  
Sense: thought, device.
חָשַׁ֖ב  He  has  proposed 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: חָשַׁב 
Sense: to think, plan, esteem, calculate, invent, make a judgment, imagine, count.
יֹשְׁבֵ֣י  the  inhabitants 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural construct
Root: יָשַׁב 
Sense: to dwell, remain, sit, abide.
תֵימָ֑ן  of  Teman 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: תֵּימָן  
Sense: son of Eliphaz, grandson of Esau, and one of the dukes of Edom.
אִם־  surely 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: אִם  
Sense: if.
יִסְחָבוּם֙  shall  draw  them  out 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural, third person masculine plural
Root: סָחַב  
Sense: (Qal) to drag.
צְעִירֵ֣י  the  least 
Parse: Adjective, masculine plural construct
Root: צָעִיר  
Sense: little, insignificant, young.
הַצֹּ֔אן  of  the  flock 
Parse: Article, Noun, common singular
Root: צֹאן  
Sense: small cattle, sheep, sheep and goats, flock, flocks.
יַשִּׁ֛ים  desolate 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁמֵם  
Sense: to be desolate, be appalled, stun, stupefy.
עֲלֵיהֶ֖ם  with  them 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
נְוֵהֶֽם  He  shall  make  their  dwelling  places 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: נָוֶה 
Sense: abode, habitation, abode of shepherds or flocks, pasture.