1This is what Jehovah says about the people of AMMON: »Does Israel not have any children? Does it not have any heirs? Why has the god Milcom taken over the inheritance of Gad's descendants? Why do Milcom's people live in Gad's cities?« 2»‘That is why the days are coming,’ declares Jehovah, ‘when I will sound the battle cry against Rabbah, where the people of Ammon live. It will become a pile of rubble. Its villages will be burned down.’ »‘Then Israel will take possession of its inheritance,’ says Jehovah. 3»‘Cry loudly, Heshbon, because Ai is destroyed. Cry, people of Rabbah, put on your sackcloth, and mourn. Run back and forth between the walls. Milcom will be taken away into captivity with its priests and officials. 4Why do you brag about your valleys, your fertile valleys, you unfaithful people? You trust your treasures. You think: »Who would attack me?« 5»I will bring terror on you from all around,« proclaims Jehovah of Hosts. »Everyone will be scattered. No one will gather the refugees.’« 6»‘Afterward, I will return the captives of Ammon,’ declares Jehovah.« 7This is what Jehovah of Hosts says about Edom: »Is there no longer any wisdom in Teman? Has wisdom disappeared from your people? Has their wisdom vanished? 8»Turn and run, take cover in deep places inhabitants of Dedan. When I punish them, I will bring disaster on the descendants of Esau. 9»If people come to pick your grapes, will they not leave a few grapes behind? If thieves come during the night, will they steal only until they have had enough? 10»Yet, I will strip the descendants of Esau. I will find their hiding places. They will not be able to hide. Their children and relatives will be destroyed. None of their neighbors will say: 11»Abandon your orphans, and I will keep them alive. Your widows can trust me.« 12This is what Jehovah says: »If those who do not deserve to drink from the cup still drink from it, why should you go unpunished? You will not go unpunished. You must drink from it.« 13»I take an oath on myself,« says Jehovah, »that Bozrah will become a pile of rubble. It will become something horrifying, ridiculed, ruined, and cursed. All its cities will lie in ruins permanently.« 14I heard a message from Jehovah. A messenger was sent among the nations to say: »Assemble and attack Edom. Get ready for battle.« 15»Edom, I will make you the smallest of nations and despised among humanity. 16»You have frightened other people. Your arrogance has deceived you. You live on rocky cliffs and occupy the highest places in the hills. Even though you build your nest as high as an eagle, I will bring you down from there,« proclaims Jehovah. 17Jehovah said: »The destruction that will come on Edom will be so terrible that everyone who passes by will be shocked and terrified. 18»The same thing will happen to Edom that happened to Sodom and Gomorrah, when they and the nearby towns were destroyed. No one will ever live there again. I Jehovah have spoken. 19»Like a lion coming out of the thick woods along the Jordan River up to the green pastureland, I will come and make the Edomites run away suddenly from their country. Then the leader I choose will rule the nation. Who can be compared to me? Who would dare challenge me? What ruler could oppose me?« 20Hear that which I have determined against the people of Edom, and to what I intend to do to the people of the city of Teman. Even their children will be dragged off, and everyone will be horrified. 21When Edom falls, there will be such a noise that the entire earth will shake. The cries of alarm will be heard as far away as the Gulf of Aqaba. 22The enemy will attack Bozrah like an eagle swooping down with outspread wings. On that day Edom's soldiers will be as frightened as a woman in labor. 23This is what Jehovah said about Damascus: The people in the cities of Hamath and Arpad are worried and troubled because they have heard bad news. Anxiety rolls over them like a sea, and they cannot rest. 24»The people of Damascus are weak and have fled in terror. They are in pain and misery like a woman in labor. 25»I once was pleased with your famous city. But now I warn you: Escape while you still can! 26»Soon, even your best soldiers will lie dead in your streets. I the all-powerful Jehovah have spoken. 27»I will set fire to your city walls and burn down the fortresses King Benhadad built.« 28This is what Jehovah says about the Kedar tribe and the desert villages that were conquered by King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylonia: »Listen, you people of Kedar and the other tribes of the eastern desert. I have told Nebuchadnezzar to attack and destroy you. 29»His fearsome army will surround you. They will take your tents and possessions, your sheep and camels. 30»Run and hide, you people of the desert who live in villages! Nebuchadnezzar has big plans for you. 31»You have no city walls and no neighbors to help. You think you are safe. Therefore I told him to attack. 32»Your camels and large herds will be yours no longer. People of the Arabian Desert, disaster will strike you from every side, and you will be scattered everywhere on earth. 33»Hazor will be a place where only jackals live. It will become a permanent wasteland. No one will live there. No human will stay there.« 34Early in the rule of King Zedekiah of Judah, Jehovah spoke his word to the prophet Jeremiah about Elam. 35»This is what Jehovah of Hosts says: ‘I am going to break the bows of Elam's archers, the most important weapon of their strength. 36»‘I will bring the four winds from the four corners of heaven against Elam and scatter its people in every direction. There will not be a nation where Elam's refugees will not go. 37»‘I will defeat the people of Elam in the presence of their enemies, in the presence of those who want to kill them. I will bring disaster with my burning anger,’ declares Jehovah. ‘I will send armies after them until I put an end to them. 38»‘I will set my throne in Elam and destroy its king and officials,’declares Jehovah. 39»‘Afterward, I will return the captives of Elam,’« declares Jehovah.