Jeremiah 49:24
Jeremiah 49:24 in Multiple Translations
Damascus has become feeble; she has turned to flee. Panic has gripped her; anguish and pain have seized her like a woman in labor.
Damascus is waxed feeble, and turneth herself to flee, and fear hath seized on her: anguish and sorrows have taken her, as a woman in travail.
Damascus is waxed feeble, she turneth herself to flee, and trembling hath seized on her: anguish and sorrows have taken hold of her, as of a woman in travail.
Damascus has become feeble, she is turned to flight, fear has taken her in its grip: pain and sorrows have come on her, as on a woman in birth-pains.
The people of Damascus are demoralized—they turn and run away in panic, overcome by pain and anguish like a woman in labor.
Damascus is discouraged, and turneth her selfe to flight and feare hath seased her: anguish and sorowes haue taken her as a woman in trauaile.
Feeble hath been Damascus, She turned to flee, and fear strengthened her, Distress and pangs have seized her, as a travailing woman.
Damascus has grown feeble, she turns herself to flee, and trembling has seized her. Anguish and sorrows have taken hold of her, as of a woman in travail.
Damascus hath become feeble, and turneth herself to flee, and fear hath seized on her : anguish and sorrows have taken her, as a woman in travail.
Damascus is undone, she is put to flight, trembling hath seized on her: anguish and sorrows have taken her as a woman in labour.
The people of Damascus have become very weak, and they all have ◄panicked/fled because they are very afraid►. The people are anguished and in pain like [SIM] a woman experiences who is about to give birth.
Berean Amplified Bible — Jeremiah 49:24
BAB
Word Study
Hover over any word to see its amplified meaning. Click a word to explore its full definition and translation comparisons.
Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.
Jeremiah 49:24 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
רָפְתָ֥ה
דַמֶּ֛שֶׂק
הִפְנְתָ֥ה
לָ/נ֖וּס
וְ/רֶ֣טֶט
הֶחֱזִ֑יקָה
צָרָ֧ה
וַ/חֲבָלִ֛ים
אֲחָזַ֖תָּ/ה
כַּ/יּוֹלֵדָֽה
רָפְתָ֥ה
râphâh
H7503
to slacken
V-Qal-Perf-3fs
דַמֶּ֛שֶׂק
Dammeseq
H1834
Damascus
N-proper
הִפְנְתָ֥ה
pânâh
H6437
Corner (Gate)
V-Hiphil-Perf-3fs
לָ/נ֖וּס
nûwç
H5127
to flee
Prep | V-Qal-Inf-a
וְ/רֶ֣טֶט
reṭeṭ
H7374
panic
Conj | N-ms
הֶחֱזִ֑יקָה
châzaq
H2388
to strengthen
V-Hiphil-Perf-3fs
צָרָ֧ה
tsârâh
H6869
dearth
N-fs
וַ/חֲבָלִ֛ים
chebel
H2256
cord
Conj | N-mp
אֲחָזַ֖תָּ/ה
ʼâchaz
H270
to grasp
V-Qal-Perf-3fs | Suff
כַּ/יּוֹלֵדָֽה
yâlad
H3205
to beget
Prep | V-Qal
Hebrew Word Study
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Hebrew Word Reference — Jeremiah 49:24
רָפְתָ֥ה
râphâh
H7503
"to slacken"
V-Qal-Perf-3fs
This Hebrew word means to slacken or relax, and is used in many contexts, such as feeling disheartened or abandoning something. It appears in various forms throughout the Old Testament, including in Psalms and Proverbs. The word can also mean to let go or be idle.
Definition: 1) to sink, relax, sink down, let drop, be disheartened 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to sink down 1a2) to sink, drop 1a3) to sink, relax, abate 1a4) to relax, withdraw 1b) (Niphal) idle (participle) 1c) (Piel) to let drop 1d) (Hiphil) 1d1) to let drop, abandon, relax, refrain, forsake 1d2) to let go 1d3) to refrain, let alone 1d4) to be quiet 1e) (Hithpael) to show oneself slack
Usage: Occurs in 45 OT verses. KJV: abate, cease, consume, draw (toward evening), fail, (be) faint, be (wax) feeble, forsake, idle, leave, let alone (go, down), (be) slack, stay, be still, be slothful, (be) weak(-en). See H7495 (רָפָא). See also: Exodus 4:26; Nehemiah 6:3; Psalms 37:8.
דַמֶּ֛שֶׂק
Dammeseq
H1834
"Damascus"
N-proper
Damascus, the capital city of Syria, is mentioned in the Bible as an important trading center. It is located northeast of Jerusalem and is referenced in several biblical stories.
Definition: § Damascus = "silent is the sackcloth weaver" an ancient trading city, capital of Syria, located in the plain east of Hermon, 130 (205 km) miles northeast of Jerusalem
Usage: Occurs in 40 OT verses. KJV: Damascus. See also: Genesis 14:15; 2 Chronicles 28:5; Isaiah 7:8.
הִפְנְתָ֥ה
pânâh
H6437
"Corner (Gate)"
V-Hiphil-Perf-3fs
This Hebrew word means to turn or face something, like looking at a corner or a gate. It appears in descriptions of daily life and interactions, like in Genesis and Psalms. It's about changing direction or focus.
Definition: This name means corner, to turn, to turn back Another spelling of pin.nah (פִּנָּה "Corner( Gate)" H6438)
Usage: Occurs in 128 OT verses. KJV: appear, at (even-) tide, behold, cast out, come on, [idiom] corner, dawning, empty, go away, lie, look, mark, pass away, prepare, regard, (have) respect (to), (re-) turn (aside, away, back, face, self), [idiom] right (early). See also: Genesis 18:22; 2 Kings 13:23; Psalms 25:16.
לָ/נ֖וּס
nûwç
H5127
"to flee"
Prep | V-Qal-Inf-a
To flee means to quickly leave a place, like escaping from danger, as seen in the Bible when David fled from King Saul. It can also mean to disappear or vanish. In the book of Psalms, it describes God delivering his people from harm.
Definition: 1) to flee, escape 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to flee 1a2) to escape 1a3) to take flight, m depart, disappear 1a4) to fly (to the attack) on horseback 1b) (Polel) to drive at 1c) (Hithpolel) to take flight 1d) (Hiphil) 1d1) to put to flight 1d2) to drive hastily 1d3) to cause to disappear, hide Aramaic equivalent: nud (נוּד "to flee" H5111)
Usage: Occurs in 143 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] abate, away, be displayed, (make to) flee (away, -ing), put to flight, [idiom] hide, lift up a standard. See also: Genesis 14:10; 2 Samuel 17:2; Psalms 60:6.
וְ/רֶ֣טֶט
reṭeṭ
H7374
"panic"
Conj | N-ms
This word describes a state of panic or terror, like the fear that comes from being in a dangerous situation. It is used to describe how people feel when they are scared or threatened.
Definition: trembling, panic
Usage: Occurs in 1 OT verses. KJV: fear. See also: Jeremiah 49:24.
הֶחֱזִ֑יקָה
châzaq
H2388
"to strengthen"
V-Hiphil-Perf-3fs
To strengthen means to be strong or courageous, and can also mean to seize or conquer, as seen in various KJV translations.
Definition: : strengthen/support/encourage 1) to strengthen, prevail, harden, be strong, become strong, be courageous, be firm, grow firm, be resolute, be sore 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to be strong, grow strong 1a1a) to prevail, prevail upon 1a1b) to be firm, be caught fast, be secure 1a1c) to press, be urgent 1a1d) to grow stout, grow rigid, grow hard (bad sense) 1a1e) to be severe, be grievous 1a2) to strengthen 1b) (Piel) 1b1) to make strong 1b2) to restore to strength, give strength 1b3) to strengthen, sustain, encourage 1b4) to make strong, make bold, encourage 1b5) to make firm 1b6) to make rigid, make hard 1c) (Hiphil) 1c1) to make strong, strengthen 1c2) to make firm 1c3) to display strength 1c4) to make severe 1c5) to support 1c6) to repair 1c7) to prevail, prevail upon 1c8) to have or take or keep hold of, retain, hold up, sustain, support 1c9) to hold, contain 1d) (Hithpael) 1d1) to strengthen oneself 1d2) to put forth strength, use one's strength 1d3) to withstand 1d4) to hold strongly with
Usage: Occurs in 266 OT verses. KJV: aid, amend, [idiom] calker, catch, cleave, confirm, be constant, constrain, continue, be of good (take) courage(-ous, -ly), encourage (self), be established, fasten, force, fortify, make hard, harden, help, (lay) hold (fast), lean, maintain, play the man, mend, become (wax) mighty, prevail, be recovered, repair, retain, seize, be (wax) sore, strengthen (self), be stout, be (make, shew, wax) strong(-er), be sure, take (hold), be urgent, behave self valiantly, withstand. See also: Genesis 19:16; 1 Chronicles 22:13; Psalms 27:14.
צָרָ֧ה
tsârâh
H6869
"dearth"
N-fs
A vexer is someone who causes trouble or distress, like a rival wife, used in the Bible to describe relationships or situations that cause anguish or affliction, as seen in the book of Genesis.
Definition: death, destitution
Usage: Occurs in 72 OT verses. KJV: adversary, adversity, affliction, anguish, distress, tribulation, trouble. See also: Genesis 35:3; Psalms 116:3; Psalms 9:10.
וַ/חֲבָלִ֛ים
chebel
H2256
"cord"
Conj | N-mp
A cord or rope, also a measured area of land or a group of people tied together. In the Bible, it appears in books like Joshua and Psalms. It can also mean a company or region.
Definition: 1) a cord, rope, territory, band, company 1a) a rope, cord 1b) a measuring-cord or line 1c) a measured portion, lot, part, region 1d) a band or company § destruction
Usage: Occurs in 60 OT verses. KJV: band, coast, company, cord, country, destruction, line, lot, pain, pang, portion, region, rope, snare, sorrow, tackling. See also: Deuteronomy 3:4; Psalms 119:61; Psalms 16:6.
אֲחָזַ֖תָּ/ה
ʼâchaz
H270
"to grasp"
V-Qal-Perf-3fs | Suff
The Hebrew word means to grasp or take hold of something, often holding it in possession. It can also mean to be caught or settled. This verb is used in various forms throughout the Bible, including in the books of Exodus and Psalms.
Definition: 1) grasp, take hold, seize, take possession 1a) (Qal) to grasp, take hold of 1b) (Niphal) to be caught, grasped, be settled 1c) (Piel) to enclose, overlay 1d) (Hophal) fastened
Usage: Occurs in 63 OT verses. KJV: [phrase] be affrighted, bar, (catch, lay, take) hold (back), come upon, fasten, handle, portion, (get, have or take) possess(-ion). See also: Genesis 22:13; Nehemiah 7:3; Psalms 48:7.
כַּ/יּוֹלֵדָֽה
yâlad
H3205
"to beget"
Prep | V-Qal
In the Bible, this Hebrew word means to give birth or beget a child, like when Eve gave birth to Cain in Genesis 4:1. It can also mean to help someone give birth, like a midwife. This word is used in many KJV translations, including Genesis and Isaiah.
Definition: 1) to bear, bringforth, beget, gender, travail 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to bear, bring forth 1a1a) of child birth 1a1b) of distress (simile) 1a1c) of wicked (behaviour) 1a2) to beget 1b) (Niphal) to be born 1c) (Piel) 1c1) to cause or help to bring forth 1c2) to assist or tend as a midwife 1c3) midwife (participle) 1d) (Pual) to be born 1e) (Hiphil) 1e1) to beget (a child) 1e2) to bear (fig. -of wicked bringing forth iniquity) 1f) (Hophal) day of birth, birthday (infinitive) 1g) (Hithpael) to declare one's birth (pedigree)
Usage: Occurs in 403 OT verses. KJV: bear, beget, birth(-day), born, (make to) bring forth (children, young), bring up, calve, child, come, be delivered (of a child), time of delivery, gender, hatch, labour, (do the office of a) midwife, declare pedigrees, be the son of, (woman in, woman that) travail(-eth, -ing woman). See also: Genesis 3:16; Genesis 30:19; 2 Samuel 21:22.
Study Notes — Jeremiah 49:24
Show Verse Quote Highlights
- Context
- Jeremiah 49:24 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Jeremiah 49:24
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Jeremiah 49:24
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on Jeremiah 49:24
- Trapp's Commentary on Jeremiah 49:24
- Cambridge Bible on Jeremiah 49:24
- Barnes' Notes on Jeremiah 49:24
Context — Judgment on Damascus
22Look! An eagle will soar and swoop down, spreading its wings over Bozrah. In that day the hearts of Edom’s mighty men will be like the heart of a woman in labor.
23Concerning Damascus: “Hamath and Arpad are put to shame, for they have heard a bad report; they are agitated like the sea; their anxiety cannot be calmed.
24Damascus has become feeble; she has turned to flee. Panic has gripped her; anguish and pain have seized her like a woman in labor.
25How is the city of praise not forsaken, the town that brings Me joy? 26For her young men will fall in the streets, and all her warriors will be silenced in that day,” declares the LORD of Hosts.Jeremiah 49:24 Summary
Jeremiah 49:24 tells us that the city of Damascus has become weak and is trying to run away from God's judgment. This is because the people of Damascus have disobeyed God and are now experiencing the consequences of their actions, as warned in Proverbs 28:13 and Isaiah 1:1-31. Just like a woman in labor, the city is experiencing intense pain and anguish, which is a reminder that sin has real consequences, as seen in Romans 6:23 and Galatians 6:7-8. We can learn from this verse by trusting in God's sovereignty and seeking to obey Him, as encouraged in Psalm 119:1-176 and Matthew 22:37-40.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the significance of Damascus becoming feeble in Jeremiah 49:24?
The city of Damascus, once strong and proud, is now weakened and trying to flee from the judgment of God, as prophesied in Jeremiah 49:24, which is a fulfillment of the warning given in Deuteronomy 28:25 that nations who disobey God will be defeated and scattered.
Why does the Bible compare anguish and pain to a woman in labor?
The Bible uses this comparison, as seen in Jeremiah 49:24, to convey the intense and unbearable nature of the pain and anguish, similar to the pain experienced by a woman in childbirth, which is also described in John 16:21 and Romans 8:22.
What is the cause of the panic and anguish that has gripped Damascus?
The panic and anguish that has gripped Damascus is a result of God's judgment, as stated in Jeremiah 49:24, which is a consequence of the city's sin and disobedience, as warned in Jeremiah 1:16 and Ezekiel 22:2-3.
How does this verse relate to the rest of the chapter?
Jeremiah 49:24 is part of a larger prophecy against the nations, including Damascus, which is being judged for their sin and idolatry, as seen in Jeremiah 49:23 and Jeremiah 49:25-26, and is a fulfillment of the covenant curses found in Leviticus 26:14-39 and Deuteronomy 28:15-68.
Reflection Questions
- What are some ways that I can apply the lesson of Damascus' downfall to my own life, and how can I avoid falling into similar patterns of sin and disobedience?
- How can I trust in God's sovereignty and judgment, even when it seems that evil is prospering, as described in Psalm 73:3 and Habakkuk 1:13?
- What are some ways that I can experience God's comfort and peace in the midst of turmoil and anguish, as promised in Isaiah 40:1 and Matthew 11:28-30?
- How can I use this verse to pray for and intercede for those who are experiencing pain and anguish, and what are some ways that I can be a source of comfort and hope to them, as seen in 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 and Galatians 6:2?
Gill's Exposition on Jeremiah 49:24
Damascus is waxed feeble,.... Or, "is become remiss" (g); her hands hang down, not being able through fear and fright to lift them up against the enemy; that is, the inhabitants of Damascus, as the
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Jeremiah 49:24
Damascus is waxed feeble, and turneth herself to flee, and fear hath seized on her: anguish and sorrows have taken her, as a woman in travail. No JFB commentary on this verse.
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Jeremiah 49:24
Syria, whose head is Damascus, hath lost her old courage and valour; it was wont to be a formidable country to its neighbours, but now they flee before their enemies. Fear hath seized on her; they are seized, and overpowered by their own fears. Anguish and sorrows have taken her, as a woman in travail; great sorrows are ordinarily in Scripture expressed by the similitude of the pains of a woman in travail; we have met with it often in this prophecy, 22:23: so .
Trapp's Commentary on Jeremiah 49:24
Jeremiah 49:24 Damascus is waxed feeble, [and] turneth herself to flee, and fear hath seized on [her]: anguish and sorrows have taken her, as a woman in travail.Ver. 24. And fear hath seized on her.] Horrorem febrilem apprehendit; she shaketh as in a fit of an ague. Piscat.
Cambridge Bible on Jeremiah 49:24
23–27 (= LXX. Ch. Jeremiah 30:12-16). Prophecy against Damascus This section is rejected even by some commentators (e.g. Co.) who admit portions of chs. 46–51 as genuine. The main objection adduced is the emphasis laid on Hamath and Arpad (Jeremiah 49:23), combined with the absence of these two cities from the vision in ch. Jeremiah 25:18 ff. Still this hardly justifies us in dismissing the whole section as later than Jeremiah’s time, as Jeremiah 49:26-27 may easily be an addition to the original form, the former as borrowed from Jeremiah 50:30, where it fits better, the latter as closely connected with the refrain, Amos 1:4; Amos 1:10; Amos 1:12; Amos 1:14; Amos 2:5. The section may be summarized thus. Hamath and Arpad are terror-stricken.
Damascus turns in alarm to flee. She is empty of succour. Her warriors within her are fallen, and Benhadad’s palaces shall be burnt.
Barnes' Notes on Jeremiah 49:24
And turneth - Omit and. The original is a rapid sequence of unconnected sentences. “Damascus is unnerved; she turned to flee, and a trembling seized her; anguish and writhings took hold of her etc.”