John Calvin Commentary Jeremiah 49:20

"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." — Jeremiah 49:20 (ASV)

The Prophet proceeds with his subject concerning the Idumeans and their destruction, but he makes a preface to gain credit for his words. He then says that this was God’s counsel and His thoughts. He speaks in a human way, for he attributes to God what does not properly belong to His nature. God does not deliberate or consult but has decreed once for all, before the creation of the world, what He will do. Nor does He toss His thoughts in all directions, as men do, who do not immediately see what is right or what ought to be done.

Nothing of this kind belongs to God. But this way of speaking is common enough when what strictly applies to man is transferred to God. It should also be observed that this is not done without reason.

For when God speaks by His servants, we always raise doubts: “Is that said in earnest? Can it be changed? Is it revocable?” In short, we accept what is trivial and frivolous and immediately give credit to it. But when God declares anything, we subject it to scrutiny and raise a hundred disputes on every subject: “Oh, but this or that may happen, and it may be that God does not speak in earnest.” Since, then, men never acquiesce in God’s word as they ought to do, the Prophets borrow these forms of speech from common use, saying that God had thus thought, that He had thus decreed.

The meaning is that whatever Jeremiah had previously predicted concerning the Idumeans could not be retracted, for it was a settled decree, so fixed as if God had thought of it for a hundred or a thousand years.

He now adds, the inhabitants of Teman, by whom he means the Idumeans. But the repetition deserves notice: he first mentions Edom, and then the inhabitants of Teman. Teman and Seir are sometimes the same. If not, cast them down; the verb properly means to draw, and to draw in reproach and contempt, as when a carcass is drawn through the mire.

The Prophet, then, means here a throwing down accompanied with reproach. And he says, If not, draw them forth shall the least of the flock. He speaks here differently than before, for he called the Chaldeans chosen and praised their strength, that he might strip the Idumeans of their vain confidence. But he now proceeds further and says that there was no need of great valor to put that nation to flight, because even the least could lay them prostrate on the ground and also draw them in disgrace through the land.

Now, though the way of speaking is different, the meaning remains the same: that God would arm the Chaldeans with courage, so that they would easily destroy the land of Edom. Furthermore, even if the Chaldeans, in human estimation, should not excel in valor, they would still be superior to the Idumeans.

This is because victory was in God’s hand, and He could work by means of flies as well as by men, and by children as well as by giants.

The formula of swearing is adopted when he says, If not, draw them, and so on. It is an elliptical phrase, as has often been observed. Such a solemn declaration as this is understood: “Do not believe me hereafter,” or, “Do not regard me as God.” In short, it is a form of an oath, which is a stronger affirmation than if he had simply said, Draw them forth shall the least of the flock.

Some render the last clause, “If not, set shall they,” and so on, as if the verb came from שום, shum (meaning 'to put' or 'to set'); but it is from שמם, shemem, or from ימם, imem (as some think this to be the source), though it is more likely from שמם, shemem. The Prophet, I have no doubt, means that they would destroy or lay waste their dwellings over them.