John Calvin Commentary Jeremiah 49:7

"Of Edom. Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: Is wisdom no more in Teman? is counsel perished from the prudent? is their wisdom vanished?" — Jeremiah 49:7 (ASV)

Here Jeremiah turns to the Idumeans, who were most inveterate enemies of the chosen people, though their origin should have disposed them to show kindness to them, for they had descended from the same father, Abraham. The Idumeans also gloried in their holy descent and had circumcision in common with the Jews. It was then a most impious cruelty that the Idumeans entertained such bitter hatred towards their own blood. Therefore, our Prophet most severely reproved them, as did Ezekiel and Obadiah (Ezekiel 25:12–14; Obadiah 1:1, 8).

He says first, Is there not wisdom anymore in Teman? By these words he intimates that though the Idumeans thought themselves safe through their own counsels because they excelled in acuteness, it would still avail them nothing, for the Lord would blind them and deprive them of a sane mind. For what is put here interrogatively is declared plainly by Obadiah (Obadiah 1:8), even in God’s name:

I will take away wisdom from Teman, and there shall be no understanding in Mount Esau.

But as Obadiah had preceded Jeremiah, it was necessary that he should speak of this as a future thing. But our Prophet, as the judgment of which Obadiah was a witness and a herald was near at hand, boldly exults over the Idumeans and laughs at their reproach, since they were deprived of counsel and understanding when they had most need of them. Teman, no doubt, was the name of a mountain or of a region, and this we learn from the Prophet Habakkuk:

God shall come from Teman, and the holy one from Mount Paran (Habakkuk 3:3).

It was also a chief city, as we learn from other places; and our Prophet sets it forth as the seat of the kingdom when he says, Is there not wisdom in Teman? and then, Has counsel perished from the intelligent?

I wonder that interpreters, skillful in the language and well-versed in it, should render the last word “sons,” for it is unsuitable to the place. The word, no doubt, is derived from בום, bun, to understand, and not from בנה, bene, to build, from which the word בנים, benim, sons, comes. For how can it suit this passage to say, Is there no more wisdom in Teman? Has counsel perished from the children?—that is, as they understand it, “from the children of Esau.” But this is frigid and forced, and the two clauses correspond much better when read thus: “Is there no more wisdom in Teman? Has counsel perished from the intelligent?”—that is, from those who have previously boasted of their intelligence and acuteness.

He then adds, Rotten has become their wisdom. The verb סרח, sarech, means to be superfluous, but some render it here as putrid, as it is in Niphal. I do not know whether they have done this because they did not know another meaning suitable to the context, but we may suitably render it this way: that their wisdom had become superfluous, that is, useless.

We may also adopt another meaning: that their wisdom had previously been overflowing, that is, superabundant. For they had such wisdom that they could not only act wisely for themselves but also show others what was right and useful. Since then the Idumeans possessed so much wisdom as to direct others, and not to be wise only for themselves, the words would read well if rendered as "their wisdom had abounded." But in that case, the words would be ironical, for the Prophet seems to assign a reason for his astonishment.

Therefore, I offer this explanation: he first says, Is there wisdom anymore in Teman? He exclaims, as though the thing were very strange, “How can this be! Is the very fountain of wisdom exhausted? Who could have thought that a city so renowned for wisdom would become so senseless as not to recognize her approaching calamity, so as to anticipate it and apply the remedy in time?” And to the same effect he adds, Has counsel perished from the intelligent? Finally, he adds, Abounded has their wisdom; and this he says to show a reason for his astonishment.

But we must notice the similarities and the differences between our Prophet and Obadiah. The latter foretold the blindness of that nation; but our Prophet, as though he wished to rouse from their torpor those who had been inattentive to the prophecy of Obadiah, exclaims, “How has wisdom perished from Teman, and counsel from the intelligent?” We must further observe that this punishment was inflicted by God on the Idumeans because they had applied all their thoughts to frauds and intrigues; and it seldom happens that those who excel in acuteness do not also become very sharp and fraudulent.

Since men are generally prone to abuse their knowledge in this way, God blinds them and shows that men cannot be wise of themselves, but only insofar as it is given to them from above.

As I have already said, the Prophet enlarges on this judgment so that he might more effectively rouse the minds of men. For had the Idumeans been rustics, like those who dwell among mountains, and if no report of their wisdom had prevailed, no one would have wondered that they were taken and subdued; for simple and unwary men are exposed to the intrigues of their enemies and cannot escape them.

But the Prophet, in order to set forth this judgment of God as wonderful, says that their wisdom had been, as it were, overflowing—that is, like an abundant treasure—for they administered counsel to others. Therefore, since the Idumeans so much excelled in intelligence, especially those who dwelt in the city Teman, the Prophet shows by this very circumstance that their blindness proceeded from the manifest vengeance of God, and that such a change did not happen by chance.