Jeremiah 49:18
As when Sodom and Gomorrah and their neighboring cities were overthrown, says the LORD, no man shall dwell there, no man shall sojourn in her.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The verse uses the phrase "no man shall dwell there, no man shall sojourn in her" not just to describe desolation, but to emphasize a profound absence of humanity's presence. This isn't simply about buildings falling, but about the very act of human habitation – whether long-term ("dwell") or temporary ("sojourn") – becoming impossible, echoing the complete erasure of Sodom and Gomorrah.
Jeremiah has just delivered judgment against the Ammonites, and now turns his attention to the Edomites, descendants of Esau, Jacob's brother. This prophecy describes the utter desolation that will fall upon Edom, comparing it to the infamous destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. The land will become so uninhabitable that no person will ever reside there again, a stark illustration of God's complete judgment.
Why does Jeremiah bring up Sodom and Gomorrah when he's talking about Edom? What makes this comparison so powerful?
Jeremiah uses the infamous destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah as a benchmark for divine judgment. These cities, along with their neighbors like Admah and Zeboim, were so thoroughly annihilated that their ruin became a byword for utter desolation. When God says Edom will be like them, it's not just about destruction, but about a complete, uninhabitable emptiness. Think of a landscape so scarred that no one can or wants to live there. This comparison paints a vivid picture of the totality of God's judgment against Edom for their cruelty, especially towards Judah during its downfall.
What does it really mean for a place that 'no man shall dwell there'?
The phrase 'no man shall abide there, neither shall a son of man dwell in it' isn't just a poetic flourish. It signifies an absolute and permanent abandonment of the land. It means the place will be so devastated, so devoid of life and resources, that it becomes fundamentally inhospitable. No one will settle there, not even travelers for a short stay. This speaks to a judgment so severe that it removes not only the inhabitants but also the possibility of future habitation. It's a land rendered utterly unusable by human hands, a stark testament to the consequences of defiance against God.
Understand the original words
ʿĂmōrāh · Hebrew Proper Noun
An ancient city associated with Sodom, destroyed by God due to its extreme wickedness, serving as a permanent biblical archetype for divine judgment and total destruction.
gûr · Hebrew Verb
To dwell as a temporary resident or stranger; one who lives in a place without having permanent rights or citizenship, highlighting a lack of stability.
Jeremiah compares the prophesied desolation of Edom to the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. This wasn't just a literary flourish; Edom had actively participated in Judah's suffering during the Babylonian conquest, making this judgment particularly pointed and personal.
c. 1800 BC
Destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah
The cities of Sodom and Gomorrah and their neighbors (Admah and Zeboim) were famously destroyed by divine judgment, becoming a symbol of utter desolation. This event was a well-known historical and theological reference point.
c. 700 BC
Assyrian and Babylonian Influence
The region of Edom, south of Judah, experienced increasing influence and eventual domination by the Neo-Assyrian and Neo-Babylonian Empires. This set the stage for future conflicts and subjugation.
605-586 BC
Babylonian Conquest of Judah
Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon conquered Jerusalem, deporting many Judeans and establishing Babylonian control over the region. Edom sided with the Babylonians during this conflict.
c. 586 BC— this verse
Edom's Aggression Towards Judah
During Jerusalem's destruction and the subsequent exile, the Edomites attacked Judean refugees and occupied parts of southern Judah, earning them God's severe judgment through Jeremiah.
This passage describes the actual destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, providing the historical backdrop for Jeremiah's comparison and illustrating the complete desolation that becomes a benchmark for divine judgment.
Deuteronomy 29:22-23This verse explicitly connects the destruction of Sodom, Gomorrah, and their 'neighboring cities' (Admah and Zeboim) to a lasting desolation, reinforcing Jeremiah's imagery of a place utterly uninhabitable.
Isaiah 34:9-10Isaiah uses similar language of utter ruin and desolation for the land of Edom, prophesying that it will become like a place burned with brimstone and uninhabitable, directly echoing the judgment described in Jeremiah 49:18.
Amos 4:11Amos also references the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah as an example of God's judgment, highlighting how God can turn fertile lands into desolate places, which resonates with Jeremiah's pronouncement on Edom.
Jeremiah 50:40This verse directly repeats the prophecy against Edom found in Jeremiah 49:18, underscoring the severity and finality of the judgment and the comparison to the archetypal ruin of Sodom and Gomorrah.
clarkeJeremiah 49:18: "As in the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah and the neighbour cities thereof, saith the LORD, no man shall abide there, neither shall a son of man dwell in it."
As in the overthrow of Sodom - The destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah and the neighboring cities was so terrible, that, when God denounces judgments against incorrigible sinners, he tells them they shall be like Sodom and Gomorrah. No man shall abide there - It shall be so desolate as not to be habitable. Travellers may lo…
gillJeremiah 49:18: "As in the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah and the neighbour cities thereof, saith the LORD, no man shall abide there, neither shall a son of man dwell in it."
As in the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah,.... Which was so sudden and general, that nothing was left, or any spared; so should it be with Edom: and the neighbour cities thereof, saith the Lord; the cities that were in the plain, Admah and Zeboim: no man shall abide there, neither shall a son of man dwell in it; that is,…
The verse uses the phrase "no man shall dwell there, no man shall sojourn in her" not just to describe desolation, but to emphasize a profound absence of humanity's presence. This isn't simply about buildings falling, but about the very act of human habitation – whether long-term ("dwell") or temporary ("sojourn") – becoming impossible, echoing the complete erasure of Sodom and Gomorrah.
Jeremiah has just delivered judgment against the Ammonites, and now turns his attention to the Edomites, descendants of Esau, Jacob's brother. This prophecy describes the utter desolation that will fall upon Edom, comparing it to the infamous destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. The land will become so uninhabitable that no person will ever reside there again, a stark illustration of God's complete judgment.
Jeremiah has just delivered judgment against the Ammonites, and now turns his attention to the Edomites, descendants of Esau, Jacob's brother. This prophecy describes the utter desolation that will fall upon Edom, comparing it to the infamous destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. The land will become so uninhabitable that no person will ever reside there again, a stark illustration of God's complete judgment.
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c. 538 BC onwards
Edomite Displacement and Absorption
Following the Babylonian exile, the Edomites were gradually pushed northward into Judean territory by the Nabateans, a process that led to their eventual assimilation and the loss of their distinct identity.
c. 168 BC onwards
Hasmonean Rule and Forced Conversion
The Hasmonean kingdom conquered and forcibly converted the Edomites (now known as Idumeans) to Judaism, integrating them into the Jewish populace.
"As when Sodom and Gomorrah and their neighboring cities were overthrown, says the LORD, no man shall dwell there, no man shall sojourn in her." — The verse uses the phrase "no man shall dwell there, no man shall sojourn in her" not just to describe desolation, but to emphasize a profound absence of humanity's presence. This isn't simply about…
