Jeremiah 49:13
New International Version
I swear by myself,” declares the LORD, “that Bozrah will become a ruin and a curse, an object of horror and reproach; and all its towns will be in ruins forever.”

New Living Translation
For I have sworn by my own name,” says the LORD, “that Bozrah will become an object of horror and a heap of ruins; it will be mocked and cursed. All its towns and villages will be desolate forever.”

English Standard Version
For I have sworn by myself, declares the LORD, that Bozrah shall become a horror, a taunt, a waste, and a curse, and all her cities shall be perpetual wastes.”

Berean Standard Bible
For by Myself I have sworn, declares the LORD, that Bozrah will become a desolation, a disgrace, a ruin, and a curse, and all her cities will be in ruins forever.”

King James Bible
For I have sworn by myself, saith the LORD, that Bozrah shall become a desolation, a reproach, a waste, and a curse; and all the cities thereof shall be perpetual wastes.

New King James Version
For I have sworn by Myself,” says the LORD, “that Bozrah shall become a desolation, a reproach, a waste, and a curse. And all its cities shall be perpetual wastes.”

New American Standard Bible
For I have sworn by Myself,” declares the LORD, “that Bozrah will become an object of horror, a disgrace, a wasteland, and a curse; and all its cities will become permanent ruins.”

NASB 1995
“For I have sworn by Myself,” declares the LORD, “that Bozrah will become an object of horror, a reproach, a ruin and a curse; and all its cities will become perpetual ruins.”

NASB 1977
“For I have sworn by Myself,” declares the LORD, “that Bozrah will become an object of horror, a reproach, a ruin and a curse; and all its cities will become perpetual ruins.”

Legacy Standard Bible
For I have sworn by Myself,” declares Yahweh, “that Bozrah will become an object of horror, a reproach, a ruin, and an imprecation; and all its cities will become perpetual ruins.”

Amplified Bible
For I have sworn [an oath] by Myself,” says the LORD, “that Bozrah will become an object of horror, a reproach, a ruin, and a curse; and all its cities will become perpetual ruins.”

Christian Standard Bible
For by myself I have sworn” —this is the LORD’s declaration—“Bozrah will become a desolation, a disgrace, a ruin, and an example for cursing, and all its surrounding cities will become ruins forever.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
For by Myself I have sworn"—this is the LORD’s declaration—"Bozrah will become a desolation, a disgrace, a ruin, and a curse, and all her cities will become ruins forever.”

American Standard Version
For I have sworn by myself, saith Jehovah, that Bozrah shall become an astonishment, a reproach, a waste, and a curse; and all the cities thereof shall be perpetual wastes.

Contemporary English Version
I, the LORD, swear in my own name that your city of Bozrah and all your towns will suffer a horrible fate. They will lie in ruins forever, and people will use the name "Bozrah" as a curse word.

English Revised Version
For I have sworn by myself, saith the LORD, that Bozrah shall become an astonishment, a reproach, a waste, and a curse; and all the cities thereof shall be perpetual wastes.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
I take an oath on myself, declares the LORD, 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.

Good News Translation
I myself have sworn that the city of Bozrah will become a horrifying sight and a desert; people will make fun of it and use its name as a curse. All the nearby villages will be in ruins forever. I, the LORD, have spoken."

International Standard Version
Indeed, I've sworn by myself," declares the LORD, "that Bozrah will become an object of horror and scorn, a waste, and an object of ridicule. All her towns will become perpetual ruins."

Majority Standard Bible
For by Myself I have sworn, declares the LORD, that Bozrah will become a desolation, a disgrace, a ruin, and a curse, and all her cities will be in ruins forever.?

NET Bible
For I solemnly swear," says the LORD, "that Bozrah will become a pile of ruins. It will become an object of horror and ridicule, an example to be used in curses. All the towns around it will lie in ruins forever."

New Heart English Bible
For I have sworn by myself,' says the LORD, 'that Bozrah shall become an astonishment, a reproach, a waste, and a curse; and all its cities shall be perpetual wastes.'"

Webster's Bible Translation
For I have sworn by myself, saith the LORD, that Bozrah shall become a desolation, a reproach, a waste, and a curse; and all her cities shall be perpetual wastes.

World English Bible
For I have sworn by myself,” says Yahweh, “that Bozrah will become an astonishment, a reproach, a waste, and a curse. All its cities will be perpetual wastes.”
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
For I have sworn by Myself, "" A declaration of YHWH, "" That for a desolation, for a reproach, "" For a dry place, and for a reviling—is Bozrah, "" And all her cities are for continuous ruins.

Young's Literal Translation
For, by Myself, I have sworn, An affirmation of Jehovah, That for a desolation, for a reproach, For a waste, and for a reviling -- is Bozrah, And all her cities are for wastes age-during.

Smith's Literal Translation
For by myself did I swear, says Jehovah, that Bozrah shall be for a desolation, for a reproach, and for a waste, and for a curse; and all her cities shall be for wastes forever.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
For I have sworn by myself, saith the Lord, that Bosra shall become a desolation, and a reproach, and a desert, and a curse: and all her cities shall be everlasting wastes.

Catholic Public Domain Version
For I have sworn by myself, says the Lord, that Bozrah will be a desolation, and a disgrace, and a wasteland, and a curse. And all her cities will be a perpetual wilderness.

New American Bible
By myself I have sworn—oracle of the LORD—Bozrah shall become an object of horror, a disgrace, a desolation, and a curse. Bozrah and all its cities shall become ruins forever.

New Revised Standard Version
For by myself I have sworn, says the LORD, that Bozrah shall become an object of horror and ridicule, a waste, and an object of cursing; and all her towns shall be perpetual wastes.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
For I have sworn by myself, says the LORD, that Bozrah shall become an astonishment, a desolation, a reproach, and a curse; and all its cities shall become perpetual wastes.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Because by myself I have sworn, says LORD JEHOVAH: “Butsar will be for astonishment and for desolation and for reproach and for a curse, and all his cities shall be for desolation to eternity”
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
For I have sworn by Myself, saith the LORD, that Bozrah shall become an astonishment, a reproach, a waste, and a curse; and all the cities thereof shall be perpetual wastes.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
for by myself I have sworn, saith the Lord, that thou shalt be in the midst of her an impassable land, and a reproach, and a curse; and all her cities shall be desert for ever.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Judgment on Edom
12For this is what the LORD says: “If those who do not deserve to drink the cup must drink it, can you possibly remain unpunished? You will not go unpunished, for you must drink it too. 13For by Myself I have sworn, declares the LORD, that Bozrah will become a desolation, a disgrace, a ruin, and a curse, and all her cities will be in ruins forever.” 14I have heard a message from the LORD; an envoy has been sent to the nations: “Assemble yourselves to march against her! Rise up for battle!”…

Cross References
Obadiah 1:1-4
This is the vision of Obadiah: This is what the Lord GOD says about Edom—We have heard a message from the LORD; an envoy has been sent among the nations to say, “Rise up, and let us go to battle against her!”— / “Behold, I will make you small among the nations; you will be deeply despised. / The pride of your heart has deceived you, O dwellers in the clefts of the rocks whose habitation is the heights, who say in your heart, ‘Who can bring me down to the ground?’ ...

Isaiah 34:5-10
When My sword has drunk its fill in the heavens, then it will come down upon Edom, upon the people I have devoted to destruction. / The sword of the LORD is bathed in blood. It drips with fat—with the blood of lambs and goats, with the fat of the kidneys of rams. For the LORD has a sacrifice in Bozrah, a great slaughter in the land of Edom. / And the wild oxen will fall with them, the young bulls with the strong ones. Their land will be drenched with blood, and their soil will be soaked with fat. ...

Malachi 1:3-4
but Esau I have hated, and I have made his mountains a wasteland and left his inheritance to the desert jackals.” / Though Edom may say, “We have been devastated, but we will rebuild the ruins,” this is what the LORD of Hosts says: “They may build, but I will demolish. They will be called the Land of Wickedness, and a people with whom the LORD is indignant forever.

Isaiah 13:19-22
And Babylon, the jewel of the kingdoms, the glory of the pride of the Chaldeans, will be overthrown by God like Sodom and Gomorrah. / She will never be inhabited or settled from generation to generation; no nomad will pitch his tent there, no shepherd will rest his flock there. / But desert creatures will lie down there, and howling creatures will fill her houses. Ostriches will dwell there, and wild goats will leap about. ...

Jeremiah 50:13-15
Because of the wrath of the LORD, she will not be inhabited; she will become completely desolate. All who pass through Babylon will be horrified and will hiss at all her wounds. / Line up in formation around Babylon, all you who draw the bow! Shoot at her! Spare no arrows! For she has sinned against the LORD. / Raise a war cry against her on every side! She has thrown up her hands in surrender; her towers have fallen; her walls are torn down. Since this is the vengeance of the LORD, take out your vengeance upon her; as she has done, do the same to her.

Ezekiel 25:12-14
This is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Because Edom acted vengefully against the house of Judah, and in so doing incurred grievous guilt, / therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: I will stretch out My hand against Edom and cut off from it both man and beast. I will make it a wasteland, and from Teman to Dedan they will fall by the sword. / I will take My vengeance on Edom by the hand of My people Israel, and they will deal with Edom according to My anger and wrath. Then they will know My vengeance, declares the Lord GOD.’

Isaiah 63:1-6
Who is this coming from Edom, from Bozrah with crimson-stained garments? Who is this robed in splendor, marching in the greatness of His strength? “It is I, proclaiming vindication, mighty to save.” / Why are Your clothes red, and Your garments like one who treads the winepress? / “I have trodden the winepress alone, and no one from the nations was with Me. I trampled them in My anger and trod them down in My fury; their blood spattered My garments, and all My clothes were stained. ...

Amos 1:11-12
This is what the LORD says: “For three transgressions of Edom, even four, I will not revoke My judgment, because he pursued his brother with the sword and stifled all compassion; his anger raged continually, and his fury flamed incessantly. / So I will send fire upon Teman to consume the citadels of Bozrah.”

Isaiah 21:11-12
This is the burden against Dumah: One calls to me from Seir, “Watchman, what is left of the night? Watchman, what is left of the night?” / The watchman replies, “Morning has come, but also the night. If you would inquire, then inquire. Come back yet again.”

Ezekiel 35:1-9
Moreover, the word of the LORD came to me, saying, / “Son of man, set your face against Mount Seir and prophesy against it, / and declare that this is what the Lord GOD says: Behold, I am against you, O Mount Seir. I will stretch out My hand against you and make you a desolate waste. ...

Lamentations 4:21-22
So rejoice and be glad, O Daughter of Edom, you who dwell in the land of Uz. Yet the cup will pass to you as well; you will get drunk and expose yourself. / O Daughter of Zion, your punishment is complete; He will not prolong your exile. But He will punish your iniquity, O Daughter of Edom; He will expose your sins.

Psalm 137:7
Remember, O LORD, the sons of Edom on the day Jerusalem fell: “Destroy it,” they said, “tear it down to its foundations!”

Isaiah 34:1-4
Come near, O nations, to listen; pay attention, O peoples. Let the earth hear, and all that fills it, the world and all that springs from it. / The LORD is angry with all the nations and furious with all their armies. He will devote them to destruction; He will give them over to slaughter. / Their slain will be left unburied, and the stench of their corpses will rise; the mountains will flow with their blood. ...

Romans 9:13
So it is written: “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”

Hebrews 12:16-17
See to it that no one is sexually immoral, or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his birthright. / For you know that afterward, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected. He could find no ground for repentance, though he sought the blessing with tears.


Treasury of Scripture

For I have sworn by myself, said the LORD, that Bozrah shall become a desolation, a reproach, a waste, and a curse; and all the cities thereof shall be perpetual wastes.

I have

Jeremiah 44:26
Therefore hear ye the word of the LORD, all Judah that dwell in the land of Egypt; Behold, I have sworn by my great name, saith the LORD, that my name shall no more be named in the mouth of any man of Judah in all the land of Egypt, saying, The Lord GOD liveth.

Genesis 22:16
And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the LORD, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son:

Isaiah 45:23
I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear.

Bozrah

Jeremiah 49:22
Behold, he shall come up and fly as the eagle, and spread his wings over Bozrah: and at that day shall the heart of the mighty men of Edom be as the heart of a woman in her pangs.

Genesis 36:33
And Bela died, and Jobab the son of Zerah of Bozrah reigned in his stead.

Isaiah 34:6
The sword of the LORD is filled with blood, it is made fat with fatness, and with the blood of lambs and goats, with the fat of the kidneys of rams: for the LORD hath a sacrifice in Bozrah, and a great slaughter in the land of Idumea.

a desolation

Jeremiah 49:17,18
Also Edom shall be a desolation: every one that goeth by it shall be astonished, and shall hiss at all the plagues thereof…

Isaiah 34:9-15
And the streams thereof shall be turned into pitch, and the dust thereof into brimstone, and the land thereof shall become burning pitch…

Ezekiel 25:13,14
Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; I will also stretch out mine hand upon Edom, and will cut off man and beast from it; and I will make it desolate from Teman; and they of Dedan shall fall by the sword…

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Astonishment Bozrah Cause Cities Curse Cursing Declares Desolation Horror Oath Object Perpetual Places Reproach Ruin Ruins Shame Swear Sworn Taunt Thereof Towns Waste Wastes Wonder
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Astonishment Bozrah Cause Cities Curse Cursing Declares Desolation Horror Oath Object Perpetual Places Reproach Ruin Ruins Shame Swear Sworn Taunt Thereof Towns Waste Wastes Wonder
Jeremiah 49
1. The judgment of the Ammonites
6. Their restoration
7. The judgment of Edom
23. of Damascus
28. of Kedar
30. of Hazor
34. and of Elam
39. The restoration of Elam














“For I have sworn by Myself,”
This phrase underscores the gravity and certainty of the declaration. In the Hebrew context, swearing by oneself is the highest form of oath, as there is no higher authority than God Himself. This reflects God's unchanging nature and His ultimate authority. The use of "I" emphasizes God's personal involvement and commitment to His word, highlighting His sovereignty and the seriousness of the forthcoming judgment.

“declares the LORD,”
The phrase "declares the LORD" is a prophetic formula used throughout the Old Testament to affirm that the message is directly from God. It serves as a divine seal of authenticity. The Hebrew term for "LORD" is "Yahweh," the covenant name of God, reminding the audience of His eternal presence and faithfulness to His promises, both of blessing and judgment.

“that Bozrah will become a ruin,”
Bozrah was a major city in Edom, known for its fortifications and wealth. The prophecy of its ruin signifies a complete and utter destruction, a common theme in prophetic literature where cities that oppose God’s people face divine retribution. Archaeological evidence supports the historical existence of Bozrah, and its mention here serves as a warning to those who trust in their own strength rather than in God.

“a reproach, a waste, and a curse.”
These terms describe the totality of Bozrah's downfall. "Reproach" indicates public disgrace, "waste" suggests desolation, and "curse" implies divine judgment. In the Hebrew tradition, a curse is a powerful pronouncement that brings about the opposite of blessing. This triad of terms emphasizes the severity of the judgment and serves as a warning to all nations that defy God’s will.

“All her cities will be in ruins forever.”
The phrase "in ruins forever" indicates the permanence of the judgment. It reflects the biblical theme of divine justice where the consequences of sin are lasting. The historical context of Edom’s enmity with Israel provides a backdrop for understanding this prophecy. The use of "forever" underscores the eternal nature of God’s decrees and serves as a sobering reminder of the consequences of turning away from Him.

(13) Bozrah.--This, as in Isaiah 34:6; Isaiah 63:1, was one of the chief cities of Edom, probably identical with the modern El-Busaireh, half-way between Petra and the Dead Sea.

Verse 13. - Bozrah. This seems to have been at one time the capital of Edom (see Amos 1:12; Isaiah 34:6; Isaiah 63:1). It was a hill city (comp. on ver. 16); a village called Busaira (i.e. little Bozrah) now stands among its ruins. Perpetual wastes. A phrase characteristic of Jeremiah (see also Jeremiah 25:9) and of the second part of Isaiah (Isaiah 58:12; Isaiah 61:4).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
For
כִּ֣י (kî)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

by Myself I have sworn,
נִשְׁבַּ֙עְתִּי֙ (niš·ba‘·tî)
Verb - Nifal - Perfect - first person common singular
Strong's 7650: To seven oneself, swear

declares
נְאֻם־ (nə·’um-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 5002: An oracle

the LORD,
יְהוָ֔ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

that
כִּֽי־ (kî-)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

Bozrah
בָצְרָ֑ה (ḇā·ṣə·rāh)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 1224: Bozrah -- 'fortress', a city in Edom, also one in Moab

will become
תִּֽהְיֶ֣ה (tih·yeh)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

a desolation,
לְשַׁמָּ֧ה (lə·šam·māh)
Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 8047: Ruin, consternation

a disgrace,
לְחֶרְפָּ֛ה (lə·ḥer·pāh)
Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 2781: Contumely, disgrace, the pudenda

a ruin,
לְחֹ֥רֶב (lə·ḥō·reḇ)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 2721: Dryness, drought, heat

and a curse,
וְלִקְלָלָ֖ה (wə·liq·lā·lāh)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 7045: Vilification

and all
וְכָל־ (wə·ḵāl)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

her cities
עָרֶ֥יהָ (‘ā·re·hā)
Noun - feminine plural construct | third person feminine singular
Strong's 5892: Excitement

will be
תִהְיֶ֖ינָה (ṯih·ye·nāh)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine plural
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

in ruins
לְחָרְב֥וֹת (lə·ḥā·rə·ḇō·wṯ)
Preposition-l | Noun - feminine plural construct
Strong's 2723: Waste, desolation, ruin

forever.”
עוֹלָֽם׃ (‘ō·w·lām)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5769: Concealed, eternity, frequentatively, always


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OT Prophets: Jeremiah 49:13 For I have sworn by myself says (Jer.)
Jeremiah 49:12
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