The Chapter opens in a beautiful and striking manner, for the Lord himself, Israel's lawful Sovereign, demands, as in a court of justice, how, or wherefore it is, that the land he gave, (and as Lord and proprietor of the whole earth he had a right to give), to Israel, is now possessed by the children of Ammon? What! saith the Lord, is it so, that Israel is childless, whose posterity God promised should be as the sand of the sea for multitude? That is impossible. And will any nation then dare to possess Israel's birth-right? If the Reader will compare this passage with other scriptures, he will see the ground upon which Jehovah brings this charge. Amos 1:13-15; Zephaniah 2:8-11. Reader! spiritualize the passage, and it will be yet more blessed. How shall the seed of Christ be ever dispossessed of their inheritance, when they are heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ? Romans 8:16-17. I beg the Reader not to overlook the mercy promised to Ammon in the last verse of this passage, in the after-day dispensation. Surely we do not strain the scripture, when we refer it to the call of the Gentiles under Christ. Isaiah 49:6; Acts 11:1-18.
Jeremiah 49:1-6
1 Concerning the Ammonites, thus saith the LORD; Hath Israel no sons? hath he no heir? why then doth their king inherit Gad, and his people dwell in his cities?
2 Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will cause an alarm of war to be heard in Rabbah of the Ammonites; and it shall be a desolate heap, and her daughters shall be burned with fire: then shall Israel be heir unto them that were his heirs, saith the LORD.
3 Howl, O Heshbon, for Ai is spoiled: cry, ye daughters of Rabbah, gird you with sackcloth; lament, and run to and fro by the hedges; for their kinga shall go into captivity, and his priests and his princes together.
4 Wherefore gloriest thou in the valleys, thy flowing valley, O backsliding daughter? that trusted in her treasures, saying, Who shall come unto me?
5 Behold, I will bring a fear upon thee, saith the Lord GOD of hosts, from all those that be about thee; and ye shall be driven out every man right forth; and none shall gather up him that wandereth.
6 And afterward I will bring again the captivity of the children of Ammon, saith the LORD.