Judgment Against Elam (Jeremiah 49:34-39).
Elam was one of the nations in the area around Mesopotamia, situated in the plain of Khazistan and watered by the River Kerkh, which fed into the Tigris just north of the Persian Gulf. It bordered on Babylon, which lay to its west, and on Persia which lay to its east, and it controlled the trade routes to the Iranean plateau and to the south east. In ancient times it had been a powerful nation, bringing about the demise of Ur of the Chaldees around the time of Abraham, and later subjugating and ruling over Babylon (c. 1300-1120 BC). It had had an early form of writing in a pictographic script, and was famous for its archers (Jeremiah 49:35; Isaiah 22:6; Ezekiel 32:24). Many Israelite exiles had been settled there (Isaiah 11:13; compare Acts 2:9), presumably by Assyria. It included the mountainous region of Anshan.
Along with Media, Elam were called on by Isaiah to bring about the demise of Babylon (Isaiah 21:2), and while for a time subject to Assyria, during which time they would have provided contingents for the invasion of Israel/Judah, they were eventually allies with the Babylonians and Medes in ensuring Assyria's overthrow. But their power had waned sine the earliest days, and by this time they were subject to Persia, with Persia's king Teipes (675-640 BC) being also the title ‘king of Anshan'. In 539 BC Elam would assist Persia in the overthrow of the Babylonian empire. Elam is possibly included in the judgments because of the part they had played in the annexation of Galilee (2 Kings 15:29), the destruction of Samaria (2 Kings 17:6) and in the reception of exiles (note Jeremiah 49:36; Isaiah 11:11), and in the subjugation of Judah, their fierce bowmen being well remembered. There must certainly have been some reason for the emphasis on the fact that YHWH was ‘angry' with Elam. Note the emphasis all the way through on the fact that YHWH is speaking directly to them. The judgment is very personal to Him.
‘The word of YHWH which came to Jeremiah the prophet concerning Elam, in the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah, saying:
For this phraseology compare Jeremiah 46:1; Jeremiah 47:1; Jeremiah 50:1. The prophecy occurred at a different time from the others (probably made in the reign of Jehoiakim), coming later during the reign of Zedekiah. ‘The beginning of' merely indicates the early part of his reign, and is not more specific.
“Thus says YHWH of hosts,
Behold, I will break the bow of Elam, the chief of their might.
And on Elam will I bring the four winds from the four quarters of heaven,
And will scatter them toward all those winds,
And there will be no nation to which the outcasts of Elam will not come.”
Note the emphasis on the fact that Elam's chief weapon, the bow, will be broken, and the underlining of the fact of the scattering of their people into exile. What they had done to Israel would be done to them. As we have seen, Elam were famed for their prowess with the bow (Jeremiah 49:35; Isaiah 22:6; Ezekiel 32:24), and had themselves had their part in the taking of Israelites into exile (Isaiah 11:11). Now the very source of their might would be broken
For the scattering to the winds (as indicating being scattered in all directions) compare Jeremiah 49:32. The idea of the four winds from the four quarters of Heaven suggests that they will be subject to attack from all sides at the instigation of YHWH. Compare Daniel 7:2 where the four winds of Heaven indicated heavenly activity, and Daniel 8:8; Daniel 11:4 and Zechariah 2:6 where they indicate ‘in all directions'.
“And I will cause Elam to be dismayed before their enemies,
And before those who seek their life,
And I will bring evil on them,
Even my fierce anger,
The word of YHWH,
Here YHWH is revealed as ‘angry' with Elam. In the Scriptures God's anger refers to His necessary reaction to and aversion to sin as He punishes it as necessary. It is a unique holy and necessary anger, totally under control. In this case Elam had sinned, and must therefore receive the consequences of their sin. As we have said their sin may well have been in the assistance that they gave, first to the Assyrians, and then to the Babylonians, against Israel and Judah. As Israel/Judah had been dismayed before the Elamites, so would the Elamites be dismayed before their enemies who sought their lives. Disaster (‘evil') awaited them, disaster brought about as retribution for sin. And this in accordance with the word of YHWH. It is an example of Paul's words, ‘whatever a man sows that will he also reap' (Galatians 6:7). If we put ourselves on the side of the flesh we thereby reject the Spirit, thus coming under God's anger.
And I will send the sword after them,
Until I have consumed them,
And I will set my throne in Elam,
And will destroy from there king and princes,
The word of YHWH.”
In the form of the invaders YHWH would send the sword after them until they were consumed, and then He would set His throne in Elam and destroy its kings and princes. None could resist YHWH. It was customary for an invading king, once he had taken part of a land, to set up his throne there as evidence that the land was under his authority (compare Jeremiah 43:10). Thus YHWH is here taking possession of Elam. Whether an invisible heavenly throne, or merely a throne of the invading king, was intended the significance is the same.
Jdt 1:1-13 refers to an invasion of that part of the world by Babylon when king Arphaxad of neighbouring Media was defeated by the Babylonians. Elam may well have rebelled along with them, or at another time, in order to avoid paying the hated tribute. Such rebellions regularly occurred at times when weakness was seen in the ruling nation, especially at the death of a king.
“But it will come about in the latter days,
That I will bring back the captivity in exile of Elam,
The word of YHWH.”
But as with Egypt, Moab and Ammon, mercy was to be finally show to Elam. The exiles of Elam were to return to their own land. This probably occurred under Persian rule in the same was as it did to the Judeans (Ezra 1). Certainly Elamites are mentioned as present in Jerusalem at Pentecost (Acts 2:9), demonstrating that Elam still survived as a recognised province. And even as early as Daniel their leading city Susa (Shushan) was a centre of at least regional, if not central, government (Daniel 8:2; Nehemiah 1:1).