What Does Jeremiah 49:28 Mean in the King James?
Concerning Kedar, and concerning the kingdoms of Hazor, which Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon shall smite, thus saith the LORD; Arise ye, go up to Kedar, and spoil the men of the east.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
The Hebrew word for “spoil” also carries devastation: here, taking is already ravaging.
THE MEANING
The verse names Nebuchadrezzar as the force that strikes Kedar, then gives a direct command to advance and plunder the people of the east. Its words leave conquest exposed as violence and seizure, without softening what happens to those who are attacked.
THE ROOT
וְשָׁדְדוּ
wəšāḏəḏû
GROWS FROM
שדד
š-d-d
To devastate, despoil, or plunder by force.
The root שדד also gives words for devastation and for a plunderer. The Hebrew keeps the violence inside “spoil”: taking from the people of the east is itself an act of devastation.
ALSO GROWS
shod: Devastation, destruction, or violence.
שֹׁד
This noun names the ruin associated with the same root, showing the force carried by the command to plunder.
shoded: Plunderer or devastator.
שׁוֹדֵד
The agent who plunders bears the same root as the act, connecting the taking directly to the one who ravages.
THE PATTERN
When force crosses into another’s space, scripture names its action as taking and ravaging, and shows that plunder can return upon the plunderer.
I will send him against an hypocritical nation, and against the people of my wrath will I give him a charge, to take the spoil, and to take the prey, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets.Because thou hast spoiled many nations, all the remnant of the people shall spoil thee; because of men’s blood, and for the violence of the land, of the city, and of all that dwell therein.Or else how can one enter into a strong man’s house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house.THE THREAD
Because thou hast spoiled many nations, all the remnant of the people shall spoil thee; because of men’s blood, and for the violence of the land, of the city, and of all that dwell therein.Habakkuk uses the same Hebrew root, שדד, for “spoiled” and “shall spoil.” The shared root opens Jeremiah’s word further: the act of plundering carries devastation in it, and Habakkuk shows that violence returning upon the plunderer.
Read the SDV Bible.
Every verse has a Deep Dive in the app.
The iPhone Bible app with the Selah Decoded Version.
Does something in this reading look wrong? Tell us