is counsel perished from the prudent? is their wisdom vanished?
JOHN CALVIN for us by the blood of thine only-begotten Son. --- Amen.
Lecture One Hundred and Seventy-Fourth
Jeremiah 49:7
7. Concerning Edom, thus saith the LORD of hosts; Is wisdom no more in Teman?
is counsel perished from the prudent? is their wisdom vanished?
7. Ad Edom (contra Edom) sic dicit Jehova exercituum, An non amplius sapientia in Theman? periitne consilium ab intelligentibus? computruit (vel, supervacua facta est) sapientia ipsorum?
Here Jeremiah turns to Idumeans, who were most inveterate enemies to the chosen people, though their origin ought to have disposed them to show kindness to them, for they had descended from the same father, even Abraham. The Idumeans also gloried in their holy descent, and had circumcision in common with the Jews. It was then a most impious cruelty that the Idumeans entertained such bitter hatred towards their own blood. Hence our Prophet most severely reproved them, as also did Ezekiel and Obadiah. (Ezekiel 25:12-14; Obadiah 1:1, 8.)
He says first, Is there not wisdom any more in Teman? By these words he intimates, that though the Idumeans thought themselves safe through their own counsels, because they excelled in acuteness, it yet would avail them nothing, for the
Lord would blind them and deprive them of a sane mind; for what is put here interrogatively is declared plainly by Obadiah, (Obadiah 1:8.) even in God's name,
will take away wisdom from Teman, and there shall be no understanding in
Mount Esau.''
But as Obadiah had preceded Jeremiah, it was necessary that he should speak of this as of a future thing. But our Prophet, as the judgment of which Obadiah was a witness and a herald, was near at hand, boldly exults over the Idumeans, and laughs at their reproach, inasmuch as they were deprived of counsel and understanding when they had most need of them. Teman, no doubt, was the name of a mountain or of a region; and this we learn from the Prophet Habakkuk,
shall come from Teman, and the holy one from Mount Paran.'' (Habakkuk
3:3)
It was also a chief city, as we learn form other places; and our Prophet sets it forth as the seat of the kingdom, when he says, Is there not wisdom in Teman? and then,
Has counsel perished from the intelligent?
I wonder that interpreters, skillful in the language and conversant in it, should render the last word ``sons,'' for it is unsuitable to the place. 394 The word, no doubt, is derived from {,}בוםbun, to understand, and not from {,}בנהbene, to build, whence the word, {,}בניםbenim, sons, comes. For how can it suit this passage to say, Is there no more wisdom in Teman? Has counsel perished from the children?
that is, as they understand it, ``from the children of Esau.'' But this is frigid and forced; and the two clauses correspond much better when read thus, ``Is there no more wisdom in Teman? has counsel perished from the intelligent?'' that is, from those who have hitherto boasted of their intelligence and acuteness.
394So the Vulg. and the Targ., while the Sept. and the Syr., have "prudent," or intelligent. The word is not in its regular form, the {{יiod being wanted, and the {}מmem before it being omitted, which is not uncommon. Discerning rather than ``prudent,'' or ``intelligent,'' is its meaning. --- Ed