As with the previous oracle, the length of this one reflects the relative importance to Judah of those cursed by God. These Arab tribes were some of the descendants of Ishmael, Isaac's half-brother (Gen. 25:12-18). Again, antagonism marked their history with Israel.
49:28 Nebuchadnezzar also defeated Kedar, a prominent Arab tribe (2:10; Gen. 25:13; Isa. 21:16-17; 42:11; 60:7; Ezek. 27:21; et al.) and the tribes around Hazor, a place in the eastern desert (not the town in northern Galilee). The past tense in this title verse may have been added after Nebuchadnezzar's invasion, but the oracle is a promise of future destruction. Yahweh ordered the Babylonian king to devastate these eastern Arabs (cf. Judg. 6:3).
49:29 These nomads would gather up their tents and other possessions and would flee before the advancing Babylonian soldiers. Their cry of "terror on every side"was one of Jeremiah's stock expressions (cf. v. 5; et al.).
49:30 Yahweh encouraged them to flee and to hide in any recesses they could find because Nebuchadnezzar had a plan to wipe them out.
49:31 The Lord instructed Nebuchadnezzar to go against these nomads that lived at ease and securely in the desert by themselves rather than in walled cities.
"Carefree living was frowned upon in Old Testament times, since even the most heavily fortified location could be overthrown. The life of the Christian, who has been bought with a price (I Cor. 6:20; 7:23), must be spent in the service of God and man, not in selfish indulgence."576
49:32 Their camels and cattle would become booty for the Babylonians who would be the Lord's instrument in scattering and destroying the Arabs. One of their distinguishing features was that they rounded off the corners of their beards. Those who lived in the open air would scatter to the winds.
49:33 Hazor would become a desolate haunt of wild animals rather than a center for these Arab tribes.
Nebuchadnezzar raided these Arab tribes in 599 B.C., the year before he began his invasion of Palestine.577
Again the major reason for judgment, though not stated in the oracle, must be Yahweh's covenant faithfulness to His promise to punish those who were enemies of the Israelites (Gen. 12:3). They also violated the Noahic Covenant in which God decreed, "Whoever sheds man's blood, by man his blood shall be shed"(Gen. 9:6).
