The Prophets

In the prophetic books, Bozrah stands for Edom as a whole. The city symbolically receives the retribution due the Edomites for indifference toward the Israelites when they were subjected to the Assyrians and Babylonians in the seventh—sixth centuries bc. Bozrah appears in the prophetic oracles of Amos, Isaiah, and Jeremiah.

In Isaiah 34:6, the prophet warns of the impending judgment coming upon Edom: “the Lord has a sacrifice in Bozrah, a great slaughter in the land of Edom.” Later, Isaiah—carrying on earlier themes—speaks of the divine warrior coming from Bozrah with His garments stained red from the slaughter in Edom (Isa 63:1). In Jeremiah 48:24, Bozrah is accounted as one of the cities of Moab, which was cut off due to the pride of the Moabites (Jer 48:26–29). Later the prophet points to Edom’s downfall from its lofty dwelling: Bozrah will become a wasteland (Jer 49:13) and Edom’s warriors will lose heart when Yahweh comes against Bozrah (Jer 49:22). Amos indicts Edom for pursuing “his brother [Israel] with a sword” (Amos 1:11 NRSV), with the resultant judgment of fire coming upon and destroying Teman and “the strongholds of Bozrah” (Amos 1:12).