Ezekiel25
New Living Translation
1Then this message came to me from the Lord:
2“Son of man, turn and face the land of Ammon and prophesy against its people.
3Give the Ammonites this message from the Sovereign Lord: Hear the word of the Sovereign Lord! Because you cheered when my Temple was defiled, mocked Israel in her desolation, and laughed at Judah as she went away into exile,
4I will allow nomads from the eastern deserts to overrun your country. They will set up their camps among you and pitch their tents on your land. They will harvest all your fruit and drink the milk from your livestock.
5And I will turn the city of Rabbah into a pasture for camels, and all the land of the Ammonites into a resting place for sheep and goats. Then you will know that I am the Lord.
6“This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Because you clapped and danced and cheered with glee at the destruction of my people,
7I will raise my fist of judgment against you. I will give you as plunder to many nations. I will cut you off from being a nation and destroy you completely. Then you will know that I am the Lord.
8“This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Because the people of Moab have said that Judah is just like all the other nations,
9I will open up their eastern flank and wipe out their glorious frontier towns—Beth-jeshimoth, Baal-meon, and Kiriathaim.
10And I will hand Moab over to nomads from the eastern deserts, just as I handed over Ammon. Yes, the Ammonites will no longer be counted among the nations.
11In the same way, I will bring my judgment down on the Moabites. Then they will know that I am the Lord.
12“This is what the Sovereign Lord says: The people of Edom have sinned greatly by avenging themselves against the people of Judah.
13Therefore, says the Sovereign Lord, I will raise my fist of judgment against Edom. I will wipe out its people and animals with the sword. I will make a wasteland of everything from Teman to Dedan.
14I will accomplish this by the hand of my people of Israel. They will carry out my vengeance with anger, and Edom will know that this vengeance is from me. I, the Sovereign Lord, have spoken!
15“This is what the Sovereign Lord says: The people of Philistia have acted against Judah out of bitter revenge and long-standing contempt.
16Therefore, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will raise my fist of judgment against the land of the Philistines. I will wipe out the Kerethites and utterly destroy the people who live by the sea.
17I will execute terrible vengeance against them to punish them for what they have done. And when I have inflicted my revenge, they will know that I am the Lord.”
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Ezekiel 25.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: Judgments against the Ammonites. (1-7). Against the Moabites, Edomites, and Philistines. (8-17).
vv1-7
It is wicked to be glad at the calamities of any, especially of God's people; it is a sin for which he will surely reckon. God will make it appear that he is the God of Israel, though he suffers them for a time to be captives in Babylon. It is better to know Him, and to be poor, than to be rich and ignorant of him.
vv8-17
Though one event seem to the righteous and wicked, it is vastly different. Those who glory in any other defence and protection than the Divine power, providence, and promise, will, sooner or later, be ashamed of their glorying. Those who will not leave it to God to take vengeance for them, may expect that he will take vengeance on them. The equity of the Lord's judgments is to be observed, when he not only avenges injuries upon those that did them, but by those against whom they were done. Those who treasure up old hatred, and watch for the opportunity of manifesting it, are treasuring up for themselves wrath against the day of wrath.
Key Words
דָּבָר: a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, a cause
אָמַר: to say (used with great latitude)
בֵּן: a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.)
אָדָם: ruddy i.e. a human being (an individual or the species, mankind, etc.)
שׂוּם: to put (used in a great variety of applications, literal, figurative, inferentially, and elliptically)
פָּנִים: the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposition (before, etc.)
נָבָא: to prophesy, i.e. speak (or sing) by inspiration (in prediction or simple discourse)
עַל: above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications
שָׁמַע: to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively, to tell, etc.)
אֲדֹנָי: the Lord (used as a proper name of God only)
Cross References
Ezekiel 25Parallels Ammon's pride, taunts, and "Aha" against God's people, with subsequent judgment by eastern tribes.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Detailed indictment of Edom's active vengeance and rejoicing over Judah's day of calamity.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Ezekiel's closely related prophecy concerning the sword drawn against the insulting Ammonites.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Historical conspiracy of confederate nations, including Moab, Ammon, and Edom (Seir), against Israel.
Supported by JFB
Extended prophecy against Mount Seir (Edom) for its perpetual hatred and vengeance against Israel.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Jeremiah's parallel judgment on Edom, mentioning Teman and Dedan being laid waste.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Amos's earlier prophecy against Ammon for their cruel boundary-stretching and hostility.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Jeremiah's extensive judgment on Moab, matching Ezekiel's warning of Moab's impending ruin.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Prophecy of Israel laying hand upon Edom and Moab, executing God's anger.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Amos condemns the Philistines for their relentless enmity and taking captive whole communities.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Parallel judgment on the Philistines and Cherethites by the sea coast.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Explains the prophetic posture "set thy face against" as a sign of divine menace.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Lists the frontier cities of Reuben, including Baal-meon, later reclaimed by Moab.
Supported by JFB
Identifies the Cherethites in the southern territory associated with Philistine geography.
Supported by Matthew Poole