Ezekiel 25

Prophecies against the Ammonites and the Moabites, because of their rejoicing at the destruction of the temple, and the misery of God’s people, verse 1,2, c. 8,9, c. against the Edomites and the Philistines because of their desire of revenge and cruelty against the people of God, 12, c. 15, c.

1. And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying:

2. Child of man, set thy face against the children of Ammon: [see of this phrase, setting the face against, &c. above chapter 6 on verse 2 and and prophecies against them, [see Jeremiah 49:1 c. and above chapter 21.28, c. the Ammonites, Edomites and Philistines were all of them enemies unto God’s people: Ammon and Moab in the east beyond Jordan, Edom in the south, and the Philistines in the west along the midland-sea.]

3. And say unto the children of Ammon; hear the word of the Lord LORD: thus saith Lord LORD, because thou sadist Aha, against my sanctuary, when it was profaned, [As above chapter 24.21.] and against the land of Israel, which was laid waste and against the house of Juda, when they went into captivity; [Tha is, didst take delight therein and didn’t shout thereat. See Job 39:28. Psalms 35:21. With the Annotat. So below chapter 26. 2.]

4. Therefore behold, I will deliver thee to them of the east [Heb. The children of the east] for a possession, that they ay set their cattles [Or, towers, palaces, flately buildings, magnificent houses] in thee and make their dwelling in thee: they shall eat their fruits and they shall drink thy milk. [By these men of the east some understand the Chaldeans of Babylonians: but because the scripture continually saith, that the Chaldeans should come from the north, therefore others understand it of the eastern nations, that bordered on the eastern side of Ammon, as the Arabians, that lived in tents; Kedarens, & c. having great store of camels and cattle and given to seek out for good pasture and in scripture commonly reckoned among those of the east, these (to wit, as many as many of them were left, or spared by Nebuchadnezzar) should take and possess the land of the Ammonites, (being destroyed by the Chaldeans, and the inhabitants thereof carried away captive) to accommodate their cattle withal, see Genesis 29:1. Judges 6:3 and 8.11. Job 1:3. Isaiah 60:6,7. Jermiah 49.28,29,30,32. With Annotat.]

5. And I will make Rabba [The royal city of the Ammonites, see 2 Samuel 11 on verse 1.] a stable for camels, [for the camels of those of the east] and the children of Ammon [that is, their land] a sheep-coat: [for the sheep of those of the east] and you shall know that I am the LORD.

6. For that saith the Lord LORD, because thou hast clapped with (the) hand and stamped with the foot; [For great joy and delight at the Jews miseries, as followeth; as if they had said, Aha, so so, that is too good for them, that is bravely done. Compare verse 3 above 6 on verse 11.] and hast heartily removed in all thy plundering, [or, despite, also, content, as above chapter 16.57 and below verse 15. Or, hast rejoiced with delight. See Psalms 27 n verse 12. So verse 15. Or thus, andhast rejoyed in all thy eager plundering. Heb. I, or with the soul. Compare below chapter 36.5.] against the land of Israel.

7. Therefore behold, I will stretch out mine hand against thee, [see above chapter 16 on verse 9, so below verse 13.36.] and give thee for a prey to the heathen, and (I) will cut thee off from the nations. [That thou shalt be no more counted a people or a land] I will destroy thee; and thou shalt know that I am the LORD.

8. Thus saith the Lord LORD; because Moab [see Jeremiah 48:1, c.] and seir [that is, the land of Edom, and consequently the Edomites, Esaus posterity, to whom this land tell. Of Seirs posterity see Genesis 36 on verse 20. So below chapter 35.2, c. and further of Edom, Jeremiah 49:7. Obadiah verse 1, c.] say: behold, thou house of Juda is like unto all the heathen: [That is, they imagined that they were Gods special and peculiar people, and had a prerogative with him above other nations, but it appeareth now otherwise because they are no more favoured by the Babylonians then others: mocking thus at God’s covenant and his churches, yea at the God of Israel himself]

9. Therefore behold, I will open the side of Moab from the cities, from his cities (which) are on his frontiers; [Heb. Utmost, or end] the ornament of the land, Bethjesimoth, Baal-meon and unto Kiriatham; {or, and Kiriathain. These were some of the chiefest cities of the Moabities, lying between the brook Arnon and the Jordan. The meaning is, I will prepare for them of the east (as followeth, verse 10.) an open passage into the best and strongest places and countreyes of the land]

10. For them of the east, [see on verse 4.] with [or, over and above, besides] (the land) of the children of Ammon which I will deliver for a possession, [for them of the east, as verse 4 implying, that as he had given the land of the Ammonites unto them of the east, so he would likewise open the land of the Moabites unto them.] that the children of Ammon may not be remembered among the heathen (any more) [above, chapter 21.32.]

11. I will also exercise judgments in Moab: and they shall know that I am the LORD.

12. Thus saith the Lord LORD, because the Edom [Called see above verse 8.] hath dealt by more revengefulness [Heb. Hath done, or dealt in, or by revenging of revenge, or b revenging revenge. Compare verse 15] against the house of Juda, and they {the Edomites] have made themselves exceeding guilty, in that they have revenged themselves upon them: [upon the Jews from the old grudge which they inherited from their forefathers Esau see Genesis 27:41. 2 Chronicles 18:17. Psalms 137:7. Amos 1:11. Obadiah verse 1, c..]

13. Therefore thus saith the Lord LORD: I will also stretch out mine hand against Edom, [As above verse 7.] and I will cut off man and beast from it; [the land of Edum, or Idumea] and will make it a wilderness from Theman; [see Jeremiah 49 on verse 7.] and they shall fall by the sword (unto) Dedan.

14. And I will execute my vengeance upon Edom, [Heb. Lay, set against, under, upon, c. as verse 17.]By the hand of my people Israel; [That is, (as some expound this) by the same hand wherewith I smote my people Israel, (namely the army of the Babylonians) will also execute my vengeance upon thee. See Jeremiah 49:19 with the Annotat. But others take it upon spiritual sense: by the hand; that is, by the mean, ministery, or power of my church in their head Jesus Christ, who shal vanquish and subdue the enemies of his people. Compare Isaiah 11:14. Jeremiah 49:2. Obadiah verse 19. With the Annotat. Of any corporal vengeance that the Jews or Israelites should have executed upon Edom in Succeeding ages we read nothing at all, save that which is related in the second book of the Machabees chapter 10 verse 15,16 and so forth] and they shall deal against Edom [or in, with Edom] according to mine anger, and according to my fury, thus shalt perceive my vengeance, saith the Lord LORD.

15. Thus saith the Lord LORD; because the Philistines have dealt by revenge, [see 2 Chronicles 28:18. Joel 3:4. Amos 1:6,7,8.] And in heart [or with delight, as verse 6.] have exercised [Heb. Avenged] vengeance by plundering, [or spite, contempt, as verse 6] to destroy (by) an everlasting enmity: [Heb. Enmity of eternity, or antiquity.]

16. Therefore thus saith the Lord LORD, behold, I stretch mine hand against the Philistines, [as above verse 7.] and will cut off the Cherctines, [This seemeth to have been the name of a country in the land of Philistines; but therby are meant the Philistines in general, as 1 Samuel 30:14,16. See there: also Zepheniah 2.5. But the Hebrew the words Cheretim, and cutting off, suit elegantly one with another, as if we should say, I will cut of those cutters off] and destroy the remnant of the sea-haven. [see Jeremiah 47:7. Zephaniah 25.6]

17. And I will execute great vengeance among them with furious rebukes; [Heb. Rebukes of fury] and they shall know that I am the Lord, when I shall have executed [Heb. given as verse 14.] my vengeance upon them.