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Commentary on Ezekiel 25 verses 8–17
Three more of Israel's ill-natured neighbours are here arraigned, convicted, and condemned to destruction, for contributing to and triumphing in Jerusalem's fall.
I. The Moabites. Seir, which was the seat of the Edomites, is joined with them (Eze 25:8), because they said the same as the Moabites; but they were afterwards reckoned with by themselves, Eze 25:12. Now observe,
1.What was the sin of the Moabites; they said, Behold, the house of Judah is like unto all the heathen. They triumphed, (1.) In the apostasies of Israel, were please to see them forsake their God and worship idols, and hoped that in a while their religion would be quite lost and forgotten and the house of Judah would be like all the heathen, perfect idolaters. When those that profess religion walk unworthy of their profession they encourage the enemies of religion to hope that it will in time sink, and be run down, and quite abandoned; but let the Moabites know that, though there are those of the house of Judah who have made themselves like the heathen, yet there is a remnant that retain their integrity, the religion of the house of Judah shall recover itself, its peculiarities shall be preserved, it shall not lose itself among the heathen, but distinguish itself from them, till it deliver itself honourably into a better institution. (2.) In the calamities of Israel. They said, "The house of Judah is like all the heathen, in as bad a state as they; their God is no more able to deliver them from this overflowing scourge of these parts of the world than the gods of the heathen are to deliver them. Where are the promises they gloried in and all the wonders which they and their fathers told us of? What the better are they for the covenant of peculiarity, upon which they so much valued themselves? Those that looked with so much scorn upon all the heathen are now set upon a level with them, or rather sunk below them." Note, Those who judge only by outward appearance are ready to conclude that the people of God have lost all their privileges when they have lost their worldly prosperity, which does not follow, for good men, even in affliction, in captivity among the heathen, have graces and comforts within sufficient to distinguish them from all the heathen. Though the event seem one to the righteous and wicked, yet indeed it is vastly different.
2.What should be the punishment of Moab for this sin; because they triumphed in the overthrow of Judah, their country shall be in like manner overthrown with that of the Ammonites, who were guilty of the same sin (Eze 25:9, Eze 25:10): "I will open the side of Moab, will uncover its shoulder, will take away all its defences, that it may become an easy prey to any that will make a prey of it." (1.) See here how it shall be exposed; the frontier-towns, that were its strength and guard, shall be demolished by the Chaldean forces, and laid open. Some of the cities are here named, which are said to be the glory of the country, which they trusted in, and boasted of as impregnable; these shall decay, be deserted, or betrayed, or fall into the enemies' hands, so that Moab shall lie exposed, and whoever will may penetrate into the heart of the country. Note, Those who glory in any other defence and protection than that of the divine power, providence, and promise, will sooner or later see cause to be ashamed of their glorying. (2.) See here to whom it shall be exposed: The men of the east, when they come to take possession of the country of the Ammonites, shall seize that of the Moabites too. God, the Lord of all lands, will give them that land; for the kingdoms of men he gives to whomsoever he will. The Arabians, who are shepherds, and live quietly, plain men dwelling in tents, shall by an overruling Providence be put in possession of the land of the Moabites, who are soldiers, men of war, and cunning hunters, that live turbulently. The Chaldeans shall get it by war, and the Arabians shall enjoy it in peace. Concerning the Ammonites it is said, They shall no more be remembered among the nations (Eze 25:10), for they had been accessory to the murder of Gedaliah, Jer 40:14. But of the Moabites it is said, I will execute judgments upon Moab; they shall feel the weight of God's displeasure, but perhaps not to that degree that the Ammonites shall; however, so far as that they shall know that I am the Lord, that the God of Israel is a God of power, and that his covenant with his people is not broken.
II. The Edomites, the posterity of Esau, between whom and Jacob there had been an old enmity. And here is,
1.The sin of the Edomites, Eze 25:12. They not only triumphed in the ruin of Judah and Jerusalem, as the Moabites and Ammonites had done, but they took advantage from the present distressed state to which the Jews were reduced to do them some real mischiefs, probably made inroads upon their frontiers and plundered their country: Edom has dealt against the house of Judah by taking vengeance. The Edomites had of old been tributaries to the Jews, according to the sentence that the elder should serve the younger. In Jehoram's time they revolted. Amaziah severely chastised them (Kg2 14:7), and for this they took vengeance. Now they would pay off all the old scores, and not only incensed the Babylonians against Jerusalem, crying, Rase it, rase it (Psa 137:7), but cut off those that escaped, as we find in the prophecy of Obadiah, which is wholly directed against Edom, Eze 25:11, Eze 25:12, etc. It is called here revenging a revenge, which intimates that they were not only eager upon it, but very cruel in it, and recompensed to the Jews more than double. "Herein he has greatly offended." Note, It is a great offence to God for us to revenge ourselves upon our brother; for God has said, Vengeance is mine. We are forbidden to revenge or to bear a grudge. Suppose Judah had been hard upon Edom formerly, it was a base thing for the Edomites now, in revenge for it, to smite them secretly. But the Jews had a divine warrant to reign over the Edomites, for that therefore they ought not to have made reprisals; and it was the more disingenuous for them to retain the old enmity when God had particularly commanded his people to forget it. Deu 23:7, Thou shalt not abhor an Edomite.
2.The judgments threatened against them for this sin. God will take them to task for it (Eze 25:13): I will stretch out my hand upon Edom Their country shall be desolate from Teman, which lay in the south part of it; and they shall fall by the sword unto Dedan, which lay north; the desolations of war should go through the nation. (1.) They had taken vengeance, and therefore God will lay his vengeance upon them (Eze 25:14): They shall know my vengeance. Those that will not leave it to God to take vengeance for them may expect that he will take vengeance on them; and those that will not believe and fear his vengeance shall be made to know and feel his vengeance; they shall be dealt with according to God's anger and according to his fury, not according to the weakness of the instruments that are employed in it, but according to the strength of the arm that employs them. (2.) They had taken vengeance on Israel, and God will lay his vengeance on them by the hand of his people Israel. They suffered much by the Chaldeans, which seems to be referred to, Jer 49:8. But besides that there were saviours to come upon Mount Zion, who should judge the mount of Esau (Oba 1:21), and Israel's Redeemer comes with dyed garments from Bozrah (Isa 63:1), this implies a promise that Israel should recover itself again to such a degree as to be in a capacity of curbing the insolence of its neighbours. And we find (1 Macc. 5:3) that Judas Maccabeus fought against the children of Esau in Idumea, gave them a great overthrow, abated their courage, and took their spoil; and Josephus says (Antiq. 13.257), that Hircanus made the Edomites tributaries to Israel. Note, The equity of God'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.
III. The Philistines. And, 1. Their sin is much the same with that of the Edomites: They have dealt by revenge with the people of Israel, and have taken vengeance with a despiteful heart, not to disturb them only, but to destroy them, for the old hatred (Eze 25:15), the old grudge they bore them, or (as the margin reads it) with perpetual hatred, a hatred that began long since and which they resolved to continue. The anger was implacable: they dealt by revenge, traded in the acts of malice; it was their constant practice, and their heart, their spiteful heart, was upon it. 2. Their punishment likewise is much the same, Eze 25:16. Those that were for destroying God's people shall themselves be cut off and destroyed; and (Eze 25:17) those that were for avenging themselves shall find that God will execute great vengeance upon them. This was fulfilled when that country was wasted by the Chaldean army, not long after the destruction of Jerusalem, which is foretold, Jer 47:1-7. It was strange that these nations, which bordered upon the land of Israel, were not alarmed by the success of the Chaldean army, and made to tremble in the apprehension of their own danger; when their neighbour's house was on fire it was time to look to their own; but their impiety and malice made them forget their politics, till God by his judgments convinced them that the cup was going round, and they were the less safe for being secure.
(Verse 35, 36, and following) And I will bring you into a desert of peoples, and there I will judge you face to face. Just as I contended with your fathers in the desert of the land of Egypt, so I will judge you, says the Lord. And I will subject you to my scepter, and I will bring you into the bonds of the covenant, and I will choose from among you the transgressors and the wicked: from their place of residence I will bring them out, and they will not enter the land of Israel, and you will know that I am the Lord. Thus says the Lord: I will do for you who are in Babylon, and now serve idols, what I did for your ancestors in Egypt. I will lead you into the desert of the peoples, and there I will judge you face to face, just as I contended with them in judgment when they came out of Egypt. And after I have judged you, I will subject you to my scepter and rule, and I will make a covenant with you and bring you into your land with the bonds of love, so that bound by my love, you will never be able to depart from me. But I will choose from among you the transgressors and the wicked, who persist in the hardness of their hearts in evil deeds, not for possession, but for rejection. And I will indeed bring them out of the land of their dwelling, so that when they are brought out, they will not enter the land of Israel; but they will perish in various regions. And by the distinction between good and evil, you shall know that I am the Lord, who judges all things. The rest of the discourse hastens, and we briefly go through each point, in order to provide only the meaning to the readers.
(Vers. 12, 13, et seqq.) Thus says the Lord God: Because Edom has acted vengefully against the children of Judah and has incurred guilt by taking vengeance upon them, therefore thus says the Lord God: I will stretch out my hand against Edom and cut off from it man and beast. I will make it a desolation from Teman, and Dedan shall fall by the sword. I will execute my vengeance upon Edom by the hand of my people Israel, and they shall do in Edom according to my anger and according to my wrath, and they shall know my vengeance, declares the Lord God. LXX: Thus says the Lord God: Because Edom acted revengefully against the house of Judah and took vengeance upon them with utmost hatred, therefore thus says the Lord God, I will stretch out my hand against Edom, and cut off from it man and beast, and I will make it desolate; from Teman even to Dedan they shall fall by the sword. And I will execute vengeance upon Edom by the hand of my people Israel, and they shall do in Edom according to my anger and according to my wrath, and they shall know my vengeance, says the Lord God. Above, the two proposed, for what they said about Moab and Seir, and later in silence about Seir, spoke only against Moab: now it refutes the problem that Seir, that is, Edom, has done. That Esau and Seir, and Edom, and Idumea, and Duma, are called one nation, no one should doubt who has knowledge of the Scriptures. And not to mention the other prophets, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Amos, who prophesied against Idumea, Duma, and Edom: Obadiah directed his entire prophecy against this nation, which we have discussed before as best we could. Therefore Seir is accused, who because he was hairy, received the name 'hairy', and Edom the bloodthirsty, who lost the birthright due to the cooking of a red lentil, and obtained the name from the dish. Also, Esau's actions are interpreted. And it should be known that in Hebrew, Idumaea is never written, but always Edom, which the Greek translation expressed as Idumaea. Therefore, it is not Idumaea (Edom), as Moab spoke, but he took revenge on the sons of Judah: he sinned, or retained the memory of the previous pain, in order to take revenge on them, from whom he was supplanted in the womb. Therefore not through angels, nor through any other: but the Lord himself, stretching out his hand over Idumea, took away from it man and beast, and reduced the cities thereof into a desert, that is, Themam, which we turn towards the south: and of the same city Dedan, there shall be no remains. And they shall know my vengeance and retribution, saith the Lord God: I will lay my vengeance upon Edom by the hand of my people Israel: and they shall do in Edom according to my fury, and according to my wrath, and they shall know my vengeance, saith the Lord God. Those who act in Edom, or Idumea, according to my anger and fury, to fulfill my indignation, and through the hands of my people Israel, let my wrath rage against the enemy nation, and let them understand that my just vengeance was against the unjust retribution of Idumea, says the Lord Adonai. According to the allegory, this is the meaning that I perceive. Earthly and fleshly Idumea is called, which rises against the spirit, so that we do not do those things which are of the spirit, and it hastens to draw back the soul placed in its midst; and it wants to exact revenge, to which it was previously subjected, on the sons of Judah, and it remembers the ancient pain, which was not of its own power, and therefore sought revenge on those who turned away from the flesh and followed the spirit. Therefore, the Lord Himself, being the avenger of the children of Judah, has stretched out His hand over Edom and has taken away from it both man and beast, whatever it seems to possess of reason or simple faith, in order to reduce it to a wilderness. And He has slain with the sword all of Theman, which means failing, and Dedan, which also signifies kinship, which He has placed in the hand of His people Israel, so that Edom may be overthrown and may feel the anger and fury of the Lord, and may understand that His vengeance has accomplished this, in order to serve the house of Judah. This is that which the Apostle disputes about, writing: Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated (Rom. IX, 13). But Jacob is loved, because he supplants and surpasses the carnal and earthly, and deserves to receive his blessings. For first we live according to the flesh, and afterwards according to the spirit. First vices, then virtues, by which vices are overturned, because the heart of man is inclined towards evil from childhood, and the age of maturity condemns the errors of youth (Genesis VIII). And David also says: Remember not the sins of my youth, and my ignorances. (Ps. 24:7). And yet it should be known that Jacob received the first blessing, Esau the second. And what is said of him at the end, 'You shall be your brother's servant' (Gen. 27:40), signifies that after the flesh is subject to the spirit and united to it, it ceases to be flesh and passes from Edom to Judah.
(Verse 27, 29 onwards) Therefore speak to the house of Israel, son of man, and tell them: Thus says the Lord God: Moreover, your fathers have blasphemed against me and have treated me with contempt, even as they spurned me. And I brought them into the land that I had lifted my hand to give them ((Vulgate adds: that land)): they saw every high hill and every leafy tree, and there they offered their sacrifices and presented there the irritation of their offerings, and they placed there the fragrance of their sweetness, and they poured out their ((Vulgate is silent on this)) libations there. And I said to them, 'What is the high place to which you are going?' And its name was called the High Place until this day. Therefore speak to the house of Israel, son of man, and say to them, 'Thus says the Lord God: As for your fathers, they have provoked Me to anger by their iniquities, by the fact that they have fallen away from Me. So I brought them into the land that I had lifted My hand in an oath to give them.' They saw every high hill and every leafy tree, and there they offered their sacrifices. They also presented there the provocation of their gifts, and they set there their pleasing aroma, and they poured out there their drink offerings. And I said to them: What is abbana, because you enter there? And they called its name abbana until this day. I wanted, he said, to scatter them in the wilderness, and to give them not good precepts, so that they would sacrifice to idols what they should have offered to me, and consecrate all their first-fruits to them by fire, so that I might kill them and destroy them. But when he says, I wanted, he shows that he did not do what he wanted. And that which follows: 'And they shall know that I am the Lord,' is not found in the Septuagint. For it did not seem fitting to them to know after their destruction that he himself is the Lord. But you, son of man, speak again to them, that is, to the elders of the house of Israel, who have come to inquire of you: Your fathers, from whom you have descended, have also blasphemed against me and held me in contempt; after I brought them into the land which I had given them to possess, they turned against me to provoke me. For when they saw every high hill and leafy tree, they would sacrifice on the mountains and in the groves and thickets, and offer victims to the idols, and pour out libations. And when I saw this, I said to them: What is this, Bama? for it is called high: or why do you enter into such a place which you have chosen for yourselves in all the hills, so that even today these places are called Bamoth, and the ancient error retains its original name? Regarding Bama, which we translate as excelsum, there is an error in the Septuagint edition, where it is written as ἀββανὰ, which does not resonate in the Hebrew language. Bama can mean 'in which' if the two syllables are divided into two words, but in the present context, that sense does not fit. However, wherever it is written in the Books of Kings and Chronicles: 'The people still sacrificed and offered incense on the high places,' Bama in the singular and Bamoth in the plural mean 'high places.'
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SUMMARY
Ezekiel 25:12 delivers a powerful divine indictment against Edom, declaring the Lord GOD's unwavering judgment for their malicious and vengeful actions toward the house of Judah. This pronouncement underscores Edom's profound betrayal and opportunistic cruelty during Judah's period of extreme vulnerability and distress, revealing God's personal identification with the suffering of His people and His commitment to righteous retribution against those who act with such unbridled malice and seek to usurp His prerogative of vengeance.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Ezekiel 25:12 employs several potent literary devices to convey the gravity of Edom's sin and the certainty of divine judgment. Repetition is a key feature, particularly with the Hebrew root nâqam (vengeance/revenged), which appears twice. This reiteration serves to emphasize the central and pervasive nature of Edom's vengeful spirit, highlighting it as the primary offense. The opening phrase, "Thus saith the Lord GOD," is a classic Prophetic Formula, a common literary device in prophetic literature that authenticates the message as a direct utterance from God Himself. This formula lends ultimate authority and solemnity to the pronouncement, underscoring its divine origin and irrefutable nature. Furthermore, the text utilizes Personification by treating the nation of Edom as a singular entity capable of personal actions like "dealing," "offending," and "revenging himself." This rhetorical choice allows for a direct and impactful indictment of the collective national character and its moral failings. Finally, the entire verse functions as a Divine Oracle of Judgment, a specific literary genre within prophetic literature where God directly announces His verdict and impending punishment against an entity, underscoring His sovereignty over nations and His commitment to justice.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Ezekiel 25:12 profoundly illustrates the biblical principle that God is a God of perfect justice who holds all nations accountable for their moral and ethical conduct, especially concerning their treatment of His people. Edom's vengeful actions against Judah, particularly during their extreme vulnerability, represented a profound violation of both human decency and divine law, as God considers harm done to His people as harm done to Himself. This verse underscores that divine justice is not merely punitive but also restorative, ensuring that those who inflict malicious suffering will face consequences commensurate with their actions. It powerfully reinforces the theological truth that vengeance belongs exclusively to the Lord, and any attempt by humanity to usurp this divine prerogative is a grave offense, inviting divine retribution.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Ezekiel 25:12 offers timeless lessons for believers today, serving as a powerful reminder that God sees and responds to all acts of malice, especially those directed against the vulnerable or those who are suffering. In a world often marked by injustice, exploitation, and the pervasive temptation to seek personal retribution, this verse calls us to trust implicitly in God's perfect and ultimate justice. It challenges us to resist the urge for personal vengeance, recognizing that such a spirit is not only an affront to God's sovereignty but also corrosive to our own souls and relationships. Instead, we are called to embody a spirit of compassion, empathy, and forgiveness, even towards those who have wronged us, leaving the scales of justice firmly in the hands of the Almighty. This passage encourages us to actively support and stand in solidarity with those who are suffering, rather than exploiting their distress for personal gain or satisfaction, thereby reflecting God's own profound identification with the afflicted.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why was Edom's sin considered so severe by God?
Answer: Edom's sin was particularly egregious and incurred severe divine judgment for several profound reasons. Firstly, they were descendants of Esau, Jacob's elder twin brother, making them distant kin to Judah. Their actions were thus seen as a profound betrayal of familial ties and a violation of the natural expectation of brotherly support. Secondly, their malice was displayed during Judah's most vulnerable moment – the catastrophic destruction of Jerusalem and the subsequent Babylonian exile. Instead of showing compassion or offering aid, Edom actively rejoiced at Judah's downfall, possibly participated in the plunder of the city, and even hindered the escape of Judean refugees, potentially handing them over to the Babylonians, as vividly detailed in Obadiah 1:11-14. This opportunistic cruelty, driven by a deep-seated vengeful spirit and a desire for personal satisfaction in Judah's suffering, was a direct affront to God's heart for His people and a usurpation of His divine prerogative to administer justice and vengeance.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
While Ezekiel 25:12 pronounces a severe temporal judgment on Edom for their vengeful actions, the Christ-centered fulfillment reveals a profound and transformative shift in God's dealing with vengeance and justice, culminating in the person and redemptive work of Jesus Christ. In the Old Testament, God often executed judgment through nations, demonstrating His absolute sovereignty over all earthly powers. However, in Christ, God's ultimate justice is revealed not primarily through the destruction of His enemies, but through the sacrificial act of the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. On the cross, Jesus bore the full weight of divine wrath against sin, effectively taking vengeance upon sin itself, rather than merely upon sinners. This act of substitutionary atonement allows for mercy to triumph over judgment for all who believe, radically transforming the nature of God's interaction with humanity from one of strict retribution to one of gracious reconciliation. Furthermore, Christ's teachings profoundly redefine the human response to injustice, moving far beyond the "eye for an eye" principle to a revolutionary call for loving enemies and praying for those who persecute you. Believers are explicitly instructed not to take vengeance themselves, but to leave room for God's wrath, overcoming evil with good. Thus, while Edom faced temporal judgment for their vengeful spirit, the ultimate fulfillment in Christ points to a divine justice that is both fully satisfied and infinitely merciful, offering reconciliation rather than retribution to those who embrace Him, and reserving final, righteous judgment for His glorious return as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.