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Commentary on Ezekiel 25 verses 1–7
Here, I. The prophet is ordered to address himself to the Ammonites, in the name of the Lord Jehovah the God of Israel, who is also the God of the whole earth. But what can Chemosh, the god of the children of Ammon, say, in answer to it? He is bidden to set his face against the Ammonites, for he is God's representative as a prophet, and thus he must signify that God set his face against them, for the face of the Lord is against those that do evil, Psa 34:16. He must speak with boldness and assurance, as one that knew whose errand he went upon, and that he should be borne out in delivering it. He must therefore set his face as a flint, Isa 1:7. He must show his displeasure against these proud enemies of Israel, and face them down, though they were very impudent, and thus must show that, though he had prophesied so much and so long against Israel, yet still he was for Israel, and, while he witnessed against their corruptions, he adhered to and gloried in God's covenant with them. Note, Those are miserable that have the preaching and praying of God's prophets against them, against whom their faces are set.
II. He is directed what to say to them. Ezekiel is now a captive in Babylon, and has been so many years, and knows little of the state of his own nation, much less of the nations that were about it; but God tells him both what they were doing and what he was about to do with them. And thus by the spirit of prophecy he is enabled to speak as pertinently to their case as if he had been among them.
1.He must upbraid the Ammonites with their insolent and barbarous triumphs over the people of Israel in their calamities, Eze 25:3. The Ammonites said, when all went against the Jews, Aha! so would we have it. They were glad to see, (1.) The temple burned, the sanctuary profaned by the victorious Chaldeans. This is put first, to intimate what was the cause of the controversy; they had an enmity to the Jews for the sake of their religion, though it was only some poor remains of the profession of it that were to be found among them. (2.) The nation ruined. They rejoiced when the land of Israel was made desolate, the cities burnt, the country wasted, and both depopulated, and when the house of Judah went into captivity. When they had not power to oppress God's Israel themselves they were pleased to see the Chaldeans oppress them, partly because they envied their wealth and the good land they enjoyed, partly because they feared their growing power, and partly because they hated their religion and the divine oracles they were favoured with. It is repeated again (Eze 25:6): They clapped with their hands, to irritate the rage of the Chaldeans, and to set them on as dogs upon the game; or they clapped their hands in triumph, attended this tragedy with their Plaudite - Give us your applause, thinking it well acted; never was there any thing more diverting or entertaining to them. They stamped with their feet, ready to leap and dance for joy upon this occasion; they not only rejoiced in heart, but they could not forbear showing it, though every one that had any sense of honour and humanity would cry shame upon them for it, especially considering that they rejoiced thus, not for any thing they got by Israel's fall (if so, they would have been the more excusable: most people are for themselves); but this as purely from a principle of malice and enmity: Thou hast rejoiced in heart with all thy despite (which signifies both scorn and hatred) against the land of Israel. Note, The people of God have always had a great deal of ill-will borne them by this wicked world; and their calamities have been their neighbours' entertainments. See to what unnatural instances of malice the enmity that is in the seed of the serpent against the seed of the woman will carry them. The Ammonites, of all people, should not have rejoiced in Jerusalem's ruin, but should rather have trembled, because they themselves had such a narrow escape at the same time; it was but "cross or pile" [the toss of a halfpenny] which should be besieged first, Rabbath or Jerusalem, Eze 21:20. And they had reason to think that the king of Babylon would set upon them next. But thus were their hearts hardened to their ruin, and their insolence against Jerusalem was to them an evident token of perdition, Phi 1:28. It is a very wicked thing to be glad at the calamities of any, especially of God's people, and a sin that God will surely reckon for; such delight has God in showing mercy, and so backward is he to punish, that nothing is more pleasing to him than to be stopped in the ways of his judgments by intercessions, not any thing more provoking than to help forward the affliction when he is but a little displeased, Zac 1:15.
2.He must threaten the Ammonites with utter ruin for this insolence which they were guilty of. God turns away his wrath from Israel against them, as is said, Pro 24:17, Pro 24:18. God is jealous for his people's honour, because his own is so nearly interested in it. And therefore those that touch that shall be made to know that they touch the apple of his eye. He had before predicted the destruction of the Ammonites, Eze 21:28. Had they repented, that would have been revoked; but now it is ratified. (1.) A destroying enemy is brought against them: I will deliver thee to the men of the east, first to the Chaldeans, who came from the north-east, and whose army, under the command of Nebuchadnezzar, destroyed the country of the Ammonites, about five years after the destruction of Jerusalem (as Josephus relates, Antiq. 10.181), and then to the Arabians, who were properly the children of the east, who, when the Chaldeans had made the country desolate, and quitted it, came and took possession of it for themselves, probably with the consent of the conquerors. Shepherds' tents were their palaces; these they set up in the country of the Ammonites; there they made their dwellings, Eze 25:4. They enjoyed the products of the country: They shall eat thy fruit and drink thy milk; and the milk from the cattle is the fruit of the ground at second-hand. They made use even of the royal city for their cattle (Eze 25:5): I will make Rabbath, that was a nice and splendid city, to be a stable for camels; for its new masters, whose wealth lies all in cattle, will not think they can put the palaces of Rabbath to a better use. Rabbath had been a habitation of brutish men; justly therefore is it now made a stable for camels and the country a couching-lace for flocks, more innocent beasts than those with which it had been before replenished. (2.) God himself acts as an enemy to them (Eze 25:7): I will stretch out my hand upon thee, a hand that will reach far and strike home, which there is no resisting the blow of, for it is a mighty hand, nor bearing the weight of, for it is a heavy hand. God's hand stretched out against the Ammonites will not only deliver them for a spoil to the heathen, so that all their neighbours shall prey upon them, but will cut them off from the people and made them perish out of the countries, so that there shall be no remains of them in that place. Compare with this, Jer 49:1, etc. What can sound more terrible than that resolution (Eze 25:7), I will destroy thee? For the almighty God is able both to save and to destroy, and it is a fearful thing to fall into his hands. Both the threatenings here (Eze 25:5 and Eze 25:7) conclude with this, You shall know that I am the Lord. For, [1.] Thus God will maintain his own honour, and will make it appear that he is the God of Israel, though he suffers them for a time to be captives in Babylon. [2.] Thus he will bring those that were strangers to him into an acquaintance with him, and it will be a blessed effect of their calamities. Better know God and be poor than be rich and ignorant of him.
(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.
Chapter 25: And the word of the Lord came to me, saying: Son of man, set your face against the sons of Ammon, and prophesy against them. And you shall say to the sons of Ammon: Hear the word of the Lord God! Thus says the Lord God: Because you said, 'Aha!' over my sanctuary when it was profaned, and over the land of Israel when it was laid waste, and over the house of Judah when they went into exile, therefore behold, I am giving you to the people of the East for a possession, and they shall set their encampments in you and make their dwellings in you. They shall eat your fruit, and they shall drink your milk. I will make Rabbah a pasture for camels and the land of the Ammonites a fold for flocks. Then you will know that I am the Lord. Because the Lord God says these things: Because you clapped your hands, and stomped your feet, and rejoiced with all your heart (or insulted with all your soul) over the land of Israel; therefore (Vulgate adds behold) I will stretch out my hand against you, and deliver you to be plundered by the nations, and I will kill you from the peoples, and I will destroy you from the lands, and I will crush you, and you will know that I am the Lord. When Jerusalem was captured or besieged, after it came to Babylon, whoever could (or had the power to) escape, and he reported that the city was about to be captured very soon, or that the temple had been destroyed, according to the custom of all the prophets against the other surrounding nations, who insulted the ruins of Jerusalem, and the burning of the temple, the prophetic message turns, firstly against the sons of Ammon, who had a metropolis called Rabbath, which today is named Philadelphia by King Ptolemy of Egypt, also known as Philadelphus, who held both Arabia and Judah. Son, he says, of man, set your face against the sons of Ammon, who are descended from Lot, and say to them: Thus says the Lord God (for these are not the words of a prophet, but of the Lord. Concerning the hardening of the face, we have argued more fully in this same prophecy): Because you have said, 'Aha, Aha,' or have insulted and rejoiced because my temple and sanctuary have been defiled by the invasion of enemies, and over the land of Israel, which has been devastated, and especially over the house of Judah, that is, the two tribes that are now in captivity: therefore I will give you over to the sons of Edom, whom we interpret as the Easterners. There is no doubt, Madianites, that they border the entire wilderness of the land of Arabia, who have herds of camels, and multitudes of sheep and goats, and they sustain themselves with these resources. This is also narrated in the book of Judges (Judg. VI) about what happened to the land of Israel when the Midianites came and devoured all their regions up to Gaza. Metaphorically, therefore, by the term Midianites, it signifies the Ishmaelites and Hagarites, who are now called Saracens, taking for themselves the false name of Sarah so that they may appear to be born of a noble and mistress lineage. Scripture also says about king Nebuchadnezzar and his entire army that they come and capture the city of Rabbath, which either has this name specifically or because of its greatness. For Rabbath is said to be the greatest. And so that we do not doubt that Nebuchadnezzar overthrew Arabia after Jerusalem was captured, Scripture testifies above: And thou, son of man, set thee two ways, Ammon and Jerusalem, and there shall come the sword of the king of Babylon. And again: At the head of the city's way he shall cast it, and thou shalt set up a way, that the sword may come to Rabbath of the children of Ammon, and to the fortified Jerusalem (Above, XXI, 19, 20). And again, thus says the Lord God to the sons of Ammon, and to their reproach (verse 28). Therefore, the sons of Kedem will come and set up their tents like shepherds, and they will pitch their tents. They will destroy your crops and drink the milk and abundance of the land, with herds of camels and all the peoples, so that the sons of Ammon will be in the dwelling place of cattle and understand the necessity of evil, that it is the Lord himself who foretold the future and commanded it to be. And this was not enough for the Ammonites, that they insulted and said, 'Hurrah, hurrah for the temple and sanctuary of the Lord, which was defiled by the entrance of various nations'; but such was the wickedness of their insults that the whole people clapped their hands and stamped their feet, and with all their heart cried out: because the land of Israel was desolate. Therefore, not by angels, nor by other ministries, but by the Lord himself, extending his hand to strike, will he hand it over to plunder, not to camels and sheep herds, but more clearly to the nations, so that it may be completely eradicated from the number of peoples, and perish, and be reduced to nothingness: and after it has been crushed, then it will understand that he himself is the Lord who judges all things, and has power over all lands. We can understand the sons of Ammon according to the tropology, who were born from Lot in the cave, both born in drunkenness and incest, all heretics, of whom the Scripture and the Apostle John say: They went out from us, but they were not of us. For if they had been of us, they would have remained with us (John 2:19). For they arose from inclination, for this is how Lot is translated into our language: For all have turned aside, together they have become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one (Psalm 14:3). Opposite to these, the prophetic face is set or hardened, in order to crush them with its severity, and it says to them: Because you have insulted my Church in the time of persecution, because my sanctuary was defiled by the fault of various people, either by those who served me, or by the cruelty of the enemies who persecuted me: and also the land of Israel, which saw the sense of God, is desolate of the choir of virtues; and how the children of the house of Judah, that is, those who confess God, in which true faith and right confession exist, were led into captivity and ceased serving the Lord: therefore, O all who insult, you will be handed over to the children of the East who have come from the true light, and you will be handed over as an inheritance, so that you too may learn to confess the Lord. And by way of translation it is said that the sons of the East will place their dwellings upon them, and pitch their tents, and drink milk, and eat fruit, and the city which was once full of pride will become a dwelling place for camels, so that they, having set aside the burden of sins, may enter through the eye of a needle (Matthew 19), and into the fold of the animals, which are guided by a good shepherd (John 10), so that when they have done this, mixed and handed over to the shepherds of the East, they may understand that he himself is the Lord. And again he reproached them, for insulting with excessive affection of the heart the ruins of the people of God, and for thinking that the land of Israel was completely deserted. For this they deserve the hand of God's avenger, as they had exceeded the limit of rejoicing and joy over the destruction of the house of Judah. They should by no means be delivered to the sons of the East, but be for plundering by all nations, and be killed and perish, and be crushed, and by no means be considered descendants of Abraham, but be believed to be for all nations. And then they shall know the magnitude of their evils, and their own contrition, and the killing of the people, that He Himself is the Lord. What we have understood in general about the Church can be understood about each of the saints, whose ruin the people of the world and the powers of the enemy rejoice in if they have lost their chastity for a long time: while the wicked think that they find comfort in their sins if they have more partners in crime and punishment: and no one does this, unless they are a son of Ammon, that is, a son of the people, who is born in a decline.
(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 25:4 delivers a powerful divine oracle against Ammon, declaring its complete subjugation and exploitation by "the men of the east." This judgment is a direct consequence of Ammon's malicious celebration and contemptuous attitude towards the desolation of Judah and the desecration of the Jerusalem Temple. The verse vividly portrays a thorough and permanent occupation, where the invading forces will not only seize the land but also establish their own dominion, consume all of Ammon's agricultural and economic wealth, and fundamentally reverse its fortunes under the sovereign hand of God.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Ezekiel 25:4 masterfully employs several potent Literary Devices to convey its message of impending judgment and complete desolation. The entire passage functions as a Prophecy, a divine oracle delivered through the prophet Ezekiel, foretelling future events as a direct and certain consequence of past actions. Symbolism is prominently featured, particularly in the phrase "men of the east," which symbolizes the instruments of God's judgment—often nomadic invaders who would bring destruction and take permanent possession. The vivid imagery of the invaders setting their "palaces" and making their "dwellings" in Ammon is symbolic of a complete and permanent Conquest and Occupation, far exceeding a temporary raid, indicating a total transfer of sovereignty and a demographic shift. Furthermore, the striking idiom "eat thy fruit, and they shall drink thy milk" is a powerful example of Metonymy or Synecdoche, where "fruit" and "milk" stand for the entirety of Ammon's agricultural and pastoral wealth, symbolizing the complete Exploitation and plundering of the nation's resources. This phrase also exhibits a clear form of Parallelism, reinforcing the idea of total consumption through two complementary actions. The direct address "I will deliver thee" employs Anthropomorphism, attributing human-like action (delivering) to God, emphasizing His personal, active, and decisive involvement in the execution of this severe judgment.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Ezekiel 25:4 profoundly illustrates God's active sovereignty over all nations and His unwavering commitment to justice. It reveals that God not only judges His own people for their disobedience but also holds external nations accountable for their actions, especially their malice towards His chosen ones. Ammon's malicious joy at Judah's downfall was not merely a political slight but a deep theological offense, demonstrating contempt for God's covenant and His sanctuary. The prophecy underscores that God's justice is comprehensive and retributive; those who gloat over the suffering of others will themselves experience desolation. This serves as a powerful reminder that God sees all actions, and His divine order will ultimately prevail, bringing judgment upon wickedness and vindication to His people.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Ezekiel 25:4 offers profound spiritual lessons for believers today. Firstly, it serves as a stark warning against the insidious sin of schadenfreude—taking pleasure in the misfortune or suffering of others. Ammon's downfall was directly linked to their malicious joy over Judah's calamity. This calls us to cultivate a heart of profound empathy and compassion, prompting us to mourn with those who mourn (Romans 12:15) rather than gloating over their pain, even when they are our adversaries or perceived enemies. Secondly, the verse powerfully reinforces the absolute sovereignty of God over all nations and human affairs. Even when His people endure profound suffering and apparent defeat, God remains firmly in control, orchestrating events to bring about His righteous judgment and ultimate redemptive purposes. This truth provides immense comfort and assurance that no injustice will go unaddressed and that God will ultimately vindicate His own. For us, this means trusting in God's perfect timing and unwavering justice, even when circumstances seem chaotic, unfair, or beyond human comprehension. It encourages us to pray for justice, to stand against malice and oppression, and to remember that God's eternal kingdom will ultimately triumph over all earthly powers and their wickedness.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Who were "the men of the east" mentioned in this prophecy?
Answer: "The men of the east" (Hebrew: bene qedem, literally "sons of the east") typically referred to nomadic or semi-nomadic tribes originating from the vast Arabian desert regions to the east of Israel and Ammon. Historically, this term could encompass various groups, including specific Arab tribes, or more broadly, the Chaldeans (Babylonians) and their auxiliary forces, who were the dominant imperial power in the region at the time. These groups were renowned for their military prowess, their swift incursions, and their tendency to invade, plunder, and subsequently settle in conquered territories. In the context of Ezekiel 25:4, they are presented as the divinely appointed instruments of God's judgment against Ammon, destined to permanently occupy and exploit their land and resources.
What was Ammon's specific sin that led to this severe judgment?
Answer: Ammon's primary sin, as explicitly detailed in Ezekiel 25:3, was their malicious joy and contemptuous attitude towards Judah's downfall. They rejoiced with a resounding "Aha!" when the Jerusalem Temple was desecrated and when the land of Israel became desolate. This was not merely political opportunism or a strategic alliance but a deep-seated animosity and a profound lack of compassion for a nation that, despite its failings, was still God's covenant people. Their gloating and mockery at Judah's suffering was deemed by God as a direct affront to His own name and His unique relationship with Israel. This sin of schadenfreude, combined with their historical hostility and territorial ambitions, provoked God's severe and retributive judgment.
How does this prophecy relate to historical events, and was it fulfilled?
Answer: Yes, this prophecy is widely understood by biblical scholars to have been fulfilled through the actions of the Neo-Babylonian Empire and subsequent Arab incursions. After the fall of Jerusalem in 586 BC, Babylon, under Nebuchadnezzar, continued its campaigns throughout the Levant. Although Ammon initially allied with Babylon against Judah, it eventually faced its own judgment. Historical records and archaeological evidence suggest that Ammon, like other Transjordanian states, fell under Babylonian control. Later, during the Persian period and beyond, Arab tribes, consistent with the description of "men of the east," increasingly infiltrated and settled in the former Ammonite territory, eventually displacing the Ammonites entirely. By the Hellenistic period, the Ammonites as a distinct ethnic and political entity largely disappear from historical records, their land having been taken over by others, thus fulfilling the prophecy of their land becoming a "possession" and their resources consumed by foreign invaders.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
While Ezekiel 25:4 directly describes a historical judgment against the nation of Ammon, its underlying theological principles find profound Christ-centered fulfillment. Jesus Christ is the ultimate King and Judge, whose absolute sovereignty extends over all nations and every aspect of human history, far surpassing any earthly power or empire. The judgment against Ammon for its malice and lack of compassion foreshadows the final, universal judgment of all humanity, where Christ will separate the righteous from the wicked, condemning those who rejoiced in evil and failed to show mercy or compassion (Matthew 25:31-46). Just as Ammon's land was delivered as a "possession" to its enemies, Christ, through His sacrificial death and glorious resurrection, has decisively conquered all spiritual enemies—sin, death, and the devil—and has claimed His redeemed people as His own precious "possession" and eternal inheritance (Ephesians 1:11, Colossians 1:13-14). Furthermore, the vivid imagery of hostile invaders setting their "palaces" and "dwellings" and consuming "fruit" and "milk" can be spiritually inverted and transformed in Christ. Instead of hostile invaders plundering resources, Christ establishes His permanent, loving dwelling among His people through the indwelling Holy Spirit (John 14:23, Revelation 21:3). And believers, in turn, are invited to "eat" of His spiritual "fruit" (the abundant fruit of the Spirit, Galatians 5:22-23) and "drink" of the living water He provides (John 7:37-38), receiving inexhaustible spiritual sustenance and blessing from Him, rather than being plundered. Thus, the harsh judgment on Ammon underscores the blessed and abundant reality of God's dwelling with His redeemed people in Christ, where there is only life, peace, and eternal abundance, not desolation.