Ezekiel 35:12

Translation
King James Version
And thou shalt know that I am the LORD, and that I have heard all thy blasphemies which thou hast spoken against the mountains of Israel, saying, They are laid desolate, they are given us to consume.
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KJV (with Strong's)
And thou shalt know H3045 that I am the LORD H3068, and that I have heard H8085 all thy blasphemies H5007 which thou hast spoken H559 against the mountains H2022 of Israel H3478, saying H559, They are laid desolate H8074 H8077, they are given H5414 us to consume H402.
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Complete Jewish Bible
You will know that I, ADONAI, have heard all your blasphemous talk against the mountains of Isra'el, such as, "They are desolated, they are given to us to devour."
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Berean Standard Bible
Then you will know that I, the LORD, have heard every contemptuous word you uttered against the mountains of Israel when you said, ‘They are desolate; they are given to us to devour!’
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American Standard Version
And thou shalt know that I, Jehovah, have heard all thy revilings which thou hast spoken against the mountains of Israel, saying, They are laid desolate, they are given us to devour.
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World English Bible Messianic
You shall know that I, the LORD, have heard all your insults which you have spoken against the mountains of Israel, saying, They are laid desolate, they have been given us to devour.
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Geneva Bible (1599)
And thou shalt know, that I the Lord haue heard all thy blasphemies which thou hast spoken against the mountaines of Israel, saying, They lye waste, they are giuen vs to be deuoured.
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Young's Literal Translation
And thou hast known that I--Jehovah, I have heard all thy despisings that thou hast spoken Against mountains of Israel, saying: A desolation, to us they were given for food.
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See also
Ezekiel 36:2Psalms 83:12Ezekiel 35:9Ezekiel 6:7Jeremiah 50:7Psalms 94:9Psalms 94:10
In the KJVVerse 21,357 of 31,102

Study This Verse

SUMMARY

Ezekiel 35:12 delivers a profound divine declaration to Mount Seir, representing the nation of Edom, asserting God's absolute sovereignty, omniscience, and unwavering commitment to righteous justice. This verse reveals that the Lord has meticulously heard and recorded every malicious and blasphemous word spoken by Edom against the desolate mountains of Israel, words that expressed covetous intent to seize and exploit the land. It serves as a stark reminder of God's active engagement in human affairs, His perfect awareness of all actions and intentions, and His impending righteous judgment against those who oppose His people and His divine purposes.

CONTEXT

  • Literary Context: Chapter 35 of Ezekiel is a singular, focused oracle entirely dedicated to a prophecy against Mount Seir, symbolizing the nation of Edom. This chapter immediately follows extensive prophecies concerning the restoration of Israel (e.g., the vision of the dry bones in Ezekiel 37) and precedes the detailed promises of Israel's renewed prosperity and spiritual cleansing in Ezekiel 36. The judgment against Edom thus functions as a necessary precursor to Israel's restoration, demonstrating God's commitment to dealing with those who have afflicted His people and sought to thwart His redemptive plans. This particular verse, Ezekiel 35:12, directly quotes Edom's arrogant words, making God's response explicit and personal. The recurring phrase "And thou shalt know that I am the LORD" is a powerful motif throughout Ezekiel, often appearing after declarations of judgment or restoration, emphasizing God's self-revelation through His mighty acts, as seen in Ezekiel 6:7.

  • Historical & Cultural Context: The prophecy against Edom is situated against the devastating backdrop of Judah's destruction and the Babylonian exile, which occurred around 586 BCE. For centuries, Edom, located southeast of Judah, maintained a deeply hostile relationship with Israel, a rivalry rooted in the ancient animosity between Jacob and Esau. During Jerusalem's calamitous fall, Edom not only rejoiced at Judah's misfortune but actively participated in plundering the devastated land and preventing Jewish refugees from escaping, as vividly recounted in Obadiah 1:10-14. Their words in Ezekiel 35:12 reflect their opportunistic desire to seize the "mountains of Israel"—the very heartland of Judah—believing it was now theirs for the taking, a land "given us to consume." This covetousness, coupled with malicious gloating against a people in distress, especially God's covenant people, constituted a profound offense in the eyes of God, demanding divine retribution.

  • Key Themes: This verse powerfully contributes to several overarching themes within Ezekiel and broader biblical theology. Firstly, it highlights Divine Sovereignty and Self-Revelation, as God declares His identity ("I am the LORD") through His actions of judgment and intervention. Edom's experience of God's justice would force them to acknowledge His supreme authority, a truth consistently emphasized throughout the prophetic book. Secondly, the verse underscores God's Omniscience and Justice, emphasizing that no word or intention, particularly those filled with malice and contempt, escapes His notice. God's "hearing" of Edom's "blasphemies" confirms His perfect awareness and His commitment to righteous retribution for all wrongdoing. Thirdly, it reveals the Consequences of Malice and Blasphemy, demonstrating that words spoken against God's people or His land are ultimately considered an affront to God Himself. Edom's desire to "consume" Israel's land was a direct challenge to God's covenant promises to His people, as detailed in passages like Genesis 12:3, which promises blessing to those who bless Abraham's descendants and cursing to those who curse them. Finally, the verse implicitly affirms God's Enduring Protection of Israel, even in their state of desolation. Despite their exile, God remained the ultimate defender of His land and His people, and those who sought to exploit their weakness would face divine reckoning, foreshadowing the glorious restoration promised in Ezekiel 36.

EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

Key Word Analysis

  • know (Hebrew, yâdaʻ', H3045): This primitive root signifies a deep, experiential knowledge, not merely intellectual assent. When God declares, "thou shalt know that I am the LORD," it implies a forced recognition through divine action, often judgment. Edom would come to "know" God's character and power not through willing submission, but through the devastating consequences of their rebellion, leading to an undeniable acknowledgment of His sovereignty and active presence in history.
  • LORD (Hebrew, Yᵉhôvâh', H3068): This is the sacred, covenant name of God, often rendered "Yahweh," signifying "the Self-Existent One" or "the Eternal." Its use here emphasizes God's unchanging nature, His faithfulness to His covenant, and His absolute authority as the sovereign ruler over all nations and events. It is a declaration of His unique, incomparable deity that Edom must recognize, distinguishing Him from all other gods.
  • blasphemies (Hebrew, nᵉʼâtsâh', H5007): Derived from a root meaning "to scorn" or "to treat with contempt," this term denotes words or actions that express utter disdain, reproach, or defiance. Edom's words were not merely political statements but deeply offensive expressions of contempt against God's chosen land and people, thus constituting blasphemy against God Himself, who had a special, covenantal relationship with Israel and their inheritance.
  • mountains (Hebrew, har', H2022): This word refers to a mountain or range of hills, often used figuratively for a country or region. In this context, "the mountains of Israel" refers to the entire land of Judah, the physical inheritance promised by God to His people. Edom's blasphemy was specifically directed at this sacred territory, demonstrating their covetous desire to seize what rightfully belonged to God's covenant people and challenging God's ownership.

Verse Breakdown

  • "And thou shalt know that I [am] the LORD,": This opening clause establishes the ultimate purpose of God's impending judgment on Edom. It is not merely punitive but revelatory. Through the unfolding of divine justice, Edom, like all nations, will be forced to acknowledge the true identity and supreme authority of Yahweh, the covenant God of Israel. This experiential knowledge will be undeniable, demonstrating His power, faithfulness, and the reality of His active governance over all creation.
  • "[and that] I have heard all thy blasphemies": This declaration underscores God's omniscience and active engagement in human affairs. No word, no matter how secretly conceived or subtly uttered, escapes God's notice. The term "blasphemies" highlights the severe nature of Edom's words—they were not just insults against Israel but contemptuous affronts to God's honor and His divine plan for His people and their land. God's "hearing" implies not just passive reception but an attentive, judicial awareness, signifying His intent to respond.
  • "which thou hast spoken against the mountains of Israel,": This specifies the target and nature of Edom's blasphemy. Their contempt was directed at the physical land of Israel, the very inheritance God had promised and consecrated to His people. By speaking against the "mountains of Israel," Edom was effectively speaking against God's covenant faithfulness, His ownership of the land, and His sovereign choice of Israel, demonstrating a profound spiritual blindness and hostility towards divine purposes.
  • "saying, They are laid desolate, they are given us to consume.": This clause provides the direct quote of Edom's malicious words, revealing both their gloating over Israel's vulnerability and their predatory intent. They saw Israel's desolation not as a tragedy or a divine judgment, but as an opportunistic vacuum, a land ripe for plunder and exploitation ("to consume"). This expressed covetousness and a shocking lack of compassion, coupled with a sense of entitlement, sealed their fate and invoked God's righteous wrath.

Literary Devices

Ezekiel 35:12 employs several potent literary devices to convey its message of divine judgment. The most prominent is Direct Address, as God speaks directly to "thou" (Mount Seir/Edom), creating an immediate and confrontational tone that emphasizes the personal nature of their offense and God's direct, unavoidable response. The phrase "And thou shalt know that I am the LORD" is a powerful motif recurring throughout Ezekiel, serving as a theological refrain that underscores God's self-revelation through His sovereign acts, whether in judgment or restoration. There is also a subtle form of Anthropomorphism in God stating, "I have heard all thy blasphemies," attributing human sensory perception (hearing) to God to emphasize His perfect awareness and active attention to every word spoken, implying His judicial readiness to act. Finally, the Personification of the "mountains of Israel" as the object of Edom's blasphemy highlights the deep, covenantal connection between the land and God's chosen people, making the attack on the land an attack on God's divine purposes and honor.

THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS

Ezekiel 35:12 powerfully articulates God's active involvement in the affairs of nations, demonstrating His omniscience, unwavering justice, and ultimate sovereignty. The declaration "thou shalt know that I am the LORD" serves as a foundational theological statement, asserting God's self-revelation through His judgments. It reveals that God is not a passive observer but an attentive judge who hears every word, discerns every intention, and will hold nations accountable for their malice, especially when directed against His chosen people and their inheritance. Edom's covetous and contemptuous words against a desolate Israel were deemed blasphemy, underscoring the sanctity of God's covenant with His people and land, and the severe consequences for those who oppose His divine will. This passage affirms that God's justice is comprehensive, extending to the intentions of the heart and the words of the mouth, ensuring that no offense against His kingdom goes unnoticed or unaddressed.

REFLECTION AND APPLICATION

Ezekiel 35:12 serves as a profound reminder of God's unceasing vigilance and His perfect justice, offering both a solemn warning and immense comfort. For us today, it highlights the sobering truth that our words, even those spoken in private or in moments of perceived triumph over others' misfortunes, are heard by God. It calls us to examine our hearts for any trace of malice, gloating, or covetousness towards others, especially those who are vulnerable or experiencing hardship. The verse challenges us to align our speech and intentions with God's righteous character, recognizing that contempt for His people or His purposes is ultimately contempt for Him. Conversely, for those who face adversity, opposition, or the scorn of others, this passage provides deep reassurance. God is fully aware of every injustice, every malicious word, and every attempt to exploit their weakness. He is the ultimate defender and judge, and He will act on behalf of His own, ensuring that His sovereignty is ultimately recognized by all. This truth should cultivate a posture of humility, fostering trust in His perfect timing and righteous judgments, even when circumstances seem desolate or when the wicked appear to prosper.

Questions for Reflection

  • How does the awareness that God hears "all thy blasphemies" impact my daily speech and inner thoughts, especially concerning those I disagree with or who are struggling?
  • In what ways might I, subtly or overtly, harbor contempt or gloat over the difficulties of others, and how can I repent of such attitudes and cultivate compassion?
  • How does God's declaration, "thou shalt know that I am the LORD," strengthen my faith and trust in His justice when I feel wronged or see injustice in the world?
  • What practical steps can I take to cultivate a heart of compassion and support for those who are "laid desolate" rather than seeking to "consume" or exploit their circumstances?

FAQ

What is the significance of God saying, "thou shalt know that I am the LORD" in this context?

Answer: This phrase is a recurring theological motif throughout the book of Ezekiel, appearing over 70 times. In Ezekiel 35:12, it signifies that God's actions, particularly His judgments against Edom, are designed to reveal His true identity, power, and sovereignty. Edom, who had acted as if God was absent or powerless over Israel's land, would be forced through devastating experience to acknowledge Yahweh as the supreme, self-existent, and righteous God who governs all nations and fulfills His covenant promises. It's an experiential, undeniable revelation of His character and authority, demonstrating that His word is true and His purposes cannot be thwarted.

Why are Edom's words considered "blasphemies" against the "mountains of Israel"?

Answer: Edom's words, "They are laid desolate, they are given us to consume," were deemed blasphemous because they represented a profound contempt not only for Israel but, by extension, for God Himself. The "mountains of Israel" symbolize the land that God had consecrated and promised to His chosen people through an eternal covenant. Edom's gloating over Israel's desolation and their covetous intent to seize and exploit the land directly challenged God's ownership, His covenant faithfulness, and His divine plan. To scorn God's people and His inheritance was to scorn God Himself, making their words an act of profound disrespect and defiance against the Almighty. This is further emphasized by the prophecies against Edom in Obadiah 1:15, which highlights their violence against their brother Jacob.

CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT

Ezekiel 35:12, with its declaration of divine judgment against those who scorn God's people and covet their inheritance, finds its ultimate fulfillment and deeper meaning in the person and work of Jesus Christ. While Edom's blasphemy was against the physical mountains of Israel, Christ is the true Israel, the ultimate "mountain" of God's kingdom, established not by human conquest but by divine grace. The Lord's declaration, "thou shalt know that I am the LORD," points forward to a day when every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:10-11). Just as God heard Edom's blasphemies and brought judgment, so too does Christ, as the omniscient Son of God, hear every word spoken against His body, the Church, and against His redemptive purposes. He is the one who will ultimately judge all nations, separating the sheep from the goats based on their treatment of His "least of these" (Matthew 25:31-33), and His coming will establish His eternal kingdom, consuming all earthly powers that oppose Him (Daniel 2:44). The ultimate "consumption" is not of Israel's land by its enemies, but of sin and death by the victorious Lamb of God, who will fully restore His people to a new heavens and new earth where righteousness dwells (Revelation 21:1-4). Thus, Ezekiel 35:12 foreshadows Christ's ultimate triumph over all spiritual and earthly adversaries, ensuring the complete vindication and eternal security of His redeemed people.

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Commentary on Ezekiel 35 verses 10–15

Here is, I. A further account of the sin of the Edomites, and their bad conduct towards the people of God. We find the church complaining of them for setting on the Babylonians, and irritating them against Jerusalem, saying, Rase it, rase it, down with it, down with it (Psa 137:7), inflaming a rage that needed no spur; here it is further charged upon them that they triumphed in Jerusalem's ruin and in the desolations of the country. Many blasphemies they spoke against the mountains of Israel, saying, with pride and pleasure, They are laid desolate, Eze 35:12. Note, The troubles of God's church, as they give proofs of the constancy and fidelity of its friends, so they discover and draw out the corruptions of its enemies, in whom there then appears more brutish malice than one would have thought of. Now their triumphing in Jerusalem's ruin is here said to proceed, 1. From a sinful passion against the people of Israel; from anger and envy, and hatred against them (Eze 35:11), that perpetual hatred spoken of Eze 35:5. Though they were not a match for them, and therefore could not do them a mischief themselves, yet they were glad when the Chaldeans did them a mischief. 2. From a sinful appetite to the land of Israel. They pleased themselves with hopes that when the people of Israel were destroyed they should be let into the possession of their country, which they had so often grudged and envied them. They thought they could make out something of a title to it, ob defectum sanguinis - for want of other heirs. If Jacob's issue fail, they think that they are next in the entail, and that the remainder will be to his brother's issue: "These two nations of Judah and Israel shall be mine. Now is the time for me to put in for them." At least they hope to come in as first occupants, being near neighbours: We will possess it when it is deserted. Ceditur occupanti - Let us get possession and that will be title enough. Note, Those have the spirit of Edomites who desire the death of others because they hope to get by it, or are pleased with their failing because they expect to come into their business. When we see the vanity of the world in the disappointments, losses, and crosses, that others meet with in it, instead of showing ourselves, upon such an occasion, greedy of it, we should rather be made thereby to sit more loose to it, and both take our affections off it and lower our expectations from it. But in this case of the Edomites' coveting the land of Israel, and gaping for it, there was a particular affront to God, when they said, "These lands are given us to devour, and we shall have our bellies full of their riches." God says, You have boasted against me and have multiplied your words against me; for they expected possession upon a vacancy, because Israel was driven out, whereas the Lord was still there, Eze 35:10. His temple indeed was burnt, and the other tokens of his presence were gone; but his promise to give that land to the seed of Jacob for an inheritance was not made void, but remained in full force and virtue; and by that promise he did in effect still keep possession for Israel, till they should in due time be restored to it. That was Immanuel's land (Isa 8:8); in that land he was to be born, and therefore that people shall continue in it of whom he is to be born, till he has passed his time in it, and then let who will take it. The Lord is there, the Lord Jesus is to be there; and therefore Israel's discontinuance of possession is no defeasance of their right, but it shall be kept for them, and they shall have, hold, and enjoy it by virtue of the divine grant, till the promise of this Canaan shall by the Messiah be changed into the promise of a far better. Note, It is a piece of presumption highly offensive to God for Edomites to lay claim to those privileges and comforts that are peculiar to God's chosen Israel and are reserved for them. It is blasphemy against the mountains of Israel, the holy mountains, to say, because they are for the present made a prey of and trodden under foot of the Gentiles (Rev 11:2), even the holy city itself, that therefore the Lord has forsaken them, their God has forgotten them. The apostle will by no means admit such a thought as this, that God hath cast away his people, Rom 11:1. No; though they are cast down for a time, they are not cast off for ever. Those reproach the Lord who say they are.

II. The notice God took of the barbarous insolence of the Edomites, and the doom passed upon them for it: I have heard all thy blasphemies, Eze 35:12. And again (Eze 35:13), You have multiplied your words against me, and I have heard them, I have observed them, I have kept an account of them. Note, In the multitude of words, not one escapes God's cognizance; let men speak ever so much, ever so fast, though they multiply words, which they themselves regard not, but forget immediately, yet none of them are lost in the crowd, not the most idle words; but God hears them, and will be able to charge the sinner with them. All the haughty and hard speeches, particularly, which are spoken against the Israel of God, the words which are magnified (as it is in the margin, Eze 35:13) as well as the words which are multiplied, God takes notice of. For, as the most trifling words are not below his cognizance, so the most daring are not above his rebuke. I have heard all thy blasphemies. This is a good reason why we should bear reproach as if we heard it not, because God will hear, Psa 38:13, Psa 38:15. God has heard the Edomites' blasphemy; let them therefore hear their doom, Eze 35:14, Eze 35:15. It was a national sin (the blasphemies charged upon them were the sense and language of all the Edomites), and therefore shall be punished with a national desolation. And, 1. It shall be a distinguishing punishment. As God has peculiar favours for Israelites, so he has peculiar plagues for Edomites: so that "When the whole earth rejoices I will make thee desolate; when other nations have their desolations repaired, to their joy, thine shall be perpetual," Eze 35:9. 2. The punishment shall answer to the sin: "As thou didst rejoice in the desolation of the house of Israel, God will give thee enough of desolation; since thou art so fond of it, thou shalt be desolate; I will make thee so." Note, Those who, instead of weeping with the mourners, make a jest of their grievances, may justly be made to weep like the mourners, and themselves to feel the weight, to feel the smart, of those grievances which they set so light by. Some read Eze 35:14 so as to complete the resemblance between the sin and the punishment: The whole earth shall rejoice when I make thee desolate, as thou didst rejoice when Israel was made desolate. Those that are glad at the death and fall of others may expect that others will be glad of their death, of their fall. 3. In the destruction of the enemies of the church God designs his own glory, and we may be sure that he will not come short of his design. (1.) That which he intends is to manifest himself, as a just and jealous God, firm to his covenant and faithful to his people and their injured cause (Eze 35:11): I will make myself known among them when I have judged thee. The Lord is and will be known by the judgments which he executes. (2.) His intention shall be fully answered; not only his own people shall be made to know it to their comfort, but even the Edomites themselves, and all the other enemies of his name and people, shall know that he is the Lord, Eze 35:4, Eze 35:9, Eze 35:15. As the works of creation and common providence demonstrate that there is a God, so the care taken of Israel shows that Jehovah, the God of Israel, is that God alone, the true and living God.

Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 10–15. Public domain.
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JeromeAD 420
Commentary on Ezekiel
(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.
JeromeAD 420
Commentary on Ezekiel
(Chapter 35) And the word of the Lord came to me, saying: Son of man, set your face against Mount Seir and prophesy against it, and say to it, thus says the Lord God: Behold, I am against you, Mount Seir, and I will stretch out my hand against you, and I will make you a desolation and a waste. I will demolish your cities and make you a solitude, and you shall be deserted, and you shall know that I am the Lord; because you have been an everlasting enemy and have delivered the children of Israel into the hand of the sword (or deceitfully sat against the house of Israel in the hand of the sword) in the time of their affliction, in the time of extreme wickedness. Therefore, I live," says the Lord God, "because I will deliver you to bloodshed (or because you have sinned in blood) and blood will pursue you: and when you hate blood, blood will pursue you. And I will make Mount Seir a desolation and a wasteland, and I will remove from it going and returning (or men and animals). And I will fill its mountains with the slain (or the wounded): they will fall with the sword in your hills, and in your valleys, and in the torrents of the slain. I will deliver you to everlasting desolations, and your cities shall not be inhabited: and you shall know (or shall know) that I am the Lord (Vulgate adds God): because you have said: Two nations and two lands (or regions) shall be mine, and I will possess them by inheritance, when the Lord was there. Therefore, as I live, saith the Lord God: because you have done according to your wrath (or enmity), and according to your zeal, which you have shown, having hatred towards them, and I will make myself known to you (Vulgate through them) when I judge you, and you shall know that I am the Lord. I have heard all your insults (or the voice of your blasphemies) that you have spoken (or because you have spoken) against the mountains of Israel, saying, 'They are deserted and given to us to devour,' and you have risen up (or have exalted yourself) against me with your mouth (or you have spoken magnificently against me with your mouth), and you have slandered me (or you have shouted against me) with your words; I have heard it. Thus says the Lord God: While all the earth rejoices, I will make you a desolation; just as you rejoiced over the inheritance of the house of Israel, because it was desolate, so I will do to you. You shall be desolate, Mount Seir, and all of Edom shall know that I am the Lord. But that which is added in the LXX, 'and they shall be consumed,' is not found in the Hebrew. If the word of God always dwelt in the hearts of the prophets and had constant residence there, Ezekiel would not so frequently have said, 'And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying.' But because of human frailty and the necessities of this life, it sometimes departed from them. Therefore, John the Baptist speaks: 'He who sent me to baptize, said to me, "Upon whomsoever you shall see the Spirit descending as a dove and abiding on him, he is the one."' (John 1:33). For it would never be proper in Christ what is added and remains in Him, unless sometimes it would depart from others. Otherwise God speaks to Moses: I will take from the spirit which is in you (Num. XI, 17): which surely he would not have, unless it descended to him from the Lord. However, the prophecy of this entire chapter is against Mount Seir, namely the sons of Esau and Edom, who are called Idumeans in the Greek and our language, because in the time of necessity and distress, when Judah was being captured by the Babylonians, they insulted them and believed that the land was given to them to possess, and not only did they not accept their brothers, namely the sons of Jacob, but they persecuted them and attacked them with the sword. Where Symmachus interpreted more clearly, You have hated your blood, and blood will pursue you. But it is prophesied that he himself will be captured and reduced to eternal solitudes, and at the end of things he will recognize that God is the judge, because he has said: Two nations and two regions are mine; either the Edomites and the Jews, or certainly the Jews and Israel, namely two and ten tribes. And you have spoken of the mountains of Israel, saying: Deserts have been given to us to devour, not considering that this blasphemy would overflow against God. From which it follows: All the earth rejoices, I will lead you into solitude. And the meaning is: when all the land of Judaea will receive its former state, you will remain in eternal solitude. And what is added is: Just as you rejoiced over the inheritance of the house of Israel, because it was dispersed, I will do the same to you. In the Septuagint it is not found, but it was added under asterisks from the edition of Theodotion. But all the wrath of God advances there against Mount Seir, so that when it is dispersed, he himself and all of Idumea may know that he is the Lord. I have spoken these things hastily, according to historical context and meaning rather than literal words. I will now move on to the anagoge and briefly touch on a few points for the sake of brevity. 'Put,' he says, 'or turn your face towards Mount Seir.' And significantly, he says 'turn,' from one prophecy to another prophecy. However, he is not referring to the physical face, but rather the face of the soul, as the Apostle also says: 'But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord' (2 Corinthians 3:18). However, the mountain of Seir, which is interpreted as rough and hairy, represents the opposing strength that presided over the nation of the sons of Esau, and rose up against the people of Judah, that is, the confession and true faith. But if an astute reader objects, how can Seir, that is, rough and hairy, be understood in a negative sense, since even Elijah is called a hairy man (2 Kings 1)? I will respond briefly: it is written about Esau that he was red and like a hairy skin (Genesis 25), but about Elijah that he was only a hairy man. Esau, who is bloodthirsty and cruel, is compared to a rough animal skin, a symbol of human works and of death itself; while Elijah represents manliness. Therefore, both his dwelling in solitude and his austere way of life not only showed him to be a man, but also a very strong man. On the other hand, Jacob, who had supplanted Esau and taken his birthright (Genesis, 25), is called light and polished because he simply lived at home and was not a hunter like the giant, Nimrod. Let us see then what God commands to be said to the mountain, or against the mountain of Seir. Behold, I will come to you, Mount Seir, I will not send Angels, nor will I use other ministers, but I myself will come to you, and I will extend my hand over you, and I will assume the appearance of one who strikes, and I will make you desolate and deserted, as one who dwelt wickedly, and you had many partners in your impiety, so much so that you built cities and claimed them as your own dominion: now desolated together with your cities, which Jeremiah is commanded to destroy and dig up (Jer. 51), in that you will make progress by building good cities in their place, so that you may know that I am the Lord, whom you could not know before the desolation of your land. However, the root cause of sin is that you have been an eternal enemy. Hence, the psalm says: Be angry, but do not sin (Psalm 4:5), so that we may quickly reconcile with our enemies and change hatred into love. However, not such is Mount Seir, which encompasses eternal enmities or besieges the children of Israel deceitfully with a sword in hand. From this we understand that whoever takes up the sword against the children of God, acts deceitfully, and besieges them, shall be handed over to the power of the sword, just as Mount Seir did in a time of extreme wickedness, when the days were evil and the world was filled with evil. And with the increase of wickedness, the love of many grows cold. But there is another sin of the mountain of Seir: that, because it hated the blood of the just, which it desired to spill in every persecution, it suffers persecution from the same blood. Therefore, the souls under the altar of the saints cry out and beg for vengeance from the Lord for their bloodshed. And they are taken away from the mountain of Seir, going and returning, that is, every inhabitant, whether humans or animals that are saved in the Church, of whom it is written: You will save humans and animals, Lord. (Psalm 35:5). That in the mountain of Seir both those who seem to have some reason, and those who are content with simple faith, should perish at God's command. And its mountains are filled with the wounded and slain. And not only the mountains, which have reached the summit of impiety, but also the hills, that is, the lesser disciples of the mountain of Seir, and the valleys that are in the depths, or the torrents, which have muddy waters, collected from here and there, coming from pride, or, according to the Septuagint, the fields, which are in the middle between the hills and the valleys. All the slain will fall by the sword of the Lord, and His outstretched hand and striking, so that they may be reduced to everlasting desolation; and if there were cities, that is, assemblies of evil dwelling, let them perish themselves and cease to have agreement in a bad way, and let their languages be divided (Genesis 11), so that they may not be able to build a tower of blasphemy against God; and being reduced to solitude and desert, let them know that He is the Lord. It is not enough that you have spoken so much about Mount Seir, as the previous discourse narrated; but you have also spoken this out of pride: 'There are two peoples and two lands or regions that belong to me, namely Idumea and Judaea, and I will possess the heretics and the Ecclesiastics alike.' And you said this when the Lord was there, who governed His people. Therefore the Lord swears and says: 'As I live,' says the Lord God, 'I will make myself known to you when I strike and judge you, in accordance with your anger with which you raged against the people of God, and with your zeal with which you persecuted the family of Christ, hating those whom you desired to possess. Then you will know that it was I who made known your reproaches and blasphemies, and not someone else, for I myself have heard what you have said against the mountains of Israel, saying: 'They have been given to us as a desolation to devour.' We must accept the mountains of Israel, Moses, the prophets, and the apostles, whom the heretics and the leader of the heretics, the devil, think they have been handed over to devour: when either rarely or not at all is found in the Church, who is able to fight for the mountains of the Lord, and defend their tearing apart with his voice. And you have risen up, he says, against me with your mouth, whether you have spoken magnificently, not as you think against the mountains, but through them against me, and you have either asked or shouted against me. For all your prayers, O Mount Seir, and companions of Mount Seir, of which it was said above (above, the same): I will fill his mountains and hills, and valleys, and fields, or torrents, they were against us: not prayers and supplications, as you think to God, but shouts, vociferations, and blasphemies. Therefore, the Lord threatens and says: Just as you rejoiced over the inheritance of the house of Israel, when it was scattered and torn by your persecutions and dispersed throughout the whole world: so I will do to you. For the whole earth of the living rejoices, and the land of the saints, and all those converted to the service of God, you will be scattered, O rough mountain, O hairy mountain, and all Idumea, devoted indeed to earthly works and to bloodshed and slaughter, so that then you may know that I myself am the Lord, who have spoken elsewhere: I am the Lord your God.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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