Ezekiel 35:5

Translation
King James Version
Because thou hast had a perpetual hatred, and hast shed the blood of the children of Israel by the force of the sword in the time of their calamity, in the time that their iniquity had an end:
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KJV (with Strong's)
Because thou hast had a perpetual H5769 hatred H342, and hast shed H5064 the blood of the children H1121 of Israel H3478 by the force H3027 of the sword H2719 in the time H6256 of their calamity H343, in the time H6256 that their iniquity H5771 had an end H7093:
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Complete Jewish Bible
Because of your long-standing hatred, you put the people of Isra'el to the sword at their time of calamity, at the time of final iniquity.
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Berean Standard Bible
Because you harbored an ancient hatred and delivered the Israelites over to the sword in the time of their disaster at the final stage of their punishment,
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American Standard Version
Because thou hast had a perpetual enmity, and hast given over the children of Israel to the power of the sword in the time of their calamity, in the time of the iniquity of the end;
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World English Bible Messianic
Because you have had a perpetual hostility, and have given over the children of Israel to the power of the sword in the time of their calamity, in the time of the iniquity of the end;
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Geneva Bible (1599)
Because thou hast had a perpetuall hatred and hast put the children of Israel to flight by the force of the sword in the time of their calamitie, when their iniquitie had an ende,
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Young's Literal Translation
Because of thy having an enmity age-during, And thou dost saw the sons of Israel, By the hands of the sword, In the time of their calamity, In the time of the iniquity of the end:
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See also
Psalms 137:7Amos 1:11Obadiah 1:10Obadiah 1:16Ezekiel 25:12Ezekiel 21:25Ezekiel 21:29
In the KJVVerse 21,350 of 31,102

Study This Verse

SUMMARY

Ezekiel 35:5 delivers a severe divine indictment against Mount Seir, representing the nation of Edom, for its persistent and deep-seated animosity towards Israel. The verse condemns Edom for actively participating in the bloodshed and suffering of the Israelites, specifically during their period of national calamity, which coincided with the divinely appointed conclusion of Israel's period of punishment for their iniquity. This accusation highlights Edom's opportunistic cruelty and lack of compassion, setting the stage for God's impending judgment upon them.

CONTEXT

  • Literary Context: Ezekiel 35 is a prophetic oracle specifically directed against Mount Seir, which is a symbolic representation of the nation of Edom. This chapter immediately follows prophecies of Israel's restoration, particularly Ezekiel 34, which speaks of God as the Good Shepherd who will gather His flock. It precedes the grand vision of Israel's return to their land and spiritual renewal in Ezekiel 36. The strategic placement of this judgment against Edom serves to underscore God's unwavering commitment to His covenant people; before their full restoration, those who actively opposed and exploited them during their time of discipline must face divine justice. It starkly contrasts the steadfast love of God for His people with the enduring hatred of their enemies.
  • Historical & Cultural Context: Edom, descended from Esau, Jacob's twin brother, had a long and contentious relationship with Israel. Despite their shared ancestry, a deep-rooted animosity characterized their interactions, often marked by border disputes and military conflicts, as seen in passages like Numbers 20:14-21 and 2 Kings 8:20-22. This verse specifically references Edom's actions during the Babylonian conquest of Judah and the destruction of Jerusalem in 586 BC. Instead of offering aid or sympathy to their kin, historical accounts and other prophetic texts, such as Obadiah 1:10-14 and Psalm 137:7, indicate that Edom rejoiced in Judah's downfall, plundered their refugees, and even participated in the slaughter of those fleeing the Babylonians. This opportunistic and malicious behavior during Israel's greatest vulnerability forms the backdrop of God's severe condemnation.
  • Key Themes: The verse significantly contributes to several major themes within Ezekiel and the broader prophetic literature. Firstly, it highlights the theme of divine justice and accountability for nations. God is sovereign over all nations and holds them responsible for their actions, particularly their treatment of His people. Edom's "perpetual hatred" underscores the theme of enduring malice and its consequences, demonstrating that deep-seated animosity, especially against God's chosen, does not go unpunished. Secondly, the phrase "in the time that their iniquity had an end" introduces the theme of God's sovereign timing and the purpose of discipline. It reveals that Israel's suffering was not arbitrary but a divinely ordained period of judgment for their sins, with a set duration. Edom's cruelty was exacerbated by the fact that it occurred precisely when God's disciplinary hand was lifting, making their actions an affront to God's redemptive plan for His people, as seen in promises of restoration like Jeremiah 29:10-14.

EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

Key Word Analysis

  • Hatred (Hebrew, ʼêybâh', H5769): From the root meaning "to be hostile," this term signifies hostility, enmity, or a deep-seated, active animosity. It implies a state of being an enemy, a fundamental opposition. The KJV's "perpetual hatred" (combining with H5769 ʻôwlâm) emphasizes the enduring, unyielding nature of this animosity, indicating it was a characteristic disposition of Edom, passed down through generations.
  • Force (Hebrew, yâd', H3027): Literally "hand," this primitive word denotes the open hand, indicating power, means, or agency. In this context, "by the force of the sword" signifies direct, violent action, emphasizing Edom's active role in Israel's suffering rather than passive observation. It highlights their deliberate and aggressive participation in the bloodshed, using their physical power and weaponry to inflict harm.
  • Iniquity (Hebrew, ʻâvôn', H5771): This term refers to perversity or moral evil, encompassing fault, mischief, and sin. It also carries the connotation of the punishment for such iniquity. In the phrase "their iniquity had an end," it signifies the period of Israel's moral failing and the divinely ordained consequences they endured, which was now reaching its predetermined conclusion, not necessarily implying their sinlessness.

Verse Breakdown

  • "Because thou hast had a perpetual hatred,": This clause establishes the foundational reason for God's judgment: Edom's enduring, deep-seated animosity towards Israel. It was not a momentary lapse but a characteristic disposition that defined their relationship over time.
  • "and hast shed [the blood of] the children of Israel by the force of the sword": This specifies the nature of Edom's malice—active violence and bloodshed. They were not merely passive observers of Israel's suffering but actively participated in their destruction, using military force ("the force of the sword") against their kinsmen.
  • "in the time of their calamity,": This pinpoints the specific timing of Edom's cruel actions. It was during Israel's period of extreme distress, vulnerability, and national collapse (the Babylonian conquest and exile), a time when compassion would have been expected from a kinsman nation.
  • "in the time [that their] iniquity [had] an end:": This crucial phrase reveals God's sovereign timing. Israel's "calamity" was a divinely appointed period of judgment for their sins ("iniquity"). The "end" of their iniquity does not imply Israel became sinless, but rather that the predetermined duration of God's disciplinary judgment was reaching its conclusion. Edom's actions were particularly egregious because they occurred precisely as God was preparing to lift His hand of discipline from Israel and move towards restoration.

Literary Devices

Ezekiel 35:5 employs several potent literary devices to convey its message of divine judgment. Personification is evident in the address to "Mount Seir," which stands in for the entire nation of Edom, giving a geographical entity human characteristics of hatred and violent action. This makes the indictment more direct and impactful. The phrase "perpetual hatred" functions as Hyperbole, emphasizing the extreme and enduring nature of Edom's animosity, conveying that their malice was not fleeting but deeply ingrained and generational. Furthermore, there is a profound Irony in Edom's actions occurring "in the time that their iniquity had an end." Edom, in their opportunistic cruelty, was acting against Israel precisely when God's disciplinary purpose for His people was concluding, making their actions an affront to God's own redemptive timeline and demonstrating their utter lack of understanding of divine sovereignty.

THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS

Ezekiel 35:5 powerfully articulates the principle of divine justice and the accountability of nations before God. It underscores that God observes and judges not only overt acts of aggression but also the underlying attitudes of hatred and the opportunistic exploitation of others' suffering, especially when directed against His covenant people. Edom's "perpetual hatred" and active participation in Israel's calamity reveal a profound spiritual blindness and a rejection of the compassion expected between kinsmen. The verse also highlights God's sovereign control over history, demonstrating that even Israel's period of judgment was finite and purposeful, part of a larger divine plan for purification and ultimate restoration. Those who oppose God's purposes or exacerbate the suffering of His people during such times will face His righteous indignation.

  • Obadiah 1:10-14: This prophecy provides a detailed account of Edom's specific transgressions against Judah during their downfall, corroborating Ezekiel's indictment.
  • Amos 1:11: Amos also condemns Edom for pursuing their brother with the sword and casting off all pity, maintaining their wrath forever.
  • Psalm 137:7: This psalm, a lament from the exiles, vividly recalls the Edomites' cry during Jerusalem's destruction: "Raze it, raze it, even to the foundation!"

REFLECTION AND APPLICATION

Ezekiel 35:5 serves as a profound reminder of God's unwavering commitment to justice and His meticulous observation of human actions, particularly those driven by malice and opportunism. For believers, this passage calls for a deep introspection into our own hearts, challenging us to root out any "perpetual hatred" or lingering animosity towards others, especially those who may be vulnerable or suffering. It warns against the temptation to rejoice in the misfortunes of others or to exploit their weaknesses, reminding us that such attitudes are an affront to God's character. Instead, we are called to cultivate compassion, mercy, and solidarity, reflecting the very heart of God who "is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love" (Psalm 145:8). Furthermore, understanding that God has a sovereign timeline for all things, even for periods of discipline and suffering, encourages us to trust in His ultimate purposes and to refrain from actions that would hinder His redemptive work or add to the burdens of those He is refining.

Questions for Reflection

  • In what ways might "perpetual hatred" manifest in our lives or communities today, and how can we actively combat it?
  • How does God's judgment on Edom for exploiting Israel's "calamity" challenge our own responses to the suffering of others?
  • What does the phrase "in the time that their iniquity had an end" teach us about God's sovereignty over periods of discipline and suffering?
  • How can we, as believers, better embody compassion and mercy, especially towards those who are vulnerable or undergoing difficult times?

FAQ

What does "perpetual hatred" mean in this context?

Answer: "Perpetual hatred" (Hebrew: 'eybat 'olam) refers to a deep-seated, enduring, and long-standing animosity that characterized Edom's relationship with Israel. It indicates that their hostility was not a temporary reaction but a fundamental, generational disposition. This phrase highlights the severity of their malice, which was rooted in a history of conflict and a consistent lack of brotherly compassion, culminating in their actions during Israel's greatest time of need, as seen in Obadiah 1:10-14.

What is the significance of "in the time that their iniquity had an end"?

Answer: This crucial phrase does not imply that Israel suddenly became sinless. Rather, it signifies that God's divinely appointed period of judgment and discipline for Israel's sins was reaching its predetermined conclusion. God had allowed the Babylonian exile as a consequence of Israel's persistent disobedience, but this period had a set duration and purpose. Edom's cruel actions were particularly heinous because they occurred precisely when God was preparing to lift His hand of discipline and move towards the restoration of His people, as promised in passages like Jeremiah 29:10. Edom's malice was thus an affront to God's own redemptive timeline.

Why was Edom judged so severely by God?

Answer: Edom was judged severely for several reasons, primarily their "perpetual hatred" and active participation in the suffering of Israel, their kinsmen, during a time of extreme vulnerability. Instead of showing compassion, they exploited Israel's "calamity" and shed their blood, even when God's disciplinary period for Israel was ending. This demonstrated a profound lack of mercy, a disregard for the covenant relationship between Jacob and Esau's descendants, and a direct opposition to God's purposes for His chosen people. God's justice holds nations accountable for their actions, especially when they act with cruelty and pride against those whom He has chosen, as also seen in Amos 1:11.

CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT

Ezekiel 35:5, with its stark portrayal of Edom's "perpetual hatred" and opportunistic cruelty during Israel's "calamity," finds profound Christ-centered fulfillment in several ways. Firstly, it foreshadows the world's persistent hatred and opposition to God's ultimate Son, Jesus Christ, who came to His own, but His own received Him not. Just as Edom exploited Israel's weakness, so too did the forces of evil, both human and spiritual, conspire against Christ in His time of ultimate "calamity" on the cross, believing they had achieved victory over Him. Yet, it was precisely in that moment of apparent weakness that the "iniquity" of humanity found its "end" through His atoning sacrifice. The shedding of Israel's blood by the sword points to the ultimate shedding of the Lamb of God's blood for the sins of the world, bringing an end to the dominion of sin and death for those who believe, as we are dead to sin and alive in Christ. Furthermore, God's righteous judgment against Edom for their malice serves as a powerful reminder that all injustice and hatred will ultimately be confronted by Christ, who will return to judge the living and the dead and establish His eternal kingdom of righteousness. Ultimately, the "end of iniquity" for believers is found not in a historical period but in the finished work of Christ, who bore our sins in His body on the tree, that we might die to sins and live for righteousness.

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Commentary on Ezekiel 35 verses 1–9

Mount Seir was mentioned as partner with Moab in one of the threatenings we had before (Eze 25:8); but here it is convicted and condemned by itself, and has woes of its own. The prophet must boldly set his face against Edom, and prophesy particularly against it; for the God of Israel has said, O Mount Seir! I am against thee. Note, Those that have God against them have the word of God against them, and the face of his ministers, nor dare they prophesy any good to them, but evil. The prophet must tell the Edomites that God has a controversy with them, and let them know,

I. What is the cause and ground of that controversy, Eze 35:5. God espouses his people's cause, and will plead it, takes what is done against them as done against himself, and will reckon for it; and it is upon their account that God now contends with the Edomites. 1. Because of the enmity they had against the people of God, that was rooted in the heart. "Thou hast had a perpetual hatred to them, to the very name of an Israelite." The Edomites kept up an hereditary malice against Israel, the same that Esau bore to Jacob, because he got the birth-right and the blessing. Esau had been reconciled to Jacob, had embraced and kissed him (Gen. 33), and we do not find that ever he quarrelled with him again. But the posterity of Esau would never be reconciled to the seed of Jacob, but hated them with a perpetual hatred. Note, Children will be more apt to imitate the vices than the virtues of their parents, and to tread in the steps of their sin than in the steps of their repentance. Parents should therefore be careful not to set their children any bad example, for though, through the grace of God, they may return, and prevent the mischief of what they have done amiss to themselves, they may not be able to obviate the bad influence of it upon their children. It is strange how deeply rooted national antipathies sometimes are, and how long they last; but it is not to be wondered at that profane Edomites hate pious Israelites, since the old enmity that was put between the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent (Gen 3:15) will continue to the end. Marvel not if the world hate you. 2. Because of the injuries they had done to the people of God. They shed their blood by the force of the sword, in the time of their calamity; they did not attack them as fair and open enemies, but laid wait for them, to cut off those of them that had escaped (Oba 1:14), or they drove them back upon the sword of the pursuers, by which they fell. It was cowardly, as well as barbarous, to take advantage of their distress; and for neighbours, with whom they had lived peaceably, to smite them secretly when strangers openly invaded them. It was in the time that their iniquity had an end, when the measure of it was full and destruction came. Note, Even those that suffer justly, and for their sins, are yet to be pitied and not trampled upon. If the father corrects one child, he expects the rest should tremble at it, not triumph in it.

II. What should be the effect and issue of that controversy. If God stretch out his hand against the country of Edom, he will make it most desolate, Eze 35:3. Desolation and desolation. 1. The inhabitants shall be slain with the sword (Eze 35:6): I will prepare thee unto blood. Edom shall be gradually weakened, and so be the more easily conquered, and the enemy shall gather strength the more effectually to subdue it. Thus preparation is in the making a great while before for this destruction. Thou hast not hated blood; it implies, "Thou hast delighted in it and thirsted after it." Those that do not keep up a rooted hatred of sin, when a temptation to it is very strong, will be in danger of yielding to it. Some read it, "Unless thou hatest blood" (that is, "unless thou dost repent, and put off this bloody disposition) blood shall pursue thee." And then it is an intimation that the judgment may yet be prevented by a thorough reformation. If he turn not, he will whet his sword, Psa 7:12. But, if he turn, he will lay it by. Blood shall pursue thee, the guilt of the blood which thou hast shed or the judgment of blood; thy blood-thirsty enemies shall pursue thee, which way soever thou seekest to make thy escape. A great and general slaughter shall be made of the Idumeans, such as had been foretold (Isa 34:6): The mountains and hills, the valleys and rivers, shall be filled with the slain, Eze 35:8. The pursuers shall overtake those that flee and shall give no quarter, but put them all to the sword. Note, When God comes to make inquisition for blood those that have shed the blood of his Israel shall have blood given them to drink, for they are worthy. Satia te sanguine quem sitisti - Glut thyself with blood, after which thou hast thirsted. 2. The country shall be laid waste. The cities shall be destroyed (Eze 35:4), the country made most desolate (Eze 35:7); for God will cut off from both him that passes out and him that returns; and when the inhabitants are cut off that should keep the cities in repair they will decay and go into ruins, and when those are cut off that should till the land that will soon be over-run with briers and thorns and become a wilderness. Note, Those that help forward the desolations of Israel may expect to be themselves made desolate. And that which completes the judgment is that Edom shall be made perpetual desolations (Eze 35:9) and the cities shall never return to their former state, nor the inhabitants of them come back from their captivity and dispersion. Note, Those that have a perpetual enmity to God and his people, as the carnal mind has, can expect no other than to be made a perpetual desolation. Implacable malice will justly be punished with irreparable ruin.

Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 1–9. 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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