Ezekiel 35:7

Translation
King James Version
Thus will I make mount Seir most desolate, and cut off from it him that passeth out and him that returneth.
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KJV (with Strong's)
Thus will I make H5414 mount H2022 Seir H8165 most H8077 desolate H8077, and cut off H3772 from it him that passeth out H5674 and him that returneth H7725.
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Complete Jewish Bible
Yes, I will make Mount Se'ir utterly desolate, cutting off from it anyone passing through or returning.
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Berean Standard Bible
I will make Mount Seir a desolate waste and will cut off from it those who come and go.
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American Standard Version
Thus will I make mount Seir an astonishment and a desolation; and I will cut off from it him that passeth through and him that returneth.
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World English Bible Messianic
Thus will I make Mount Seir an astonishment and a desolation; and I will cut off from it him who passes through and him who returns.
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Geneva Bible (1599)
Thus will I make mount Seir desolate and waste, and cut off from it him that passeth out and him that returneth.
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Young's Literal Translation
And I have given mount Seir for a desolation and an astonishment, And have cut off from it him who is passing over and him who is returning,
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See also
Ezekiel 35:3Ezekiel 29:11Judges 5:6Judges 5:7Ezekiel 35:92 Chronicles 15:52 Chronicles 15:6
In the KJVVerse 21,352 of 31,102

Study This Verse

SUMMARY

Ezekiel 35:7 delivers a potent prophetic declaration of God's absolute judgment against Mount Seir, symbolizing the nation of Edom. This verse foretells a comprehensive and irreversible desolation of their territory, signifying a complete cessation of all human presence and activity, where no one will be able to enter or exit. It underscores the severe and decisive nature of divine retribution against Edom for their persistent hostility and malicious actions directed at Israel.

CONTEXT

  • Literary Context: Ezekiel 35 is a singular oracle of judgment against Mount Seir (Edom), strategically placed immediately before the extensive prophecies of Israel's restoration in Ezekiel 36-48. This positioning is crucial, as it highlights God's unwavering faithfulness to His covenant people by first dealing decisively with a long-standing and particularly virulent enemy. The chapter functions as a stark contrast, emphasizing the complete destruction awaiting Edom in opposition to the promised renewal and blessing for Israel. The preceding verses in Ezekiel 35 establish the basis for this judgment, detailing Edom's "perpetual hatred" and their opportunistic desire to seize the lands of both Judah and Israel (Ezekiel 35:5).
  • Historical & Cultural Context: Edom, descended from Esau, maintained a deep-seated and enduring animosity towards Israel, the descendants of Jacob. This historical rivalry, rooted in their patriarchal origins, manifested in consistent conflicts and betrayals throughout their shared history. A pivotal moment of betrayal occurred during the Babylonian conquest and the subsequent destruction of Jerusalem in 586 BC. Edom not only celebrated Judah's downfall but actively participated in the plundering of the land and obstructed the escape of Jewish refugees. These actions were viewed as a profound violation of familial ties, however strained, and a direct affront to God's covenant people. Geographically, Mount Seir was a rugged, mountainous region situated south of the Dead Sea, strategically important due to its location along ancient trade routes, making its prophesied desolation a significant blow to regional commerce and stability.
  • Key Themes: This verse powerfully contributes to several overarching theological and narrative themes within Ezekiel and the broader biblical canon. It vividly illustrates Divine Retributive Justice, demonstrating God's unwavering commitment to holding nations accountable for their actions, especially their cruelty and hatred toward His chosen people. The theme of Utter Desolation is central, portraying a judgment so complete that all life and movement cease, serving as a visible testament to the intensity of God's wrath. This judgment also underscores God's Sovereignty over all nations, affirming His absolute control over their destinies and His ability to execute His righteous decrees. Furthermore, the prophecy against Edom foreshadows the ultimate triumph of God's purposes for Israel, emphasizing that while His people may suffer, their enemies will face certain consequences for their opposition, a theme also extensively explored in the book of Obadiah.

EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

Key Word Analysis

  • make (Hebrew, nâthan', H5414): This primitive root (H5414) is highly versatile, meaning "to give" but used with the greatest latitude of application, including "put," "make," "appoint," or "assign." In Ezekiel 35:7, "make" signifies God's active, intentional, and sovereign act of bringing about the desolation. It is not a passive event but a direct consequence of His divine will and judgment, emphasizing His direct involvement in the execution of this severe sentence.
  • desolate (Hebrew, shᵉmâmâh', H8077): This feminine noun (H8077), derived from a root meaning "to be desolate" or "to be appalled," signifies devastation, ruin, and figuratively, astonishment. The KJV's "most desolate" is a translation of a Hebrew intensifier (desolation and desolation), emphasizing the superlative degree of this ruin. It conveys not merely emptiness but a state of horror and utter wasteland, so profound that it evokes shock in those who witness it. It implies a land rendered utterly uninhabitable and abandoned, a place of profound emptiness.
  • cut off (Hebrew, kârath', H3772): This primitive root (H3772) means "to cut (off, down or asunder)." By implication, it means "to destroy or consume." While it can also mean "to covenant" (originally by cutting flesh), in this context, it unequivocally denotes destruction and cessation. Here, it refers to the complete eradication of movement and life, signifying a definitive end to the population and activity in Mount Seir. This "cutting off" is a divine act of judgment, severing the very possibility of life and commerce.

Verse Breakdown

  • "Thus will I make mount Seir most desolate": This opening clause declares God's direct agency and firm resolve in bringing about the judgment. The phrase "Thus will I make" emphasizes divine initiative and certainty. "Mount Seir" is a synecdoche for the entire nation of Edom, indicating that the judgment is not merely against the land but against its people and their way of life. The Hebrew idiom for "most desolate" (literally "desolation and desolation") powerfully conveys an absolute, extreme, and irreversible state of ruin, rendering the land a place of horror and emptiness beyond recovery or repopulation.
  • "and cut off from it him that passeth out and him that returneth": This powerful idiomatic expression signifies a complete cessation of all human activity and life within Edom. "Him that passeth out" refers to those who would leave the land for trade, travel, or war, while "him that returneth" refers to those who would enter or come back to it, whether residents, merchants, or invaders. Together, they paint a picture of a land so utterly devoid of inhabitants and so dangerous or ruined that no one can enter or exit. It means the end of all commerce, migration, and even basic survival within the territory, sealing its fate as a permanent wasteland.

Literary Devices

Ezekiel 35:7 employs several powerful literary devices to convey the severity and finality of God's judgment. Hyperbole is evident in the phrase "cut off from it him that passeth out and him that returneth," which is an exaggerated statement signifying the absolute cessation of life and movement, emphasizing the completeness of the desolation rather than a literal impossibility of any individual passing through. This rhetorical device underscores the extreme nature of the judgment. Synecdoche is used with "Mount Seir" representing the entire nation of Edom, allowing the physical landscape to stand for its inhabitants and their collective destiny. The repetition inherent in "most desolate" (Hebrew: "desolation and desolation") functions as an intensifier, underscoring the extreme and irreversible degree of ruin. The entire verse also serves as a form of prophetic oracle, a divinely inspired declaration of future events, delivered with absolute authority and certainty by God Himself.

THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS

Ezekiel 35:7 powerfully articulates the biblical principle of divine retribution, demonstrating that God is not indifferent to human wickedness, particularly when it involves malicious intent and actions against His people. Edom's judgment serves as a stark reminder that pride, perpetual hatred, and gloating over the misfortunes of others will ultimately incur God's righteous wrath. This passage reinforces God's unwavering commitment to justice and His ultimate sovereignty over the destinies of nations. It assures believers that even when His people face severe trials and oppression, God sees, remembers, and will ultimately bring about justice for those who have suffered and judgment upon their oppressors, ensuring that all wrongs are eventually made right.

REFLECTION AND APPLICATION

Ezekiel 35:7, while a prophecy of ancient judgment, holds profound contemporary relevance for our spiritual formation. It calls us to reflect deeply on the destructive nature of hatred, envy, and schadenfreude—the insidious joy derived from the misfortune of others. The severity of Edom's fate serves as a stark warning against harboring such animosity, reminding us that God is a God of justice who sees and responds to the intentions of the heart and the actions that flow from them. For believers, this passage can be a source of deep comfort and reassurance: God is sovereign, and His justice will ultimately prevail, even when injustice seems rampant and overwhelming in the world. It encourages us to trust in His perfect timing and methods for righting wrongs, knowing that His divine hand is at work. Furthermore, it challenges us to examine our own hearts, prompting us to cultivate compassion, forgiveness, and love, even towards those who may be our adversaries, rather than succumbing to bitterness or vengeance. Our call is to live out God's character, leaving ultimate judgment to Him who declares, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay," says the Lord (Romans 12:19).

Questions for Reflection

  • How does the concept of "most desolate" challenge my understanding of the long-term consequences of sustained hatred and malice in both personal and national contexts?
  • In what specific ways might I be tempted to rejoice in the misfortune of others, and what practical steps can I take to cultivate a more compassionate and empathetic heart?
  • How does this passage deepen my trust in God's ultimate justice and His unwavering sovereignty over nations and individuals, even when circumstances seem chaotic or unjust?

FAQ

Why was Edom judged so severely by God?

Answer: Edom's severe judgment, as prophesied in Ezekiel 35:7 and throughout the book of Obadiah, was a direct consequence of their "perpetual hatred" (Ezekiel 35:5) and malicious actions against Israel. During the destruction of Jerusalem by Babylon, Edom not only rejoiced in Judah's downfall but also actively participated in plundering the land and hindering the escape of Jewish refugees. This betrayal of their kin (descendants of Esau against Jacob's descendants) and their cruel gloating over Israel's suffering incurred God's righteous wrath, demonstrating His commitment to justice for His covenant people and His intolerance for such malevolent behavior.

Does God still judge nations today in a similar way?

Answer: While the specific, literal desolation prophesied for Edom in Ezekiel's time was a unique historical event, the underlying principle of God's moral governance over nations remains eternally true. God is sovereign over all kingdoms and holds them accountable for their actions, particularly concerning justice, righteousness, and their treatment of the vulnerable and His people. While modern judgments may not always manifest as immediate, visible desolation, the Bible teaches that nations, like individuals, will ultimately face consequences for their collective sin and rejection of God's ways. The ultimate and final judgment, however, is reserved for the end times, as described in passages like Matthew 25:31-32, where Christ will separate the nations as a shepherd separates sheep from goats.

CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT

While Ezekiel 35:7 is a specific prophecy of judgment against an ancient nation, its ultimate Christ-centered fulfillment lies in the comprehensive victory of Christ over all forces of evil and opposition to God's kingdom. The "cutting off" of Mount Seir foreshadows the ultimate "cutting off" of sin, death, and all spiritual enemies through the finished work of Jesus Christ. Just as Edom's desolation paved the way for God's restoration of Israel, Christ's sacrificial death on the cross and His triumphant resurrection decisively defeated the powers of darkness, making a way for the establishment of His eternal kingdom. He is the true King who executes perfect justice, not merely against a single nation, but against all unrighteousness, as prophesied in Revelation 19:11-16. In Christ, the ultimate "desolation" is brought upon sin's dominion, and the "passeth out and returneth" of those under its curse ceases, as believers are granted eternal life and freedom from its power through His perfect work (John 19:30). He has "cut off" the power of the written code that was against us by nailing it to the cross (Colossians 2:14), and will ultimately "destroy the last enemy, death" (1 Corinthians 15:26). The final, complete desolation of all that opposes God's righteous rule finds its ultimate and eternal reality in the triumph of Christ, who now sits at the right hand of God, having offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins (Hebrews 10:12), ensuring the secure and eternal inheritance for His people.

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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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