Edom Will Be a Wasteland

1 The Lord said:

2Ezekiel, son of man, condemn the people of Edom+ 3and say to them:

I, the Lord God,

am now your enemy!

And I will turn your nation

into an empty wasteland,

4leaving your towns in ruins.

Your land will be a desert,

and then you will know

that I am the Lord.

5People of Edom, not only have you been Israel's longtime enemy, you simply watched when disaster wiped out its people as punishment for their sins. 6And so, as surely as I am the living Lord God, you are guilty of murder and must be put to death. 7I will destroy your nation and kill anyone who travels through it. 8Dead bodies will cover your mountains and fill up your valleys, 9and your land will lie in ruins forever. No one will live in your towns ever again. You will know that I am the Lord.

10You thought the nations of Judah and Israel belonged to you, and that you could take over their territory. But I am their God, 11and as surely as I live, I will punish you for treating my people with anger and hatred. Then they will know that I, the Lord, am punishing you! 12And you will finally realize that I heard you laugh at their destruction and say their land was yours to take. 13You even insulted me, but I heard it all.

14Everyone on earth will celebrate when I destroy you, 15just as you celebrated when Israel was destroyed. Your nation of Edom will be nothing but a wasteland. Then everyone will know that I am the Lord.