Barnes' Notes Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, In Ezekiel 35-36 we see the devastation of Edom, and the restoration of Israel. Edom was included among the nations against which Ezekiel prophesied Ezekiel 25:12-14. But its fuller doom was reserved for this place, because Edom was one of the surrounding nations that profited at first by Judah's fall, and because it helps by way of contrast to bring out in a marked way the better future designed for Israel. Edom is the God-hating, God-opposing power, ever distinguished for its bitter hatred against Israel; and so the ruin of Edom is the triumph of Israel in the power of God.
Son of man, set thy face against mount Seir, and prophesy against it,
And say unto it, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, O mount Seir, I am against thee, and I will stretch out mine hand against thee, and I will make thee most desolate.
I will lay thy cities waste, and thou shalt be desolate, and thou shalt know that I am the LORD.
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: Shed blood - Omit "blood:" better as in the margin, i. e., and hast given up the children of Israel to the sword; thou hast scattered the children of Israel in confusion like stones poured down a mountain-side Micah 1:6.That their iniquity had an end - Or, "of the iniquity of the end," i. e., the time when by the capture of the city the iniquity of Israel came to an end Ezekiel 21:29.
Therefore, as I live, saith the Lord GOD, I will prepare thee unto blood, and blood shall pursue thee: sith thou hast not hated blood, even blood shall pursue thee.
Thus will I make mount Seir most desolate, and cut off from it him that passeth out and him that returneth.
And I will fill his mountains with his slain men: in thy hills, and in thy valleys, and in all thy rivers, shall they fall that are slain with the sword.
I will make thee perpetual desolations, and thy cities shall not return: and ye shall know that I am the LORD. Return - Or, "be inhabited."
Because thou hast said, These two nations and these two countries shall be mine, and we will possess it; whereas the LORD was there: These two nations - Israel and Judah.
Therefore, as I live, saith the Lord GOD, I will even do according to thine anger, and according to thine envy which thou hast used out of thy hatred against them; and I will make myself known among them, when I have judged thee.
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.
Thus with your mouth ye have boasted against me, and have multiplied your words against me: I have heard them.
Thus saith the Lord GOD; When the whole earth rejoiceth, I will make thee desolate.
As thou didst rejoice at the inheritance of the house of Israel, because it was desolate, so will I do unto thee: thou shalt be desolate, O mount Seir, and all Idumea, even all of it: and they shall know that I am the LORD. |
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