Ezekiel 35

A Prophecy against Edom

1 The word of the Lord came to me:

2 "Son of man, turn your face toward Mount Seir^[a] and prophesy against it.

3 Say to it: This is what the Lord God says: Look! I am against you, Mount Seir. I will stretch out My hand against you and make you a desolate waste.^[b]

4 I will turn your cities into ruins,^[c] and you will become a desolation.^[d] Then you will know that I am the Lord.

5 "Because you maintained an ancient hatred^[e] and handed over the Israelites to the power of the sword in the time of their disaster, the time of final punishment,^[f]

6 therefore, as I live"-[this is] the declaration of the Lord God -"I will destine you for bloodshed, and it will pursue you. Since you did not hate bloodshed, it will pursue you.^[g]

7 I will make Mount Seir a desolate waste and will cut off from it those who come and go.^[h]

8 I will fill its mountains with the slain; those slain by the sword will fall on your hills, in your valleys, and in all your ravines.^[i]

9 I will make you a perpetual desolation; your cities will not be inhabited. Then you will know that I am the Lord.

10 "Because you said: These two nations and two lands will be mine, and we will possess them-though the Lord was there^[j]-

11 therefore, as I live"-the declaration of the Lord God -"I will treat [you] according to the anger and jealousy you showed in your hatred of them. I will make Myself known among them^[k] when I judge you.

12 Then you will know that I, the Lord, have heard all the blasphemies you uttered against the mountains of Israel, saying: They are desolate. They have been given to us to devour!

13 You boasted against Me^[l] with your mouth, and spoke many words against Me. I heard [it] Myself!

14 "This is what the Lord God says: While the whole world rejoices, I will make you a desolation.

15 Just as you rejoiced over the inheritance of the house of Israel because it became a desolation, so I will deal with you: you will become a desolation, Mount Seir, and [so will] all Edom in its entirety. Then they will know that I am the Lord.

Ezekiel 35 Commentary

Chapter 35

A prophecy against Edom.

Verses 1-9 All who have God against them, have the word of God against them. Those that have a constant hatred to God and his people, as the carnal mind has, can only expect to be made desolate for ever.

Verses 10-15 When we see the vanity of the world in the disappointments, losses, and crosses, which others meet with, instead of showing ourselves greedy of worldly things, we should sit more loose to them. In the multitude of words, not one is unknown to God; not the most idle word; and the most daring is not above his rebuke. 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. And when the fulness of the Jews and Gentiles shall come into the church, all antichristian opposers shall be destroyed.

Footnotes

• [a]. Ezk 25:12; 36:5
• [b]. Ezk 33:28-29
• [c]. Ezk 25:13
• [d]. Ezk 29:9
• [e]. Ezk 25:15; Ps 137:7
• [f]. Ezk 7:2; 21:25,29
• [g]. Ob 14-15
• [h]. Ezk 33:28
• [i]. Ezk 6:3
• [j]. Ezk 48:35; Ps 48:1-3
• [k]. LXX reads you
• [l]. Jr 48:26,42; Ob 12; Zph 2:8

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO EZEKIEL 35

This chapter is a prophecy of the destruction of Edom, which is threatened, Eze 35:1-4, the cause of it, their hatred and slaughter of the Israelites, Eze 35:5-9, their claim of the lands of Israel and Judah for possession, Eze 35:10,11, their blasphemies against the people of God, and the Lord himself, Eze 35:12,13, the aggravation of their ruin, which was irretrievable; that when it was well with others, it should go ill with them; by way of just retaliation, Eze 35:14,15.