Ezekiel 25:9

9 therefore I will lay open the flank of Moab from the towns on its frontier, the glory of the country, Beth-jeshimoth, Baal-meon, and Kiriathaim.

Ezekiel 25:9 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 25:9

Therefore, behold, I will open the side of Moab from the
cities
Or, "the shoulder of Moab" F20; that part of their country where their greatest strength lay, So the Targum renders it,

``the strength of Moab;''
where their principal cities were, their frontier towns, and fortified places, as appears by what follows: from his cities which are on his frontiers;
or, "from his Ars" F21, from his cities which are at his end;
at the extreme part of the land, upon the borders of his countries; the two cities of Ar and Aroer, ( Numbers 21:28 ) ( Deuteronomy 2:36 ) : the glory of the country;
as the above cities were, and what follow: Bethjeshimoth;
this was formerly in the tribe of Reuben, now in the possession of the Moabites, and one of their principal cities, ( Joshua 13:20 ) : Baalmeon;
the same with Bethbaalmeon, and which was also of the tribe of Reuben, ( Joshua 13:17 ) ( Numbers 32:38 ) , in Jerom's time it was a large village in Moab, about nine miles from Heshbon: some think by Meon is meant Menes, or Osiris the god of the Egyptians, and so this might be a temple of his; or at least he might have a temple in it, from whence it had its name: and Kirjathaim;
or the double city, built also by the Reubenites, ( Numbers 32:37 ) ( Joshua 13:19 ) , now in the hands of the Moabites, ten miles from Medeba; on this side of the country of Moab, and through these cities, the Lord threatens to open a way for their enemies to enter in and destroy them, as follows:
FOOTNOTES:

F20 (Ptk) (ton wmon) , Sept.; "humerum", V. L. Montanus.
F21 (Myrehm) "ab ipsis", Haris, Junius & Tremellius, Polanus.

Ezekiel 25:9 In-Context

7 therefore I have stretched out my hand against you, and will hand you over as plunder to the nations. I will cut you off from the peoples and will make you perish out of the countries; I will destroy you. Then you shall know that I am the Lord.
8 Thus says the Lord God: Because Moab said, The house of Judah is like all the other nations,
9 therefore I will lay open the flank of Moab from the towns on its frontier, the glory of the country, Beth-jeshimoth, Baal-meon, and Kiriathaim.
10 I will give it along with Ammon to the people of the east as a possession. Thus Ammon shall be remembered no more among the nations,
11 and I will execute judgments upon Moab. Then they shall know that I am the Lord.

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. Heb [towns from its towns]
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.