Ezekiel 35:5

5 For thou were an enemy everlasting, and closedest together the sons of Israel into the hands of sword, in the time of their torment, in the time of the last wickedness; (For thou were an everlasting enemy, and hast altogether enclosed the Israelites in the hands of the sword, in the time of their torment, at the time of the last wickedness;)

Ezekiel 35:5 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 35:5

Because thou hast had a perpetual hatred
There was an old grudge and enmity subsisting in the posterity of Esau against the posterity of Jacob, because the latter supplanted the former, and got the birthright and blessing from him; and which was discovered in all ages, and at all opportunities, and on all occasions which offered; and such has been the hatred of the church of Rome against the true professors and followers of Christ, as their bloody persecution of them in all ages have shown: and hast shed the blood of the children of Israel by the force of the
sword in the time of their calamity:
when Jerusalem was taken by the Chaldeans, the Edomites not only rejoiced at it, and took part of the spoil, but stood in the crossways, and slew those that made their escape; or drove them back upon the sword of the enemy; or delivered them into their hands; which was barbarous and inhuman usage of their neighbours and brethren; see ( Obadiah 1:10 Obadiah 1:11 ) . The Targum is,

``and thou didst deliver the children of Israel into the hands of those that slay with the sword, in the time of their destruction:''

in the time that their iniquity had an end;
when either the measure of that was full; or when they received for it full correction and chastisement; at the consummation of that.

Ezekiel 35:5 In-Context

3 and shalt say to it, The Lord God saith these things, Thou hill of Seir, lo! I to thee; I shall stretch forth mine hand on thee, and I shall give thee desolate and forsaken. (and shalt say to it, The Lord God saith these things, Thou hill country of Seir, lo! I am against thee; I shall stretch forth my hand upon thee, and I shall make thee into a desolate wilderness.)

4 I shall destroy thy cities, and thou shalt be forsaken; and thou shalt know, that I am the Lord.

5 For thou were an enemy everlasting, and closedest together the sons of Israel into the hands of sword, in the time of their torment, in the time of the last wickedness; (For thou were an everlasting enemy, and hast altogether enclosed the Israelites in the hands of the sword, in the time of their torment, at the time of the last wickedness;)

6 therefore (as) I live, saith the Lord God, for I shall give thee to blood, and blood shall pursue thee; and sith thou hatedest blood, blood shall pursue thee.

7 And I shall give the hill of Seir desolate and forsaken (And I shall make the hill country of Seir a desolate wilderness), and I shall take away from it a goer and a comer-again;