Ezechiel xxv.
Notes & Commentary:
Ver. 2-3. Ammon. These nations were punished five years after the Jews, chap. xxi. 19., and Jeremias xxvii. 3. (Calmet) — “Egypt, Syria, Phœnicia, and Arabia,” were conquered. (Berosus) — Hast. God saw their dispositions, which they manifested afterwards. (Calmet) — They rejoiced most, and were therefore punished with other nations. (Worthington)
Ver. 4. East; the Chaldeans, (Sanctius) who conquered them, (Haydock) though the Scenite Arabs, who occupied the country after the inhabitants were removed, or the Armenians and Agarens, are rather meant than the Chaldeans. (Worthington)
Ver. 5. Rabbath, the capital city of the Ammonites: it was afterwards called Philadelphia. (Challoner) — Flocks. These constituted the riches of those Arabians.
Ver. 7. Lord, and that it was not through impotence that my people became a prey. Ammon and Moab returned after some time, ver. 10., and chap. xvi. 53., and Jeremias xlix. 6.
Ver. 8. Seir; Idumea. — Nations, whose gods could not defend them. (Calmet) — Thus they blasphemed the Lord. (Theodoret)
Ver. 9. Shoulder; reduce to slavery, (Haydock) or take the strong places, (Jeremias xlviii. 7.; Calmet) or cities and strength of Moab. (Worthington)
Ver. 10. With, or “like thee.” Moab (ver. 11.) shall be treated like Ammon. (Haydock) — Hebrew, “As for the,” &c. (Calmet)
Ver. 12. Revenge; exhorting the Chaldeans to destroy utterly, (Psalm cxxxvi. 7.) and seizing every opportunity of injuring the Jews, 2 Paralipomenon xxviii. 18., and Amos i. 11.
Ver. 13. South. Hebrew, “Theman,” a city at one extremity. The Chaldeans laid waste the country, (chap. xxxii. 29.) but did not remove the people, who seized the southern parts of Juda, till they were forced to submit to the Machabees.
Ver. 15. Enmities. They also watched every moment to injure the Jews, Amos i. 5. But Nabuchodonosor was irritated, because they had assisted Tyre, Jeremias xlvii. 4.
Ver. 16. Killers. Hebrew, “Ceretheans.” David’s guards were of this nation, 2 Kings viii. 18. They came originally from Crete; and the Septuagint have here, “Cretans;” (Calmet) as Grabe substitutes for “Judges of Sidon.” (Haydock) — Chaldean, “archers.” — Remnant. They deserve not the name of a nation, having been much reduced by Egypt and the Chaldeans. (Calmet)
Bible Text & Cross-references:
A prophecy against the Ammonites, Moabites, Edomites, and Philistines, for their malice against the Israelites.
1 And the word of the Lord came to me, saying:
2 Son of man, set thy face against the children of Ammon, and thou shalt prophesy of them.
3 *And thou shalt say to the children of Ammon: Hear ye the word of the Lord God: Thus saith the Lord God: Because thou hast said, Ha, ha, upon my sanctuary, because it was profaned; and upon the land of Israel, because it was laid waste; and upon the house of Juda, because they are led into captivity:
4 Therefore, will I deliver thee to the men of the east for an inheritance, and they shall place their sheepcotes in thee, and shall set up their tents in thee: they shall eat thy fruits, and they shall drink thy milk.
5 And I will make Rabbath a stable for camels, and the children of Ammon a couching-place for flocks: and you shall know that I am the Lord.
6 For thus saith the Lord God: Because thou hast clapped thy hands, and stamped with thy foot, and hast rejoiced with all thy heart against the land of Israel;
7 Therefore, behold, I will stretch forth my hand upon thee, and will deliver thee to be the spoil of nations, and will cut thee off from among the people, and destroy thee out of the lands, and break thee in pieces: and thou shalt know that I am the Lord.
8 Thus saith the Lord God: Because Moab and Seir have said: Behold, the house of Juda is like all other nations:
9 Therefore, behold, I will open the shoulder of Moab from the cities, from his cities, I say, and his borders, the noble cities of the land of Bethiesimoth, and Beelmeon, and Cariathaim,
10 To the people of the east with the children of Ammon, and I will give it them for an inheritance, that there may be no more any remembrance of the children of Ammon among the nations.
11 And I will execute judgments in Moab: and they shall know that I am the Lord.
12 Thus saith the Lord God: Because Edom hath taken vengeance to revenge herself of the children of Juda, and hath greatly offended, and hath sought revenge of them:
13 Therefore, thus saith the Lord God: I will stretch forth my hand upon Edom, and will take away out of it man and beast, and will make it desolate from the south: and they that are in Dedan, shall fall by the sword.
14 And I will lay my vengeance upon Edom, by the hand of my people Israel: and they shall do in Edom according to my wrath and my fury: and they shall know my vengeance, saith the Lord God.
15 Thus saith the Lord God: Because the Philistines have taken vengeance, and have revenged themselves with all their mind, destroying and satisfying old enmities:
16 Therefore, thus saith the Lord God: Behold, I will stretch forth my hand upon the Philistines, and will kill the killers, and will destroy the remnant of the sea coast.
17 And I will execute great vengeance upon them, rebuking them in fury: and they shall know that I am the Lord, when I shall lay my vengeance upon them.
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3: Year of the World 3417, Year before Christ 387.; Jeremias xlix. 7.