Ezekiel 25
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Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
The word of the Lord - The chronological order of this chapter is after Eze 33:21, etc. See Abp. Newcome.
Open source ↗APPROPRIATELY IN THE INTERVAL OF SILENCE AS TO THE JEWS IN THE EIGHT CHAPTERS, (TWENTY-FIFTH THROUGH THIRTY-SECOND) EZEKIEL DENOUNCES JUDGMENTS ON THE HEATHEN WORLD KINGDOMS. (Eze. 25:1-17) (Jer 49:1). when . . . profaned; . . . when . . . desolate; . . . when . . . captivity--rather, "for . . . for . . . for": the cause of the insolent exultation of Ammon over Jerusalem. They triumphed especially over the fall of the "sanctuary," as the triumph of heathenism over the rival claims of Jehovah. In Jehoshaphat's time, when the eighty-third Psalm was written (Psa 83:4, Psa 83:7-8, Psa 83:12, "Ammon . . . holpen the children of Lot," who were, therefore, the leaders of the unholy conspiracy, "Let us take to ourselves the houses of God in possession"), we see the same profane spirit. Now at last their wicked wish seems accomplished in the fall of Jerusalem. Ammon, descended from Lot, held the region east of Jordan, separated from the Amorites on the north by the river Jabbok, and from Moab on the south by the Arnon. They were auxiliaries to Babylon in the destruction of Jerusalem (Kg2 24:2).
Open source ↗The word of the Lord came unto me,.... After he had done prophesying to the Jews, he is bid to prophesy against the Gentiles, the nations that lay nearest the Jews: saying; as follows:
Open source ↗Against the Ammonites Eze 25:1. And the word of Jehovah came to me, saying, Eze 25:2. Son of man, direct thy face towards the sons of Ammon, and prophesy against them, Eze 25:3. And say to the sons of Ammon, Hear ye the word of the Lord Jehovah! Thus saith the Lord Jehovah, Because thou sayest, Aha! concerning my sanctuary, that it is profaned; and concerning the land of Israel, that it is laid waste; and concerning the house of Judah, that they have gone into captivity; Eze 25:4. Therefore, behold, I will give thee to the sons of the east for a possession, that they may pitch their tent-villages in thee, and erect their dwellings in thee; they shall eat thy fruits, and they shall drink thy milk. Eze 25:5. And Rabbah will I make a camel-ground, and the sons of Ammon a resting-place for flocks; and ye shall know that I am Jehovah. Eze 25:6. For thus saith the Lord Jehovah, Because thou hast clapped thy hand, and stamped with thy foot, and hast rejoiced in soul with all thy contempt concerning the house of Israel, Eze 25:7. Therefore, behold, I will stretch out my hand against thee, and give thee to the nations for booty, and cut thee off from the peoples, and exterminate thee from the lands; I will destroy thee, that thou mayst learn that I am Jehovah. - In Eze 21:28., when predicting the expedition of Nebuchadnezzar against Jerusalem, Ezekiel had already foretold the destruction of the Ammonites, so that these verses are simply a resumption and confirmation of the earlier prophecy. In the passage referred to, Ezekiel, like Zephaniah before him (Zep 2:8, Zep 2:10), mentions their reviling of the people of God as the sin for which they are to be punished with destruction. This reviling, in which their hatred of the divine calling of Israel found vent, was the radical sin…
Open source ↗Here, I. The prophet is ordered to address himself to the Ammonites, in the name of the Lord Jehovah the God of Israel, who is also the God of the whole earth. But what can Chemosh, the god of the children of Ammon, say, in answer to it? He is bidden to set his face against the Ammonites, for he is God's representative as a prophet, and thus he must signify that God set his face against them, for the face of the Lord is against those that do evil, Psa 34:16. He must speak with boldness and assurance, as one that knew whose errand he went upon, and that he should be borne out in delivering it. He must therefore set his face as a flint, Isa 1:7. He must show his displeasure against these proud enemies of Israel, and face them down, though they were very impudent, and thus must show that, though he had prophesied so much and so long against Israel, yet still he was for Israel, and, while he witnessed against their corruptions, he adhered to and gloried in God's covenant with them. Note, Those are miserable that have the preaching and praying of God's prophets against them, against whom their faces are set. II. He is directed what to say to them. Ezekiel is now a captive in Babylon, and has been so many years, and knows little of the state of his own nation, much less of the nations that were about it; but God tells him both what they were doing and what he was about to do with them. And thus by the spirit of prophecy he is enabled to speak as pertinently to their case as if he had been among them. 1. He must upbraid the Ammonites with their insolent and barbarous triumphs over the people of Israel in their calamities, Eze 25:3. The Ammonites said, when all went against the Jews, Aha! so would we have it. They were glad to see, (1.) The temple burned, the sanctuary profaned…
Open source ↗25:1–32:32 This section contains a series of oracles against surrounding nations. There are six shorter oracles against Judah’s immediate neighbors, in clockwise geographical order, followed by a climactic seventh oracle against Egypt (chs 30–32). Through their experience of God’s judgment, the nations would recognize God’s sovereignty over all things. The nations might be used to bring about God’s judgment of his people, but that would not exempt them from judgment. • One of the key purposes of these oracles against the nations was to affirm that the negative side of God’s covenant with Abraham (“I will . . . curse those who treat you with contempt,” Gen 12:3) was in force. No one can assault God’s people and escape unscathed, even when God’s people are themselves under his judgment.
Open source ↗Original language
The Hebrew and Greek words behind this passage, with Strong's numbers — from openscriptures (CC BY-SA).
דָּבָר (dâbâr, H1697) — a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, a cause יְהֹוָה (Yᵉhôvâh, H3068) — Jehovah, Jewish national name of God אָמַר (ʼâmar, H559) — to say (used with great latitude)
Open source ↗בֵּן (bên, H1121) — a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative… אָדָם (ʼâdâm, H120) — ruddy i.e. a human being (an individual or the species, mankind, etc.) שׂוּם (sûwm, H7760) — to put (used in a great variety of applications, literal, figurative, inferentially, and… פָּנִים (pânîym, H6440) — the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and… עַמּוֹן (ʻAmmôwn, H5983) — Ammon, a son of Lot; also his posterity and their country נָבָא (nâbâʼ, H5012) — to prophesy, i.e. speak (or sing) by inspiration (in prediction or simple discourse)
Open source ↗אָמַר (ʼâmar, H559) — to say (used with great latitude) בֵּן (bên, H1121) — a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative… עַמּוֹן (ʻAmmôwn, H5983) — Ammon, a son of Lot; also his posterity and their country שָׁמַע (shâmaʻ, H8085) — to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively,… דָּבָר (dâbâr, H1697) — a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, a cause אֲדֹנָי (ʼĂdônây, H136) — the Lord (used as a proper name of God only) יְהֹוִה (Yᵉhôvih, H3069) — {YHWH} הֶאָח (heʼâch, H1889) — aha! מִקְדָּשׁ (miqdâsh, H4720) — a consecrated thing or place, especially, a palace, sanctuary (whether of Jehovah or of… חָלַל (châlal, H2490) — properly, to bore, i.e. (by implication) to wound, to dissolve; figuratively, to profane… אֲדָמָה (ʼădâmâh, H127) — soil (from its general redness) יִשְׂרָאֵל (Yisrâʼêl, H3478) — Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity שָׁמֵם (shâmêm, H8074) — to stun (or intransitively, grow numb), i.e. devastate or (figuratively) stupefy (both… בַּיִת (bayith, H1004) — a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.)
Open source ↗נָתַן (nâthan, H5414) — to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.) בֵּן (bên, H1121) — a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative… קֶדֶם (qedem, H6924) — the front, of place (absolutely, the fore part, relatively the East) or time (antiquity);… מוֹרָשָׁה (môwrâshâh, H4181) — a possession יָשַׁב (yâshab, H3427) — properly, to sit down (specifically as judge. in ambush, in quiet); by implication, to… טִירָה (ṭîyrâh, H2918) — a wall; hence, a fortress or a hamlet מִשְׁכָּן (mishkân, H4908) — a residence (including a shepherd's hut, the lair of animals, figuratively, the grave;… אָכַל (ʼâkal, H398) — to eat (literally or figuratively) פְּרִי (pᵉrîy, H6529) — fruit (literally or figuratively) שָׁתָה (shâthâh, H8354) — to imbibe (literally or figuratively) חָלָב (châlâb, H2461) — milk (as the richness of kine)
Open source ↗נָתַן (nâthan, H5414) — to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.) רַבָּה (Rabbâh, H7237) — Rabbah, the name of two places in Palestine, East and West נָוֶה (nâveh, H5116) — (adjectively) at home; hence (by implication of satisfaction) lovely; also (noun) a home,… גָּמָל (gâmâl, H1581) — a camel בֵּן (bên, H1121) — a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative… עַמּוֹן (ʻAmmôwn, H5983) — Ammon, a son of Lot; also his posterity and their country מַרְבֵּץ (marbêts, H4769) — a reclining place, i.e. fold (for flocks) צֹאן (tsôʼn, H6629) — a collective name for a flock (of sheep or goats); also figuratively (of men) יָדַע (yâdaʻ, H3045) — to know (properly, to ascertain by seeing); used in a great variety of senses,… יְהֹוָה (Yᵉhôvâh, H3068) — Jehovah, Jewish national name of God
Open source ↗אָמַר (ʼâmar, H559) — to say (used with great latitude) אֲדֹנָי (ʼĂdônây, H136) — the Lord (used as a proper name of God only) יְהֹוִה (Yᵉhôvih, H3069) — {YHWH} מָחָא (mâchâʼ, H4222) — to rub or strike the hands together (in exultation) יָד (yâd, H3027) — a hand (the open one (indicating power, means, direction, etc.), רָקַע (râqaʻ, H7554) — to pound the earth (as a sign of passion); by analogy to expand (by hammering); by… רֶגֶל (regel, H7272) — a foot (as used in walking); by implication, a step; by euphemistically the pudenda שָׂמַח (sâmach, H8055) — probably to brighten up, i.e. (figuratively) be (causatively, make) blithe or gleesome נֶפֶשׁ (nephesh, H5315) — properly, a breathing creature, i.e. animal of (abstractly) vitality; used very widely in… שְׁאָט (shᵉʼâṭ, H7589) — contempt אֲדָמָה (ʼădâmâh, H127) — soil (from its general redness) יִשְׂרָאֵל (Yisrâʼêl, H3478) — Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity
Open source ↗נָטָה (nâṭâh, H5186) — to stretch or spread out; by implication, to bend away (including moral deflection); used… יָד (yâd, H3027) — a hand (the open one (indicating power, means, direction, etc.), נָתַן (nâthan, H5414) — to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.) בַּז (baz, H957) — plunder בַּג (bag, H897) — food גּוֹי (gôwy, H1471) — a foreign nation; hence, a Gentile; also (figuratively) a troop of animals, or a flight… כָּרַת (kârath, H3772) — to cut (off, down or asunder); by implication, to destroy or consume; specifically, to… עַם (ʻam, H5971) — a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of Israel); hence… אָבַד (ʼâbad, H6) — properly, to wander away, i.e. lose oneself; by implication to perish (causative, destroy) אֶרֶץ (ʼerets, H776) — the earth (at large, or partitively a land) שָׁמַד (shâmad, H8045) — to desolate יָדַע (yâdaʻ, H3045) — to know (properly, to ascertain by seeing); used in a great variety of senses,… יְהֹוָה (Yᵉhôvâh, H3068) — Jehovah, Jewish national name of God
Open source ↗אָמַר (ʼâmar, H559) — to say (used with great latitude) אֲדֹנָי (ʼĂdônây, H136) — the Lord (used as a proper name of God only) יְהֹוִה (Yᵉhôvih, H3069) — {YHWH} יַעַן (yaʻan, H3282) — properly, heed; by implication, purpose (sake or account); used adverbially to indicate… מוֹאָב (Môwʼâb, H4124) — Moab, an incestuous son of Lot; also his territory and descendants שֵׂעִיר (Sêʻîyr, H8165) — Seir, a mountain of Idumaea and its aboriginal occupants, also one in Palestine בַּיִת (bayith, H1004) — a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.) יְהוּדָה (Yᵉhûwdâh, H3063) — Jehudah (or Judah), the name of five Israelites; also of the tribe descended from the… גּוֹי (gôwy, H1471) — a foreign nation; hence, a Gentile; also (figuratively) a troop of animals, or a flight…
Open source ↗פָּתַח (pâthach, H6605) — to open wide (literally or figuratively); specifically, to loosen, begin, plough, carve כָּתֵף (kâthêph, H3802) — the shoulder (proper, i.e. upper end of the arm; as being the spot where the garments… מוֹאָב (Môwʼâb, H4124) — Moab, an incestuous son of Lot; also his territory and descendants עִיר (ʻîyr, H5892) — a city (a place guarded by waking or a watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere… קָצֶה (qâtseh, H7097) — an extremity צְבִי (tsᵉbîy, H6643) — splendor (as conspicuous); also a gazelle (as beautiful) אֶרֶץ (ʼerets, H776) — the earth (at large, or partitively a land) בֵּית הַיְשִׁימוֹת (Bêyth ha-Yshîy-môwth, H1020) — Beth-ha-Jeshimoth, a town East of the Jordan בַּעַל מְעוֹן (Baʻal Mᵉʻôwn, H1186) — Baal-Meon, a place East of the Jordan קִרְיָתַיִם (Qiryâthayim, H7156) — Kirjathaim, the name of two placed in Palestine
Open source ↗בֵּן (bên, H1121) — a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative… קֶדֶם (qedem, H6924) — the front, of place (absolutely, the fore part, relatively the East) or time (antiquity);… עַמּוֹן (ʻAmmôwn, H5983) — Ammon, a son of Lot; also his posterity and their country נָתַן (nâthan, H5414) — to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.) מוֹרָשָׁה (môwrâshâh, H4181) — a possession זָכַר (zâkar, H2142) — properly, to mark (so as to be recognized), i.e. to remember; by implication, to mention;… גּוֹי (gôwy, H1471) — a foreign nation; hence, a Gentile; also (figuratively) a troop of animals, or a flight…
Open source ↗עָשָׂה (ʻâsâh, H6213) — to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application שֶׁפֶט (shepheṭ, H8201) — a sentence, i.e. infliction מוֹאָב (Môwʼâb, H4124) — Moab, an incestuous son of Lot; also his territory and descendants יָדַע (yâdaʻ, H3045) — to know (properly, to ascertain by seeing); used in a great variety of senses,… יְהֹוָה (Yᵉhôvâh, H3068) — Jehovah, Jewish national name of God
Open source ↗אָמַר (ʼâmar, H559) — to say (used with great latitude) אֲדֹנָי (ʼĂdônây, H136) — the Lord (used as a proper name of God only) יְהֹוִה (Yᵉhôvih, H3069) — {YHWH} אֱדֹם (ʼĔdôm, H123) — Edom, the elder twin-brother of Jacob; hence the region (Idumaea) occupied by him עָשָׂה (ʻâsâh, H6213) — to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application בַּיִת (bayith, H1004) — a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.) יְהוּדָה (Yᵉhûwdâh, H3063) — Jehudah (or Judah), the name of five Israelites; also of the tribe descended from the… נָקַם (nâqam, H5358) — to grudge, i.e. avenge or punish נָקָם (nâqâm, H5359) — revenge אָשַׁם (ʼâsham, H816) — to be guilty; by implication to be punished or perish
Open source ↗אָמַר (ʼâmar, H559) — to say (used with great latitude) אֲדֹנָי (ʼĂdônây, H136) — the Lord (used as a proper name of God only) יְהֹוִה (Yᵉhôvih, H3069) — {YHWH} נָטָה (nâṭâh, H5186) — to stretch or spread out; by implication, to bend away (including moral deflection); used… יָד (yâd, H3027) — a hand (the open one (indicating power, means, direction, etc.), אֱדֹם (ʼĔdôm, H123) — Edom, the elder twin-brother of Jacob; hence the region (Idumaea) occupied by him כָּרַת (kârath, H3772) — to cut (off, down or asunder); by implication, to destroy or consume; specifically, to… אָדָם (ʼâdâm, H120) — ruddy i.e. a human being (an individual or the species, mankind, etc.) בְּהֵמָה (bᵉhêmâh, H929) — properly, a dumb beast; especially any large quadruped or animal (often collective) נָתַן (nâthan, H5414) — to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.) חׇרְבָּה (chorbâh, H2723) — properly, drought, i.e. (by implication) a desolation תֵּימָן (Têymân, H8487) — Teman, the name of two Edomites, and of the region and descendant of one of them דְּדָן (Dᵉdân, H1719) — Dedan, the name of two Cushites and of their territory נָפַל (nâphal, H5307) — to fall, in a great variety of applications (intransitive or causative, literal or…
Open source ↗נָתַן (nâthan, H5414) — to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.) נְקָמָה (nᵉqâmâh, H5360) — avengement, whether the act of the passion אֱדֹם (ʼĔdôm, H123) — Edom, the elder twin-brother of Jacob; hence the region (Idumaea) occupied by him יָד (yâd, H3027) — a hand (the open one (indicating power, means, direction, etc.), עַם (ʻam, H5971) — a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of Israel); hence… יִשְׂרָאֵל (Yisrâʼêl, H3478) — Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity עָשָׂה (ʻâsâh, H6213) — to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application אַף (ʼaph, H639) — properly, the nose or nostril; hence, the face, and occasionally a person; also (from the… חֵמָה (chêmâh, H2534) — heat; figuratively, anger, poison (from its fever) יָדַע (yâdaʻ, H3045) — to know (properly, to ascertain by seeing); used in a great variety of senses,… נְאֻם (nᵉʼum, H5002) — an oracle אֲדֹנָי (ʼĂdônây, H136) — the Lord (used as a proper name of God only) יְהֹוִה (Yᵉhôvih, H3069) — {YHWH}
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