INTRODUCTION TO EZEKIEL 35 This chapter is a prophecy of the destruction of Edom, which is threatened, Ezekiel 35:1, the cause of it, their hatred and slaughter of the Israelites, Ezekiel 35:5, their claim of the lands of Israel and Judah for possession, Ezekiel 35:10, their blasphemies against the... [ Continue Reading ]
MOREOVER THE WORD OF THE LORD CAME UNTO ME,.... After the prophecy concerning the shepherds of Israel, and the goats of the flock, and of their oppressions of the sheep and lambs, the weak of the flock; and concerning the Messiah, and the blessings of grace promised the church in the latter day; cam... [ Continue Reading ]
SON OF MAN SET THY FACE AGAINST MOUNT SEIR,.... Which had its name from Seir the Horite, who first possessed it; and was succeeded in it by Esau and his posterity, the Edomites; see Genesis 36:8 Deuteronomy 2:12, so that the country of Edom or Idumea is here intended, and the inhabitants of it; who... [ Continue Reading ]
AND SAY UNTO IT, THUS SAITH THE LORD GOD,.... The prophet was not upon the spot, and could not direct his speech immediately to the Edomites; but he might send this prophecy to their ambassadors at Babylon; or in a letter to them in their own land, in the name of the Lord: BEHOLD, O MOUNT SEIR, I A... [ Continue Reading ]
I WILL LAY THY CITIES WASTE,.... Such as Dedan, Teman, Bozrah, and other cities of Idumea mentioned in Scripture; and figuratively may design all within the jurisdiction of Rome, the several cities of the antichristian states, called "the cities of the nations"; which will fall at the pouring out of... [ Continue Reading ]
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,... [ Continue Reading ]
THEREFORE, AS I LIVE, SAITH THE LORD GOD,.... The form of an oath; the Lord swears by himself, because he could swear by no greater; and which he never does but in matters of importance, and for the confirmation of them, as the following is: I WILL PREPARE THEE UNTO BLOOD; prepare them for war, whi... [ Continue Reading ]
THUS WILL I MAKE MOUNT SEIR MOST DESOLATE,.... By shedding the blood of the inhabitants of it; and as Rome will be, when it will be utterly burnt with fire, as that city will, and the flesh of the whore also, and made desolate; and when all the vials shall be poured out on the antichristian states u... [ Continue Reading ]
AND I WILL FILL HIS MOUNTAINS WITH HIS SLAIN MEN,.... Not only Mount Seir, but all the rest of the mountains, in Idumea; where they shall flee for refuge, and the enemy shall pursue them, and slay them; and where their carcasses will fall in such numbers, as to cover the mountains with them; compare... [ Continue Reading ]
I WILL MAKE THEE PERPETUAL DESOLATIONS, AND THY CITIES SHALL NOT RETURN,.... To their former dignity and glory; should not be built and inhabited again, but lie waste for ever: this agrees with what is prophesied of Edom, Malachi 1:4 and will be true of Rome or Babylon when destroyed; it will never... [ Continue Reading ]
BECAUSE THOU HAST SAID, THESE TWO NATIONS AND THESE TWO COUNTRIES SHALL BE MINE, AND WE WILL POSSESS IT,.... Meaning either Idumea he was now possessed of, and Israel he hoped to be, upon the people of it being carried captive; or rather the two nations of Israel and Judah, and their countries; whic... [ Continue Reading ]
THEREFORE, AS I LIVE, SAITH THE LORD,.... An oath, as before in Ezekiel 35:6: I WILL DO ACCORDING TO THINE ANGER, AND ACCORDING TO THINE ENVY WHICH THOU HAST USED OUT OF THY HATRED AGAINST THEM: as thou hast been angry with them, and hated them, and done mischief to them, so will I be angry with th... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THOU SHALL KNOW THAT I AM THE LORD,.... By the judgments executed upon Edom, and so upon antichrist; for God is known by the judgments he executes, both by good and bad men, Psalms 9:16: AND THAT I HAVE HEARD ALL THY BLASPHEMIES WHICH THOU HAST SPOKEN AGAINST THE MOUNTAINS OF ISRAEL; the people... [ Continue Reading ]
THUS WITH YOUR MOUTH YE HAVE BOASTED AGAINST ME,.... Or, "magnified against me" a; spoke great swelling words of vanity, or had a mouth opened to speak great things and blasphemy against God, as antichrist is said to do, Revelation 13:5, what is spoken against the Lord's people is taken by him as sp... [ Continue Reading ]
THUS SAITH THE LORD GOD, WHEN THE WHOLE EARTH REJOICETH,.... When it shall go well with the world in general, and the inhabitants of it; when they shall enjoy great peace and prosperity. Jarchi has a very good note upon this clause, "when I shall take my kingdom; for then the earth will rejoice, as... [ Continue Reading ]
AS THOU DIDST REJOICE AT THE INHERITANCE OF THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL, BECAUSE IT WAS DESOLATE,.... So Edom rejoiced at the destruction of Jerusalem, Obadiah 1:12, and so the followers of the man of sin will rejoice at the slaying of the witnesses, Revelation 11:10, which is resented by the Lord, and ther... [ Continue Reading ]