Ezekiel 25:14

And I will lay my vengeance upon Edom by the hand of my people Israel: and they shall do in Edom according to mine anger and according to my fury; and they shall know my vengeance, saith the Lord GOD. I WILL LAY MY VENGEANCE UPON EDOM BY THE HAND OF MY PEOPLE ISRAEL - namely, by Judas Maccabeus. The Idumeans were finally, by compulsory circumcision, incorporated with the Jewish state by John Hyrcanus (see ; , etc.; 1Ma 5:3 ). So complete was the amalgamation in Christ's time that the Herods of Idumean origin, as Jews, ruled over the two races as one people. Thus the ancient prophecy was fulfilled (, "The older shall serve the younger")....

8-17 Though one event seem to the righteous and wicked, it is vastly different. Those who glory in any other defence and protection than the Divine power, providence, and promise, will, sooner or later, be ashamed of their glorying. Those who will not leave it to God to take vengeance for them, may expect that he will take vengeance on them. The equity of the Lord's judgments is to be observed, when he not only avenges injuries upon those that did them, but by those against whom they were done. Those who treasure up old hatred, and watch for the opportunity of manifesting it, are treasuring up for themselves wrath against the day of wrath....

Verse Ezekiel 25:14. _I WILL LAY MY VENGEANCE UPON EDOM_] God will not allow men to insult those whom he has cast down. His judgment is sufficient; to add more is an insult to God. _BY THE HAND OF MY PEOPLE ISRAEL_] This was fulfilled by the Maccabees, who not only defeated them and brought them under complete subjection, but obliged them to receive circumcision, _Joseph_. Antiq. l. xiii., c. 17; _1Macc 5:65; 2Macc 10:16_....

EXPOSITION The section on which we now enter—the great "parenthesis," as I have called it, of Ezekiel's prophetic work—contains messages to the seven nations that were most closely connected with the fortunes of Israel and Judah. These were (1) Ammon (Ezekiel 25:1); (2) Moab (Ezekiel 25:8); (3) Edom (Ezekiel 25:12); (4) Philistia (Ezekiel 25:15); (5) Tyre (Ezekiel 26:1); (6) Zidon ...

AND I WILL LAY MY VENGEANCE UPON EDOM BY FIE HAND OF MY PEOPLE ISRAEL,.... This was fulfilled in the times of the Maccabees, when Judas Maccabins overthrew and conquered them, "Then Judas fought against the children of Esau in Idumea at Arabattine, because they besieged Gael: and he gave them a great overthrow, and abated their courage, and took their spoils.'' (1 Maccabees 5:3) and when Hyrcanus took their cities, and subdued them, and they became Jews, as Josephus x relates; though Kimchi thinks this refers to future time, and is yet to be accomplished; and it is, by the ancient Jews y, understood of the times of the Messiah: some choose to understand the phrase, BY THE HAND OF MY PEOPLE ISRAEL, the same hand by which judgment was inflicted upon Israel; suggesting that by the same hand vengeance would be inflicted on the Edomites, namely, by the Babylonians: and they shall do in Ed...

CHAPTER S 25-32 Predictions of Judgments Against the Nations _ 1. Prophecies concerning Ammon, Moab, Edom, and the Philistines (Ezekiel 25:1) _ 2. Concerning Tyrus (Ezekiel 26:1) 3. The glory of Tyrus and Her Fall (Ezekiel 27:1) 4. The prince of Tyrus (Ezekiel 28:1) 5. Concerning Egypt (Ezekiel 29:1; Ezekiel 30:1) 6. Pharaoh's greatness and his overthrow ...

BY THE HAND, &c. See Numbers 24:17. SAITH THE LORD GOD. [is] Adonai Jehovah's oracle....

Prophecy against Edom The relations of Edom to Israel were changeful. Subdued by David it shook off the yoke under Jehoram (2 Kings 8:20). Reconquered by Amaziah and Uzziah (2 Kings 14:7; 2 Kings 14:22), it rebelled under Ahaz (2 Kings 16:6; 2 Chronicles 28:17), and from this time was probably independent. Edomites seem to have taken part in the capture of Jerusalem by the Chaldeans, or at least to have been active in cutting off the fugitives (Ob. Ezekiel 25:1

III. THE WORD AGAINST EDOM 25:12-14 TRANSLATION (12) Thus says the Lord GOD: Because Edom's dealings with the house of Judah have been the result of vengeful conduct, and he has incurred enormous guilt by executing vengeance against them, (13) therefore, thus says the Lord GOD: I will stretch out MY hand against Edom, and I will cut off from it man and beast. And I will make it a desolation from Teman; even toward Dedan they shall fall by the sword. (14) And I will put My vengeance in Edom by the hand of My people Israel, and they shall deal with Edom according to My wrath and according to MY anger; thus they will know My vengeance (oracle of the Lord GOD). COMMENTS The Edomites were descended from Esau. They occupied the territory south of the Dead Sea. Although the twins Esau and Jacob were reconciled during their lifetime (Genesis 33), their descendants were involve

§ 1. AMMON, MOAB, EDOM, AND PHILISTIA These four nations were the neighbours of Israel on the E., SE., and SW. respectively, and are dealt with in their geographical order. Ammon and Moab are denounced for their exultation at the fall of Jerusalem, Edom and Philistia for their revengeful share in Israel's humiliation. All of them are threatened with destruction from God. The instruments of the judgment are to be the Bedouins of the desert in the case of Ammon and Moab, and Israel in the case of Edom. The destroyers of the Philistines are not indicated. 1-7. Ammon. For the Ammonites see on Ezekiel 21:28. In addition it may be observed that the king of Ammon was a party to the plot against Gedaliah, the governor whom Nebuchadrezzar left in Palestine after the capture of Jerusalem (J