Ezekiel 25

[Ezekiel 25:1] THE WORD OF THE LORD CAME AGAIN UNTO ME, SAYING,
Rabbi Moshe Eisemann (Artscroll commentary) suggests that chapters 25 to 32 form a bridge between the chapters we have just studied that dealt with destruction and disaster and those that speak of the coming consolation. Chapters 25 to 32 deal with other nations. The creator of the universe, the one true God, is the God of Israel. There is no other. He reveals Himself to us in the Bible. All nations must find their salvation through serving Him and they will be judged according to how they related to His people.Eisemann says that all men were promised reward if they keep the commandments of the Almighty and strive to do His will:

[Leviticus 18:5] YE SHALL THEREFORE KEEP MY STATUTES, AND MY JUDGMENTS: WHICH IF A MAN DO, HE SHALL LIVE IN THEM: I AM THE LORD.

[Isaiah 26:2] OPEN YE THE GATES, THAT THE RIGHTEOUS NATION WHICH KEEPETH THE TRUTH MAY ENTER IN.

[Psalms 33:1] REJOICE IN THE LORD, O YE RIGHTEOUS: FOR PRAISE IS COMELY FOR THE UPRIGHT.

[Psalms 125:4] DO GOOD, O LORD, UNTO THOSE THAT BE GOOD, AND TO THEM THAT ARE UPRIGHT IN THEIR HEARTS.


Israel had extra responsibilities:

[Exodus 19:6] AND YE SHALL BE UNTO ME A KINGDOM OF PRIESTS, AND AN HOLY NATION. THESE ARE THE WORDS WHICH THOU SHALT SPEAK UNTO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL.

Even when disaster overcame Israel (or Judah) the nations would have to realize that this was proof of Divine Providence and take heed:
[Deuteronomy 29:24] EVEN ALL NATIONS SHALL SAY, WHEREFORE HATH THE LORD DONE THUS UNTO THIS LAND? WHAT MEANETH THE HEAT OF THIS GREAT ANGER?

Cf. also what we wrote in our commentary to Zechariah:

[Zechariah 1:15] AND I AM VERY SORE DISPLEASED WITH THE HEATHEN THAT ARE AT EASE: FOR I WAS BUT A LITTLE DISPLEASED, AND THEY HELPED FORWARD THE AFFLICTION.


Note: "THEY HELPED FORWARD THE AFFLICTION" in Hebrew "azru [helped] leRa [to make worse]".It means that because the Jews (Judah) had sinned God was angry at them and delivered them into non-Jewish hands as a punishment BUT the non-Jews took advantage of the situation and oppressed the Jews. Therefore God is angry at them.Ammon will be punished for helping the enemies of Judah, exulting over the fate of Judah and attempting to profit by it.

[Ezekiel 25:2] SON OF MAN, SET THY FACE AGAINST THE AMMONITES, AND PROPHESY AGAINST THEM;

[Ezekiel 25:3] AND SAY UNTO THE AMMONITES, HEAR THE WORD OF THE LORD GOD; THUS SAITH THE LORD GOD; BECAUSE THOU SAIDST, AHA, AGAINST MY SANCTUARY, WHEN IT WAS PROFANED; AND AGAINST THE LAND OF ISRAEL, WHEN IT WAS DESOLATE;

AND AGAINST THE HOUSE OF JUDAH, WHEN THEY WENT INTO CAPTIVITY;<<AHA, AGAINST MY SANCTUARY, WHEN IT WAS PROFANED>>: Even now the site of the Holy Temple is desolate. Moslem Arabs trample the site down and dig it up and destroy all remains of Israelite heritage they can find. Jews are not allowed to pray there. The Muslims are able to do this because the rest of the world backs them up in this matter.
<<AGAINST THE LAND OF ISRAEL, WHEN IT WAS DESOLATE>>: God wants the land of Israel to be rebuilt and settled with Jews and Israelites. God is a Zionist. Opponents of Zionism are enemies of the God of Israel.

[Ezekiel 25:4] BEHOLD, THEREFORE I WILL DELIVER THEE TO THE MEN OF THE EAST FOR A POSSESSION, AND THEY SHALL SET THEIR PALACES IN THEE, AND MAKE THEIR DWELLINGS IN THEE: THEY SHALL EAT THY FRUIT, AND THEY SHALL DRINK THY MILK.
<<THE MEN OF THE EAST>>: The land of Ammon would be overrun by people from the east.

[Ezekiel 25:5] AND I WILL MAKE RABBAH A STABLE FOR CAMELS, AND THE AMMONITES A COUCHING PLACE FOR FLOCKS: AND YE SHALL KNOW THAT I AM THE LORD.

[Ezekiel 25:6] FOR THUS SAITH THE LORD GOD; BECAUSE THOU HAST CLAPPED THINE HANDS, AND STAMPED WITH THE FEET, AND REJOICED IN HEART WITH ALL THY DESPITE AGAINST THE LAND OF ISRAEL;

[Ezekiel 25:7] BEHOLD, THEREFORE I WILL STRETCH OUT MINE HAND UPON THEE, AND WILL DELIVER THEE FOR A SPOIL TO THE HEATHEN; AND I WILL CUT THEE OFF FROM THE PEOPLE, AND I WILL CAUSE THEE TO PERISH OUT OF THE COUNTRIES: I WILL DESTROY THEE; AND THOU SHALT KNOW THAT I AM THE LORD.

[Ezekiel 25:8] THUS SAITH THE LORD GOD; BECAUSE THAT MOAB AND SEIR DO SAY, BEHOLD, THE HOUSE OF JUDAH IS LIKE UNTO ALL THE HEATHEN;

<<MOAB AND SEIR>>: "Seir" was another term for Edom but not necessarily the land of Edom that lay to the southeast of Judah. There were also Edomites entities in the north and these too were also associated with Seir. "Seir" apparently refers to the Horites (Hurrians) who were widely spread over the Middle East. The Poles and other Europeans also contain an infusion of Hurrian ancestry.
<< THE HOUSE OF JUDAH IS LIKE UNTO ALL THE HEATHEN>>: Moab was to be punished for speaking against the Jews even though objectively speaking they were not saying anything that was necessarily incorrect. Even though the Jews may sometimes have incurred the wrath of the Almighty they are still part of the People of God. He will take vengeance for his people.

[Ezekiel 25:9] THEREFORE, BEHOLD, I WILL OPEN THE SIDE OF MOAB FROM THE CITIES, FROM HIS CITIES WHICH ARE ON HIS FRONTIERS, THE GLORY OF THE COUNTRY, BETHJESHIMOTH, BAALMEON, AND KIRIATHAIM,

[Ezekiel 25:10] UNTO THE MEN OF THE EAST WITH THE AMMONITES, AND WILL GIVE THEM IN POSSESSION, THAT THE AMMONITES MAY NOT BE REMEMBERED AMONG THE NATIONS.

[Ezekiel 25:11] AND I WILL EXECUTE JUDGMENTS UPON MOAB; AND THEY SHALL KNOW THAT I AM THE LORD.

[Ezekiel 25:12] THUS SAITH THE LORD GOD; BECAUSE THAT EDOM HATH DEALT AGAINST THE HOUSE OF JUDAH BY TAKING VENGEANCE, AND HATH GREATLY OFFENDED, AND REVENGED HIMSELF UPON THEM;


[Ezekiel 25:13] THEREFORE THUS SAITH THE LORD GOD; I WILL ALSO STRETCH OUT MINE HAND UPON EDOM, AND WILL CUT OFF MAN AND BEAST FROM IT; AND I WILL MAKE IT DESOLATE FROM TEMAN; AND THEY OF DEDAN SHALL FALL BY THE SWORD.
<<DEDAN>>: This was an Edomite center.

[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.
<<AND THEY SHALL DO IN EDOM ACCORDING TO MINE ANGER>>: Tradition says that the seed of Joseph will destroy Edom. The book of Obadiah is dedicated to this theme.

[Ezekiel 25:15] THUS SAITH THE LORD GOD; BECAUSE THE PHILISTINES HAVE DEALT BY REVENGE, AND HAVE TAKEN VENGEANCE WITH A DESPITEFUL HEART, TO DESTROY IT FOR THE OLD HATRED;

[Ezekiel 25:16] THEREFORE THUS SAITH THE LORD GOD; BEHOLD, I WILL STRETCH OUT MINE HAND UPON THE PHILISTINES, AND I WILL CUT OFF THE CHERETHIMS, AND DESTROY THE REMNANT OF THE SEA COAST.

<<CHERETHIMS>>: in Modern Hebrew "Kretim". This means Crete. It was the name of an area of Philistia and also refers to the fact that part of the Philistines came from Crete and related areas. They were part of Minoan civilization. Linguistic evidence links the Philistines with the Pelasgians of Greece and with areas on the eastern coast of the Adriatic. Don Isaac Abarbanel quoted sources that linked the philistines with the Venetians and Genoese of Italy.

[Ezekiel 25:17] AND I WILL EXECUTE GREAT VENGEANCE UPON THEM WITH FURIOUS REBUKES; AND THEY SHALL KNOW THAT I AM THE LORD, WHEN I SHALL LAY MY VENGEANCE UPON THEM.

EZEKIEL INDEX
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