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Ezekiel 25
After chapters aimed inward at Jerusalem, the prophecy pivots outward. This chapter opens a block of oracles against neighboring nations, taking them one by one: Ammon, Moab, Edom, and the Philistines. Each gets a short verdict built on the same pattern of charge and sentence. The accusations are not abstract; they are reactions to Judah's fall. Ammon said 'Aha!' over the profaned sanctuary, Moab mocked Judah as just another nation, Edom took vengeance, and the Philistines acted with old hatred. Each panel closes with the refrain that they will know the LORD.
- 1
The LORD’s word came to me, saying,
- 2
“Son of man, set your face toward the children of Ammon, and prophesy against them.
- 3
Tell the children of Ammon, ‘Hear the word of the Lord GOD! The Lord GOD says, “Because you said, ‘Aha!’ against my sanctuary when it was profaned, and against the land of Israel when it was made desolate, and against the house of Judah when they went into captivity,
- 4
therefore, behold, I will deliver you to the children of the east for a possession. They will set their encampments in you and make their dwellings in you. They will eat your fruit and they will drink your milk.
- 5
I will make Rabbah a stable for camels and the children of Ammon a resting place for flocks. Then you will know that I am the LORD.”
- 6
For the Lord GOD says: “Because you have clapped your hands, stamped with the feet, and rejoiced with all the contempt of your soul against the land of Israel,
- 7
therefore, behold, I have stretched out my hand on you, and will deliver you for a plunder to the nations. I will cut you off from the peoples, and I will cause you to perish out of the countries. I will destroy you. Then you will know that I am the LORD.”
- 8
“‘The Lord GOD says: “Because Moab and Seir say, ‘Behold, the house of Judah is like all the nations,’
- 9
therefore, behold, I will open the side of Moab from the cities, from his cities which are on its frontiers, the glory of the country, Beth Jeshimoth, Baal Meon, and Kiriathaim,
- 10
to the children of the east, to go against the children of Ammon; and I will give them for a possession, that the children of Ammon may not be remembered among the nations.
- 11
I will execute judgments on Moab. Then they will know that I am the LORD.”
- 12
“‘The Lord GOD says: “Because Edom has dealt against the house of Judah by taking vengeance, and has greatly offended, and taken revenge on them,”
- 13
therefore the Lord GOD says, “I will stretch out my hand on Edom, and will cut off man and animal from it; and I will make it desolate from Teman. They will fall by the sword even to Dedan.
- 14
I will lay my vengeance on Edom by the hand of my people Israel. They will do in Edom according to my anger and according to my wrath. Then they will know my vengeance,” says the Lord GOD.
- 15
“‘The Lord GOD says: “Because the Philistines have taken revenge, and have taken vengeance with contempt of soul to destroy with perpetual hostility,”
- 16
therefore the Lord GOD says, “Behold, I will stretch out my hand on the Philistines, and I will cut off the Cherethites, and destroy the remnant of the sea coast.
- 17
I will execute great vengeance on them with wrathful rebukes. Then they will know that I am the LORD, when I lay my vengeance on them.”’”
Gloating as the indictable crime
What ties these four together is the sin of malicious joy at a neighbor's ruin. Ammon clapped and stamped (v. 6) over Israel's destruction, and is handed over as plunder for the gesture (v. 7); for the earlier gloating that said 'Aha!' (v. 3) Rabbah is turned into a camel pasture (v. 5).
The escalation matters: against Ammon and Moab, God sends the 'children of the east,' but against Edom he says vengeance will come 'by the hand of my people Israel' (v. 14). The judged become, briefly, the instrument of judgment.
Context layers
Keep these closed by default and open them only when you want more context.
- Isaiah 33:22Key passage connected to Judgment.
- Romans 2:5-8Key passage connected to Judgment.
- Revelation 20:11-15Key passage connected to Judgment.
- Proverbs 1:7Key passage connected to Fear of the Lord.
- Psalms 111:10Key passage connected to Fear of the Lord.
- Luke 12:4-7Key passage connected to Fear of the Lord.
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