Description
This chapter prophesies the end-time desolation of Edom, while the world rejoices at the second coming of Jesus. Edom corresponds to southern Jordan and western Saudi Arabia. Edom is accused of unrelenting hostility towards the people of Israel.
Commentary
This chapter declares God's end-time judgment of Mount Seir (v1) and all of Edom (verse 15). Mount Seir, also called the hill country of Seir, was the region given to Esau and his descendants (Joshua 24:4). It stretched from the bottom of the Dead Sea down to Aqaba at the top of the Red Sea. Generally in the Old Testament, Seir is synonymous with Edom. According to Ezekiel 25:13 however, by the 6th century BC Edom was seen to extend much further south into Arabia, from Teman in the north (near the Dead Sea) to Dedan in the south (Dedan is modern-day Al-Ula in Saudi Arabia). Presumably the Edomites had spread that far south. See the map below:
God accuses the Edomites of showing unrelenting hostility towards the people of Israel (v5). They rejoiced over God's judgments against Israel and Judah when they were invaded by Assyria (in 722 BC) and Babylon (597 and 586 BC), thinking that they would inherit Israel's lands (v10). Verse 14 says, 'While the whole earth rejoices, I will turn you into a desolation'. The whole earth will rejoice at the second coming of Jesus, but at that time, Jesus will fight and defeat the muslim nations who are Israel's enemies, especially Edom. Many chapters prophesy the end-time judgment of Edom (Search by Place: Edom).
Tags
Places: Edom, Seir, Jordan, Saudi Arabia
Symbols:
Tags: Jesus fights muslim nations, Judgment of Edom
Symbols:
Tags: Jesus fights muslim nations, Judgment of Edom
Prophecy Against Mount Seir
1 The Lord’s message came to me:
2 “Son of man, turn toward Mount Seir, and prophesy against it.
3 Say to it, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: “‘Look, I am against you, Mount Seir; I will stretch out my hand against you and turn you into a desolate ruin.
4 I will lay waste your cities; and you will become desolate. Then you will know that I am the Lord!
5 “‘You have shown unrelenting hostility and poured the people of Israel onto the blades of a sword at the time of their calamity, at the time of their final punishment.
6 Therefore, as surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I will subject you to bloodshed, and bloodshed will pursue you. Since you did not hate bloodshed, bloodshed will pursue you.
7 I will turn Mount Seir into a desolate ruin; I will cut off from it the one who passes through or returns.
8 I will fill its mountains with its dead; on your hills and in your valleys and in all your ravines, those killed by the sword will fall.
9 I will turn you into a perpetual desolation, and your cities will not be inhabited. Then you will know that I am the Lord.
10 “‘You said, “These two nations, these two lands will be mine, and we will possess them,” – although the Lord was there –
11 therefore, as surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I will deal with you according to your anger, and according to your envy, by which you acted spitefully against them. I will reveal myself to them when I judge you.
12 Then you will know that I, the Lord, have heard all the insults you spoke against the mountains of Israel, saying, “They are desolate, they have been given to us for food.”
13 You exalted yourselves against me with your speech and hurled many insults against me – I have heard them all!
14 This is what the Sovereign Lord says: While the whole earth rejoices, I will turn you into a desolation.
15 As you rejoiced over the inheritance of the house of Israel because it was desolate, so will I deal with you – you will be desolate, Mount Seir, and all of Edom – all of it! Then they will know that I am the Lord.’”
1 The Lord’s message came to me:
2 “Son of man, turn toward Mount Seir, and prophesy against it.
3 Say to it, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: “‘Look, I am against you, Mount Seir; I will stretch out my hand against you and turn you into a desolate ruin.
4 I will lay waste your cities; and you will become desolate. Then you will know that I am the Lord!
5 “‘You have shown unrelenting hostility and poured the people of Israel onto the blades of a sword at the time of their calamity, at the time of their final punishment.
6 Therefore, as surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I will subject you to bloodshed, and bloodshed will pursue you. Since you did not hate bloodshed, bloodshed will pursue you.
7 I will turn Mount Seir into a desolate ruin; I will cut off from it the one who passes through or returns.
8 I will fill its mountains with its dead; on your hills and in your valleys and in all your ravines, those killed by the sword will fall.
9 I will turn you into a perpetual desolation, and your cities will not be inhabited. Then you will know that I am the Lord.
10 “‘You said, “These two nations, these two lands will be mine, and we will possess them,” – although the Lord was there –
11 therefore, as surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I will deal with you according to your anger, and according to your envy, by which you acted spitefully against them. I will reveal myself to them when I judge you.
12 Then you will know that I, the Lord, have heard all the insults you spoke against the mountains of Israel, saying, “They are desolate, they have been given to us for food.”
13 You exalted yourselves against me with your speech and hurled many insults against me – I have heard them all!
14 This is what the Sovereign Lord says: While the whole earth rejoices, I will turn you into a desolation.
15 As you rejoiced over the inheritance of the house of Israel because it was desolate, so will I deal with you – you will be desolate, Mount Seir, and all of Edom – all of it! Then they will know that I am the Lord.’”
(NET)
