Ezekiel 25 Bible Commentary

John Wesley’s Explanatory Notes

(Read all of Ezekiel 25)

Verse 3

[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 — When thou shouldest have pitied, thou didst proudly insult over my people.

Verse 4

[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 Arabians, associates of Nebuchadnezzar, who recompensed their service, with giving them this country when it was conquered, as it was five years after the desolation of Jerusalem.

Verse 5

[5] And I will make Rabbah a stable for camels, and the Ammonites a couchingplace for flocks: and ye shall know that I am the LORD.

Rabbah — The royal city, called since Philadelphia from the king of Egypt who built it.

The Ammonites — The land they dwelt in.

Verse 7

[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.

Know — Thus God will bring those that were strangers to him into an acquaintance with him, and it will be a blessed effect of their calamities. How much better is it, to be poor and know God, than to be rich, and ignorant of him?

Verse 8

[8] Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because that Moab and Seir do say, Behold, the house of Judah is like unto all the heathen;

Seir — The seed of Esau, the Edomites. Seir was the mountain where they first planted themselves.

Is like — Are no more a select people than others.

Verse 9

[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,

The side — That part of his country which was best fortified.

Bethjeshimoth — An ancient city; it was a fortress toward the desert, which watched lest any should make an inroad on the country.

Verse 10

[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.

With the Ammonites — As I have given Ammon, so I will with them give Moab to the Chaldeans, who will give it to the Arabians.

Verse 13

[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.

Teman — A country in the southern coast of Edom.

Dedan — Adjoining to Edom.

Verse 15

[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;

It — Israel.

Verse 16

[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.

The Cherethim — The bowmen, the strength of Philistia.

The remnant — Who had escaped the sword of Samuel, David, Hezekiah, and of Psammetichus king of Egypt.