Ezekiel's prophecy uniquely transforms Edom's "perpetual hatred" (verse 5) into their own destruction, using the Hebrew word "shamem" (desolate) five times to mirror their violence against Israel.
Ezekiel 35
Prophecy Against Mount Seir
1Moreover the LORD’s word came to me, saying,
2“Son of man, set your face against Mount Seir, and prophesy against it,
3and tell it, ‘The Lord GOD says: “Behold, I am against you, Mount Seir, and I will stretch out my hand against you. I will make you a desolation and an astonishment.
4I will lay your cities waste, and you will be desolate. Then you will know that I am the LORD.
5“‘“Because you have had a perpetual hostility, and have given over the children of Israel to the power of the sword in the time of their calamity, in the time of the iniquity of the end,
6therefore, as I live,” says the Lord GOD, “I will prepare you for blood, and blood will pursue you. Since you have not hated blood, therefore blood will pursue you.
7Thus I will make Mount Seir an astonishment and a desolation. I will cut off from it him who passes through and him who returns.
8I will fill its mountains with its slain. The slain with the sword will fall in your hills and in your valleys and in all your watercourses.
9I will make you a perpetual desolation, and your cities will not be inhabited. Then you will know that I am the LORD.
10“‘“Because you have said, ‘These two nations and these two countries will be mine, and we will possess it,’ although the LORD was there,
11therefore, as I live,” says the Lord GOD, “I will do according to your anger, and according to your envy which you have shown out of your hatred against them; and I will make myself known among them when I judge you.
12You will know that I, the LORD, have heard all your insults which you have spoken against the mountains of Israel, saying, ‘They have been laid desolate. They have been given to us to devour.’
13You have magnified yourselves against me with your mouth, and have multiplied your words against me. I have heard it.”
14The Lord GOD says: “When the whole earth rejoices, I will make you desolate.
15As you rejoiced over the inheritance of the house of Israel because it was desolate, so I will do to you. You will be desolate, Mount Seir, and all Edom, even all of it. Then they will know that I am the LORD.’”
Font Size 17pt
Line Spacing
Theme
God commands Ezekiel to prophesy against Mount Seir (representing Edom), declaring divine judgment for their perpetual hostility toward Israel and their opportunistic seizure of Israelite territory during times of crisis. The prophecy details complete desolation as punishment for Edom's hatred, violence, and blasphemous claims against God's people and land. This judgment serves as both retribution for past wrongs and a demonstration of God's sovereignty to all nations.
Context
This oracle against Edom follows the prophecies against foreign nations and precedes the restoration promises for Israel in chapters 36-37.
Key Themes
Outline
- 1-4 Divine Commission and Initial Judgment God commands Ezekiel to prophesy against Mount Seir, declaring desolation and waste upon Edom's cities.
- 5-9 Judgment for Perpetual Hostility God condemns Edom's ancient hatred and betrayal of Israel during their time of calamity, promising bloodshed and perpetual desolation.
- 10-13 Condemnation of Territorial Ambitions God rebukes Edom's arrogant claims to possess Israel and Judah's lands and their insulting words against God's mountains.
- 14-15 Principle of Divine Retribution God declares that Edom will experience the same desolation they celebrated when Israel's inheritance was destroyed.
Prophecy Against Mount Seir
35:1–35:15 prophecy wrathful
God pronounces judgment against Mount Seir (Edom) for their perpetual hostility toward Israel and their opportunistic violence during Israel's calamity. The prophecy declares complete desolation as divine retribution for their hatred and pride.
person_contrast
Ezekiel's prophecy uniquely transforms Edom's "perpetual hatred" (verse 5) into their own destruction, using the Hebrew word "shamem" (desolate) five times to mirror their violence against Israel.
Insights
Cross-References
Connected passages across Scripture
Ezekiel 35:3 5 references
Lexicals 5
Ezekiel 6:14 Lexical
I will stretch out my hand on them and make the land desolate and waste, from the wilderness toward Diblah, throughout a…
Ezekiel 25:16 Lexical
therefore the Lord GOD says, “Behold, I will stretch out my hand on the Philistines, and I will cut off the Cherethites,…
Ezekiel 25:8 Lexical
“‘The Lord GOD says: “Because Moab and Seir say, ‘Behold, the house of Judah is like all the nations,’
Ezekiel 14:16 Lexical
though these three men were in it, as I live,” says the Lord GOD, “they would deliver neither sons nor daughters. They o…
Ezekiel 15:8 Lexical
I will make the land desolate, because they have acted unfaithfully,” says the Lord GOD.
Ezekiel 35:5 1 reference
Ezekiel 35:6 5 references
Lexicals 5
Amos 6:8 Lexical
“The Lord GOD has sworn by himself,” says the LORD, the God of Armies: “I abhor the pride of Jacob, and detest his fortr…
Ezekiel 22:12 Lexical
In you have they taken bribes to shed blood. You have taken interest and increase, and you have greedily gained of your…
Ezekiel 44:15 Lexical
“‘“But the Levitical priests, the sons of Zadok, who performed the duty of my sanctuary when the children of Israel went…
Joshua 20:5 Lexical
If the avenger of blood pursues him, then they shall not deliver up the man slayer into his hand; because he struck his…
Deuteronomy 19:6 Lexical
Otherwise, the avenger of blood might pursue the man slayer while hot anger is in his heart and overtake him, because th…
Ezekiel 35:8 5 references
Lexicals 5
Ezekiel 36:6 Lexical
Therefore prophesy concerning the land of Israel, and tell the mountains, the hills, the watercourses and the valleys, ‘…
Ezekiel 36:4 Lexical
therefore, you mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord GOD: The Lord GOD says to the mountains and to the hills,…
Ezekiel 31:12 Lexical
Foreigners, the tyrants of the nations, have cut him off and have left him. His branches have fallen on the mountains an…
Ezekiel 6:3 Lexical
and say, ‘You mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord GOD! The Lord GOD says to the mountains and to the hills, t…
1 Samuel 17:52 Lexical
The men of Israel and of Judah arose and shouted, and pursued the Philistines as far as Gai and to the gates of Ekron. T…
Ezekiel 35:11 5 references
Lexicals 5
Ezekiel 18:30 Lexical
“Therefore I will judge you, house of Israel, everyone according to his ways,” says the Lord GOD. “Return, and turn your…
Ezekiel 20:36 Lexical
Just as I entered into judgment with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so I will enter into judgment…
Ezekiel 24:14 Lexical
“‘“I, the LORD, have spoken it. It will happen, and I will do it. I won’t go back. I won’t spare. I won’t repent. Accord…
Ezekiel 25:14 Lexical
I will lay my vengeance on Edom by the hand of my people Israel. They will do in Edom according to my anger and accordin…
Ezekiel 38:18 Lexical
It will happen in that day, when Gog comes against the land of Israel,” says the Lord GOD, “that my wrath will come up i…
Interlinear
Word-by-word original language
v. 1
v. 2
v. 3
v. 4
v. 5
v. 6
v. 7
v. 8
v. 9
v. 10
v. 11
v. 12
v. 13
v. 14
v. 15
Lemma
Morphology
Semantic Range
Theological Significance
Translation Notes
Key Passages
Historical Context
Places and events in this chapter
Loading map...