Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary
Ezekiel 35:8

Bridgeway Bible Commentary

Edom punished (35:1-15)

Since the Jews were to inherit their land again, any foreign nation that attempted to occupy that land for itself had to be overcome. One such nation was Edom, symbolized here by its distinctive landmark, Mt Seir (35:1-4). Edom had a long record of bitter hatred of Israel, and with wicked vindictiveness had gladly helped Babylon crush Jerusalem in 587 BC. Therefore, Edom itself will be crushed. It will suffer the slaughter it made Jerusalem suffer. Its people will be wiped out and its land left uninhabited (5-9; see notes on 25:12-14).

Edom was determined to take over the territory of Judah for itself, but God saw Edom’s action as an attack upon him. Since Judah was God’s people and their land was his territory, Edom’s curses against Judah were really blasphemies against God (10-13). Far from taking over Judah’s land, Edom will be destroyed and its land left a desolation (14-15).

Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible

"Thus will I make mount Seir an astonishment and a desolation; and I will cut off from it him that passeth through and him that returneth. And I will fill its mountains with its slain: in thy hills and in thy valleys and in all thy watercourses shall they fall that are slain with the sword. I will make thee a perpetual desolation, and thy cities shall not be inhabited; and ye shall know that I am Jehovah."

"Him that passeth through and him that returneth" This is an old expression equivalent to "all that go to and fro," "all comers and goers," "all the buyers and the sellers." "It means `everybody without exception.'"J. B. Thompson, p. 226.

The total desolation of Edom has come to pass in the most startling manner. The National Geographic Magazine a few years ago ran an article with many graphic pictures of the desolated capital of ancient Seir, Petra. It still seems incredible that a city with such a fortress could ever have fallen; but there it stands in the blistering desert sun, its ancient red walls of solid stone exhibiting its magnificent architecture, beautiful palaces, and many other signs of ancient prosperity in a breath-taking silence that reminds one of the petrified forest of Arizona. It brings a mist to the eyes and a catch in the throat just to see it. What an awful thing it is for God to "stretch forth his hand" against a city, or a people.

"A perpetual desolation" "This is a much harsher fate even than that which was inflicted upon Ammon and Egypt, who at least had a prospect of restoration held out to them (Jeremiah 49:6; and Ezekiel 29:14)."J. B. Thompson, p. 336. Note that this threat of perpetual desolation is repeated here from Ezekiel 35:5.

However, the eternal justice of God is seen in this perpetual desolation of Edom. Who murdered the innocents of Bethlehem in his frenzied efforts to kill the Lord Jesus Christ? Answer: It was the savage Idumaean (Edomite) Herod the Great.

Who murdered John the Baptist, the great forerunner of Christ, the Herald of the Gospel Age? Answer: It was another Herod, an Edomite, who presented John's head on a platter to please a dancing girl.

Who mocked the Son of God in one of those six crooked trials preceding his crucifixion? Answer: It was another Herod, of course.

Who murdered the apostle James? Answer: A Herod (Edomite).

Who imprisoned the apostle Peter and condemned him to death as soon as the Passover ended? Answer: It was Herod Agrippa (another Edomite, of course).

Who murdered the sixteen men who kept the prison on that night when an angel released the apostle Peter, on the false charge that these guards had released Peter? It was that same Herod the Edomite.

Who fully decided to exterminate all of the apostles of the Church of God, and as a preparatory move had himself installed as a god down at Caesarea (Acts 12)? It was that same son of the devil, the Edomite Herod Agrippa. This Edomite was so wicked that God did not even allow him to live a normal life; but cut him down in the very act of his announcement that he was god!

Yes indeed that evil people deserved the retribution with which Almighty God rewarded them.

Smith's Bible Commentary

Chapter 35

Now in chapter 35 he makes a prophecy against Mount Seir. Mount Seir was the area inhabited by the Edomites. And the Edomites were descendents of Esau, the twin brother of Jacob. But the Edomites, you remember how Esau when Jacob stole the father's birthright by disguising himself as his brother Esau and went in and took the venison into his father, took the goat meat that his mother had prepared to taste like venison and took it in and fed his dad and got the blessing. And when Esau came in with the venison and said, "Here, Dad, eat and bless me," he said, "Oh, what is going on? I've already given the blessing." And Esau said, "Oh, I'm going to kill that brother of mine. Ooohhh." And he vowed, really, to kill Jacob. And there was bad blood between them. And Jacob, of course, fled for his life and spent seventeen years with his uncle for fear of his brother Esau.

This antagonism continued down through the years. So you remember when the children of Israel were coming out of Egypt, coming through the wilderness, they desired to pass through the land of Edom to make a more direct route to the land that God had promised, but the Edomites came out with their army and refused to allow them to enter into the land.

Now the Edomites dwelt in the area of south from Moab and in that area where their capital was the rock city of Petra. And that was as one time one of the centers of commerce from the east. And it was, of course, a fabulously beautiful city carved out of the rock. This rock city of Petra was the capital of Edom. And it was never really a powerful nation, but they were constantly... they were related to the Jews, but yet there was this great antagonism so that every time it would seem that someone would attack Judah from the north, the Edomites would take advantage of it and attack them from the south. Whenever their troops were occupied elsewhere they would take advantage and they would attack. And they were a constant thorn, because they had to constantly keep a garrison down in the south to protect them from these Edomites who really looked for every opportunity to attack. Now when Nebuchadnezzar came and destroyed, the Edomites also came in to get what loot they could. And, of course, they rejoiced greatly over the fall and destruction of Jerusalem. And because of this, God pronounces a judgment to come against the Edomites.

Now, the last of the Edomites was Herod that is recorded in history. Herod who was from Idumea, he was an Edomite. And since that time, they have been lost historically. The area has become very desolate. You go down to the area of Petra now and you'll find it's just an extremely desolate area, pretty much uninhabited.

So, in the light of that, this prophecy against Mount Seir or the area of Edom is quite interesting.

The word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Son of man, set your face against mount Seir, and prophesy against it, And say unto it, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, O mount Seir, I am against thee ( Ezekiel 35:1-3 ),

Now, God's not against the mountains. But, of course, in saying that, he's against the people that inhabit that mountain. You know, God wouldn't say, "Oh, San Gorgonio, I am against you." God has nothing against the mountains themselves. But if the inhabitants, now, if God said, "Oh, San Francisco, I am against you." He wouldn't be talking about San Francisco, but those people that live in San Francisco who have turned their backs upon God and are living such an unsavory kind of an existence.

So I will stretch out my hand against you, and I will make you desolate. I will lay thy cities waste, and you shall be desolate, and you shall know that I am the LORD ( Ezekiel 35:3-4 ).

Mount Seir is one of the most desolate places today.

Because you have had a perpetual hatred, and you have shed the blood of the children of Israel by the force of the sword in the time of their calamities ( Ezekiel 35:5 ),

And that's always when they would strike, when they were in trouble.

and at the time that their iniquity had an end: Therefore, as I live, saith the Lord GOD, I will prepare thee unto blood, and blood shall pursue thee: since thou hast not hated blood, even blood shall pursue thee. Thus will I make mount Seir most desolate, and cut off from it him that passeth out and him that returneth. And I will fill his mountains with the slain men: by the hills, and by the valleys, and all of thy rivers, and they shall fall that are slain with the sword. And I will make thee a perpetual desolation, and thy cities shall not return: and ye shall know that I am the LORD ( Ezekiel 35:5-9 ).

The land has remained perpetually desolate.

Because thou hast said, These two nations and these two countries shall be mine, and we will possess it; whereas the LORD was there: Therefore, as I live, saith the Lord GOD, I even will do according to your anger, and according to your envy, which you have used out of the hatred against them; and I will make myself known among them, when I have judged thee. And thou shalt know that I am the LORD, and that I have heard all of your blasphemies which thou hast spoken against the mountains of Israel, saying, They are laid desolate, they are given to us to consume. Thus with your mouth ye have boasted against me, and you've multiplied your words against me: and I heard them. Thus saith the Lord GOD; When the whole earth rejoices, I will make thee desolate ( Ezekiel 35:10-14 ).

And the time when the whole earth is rejoicing that will remain a desolate area.

As thou didst rejoice at the inheritance of the house of Israel, because it was desolate, so will I do unto thee: thou shalt be desolate, O mount Seir, and all of Idumea, even all of it: and they shall know that I am the LORD ( Ezekiel 35:15 ).

So the prophecy against Mount Seir.

Now as we move into the next lesson, it is a prophecy concerning the mountains of Israel, and you'll find a vivid contrast as you get into chapter 36 between Mount Seir, which is to be desolate perpetually, and the prophecies that are made concerning the mountains of Israel, which were desolate for so many centuries. And the exciting thing when you go over to Israel today is to see Ezekiel 36:0 fulfilled before your very eyes. These prophecies that God made concerning the mountains of Israel, you see the fulfillment of those prophecies when you're over there.

Chapter 37 God deals with the re-gathering of the nation of Israel back into the land. Chapter 38 the invasion by the allied forces of Russia when Israel has become a nation again. Chapter 39 the destruction of those invading forces.

So you've got some fascinating reading as the prophecies that we get into now, chapter 36, you can go over and see much of it already fulfilled. As with chapter 37. Chapter 38 is down the road-not very far, but down the road just a little bit. Waiting, really, to happen most any time. So, getting into some exciting areas. Next week ought to be a real blast.

May the Lord bless and guide your life this week. When those decisions have to be made, may the Lord give you a very strong impression to lead you into His path of righteousness. And may you experience God's power working in your life in a very special way. May the love of Christ just fill your heart and overflow, that lives around you might be touched because of what the Lord has done for you. May you be His witnesses, a testimony to others by the love of Christ that shines forth from you. "

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

The Edomites would fall slain in all parts of their land (cf. Ezekiel 6:3; Ezekiel 6:7). They would never recover from this judgment, and their cities would remain uninhabited. This was a harsher fate than even what God inflicted on Egypt (Ezekiel 29:14) or Ammon (Jeremiah 49:6). Then the Edomites would know that Yahweh is the only true God.

Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

And I will fill his mountains with his slain men,.... Not only Mount Seir, but all the rest of the mountains, in Idumea; where they shall flee for refuge, and the enemy shall pursue them, and slay them; and where their carcasses will fall in such numbers, as to cover the mountains with them; compare with this Revelation 19:18:

in thy hills, and in thy valleys, and in all thy rivers, shall they fall that are slain with the sword: expressive of the greatness and universality of the slaughter, that it should be a general one everywhere; hence rivers and fountains are said to become blood, through the number of the slain, Revelation 16:3.

Henry's Complete Commentary on the Bible

      1 Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,   2 Son of man, set thy face against mount Seir, and prophesy against it,   3 And say unto it, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, O mount Seir, I am against thee, and I will stretch out mine hand against thee, and I will make thee most desolate.   4 I will lay thy cities waste, and thou shalt be desolate, and thou shalt know that I am the LORD.   5 Because thou hast had a perpetual hatred, and hast shed the blood of the children of Israel by the force of the sword in the time of their calamity, in the time that their iniquity had an end:   6 Therefore, as I live, saith the Lord GOD, I will prepare thee unto blood, and blood shall pursue thee: sith thou hast not hated blood, even blood shall pursue thee.   7 Thus will I make mount Seir most desolate, and cut off from it him that passeth out and him that returneth.   8 And I will fill his mountains with his slain men: in thy hills, and in thy valleys, and in all thy rivers, shall they fall that are slain with the sword.   9 I will make thee perpetual desolations, and thy cities shall not return: and ye shall know that I am the LORD.

      Mount Seir was mentioned as partner with Moab in one of the threatenings we had before (Ezekiel 25:8; Ezekiel 25:8); but here it is convicted and condemned by itself, and has woes of its own. The prophet must boldly set his face against Edom, and prophesy particularly against it; for the God of Israel has said, O Mount Seir! I am against thee. Note, Those that have God against them have the word of God against them, and the face of his ministers, nor dare they prophesy any good to them, but evil. The prophet must tell the Edomites that God has a controversy with them, and let them know,

      I. What is the cause and ground of that controversy, Ezekiel 35:5; Ezekiel 35:5. God espouses his people's cause, and will plead it, takes what is done against them as done against himself, and will reckon for it; and it is upon their account that God now contends with the Edomites. 1. Because of the enmity they had against the people of God, that was rooted in the heart. "Thou hast had a perpetual hatred to them, to the very name of an Israelite." The Edomites kept up an hereditary malice against Israel, the same that Esau bore to Jacob, because he got the birth-right and the blessing. Esau had been reconciled to Jacob, had embraced and kissed him (Genesis 33:1-20), and we do not find that ever he quarrelled with him again. But the posterity of Esau would never be reconciled to the seed of Jacob, but hated them with a perpetual hatred. Note, Children will be more apt to imitate the vices than the virtues of their parents, and to tread in the steps of their sin than in the steps of their repentance. Parents should therefore be careful not to set their children any bad example, for though, through the grace of God, they may return, and prevent the mischief of what they have done amiss to themselves, they may not be able to obviate the bad influence of it upon their children. It is strange how deeply rooted national antipathies sometimes are, and how long they last; but it is not to be wondered at that profane Edomites hate pious Israelites, since the old enmity that was put between the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent (Genesis 3:15) will continue to the end. Marvel not if the world hate you. 2. Because of the injuries they had done to the people of God. They shed their blood by the force of the sword, in the time of their calamity; they did not attack them as fair and open enemies, but laid wait for them, to cut off those of them that had escaped (Obadiah 1:14), or they drove them back upon the sword of the pursuers, by which they fell. It was cowardly, as well as barbarous, to take advantage of their distress; and for neighbours, with whom they had lived peaceably, to smite them secretly when strangers openly invaded them. It was in the time that their iniquity had an end, when the measure of it was full and destruction came. Note, Even those that suffer justly, and for their sins, are yet to be pitied and not trampled upon. If the father corrects one child, he expects the rest should tremble at it, not triumph in it.

      II. What should be the effect and issue of that controversy. If God stretch out his hand against the country of Edom, he will make it most desolate,Ezekiel 35:3; Ezekiel 35:3. Desolation and desolation. 1. The inhabitants shall be slain with the sword (Ezekiel 35:6; Ezekiel 35:6): I will prepare thee unto blood. Edom shall be gradually weakened, and so be the more easily conquered, and the enemy shall gather strength the more effectually to subdue it. Thus preparation is in the making a great while before for this destruction. Thou hast not hated blood; it implies, "Thou hast delighted in it and thirsted after it." Those that do not keep up a rooted hatred of sin, when a temptation to it is very strong, will be in danger of yielding to it. Some read it, "Unless thou hatest blood" (that is, "unless thou dost repent, and put off this bloody disposition) blood shall pursue thee." And then it is an intimation that the judgment may yet be prevented by a thorough reformation. If he turn not, he will whet his sword,Psalms 7:12. But, if he turn, he will lay it by. Blood shall pursue thee, the guilt of the blood which thou hast shed or the judgment of blood; thy blood-thirsty enemies shall pursue thee, which way soever thou seekest to make thy escape. A great and general slaughter shall be made of the Idumeans, such as had been foretold (Isaiah 34:6): The mountains and hills, the valleys and rivers, shall be filled with the slain,Ezekiel 35:8; Ezekiel 35:8. The pursuers shall overtake those that flee and shall give no quarter, but put them all to the sword. Note, When God comes to make inquisition for blood those that have shed the blood of his Israel shall have blood given them to drink, for they are worthy. Satia te sanguine quem sitisti--Glut thyself with blood, after which thou hast thirsted. 2. The country shall be laid waste. The cities shall be destroyed (Ezekiel 35:4; Ezekiel 35:4), the country made most desolate (Ezekiel 35:7; Ezekiel 35:7); for God will cut off from both him that passes out and him that returns; and when the inhabitants are cut off that should keep the cities in repair they will decay and go into ruins, and when those are cut off that should till the land that will soon be over-run with briers and thorns and become a wilderness. Note, Those that help forward the desolations of Israel may expect to be themselves made desolate. And that which completes the judgment is that Edom shall be made perpetual desolations (Ezekiel 35:9; Ezekiel 35:9) and the cities shall never return to their former state, nor the inhabitants of them come back from their captivity and dispersion. Note, Those that have a perpetual enmity to God and his people, as the carnal mind has, can expect no other than to be made a perpetual desolation. Implacable malice will justly be punished with irreparable ruin.