College Press Bible Study Textbook Series
Ezekiel 25:1-7
JUDGMENT ON NEIGHBORING NATIONS
25:1-17
Ezekiel devotes eight Chapter s of his book to oracles against foreign nations. Jerusalem had fallen. Yet before Ezekiel related this fact to his readers he recorded the revelation that God would some day judge the heathen nations and cities around Judah. He speaks of seven different nations in all. The small neighboring states of Ammon, Moab, Edom and Philistia are first denounced (Ezekiel 25:1-17). In greater detail he denounced the two commercial centers of the day, Tyre and Sidon (Ezekiel 26:1 to Ezekiel 28:26). The final blast is directed against Egypt (Ezekiel 29:1 to Ezekiel 32:32). The Egyptian oracle itself breaks down into seven distinct oracles. The number seven here is not likely accidental. In prophecy seven is the number of perfection or completeness. Hence, God will completely and fully deal with the enemies of His people.
Some commentators express surprise that Babylon is not singled out in this section for condemnation. Ezekiel deliberately refrained from announcing the destruction of that nation, for to do so would have been too glaring a provocation. However, it did not demand great intelligence to conclude that if God was going to pour out His judgment upon these nations, Babylon surely could not altogether escape. Jeremiah already had written a lengthy condemnation of Babylon, so one from Ezekiel was unnecessary. Furthermore, an anti-Babylon oracle by Ezekiel might have stirred up the exiles to foolish resistance to the Babylonian government.
The foreign nation oracles are arranged topically rather than chronologically. Seven dates from 587 to 571 B.C. are mentioned in this section. About two years have elapsed since the last events and prophecies recorded in the book (cf. Ezekiel 24:1-2 and Ezekiel 26:1). Arranged in chronological order the oracles in this section were delivered in the following sequence:
CHRONOLOGICAL SEQUENCE OF EZEKIEL'S FOREIGN NATION ORACLES
Passage
Ezekiel's Dating (Year/Month/Day)
Modern Dating
Foreign Nation
10/10/10
January 7, 587 B C
Egypt
11/1/7
April 30, 587 B C
Egypt
11/3/1
June 21, 587 B C
Egypt
11/3/1
September 18, 587 B C
Tyre
12/12/1
March 4, 585 B C
Egypt
12/2/15
March 18, 585 B C
Egypt
27/1/1
April 26, 571 B C
Egypt
No dates are attached to the first four oracles. They are probably to be dated earlier than the first Egypt oracle.
Throughout history Israel experienced the hostility of the neighboring states of Ammon, Moab, Edom and Philistia. In the time of Jerusalem's dying agony these countries had tormented and mocked God's people. Their attitude toward Israel was also their attitude toward Israel's God. The four brief oracles in chapter 25 serve the double purpose of (1) declaring God's wrath on all arrogant people who mock Him; and (2) indicating to the repentant exiles that God was still concerned for His people in that He was punishing their enemies.
I. THE WORD AGAINST AMMON 25:1-7
TRANSLATION
(1) And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, (2) Son of man, set your face against the children of Ammon, and prophesy against them, (3) and say to the children of Ammon, Hear the word of the Lord GOD! Thus says the Lord GOD: Because you have said, Aha! against My sanctuary when it was defiled, 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 am about to give you to the children of the east for a possession, and they will set their encampments among you, and they will make their dwelling places among you; they will eat your fruit, and they will drink your milk. (5) And I will make Rabbah a pasture for camels, and the children of Ammon for a resting place for flocks. Then you will know that I am the LORD. (6) For thus says the Lord GOD: Because you have clapped the hands, and stamped with the feet, and have rejoiced with all contempt in (your) soul against the land of Israel, (7) therefore, behold, I have stretched forth My hand against you, and I have given you for spoil to the nations. And I will cut you off from the peoples, and I will cause you to perish from the lands; I will destroy you. Then you will know that I am the LORD.
COMMENTS
The Ammon oracle begins with the strongest possible declaration of inspiration and the word of the LORD came unto me (Ezekiel 25:1). To this is added the directive to set his face against Ammon and prophesy against them (Ezekiel 25:2). This may have involved an actual facial expression, or it may simply indicate that the prophet was to deliver a negative prophecy. Ezekiel was to address the Ammonites as though he stood in their midst Hear the word of the Lord GOD (Yahweh). Yahweh alone was Lord, i.e., master (adonay), not Chemosh, the god of Ammon. To further underscore the Lordship of Yahweh and the authority of what follows, Ezekiel adds the traditional messenger formula: Thus says the Lord GOD (Ezekiel 25:3 a).
The Ammonites had been vicious enemies of Israel since the time of the Judges (Judges 10:9). Their ruthlessness is clearly indicated in the account of the siege of Jabesh-gilead (1 Samuel 11). When the territories east of Jordan had fallen to Assyria, and the tribes there had been deported, the Ammonites had taken over the unoccupied area. Now that Jerusalem had fallen, they had designs on the western bank of the Jordan (cf. Jeremiah 41:10). They had chuckled Aha and gleefully watched from afar the desecration and destruction of Jerusalem's sanctuary at the hands of Nebuchadnezzar's agents. They had cast covetous eyes on the now desolate land of Israel once occupied by the house of Judah (Ezekiel 25:3),
For their arrogant pride and blasphemous intentions, God would bring swift judgment on Ammon. Ammon would be delivered over to the children of the east, i.e., marauders from the Arabian desert.[367] They would overrun the land, encamp within it, build their permanent dwellings there. These strangers would forcibly take from the Ammonites the fruit of their labor (Ezekiel 25:4). The capital city Rabbah would become a stable for the hoards of camels possessed by the desert invaders. The rest of the land would become grazing pasture for their flocks. The fulfillment of the predictions would vindicate Yahweh in the eyes of the Ammonites (Ezekiel 25:5). They would learn by bitter experience that God is not mocked.
[367] In Ezekiel 21:28-32 Ezekiel had predicted Nebuchadnezzar would turn his wrath against Ammon after be had destroyed Jerusalem. Grider (BBC, p. 579) feels that the children from the east here are the Babylonians.
There was yet more that the Lord had to say to Ammon. The Ammonites had rejoiced with utmost glee over the fate of the land of Israel and had outwardly manifested their joy by clapping the hands and stamping the feet (Ezekiel 25:6). Because of their attitude God would stretch out His hand against them, i.e., take active measures to assure their downfall. In four awesome and essentially synonymous I wills[368] God declared that Ammon's national existence would come to an end.
[368] I will (1) deliver you for spoil; (2) cut you off; (3) cause you to perish; (4) destroy you.
Ammon continued to exist as a nation until the second century before Christ. The great general Judas Maccabaeus launched an awesome attack against that people (1 Mace. Ezekiel 5:6). Subsequent thereto the area of Transjordan was overrun by Bedouin Arabs. Today the area has been organized into the Kingdom of Jordan,