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55 lines
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<title>Blue Letter Bible: Text Commentaries</title>
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PriorBook = 'Lamentations';
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PriorBookURL = './Comm/jfb/Lam/Lam000.html';
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PriorChapter = 'Ezekiel 24';
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NextBook = 'Daniel';
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NextChapter = 'Ezekiel 26';
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Title = 'The Book of the Prophet Ezekiel';
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SubTitle1 = 'Commentary by A. R. FAUSSET';
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SubTitle3 = 'CHAPTER 25';
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Author = ' Jamieson, Fausset & Brown';
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<p id="Chapter25" align="center">Commentary by A. R. FAUSSET<br>CHAPTER 25
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<p id="Eze25_1"><a onclick="return mV('Eze',25,'1-17');">Eze 25:1-17</a>. APPROPRIATELY IN THE INTERVAL OF SILENCE AS TO THE JEWS IN THE EIGHT CHAPTERS, (TWENTY-FIFTH THROUGH THIRTY-SECOND) EZEKIEL DENOUNCES JUDGMENTS ON THE HEATHEN WORLD KINGDOMS.
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<p>If Israel was not spared, much less the heathen utterly corrupt, and having no mixture of truth, such as Israel in its worst state possessed (<a onclick="return mV('1Pe',4,17,18);">1Pe 4:17-18</a>). Their ruin was to be utter: Israel's but temporary (<a onclick="return mV('Jer',46,28);">Jer 46:28</a>). The nations denounced are seven, the perfect number; implying that God's judgments would visit, not merely these, but <i>the whole round</i> of the heathen foes of God. Babylon is excepted, because she is now for the present viewed as the rod of God's retributive justice, a view too much then lost sight of by those who fretted against her universal supremacy.
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<p id="Eze25_3"><b>3.</b> (<a onclick="return mV('Jer',49,1);">Jer 49:1</a>).
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<br><br><b>when...profaned;...when...desolate;...when...captivity</b>—rather, "for...for...for": the <i>cause</i> of the insolent exultation of Ammon over Jerusalem. They triumphed especially over the fall of the "sanctuary," as the triumph of heathenism over the rival claims of Jehovah. In Jehoshaphat's time, when the eighty-third Psalm was written (<a onclick="return mV('Psa',83,4,7,8,12);">Psa 83:4, 7-8, 12</a>, "Ammon...<i>holpen the children of Lot,</i>" who were, therefore, the <i>leaders</i> of the unholy conspiracy, "Let us take to ourselves the <i>houses of God</i> in possession"), we see the same profane spirit. Now at last their wicked wish seems accomplished in the fall of Jerusalem. Ammon, descended from Lot, held the region east of Jordan, separated from the Amorites on the north by the river Jabbok, and from Moab on the south by the Arnon. They were auxiliaries to Babylon in the destruction of Jerusalem (<a onclick="return mV('2Ki',24,2);">2Ki 24:2</a>).
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<p id="Eze25_4"><b>4. men of...east</b>—literally, "children of the East," the nomad tribes of Arabia-Deserta, east of the Jordan and the Dead Sea.
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<br><br><b>palaces</b>—their nomadic encampments or folds, surrounded with mud walls, are so called in irony. Where thy "palaces" once stood, there shall their very different "palaces" stand. Fulfilled after the ravaging of their region by Nebuchadnezzar, shortly after the destruction of Jerusalem (compare <a onclick="return mV('Eze',21,22);">Eze 21:22</a>; <a onclick="return mV('Jer',49,'1-28');">Jer 49:1-28</a>).
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<p id="Eze25_5"><b>5. Rabbah</b>—meaning "the Great," Ammon's metropolis. Under the Ptolemies it was rebuilt under the name Philadelphia; the ruins are called <i>Amman</i> now, but there is no dwelling inhabited.
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<br><br><b>Ammonites</b>—that is the Ammonite <i>region</i> is to be a "couching place for flocks," namely of the Arabs. The "camels," being the chief beast of burden of the Chaldeans, are put first, as their invasion was to prepare the Ammonite land for the Arab "flocks." Instead of busy men, there shall be "still and couching flocks."
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<p id="Eze25_6"><b>6, 7.</b> "Because <i>thou</i> hast clapped <i>thine</i> hands," exulting over the downfall of Jerusalem, "<i>I</i> also will stretch out <i>Mine</i> hand upon thee" (to which <a onclick="return mV('Eze',21,17);">Eze 21:17</a> also may refer, "I will smite Mine hands together").
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<br><br><b>hands...feet...heart</b>—with the whole inward feeling, and with every outward indication. <i>Stamping with the foot</i> means <i>dancing for joy.</i>
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<p id="Eze25_7"><b>7. a spoil</b>—so the <i>Hebrew Margin,</i> or <i>Keri,</i> for the text or <i>Chetib,</i> "meat" (so <a onclick="return mV('Eze',26,5);">Eze 26:5</a>; <a onclick="return mV('Eze',34,28);">34:28</a>). Their <i>goods</i> were to be a "spoil to the foe"; their <i>state</i> was to be "cut off," so as to be no more a "people"; and they were as <i>individuals,</i> for the most part, to be "destroyed."
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<p id="Eze25_8"><b>8.</b> Moab, Seir, and Ammon were contiguous countries, stretching in one line from Gilead on the north to the Red Sea. They therefore naturally acted in concert, and in joint hostility to Judea.
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<br><br><b>Judah is like...all...heathen</b>—The Jews fare no better than others: it is of no use to them to serve Jehovah, who, they say, is the only true God.
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<p id="Eze25_9"><b>9, 10. open...from the cities</b>—<i>I will open up the side,</i> or border <i>of Moab</i> (metaphor from a man whose side is open to blows), <i>from the</i> (direction of) <i>the cities</i> on his northwest border beyond the Arnon, once assigned to Reuben (<a onclick="return mV('Jos',13,'15-21');">Jos 13:15-21</a>), but now in the hands of their original owners; and the "men of the east," the wandering Bedouin hordes, shall enter through these cities into Moab and waste it. Moab accordingly was so wasted by them, that long before the time of Christ it had melted away among the hordes of the desert. For "cities," GROTIUS translates the <i>Hebrew</i> as proper names, the <i>Ar</i> and <i>Aroer,</i> on the Arnon. Hence the <i>Hebrew</i> for "cities," "Ar" is repeated twice (<a onclick="return mV('Num',21,28);">Num 21:28</a>; <a onclick="return mV('Deu',2,36);">Deu 2:36</a>; <a onclick="return mV('Isa',15,1);">Isa 15:1</a>).
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<br><br><b>glory of the country</b>—The region of Moab was richer than that of Ammon; it answers to the modern Belka, the richest district in South Syria, and the scene in consequence of many a contest among the Bedouins. Hence it is called here a "glorious land" (literally, "a glory," or "ornament of a land") [FAIRBAIRN]. Rather, "the glory of the country" is in apposition with "cities" which immediately precedes, and the names of which presently follow.
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<br><br><b>Beth-jeshimoth</b>—meaning "the city of desolations"; perhaps so named from some siege it sustained; it was towards the west.
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<br><br><b>Baal-meon</b>—called also "Beth-meon" (<a onclick="return mV('Jer',48,23);">Jer 48:23</a>), and "Beth-baal-meon" (<a onclick="return mV('Jos',13,17);">Jos 13:17</a>, called so from the worship of Baal), and "Bajith," simply (<a onclick="return mV('Isa',15,2);">Isa 15:2</a>).
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<br><br><b>Kiriathaim</b>—"the double city." The strength of these cities engendered "the pride" of Moab (<a onclick="return mV('Isa',16,6);">Isa 16:6</a>).
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<p id="Eze25_10"><b>10. with the Ammonites</b>—FAIRBAIRN explains and translates, "<i>upon</i> the children of Ammon" (elliptically for, "I will open Moab to the men of the east, who, having overrun the children of Ammon, shall then fall on Moab"). MAURER, as <i>English Version,</i> "<i>with</i> the Ammonites," that is, Moab, "<i>together with</i> the land of Ammon," is to be thrown "open to the men of the east," to enter and take possession (<a onclick="return mV('Jer',49,'1-39');">Jer 49:1-39</a>).
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<p id="Eze25_12"><b>12. taking vengeance</b>—literally, "revenging with revengement," that is, the most unrelenting vengeance. It was not simple hatred, but deep-brooding, implacable revenge. The grudge of Edom or Esau was originally for Jacob's robbing him of Isaac's blessing (<a onclick="return mV('Gen',25,23);">Gen 25:23</a>; <a onclick="return mV('Gen',27,'27-41');">27:27-41</a>). This purpose of revenge yielded to the extraordinary kindness of Jacob, through the blessing of Him with whom Jacob wrestled in prayer; but it was revived as an hereditary grudge in the posterity of Esau when they saw the younger branch rising to the pre-eminence which they thought of right belonged to themselves. More recently, for David's subjugation of Edom to Israel (<a onclick="return mV('2Sa',8,14);">2Sa 8:14</a>). They therefore gave vent to their spite by joining the Chaldeans in destroying Jerusalem (<a onclick="return mV('Psa',137,7);">Psa 137:7</a>; <a onclick="return mV('Lam',4,22);">Lam 4:22</a>; <a onclick="return mV('Oba',1,'10-14');">Oba 1:10-14</a>), and then intercepting and killing the fugitive Jews (<a onclick="return mV('Amo',1,11);">Amo 1:11</a>) and occupying part of the Jewish land as far as Hebron.
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<p id="Eze25_13"><b>13. Teman...they of Dedan</b>—rather, "I will make it desolate from Teman (in the south) <i>even to</i> Dedan (in the northwest)" [GROTIUS], (<a onclick="return mV('Jer',49,8);">Jer 49:8</a>), that is, the whole country from north to south, stretching from the south of the Dead Sea to the Elanitic gulf of the Red Sea.
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<p id="Eze25_14"><b>14. by...my people Israel</b>—namely, by Judas Maccabeus. The Idumeans were finally, by compulsory circumcision, incorporated with the Jewish state by John Hyrcanus (see <a onclick="return mV('Isa',34,5);">Isa 34:5</a>; <a onclick="return mV('Isa',63,1);">63:1</a>, etc.; <u>1 Maccabees 5:3</u>). So complete was the amalgamation in Christ's time, that the Herods of Idumean origin, as Jews, ruled over the two races as one people. Thus the ancient prophecy was fulfilled (<a onclick="return mV('Gen',25,23);">Gen 25:23</a>), "The elder shall serve the younger."
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<p id="Eze25_15"><b>15.</b> (<a onclick="return mV('1Sa',13,'1-');">1Sa 13:1 - 14:52</a>; <a onclick="return mV('2Ch',28,18);">2Ch 28:18</a>). The "old hatred" refers to their continual enmity to the covenant-people. They lay along Judea on the seacoast at the opposite side from Ammon and Moab. They were overthrown by Uzziah (<a onclick="return mV('2Ch',26,6);">2Ch 26:6</a>), and by Hezekiah (<a onclick="return mV('2Ki',18,8);">2Ki 18:8</a>). Nebuchadnezzar overran the cities on the seacoast on his way to Egypt after besieging Tyre (<a onclick="return mV('Jer',47,'1-7');">Jer 47:1-7</a>). God will take vengeance on those who take the avenging of themselves out of His hands into their own (<a onclick="return mV('Rom',12,'19-21');">Rom 12:19-21</a>; <a onclick="return mV('Jam',2,13);">Jam 2:13</a>).
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<p id="Eze25_16"><b>16. cut off the Cherethims</b>—There is a play on similar sounds in the <i>Hebrew, hichratti cherethim,</i> "I will slay the slayers." The name may have been given to a section of the Philistines from their warlike disposition (<a onclick="return mV('1Sa',30,14);">1Sa 30:14</a>; <a onclick="return mV('1Sa',31,3);">31:3</a>). They excelled in archery, whence David enrolled a bodyguard from them (<a onclick="return mV('2Sa',8,18);">2Sa 8:18</a>; <a onclick="return mV('2Sa',15,18);">15:18</a>; <a onclick="return mV('2Sa',20,7);">20:7</a>). They sprang from Caphtor, identified by many with Crete, which was famed for archery, and to which the name <i>Cherethim</i> seems akin. Though in emigration, which mostly tended westwards, Crete seems more likely to be colonized from Philistia than Philistia from Crete, a <i>section</i> of Cretans may have settled at Chere thim in South Philistia, while the Philistines, <i>as a nation,</i> may have come originally from the east (compare <a onclick="return mV('Deu',2,23);">Deu 2:23</a>; <a onclick="return mV('Jer',47,4);">Jer 47:4</a>; <a onclick="return mV('Amo',9,7);">Amo 9:7</a>; <a onclick="return mV('Zep',2,5);">Zep 2:5</a>). In <a onclick="return mV('Gen',10,14);">Gen 10:14</a> the Philistines are made <i>distinct from the Caphtorim,</i> and are said to come from the Casluhim; so that the Cherethim were but a part of the Philistines, which <a onclick="return mV('1Sa',30,14);">1Sa 30:14</a> confirms.
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<br><br><b>remnant of</b>—that is, "on the seacoast" of the Mediterranean: those left <i>remaining</i> after the former overthrows inflicted by Samuel, David, Hezekiah, and Psammetichus of Egypt, father of Pharaoh-necho (<a onclick="return mV('Jer',25,20);">Jer 25:20</a>).
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<p id="Eze25_17"><b>17. know...vengeance</b>—They shall know Me, not in mercy, but by My vengeance on them (<a onclick="return mV('Psa',9,16);">Psa 9:16</a>).
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