A Prophecy against Ammon
This section contains a series of oracles against...
- This section contains a series of oracles against surrounding nations. There are six shorter oracles against Judah’s immediate neighbors, in clockwise geographical order, followed by a climactic seventh oracle against Egypt (chs 30–32). Through their experience of God’s judgment, the nations would recognize God’s sovereignty over all things. The nations might be used to bring about God’s judgment of his people, but that would not exempt them from judgment.
- One of the key purposes of these oracles against the nations was to affirm that the negative side of God’s covenant with Abraham (“I will . . . curse those who treat you with contempt,” Gen 12:3) was in force. No one can assault God’s people and escape unscathed, even when God’s people are themselves under his judgment.
1Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 2“Son of man, set your face against the Ammonites and prophesy against them.
Because the Ammonites rejoiced over Judah’s downfall and...
Because the Ammonites rejoiced over Judah’s downfall and celebrated the destruction of Israel’s Temple, they would experience invasion and destruction, as the prophet had already warned (21:28–32). Others would eat the Ammonites’ produce and their people would be exterminated, just as had happened to Judah. The Ammonites’ gods would be unable to save them from the Lord’s wrath, and they would know that the Lord is the true God.
3Tell the Ammonites to hear the word of the Lord GOD, for this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Because you exclaimed, “Aha!” when My sanctuary was profaned, when the land of Israel was laid waste, and when the house of Judah went into exile, 4therefore I will indeed give you as a possession to the people of the East. They will set up their camps and pitch their tents among you. They will eat your fruit and drink your milk. 5I will make Rabbah a pasture for camels, and Ammon† a resting place for sheep. Then you will know that I am the LORD.’
6For this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Because you clapped your hands and stomped your feet and rejoiced over the land of Israel with a heart full of contempt, 7therefore I will indeed stretch out My hand against you and give you as plunder to the nations. I will cut you off from the peoples and exterminate you from the countries. I will destroy you, and you will know that I am the LORD.’
A Prophecy against Moab
The people of Moab thought that they could...
The people of Moab thought that they could attack Judah with impunity, as though it were just like all the other nations. This was not true—even though Judah had been acting as though it were (see 20:32)—because Judah had a covenant with God, and God would not ultimately reject Judah. Instead, like Ammon, Moab would be removed from the register of the nations and left perpetually desolate.
8This is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Because Moab and Seir† said, “Look, the house of Judah is like all the other nations,” 9therefore I will indeed expose the flank of Moab beginning with its frontier cities—Beth-jeshimoth, Baal-meon, and Kiriathaim—the glory of the land. 10I will give it along with the Ammonites as a possession to the people of the East, so that the Ammonites will no longer be remembered among the nations. 11So I will execute judgments on Moab, and they will know that I am the LORD.’
A Prophecy against Edom
Ammon and Moab gloated at Judah’s downfall, but...
- Ammon and Moab gloated at Judah’s downfall, but Edom actively participated in it (see 35:5; Obad 1).
- avenging: The people of Edom cut down fugitives and handed over survivors in aid of the Babylonians (Obad 1:11–14). They were opportunists, settling old scores that dated back to the ancient conflict between Jacob and Esau (Gen 27:41); they gained what they could for themselves out of Judah’s difficulties. In return, the Lord would desolate their land.
12This is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Because Edom acted vengefully against the house of Judah, and in so doing incurred grievous guilt, 13therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: I will stretch out My hand against Edom and cut off from it both man and beast. I will make it a wasteland, and from Teman to Dedan they will fall by the sword. 14I will take My vengeance on Edom by the hand of My people Israel, and they will deal with Edom according to My anger and wrath. Then they will know My vengeance, declares the Lord GOD.’
A Prophecy against the Philistines
The Philistines also had a long-standing contempt for...
- The Philistines also had a long-standing contempt for Judah. Their crimes are not specified, but they did not escape the Lord’s notice, and he would return vengeance for vengeance. Then they, too, would recognize the Lord’s sovereign power.
- The Kerethites were a Philistine tribe (see 1 Sam 30:14).
15This is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Because the Philistines acted in vengeance, taking vengeance with malice of soul to destroy Judah with ancient hostility, 16therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: Behold, I will stretch out My hand against the Philistines, and I will cut off the Cherethites and destroy the remnant along the coast. 17I will execute great vengeance against them with furious reproof. Then they will know that I am the LORD, when I lay My vengeance upon them.’”