Verse-by-Verse Commentary
The Book of Ezekiel
Chapter 25: They Shall Know That I Am the LORD
With Jerusalem's judgment finished, God turns to the nations that surrounded her. Chapter 25 opens the great block of 'oracles against the nations' (chapters 25-32) with four short judgments on Judah's closest neighbours: Ammon, Moab, Edom, and Philistia. Their common sin is how they treated God's people in her hour of ruin, they said 'Aha!' against the sanctuary, clapped their hands and stamped their feet in glee, said 'the house of Judah is like unto all the heathen,' and took vengeance 'with a despiteful heart, for the old hatred.' God will not overlook those who gloat over His people's fall or repay them evil. Four times the refrain rings out, 'they shall know that I am the LORD,' for the God of Israel is God of all the nations too, and every one of them must answer to Him.
About This Commentary
This is a verse-by-verse study of Ezekiel chapter 25, the first of the oracles against the nations. For each section you will find the KJV text, the Hebrew words that sharpen the meaning, plain explanation, and a Gospel Focus. Every Scripture quotation is from the King James Version.
Setting the Stage
Aha Against the Sanctuary
Ammon rejoiced over the profaned temple and Judah's captivity.
Judah Is Like the Heathen
Moab mocked that God's people were no different from the nations.
The Old Hatred
Edom took vengeance on Judah out of ancient, bitter enmity.
A Despiteful Heart
The Philistines struck with contempt and long-standing hatred.
Because Thou Saidst, Aha (Ezekiel 25:1-7)
Ammon rejoiced over the profaning of God's sanctuary and the captivity of Judah, clapping and stamping in malicious glee; therefore God will give her over to the men of the east and cut her off, that she may know He is the LORD.
Thou Shalt Know That I Am the LORD
"The word of the LORD came again unto me, saying, Son of man, set thy face against the Ammonites, and prophesy against them; And say unto the Ammonites, Hear the word of the Lord GOD; Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thou saidst, Aha, against my sanctuary, when it was profaned; and against the land of Israel, when it was desolate; and against the house of Judah, when they went into captivity; Behold, therefore I will deliver thee to the men of the east for a possession, and they shall set their palaces in thee, and make their dwellings in thee: they shall eat thy fruit, and they shall drink thy milk. And I will make Rabbah a stable for camels, and the Ammonites a couchingplace for flocks: and ye shall know that I am the LORD. For thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thou hast clapped thine hands, and stamped with the feet, and rejoiced in heart with all thy despite against the land of Israel; Behold, therefore I will stretch out mine hand upon thee, and will deliver thee for a spoil to the heathen; and I will cut thee off from the people, and I will cause thee to perish out of the countries: I will destroy thee; and thou shalt know that I am the LORD."
Hebrew Study
"Aha," he'ach (הֶאָח). An exclamation of malicious delight, a gloating "Aha!" over another's downfall. Ammon voiced this glee "against my sanctuary" and Judah's captivity. To rejoice over the ruin of God's people, and especially over the profaning of His house, is to take sides against God Himself. The Psalms warn against the enemies who say "Aha, aha" (Psalm 35:21, 25; 70:3).
"they shall know that I am the LORD," the refrain of the oracles against the nations. The recognition formula that runs through Ezekiel (over seventy times) is now applied to the pagan nations. God's ultimate purpose in judging the nations, as in judging Israel, is that all peoples come to know the one true God, YHWH. His sovereignty is not tribal; He is Lord of Ammon and Egypt as truly as of Israel.
Explanation
God turns from Judah to the surrounding nations, beginning with Ammon, a people descended from Lot (Genesis 19:38) and long hostile to Israel. Ammon's sin was her cruel glee at Judah's fall: "thou saidst, Aha, against my sanctuary, when it was profaned... against the house of Judah, when they went into captivity." She "clapped thine hands, and stamped with the feet, and rejoiced in heart" over God's people's ruin. Kicking someone when they are down is bad enough; rejoicing over the desecration of God's house is to stand against God Himself.
So God announces judgment: "I will deliver thee to the men of the east" (nomadic raiders), and Rabbah, Ammon's proud capital, will become "a stable for camels." Ammon would "perish out of the countries." Twice the refrain seals it: "ye shall know that I am the LORD," "thou shalt know that I am the LORD." God takes note of how the nations treat His people, and He repays. Those who gloat over the humbling of God's own will find themselves humbled before the same LORD.
Gospel Focus
Ammon's judgment for gloating over God's people reveals a tender truth: God takes personally how the world treats those who are His. "He that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye" (Zechariah 2:8). To the persecuted church this is deep comfort, the Lord sees every "Aha!" aimed at His people and will repay in His time, "it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you" (2 Thessalonians 1:6). Yet the aim of judgment even here is "that they shall know that I am the LORD", God's desire is that the nations come to know Him, not merely be crushed. This looks forward to the gospel going out to all nations, Ammonites and Moabites included (Ruth the Moabitess is in the line of Christ; Matthew 1:5), that peoples once gloating enemies might be brought to know and worship the one true God. God defends His own, and He also calls the nations to Himself.
Vengeance With a Despiteful Heart (Ezekiel 25:8-17)
Moab despised Judah as no different from the heathen, Edom took vengeance out of old hatred, and the Philistines struck with contempt; God will judge each of them, that they too may know He is the LORD.
I Will Lay My Vengeance Upon Them
"Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because that Moab and Seir do say, Behold, the house of Judah is like unto all the heathen; Therefore, behold, I will open the side of Moab from the cities, from his cities which are on his frontiers, the glory of the country, Bethjeshimoth, Baalmeon, and Kiriathaim, Unto the men of the east with the Ammonites, and will give them in possession, that the Ammonites may not be remembered among the nations. And I will execute judgments upon Moab; and they shall know that I am the LORD. Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because that Edom hath dealt against the house of Judah by taking vengeance, and hath greatly offended, and revenged himself upon them; Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; I will also stretch out mine hand upon Edom, and will cut off man and beast from it; and I will make it desolate from Teman; and they of Dedan shall fall by the sword. And I will lay my vengeance upon Edom by the hand of my people Israel: and they shall do in Edom according to mine anger and according to my fury; and they shall know my vengeance, saith the Lord GOD. Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because the Philistines have dealt by revenge, and have taken vengeance with a despiteful heart, to destroy it for the old hatred; Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will stretch out mine hand upon the Philistines, and I will cut off the Cherethims, and destroy the remnant of the sea coast. And I will execute great vengeance upon them with furious rebukes; and they shall know that I am the LORD, when I shall lay my vengeance upon them."
Hebrew Study
"the old hatred," eivat olam (אֵיבַת עוֹלָם). Literally "everlasting/ancient enmity." The Philistines (and Edom) nursed a long-standing, generational hatred of Israel. Some hostilities run deep in history and are handed down like an inheritance. Edom especially embodied the "old hatred," the enmity of Esau against Jacob reaching back to the womb (Genesis 25:22-23; Malachi 1:2-3), and voiced fiercely in Obadiah and Psalm 137:7.
"I will lay my vengeance," netatti et-niqmati (נָתַתִּי אֶת־נִקְמָתִי). Vengeance belongs to God: "To me belongeth vengeance, and recompence" (Deuteronomy 32:35). The nations took vengeance "of themselves" with a "despiteful heart"; God reserves true vengeance to Himself and executes it justly. Human revenge is condemned; divine justice is certain, "Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord" (Romans 12:19).
Explanation
Three more nations are judged, each for its treatment of Judah. Moab (with "Seir," Edom's mountain) sneered, "the house of Judah is like unto all the heathen", denying that Israel was God's special people, mocking that her God was no different from the idols. God will "open the side of Moab," exposing her border cities to the eastern raiders. Edom "hath dealt against the house of Judah by taking vengeance," actively attacking her brother-nation in her weakness (Edom descended from Esau, Jacob's brother), so God will make Edom "desolate from Teman," laying "my vengeance upon Edom by the hand of my people Israel." The Philistines "have taken vengeance with a despiteful heart... for the old hatred," and God will "cut off the Cherethims" and the sea coast.
The thread through all four oracles is clear: these nations gloated over, mocked, or attacked God's people in her fall, and God holds them to account. Twice more the refrain rings: "they shall know that I am the LORD." The God of Israel is not a local tribal deity; He is sovereign over every nation, and every nation answers to Him. He defends His people and repays those who despise them, and He reserves true vengeance to Himself, not to human hands driven by "despiteful" hatred.
Gospel Focus
These oracles teach that "vengeance" belongs to God alone, not to us. The nations sinned by taking vengeance "of themselves," "with a despiteful heart"; God condemns that even as He reserves just recompense to Himself. This is the very ground on which Scripture forbids personal revenge: "Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves... for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord" (Romans 12:19). Because God is the righteous Judge who repays perfectly, we are freed from the poison of the "old hatred" and can even "love your enemies" (Matthew 5:44), entrusting all wrongs to Him. And the great aim, "they shall know that I am the LORD," reaches its fulfillment in the gospel's mission to every nation. The same God who judges the nations sent His Son to redeem people "out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation" (Revelation 5:9). Former enemies of God, like Ruth the Moabitess grafted into Christ's own line, can be brought to know the LORD and be saved. Judgment on the gloating nations and grace to the nations are held together in the one true God, who is Lord of all.
Chapter 25 in Review
Ezekiel 25 opens the oracles against the nations with four short judgments on Judah's neighbours, Ammon, Moab, Edom, and Philistia, all condemned for how they treated God's people in her fall. Ammon said "Aha!" against the sanctuary and clapped for joy at Judah's captivity; Moab sneered that "the house of Judah is like unto all the heathen"; Edom took active "vengeance" out of ancient enmity; the Philistines struck "with a despiteful heart, for the old hatred." To each, God says, "I will stretch out mine hand upon thee," and four times the refrain rings out: "they shall know that I am the LORD."
For the Apostolic reader, this chapter carries both warning and comfort. It warns that God takes personally how the world treats His people, "he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye", and that gloating over another's fall, contempt for God's own, and vengeful hatred all answer to Him. It comforts the persecuted: the Lord sees every "Aha!" and repays in His time, so we need never avenge ourselves, but may leave all wrongs to the righteous Judge and even love our enemies. And its refrain points to the gospel's reach: God's purpose is that the nations "know that I am the LORD", not only in judgment but in salvation, for the same Lord who judged the gloating nations sends His gospel to redeem people from every nation, even former enemies, into the family of the one true God.
- God takes personally how the world treats His people; "he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye" (25:3, 6; Zechariah 2:8).
- Gloating over another's downfall, especially God's people's, is to side against God (25:3; Psalm 35:21).
- "Vengeance is mine"; God forbids personal revenge and reserves just recompense to Himself (25:14-17; Romans 12:19; Deuteronomy 32:35).
- The "old hatred" of Edom (Esau) and Philistia shows how enmity can be handed down for generations (25:15; Malachi 1:2-3).
- God is Lord of all nations, not a tribal deity; every nation answers to Him (25:5, 11, 17).
- The aim, "they shall know that I am the LORD," points to the gospel reaching every nation (Revelation 5:9; Matthew 1:5).
Questions for Reflection
- Have you ever quietly rejoiced over another's downfall? How does God view such "Aha!"?
- Are you nursing an "old hatred," a long-held grudge God calls you to release to Him?
- What does it mean for you to leave vengeance to God and even love your enemies?
- How does it comfort you that God sees how you are treated and will repay in His time?
References & Sources
Scripture is quoted from the King James Version (KJV). The Hebrew terms are standard and can be checked in any Hebrew lexicon. Ammon and Moab descended from Lot (Genesis 19:37-38); Edom from Esau, Jacob's brother (Genesis 25:30; 36). The gloating "Aha" is condemned in Psalm 35:21, 25; 70:3. God's care for His people, "the apple of his eye," is Zechariah 2:8; Deuteronomy 32:10. The "old hatred" of Edom is voiced in Obadiah, Psalm 137:7, and Malachi 1:2-3; Philistia's long enmity runs through Judges and 1 Samuel. "Vengeance is mine" is Deuteronomy 32:35 and Romans 12:19; loving enemies is Matthew 5:44. God repaying those who trouble His people is 2 Thessalonians 1:6. The nations coming to "know that I am the LORD" points to the gospel to all nations (Revelation 5:9), including former enemies like Ruth the Moabitess in Christ's line (Ruth 1:4; Matthew 1:5). If anything here does not look right, a verse, a reference, or a wording, please tell us at info@FruitBearers.net. Thank you for helping us keep Bible Learning error free.
- Against Ammon: gloating over the sanctuary and Judah's captivity: Ezekiel 25:1-7; Zechariah 2:8; 2 Thessalonians 1:6.
- Against Moab, Edom, and Philistia: mockery, vengeance, and old hatred; vengeance belongs to God: Ezekiel 25:8-17; Romans 12:19; Malachi 1:2-3; Revelation 5:9.