---
title: "Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible -  Ezekiel 25"
description: "CHAPTER 25   :-. APPROPRIATELY IN THE
INTERVAL OF SILENCE
AS TO THE JEWS IN THE
EIGHT CHAPTERS,
(TWENTY-FIFTH THROUGH
THIRTY-SECOND) EZEKIEL
DENOUNCES JUD"
image: "/images/missing.jpg"
url: "https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/ezekiel/25"
---

CHAPTER 25

. 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.
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 ([1 Peter 4:17](../../../kjv/1-peter/4/17);
[1 Peter 4:18](../../../kjv/1-peter/4/18)). Their ruin was to be
utter: Israel's but temporary ([1 Peter 4:18](../../../kjv/1-peter/4/18)). The nations denounced are *seven,* the perfect
number; implying that God's judgments would visit, not merely these,
but *the whole round* 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.

**3.** ().
**when . . . profaned; . . .
when . . . desolate; . . . when . . . captivity**—rather, "for
. . . for . . . for": the *cause* 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 ([Psalms 83:4](../../../kjv/psalms/83/4);
[Psalms 83:7](../../../kjv/psalms/83/7); [Psalms 83:8](../../../kjv/psalms/83/8);
[Psalms 83:12](../../../kjv/psalms/83/12), "Ammon . . .
*holpen the children of Lot,*" who were, therefore, the
*leaders* of the unholy conspiracy, "Let us take to
ourselves the *houses of God* 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 ([Psalms 83:12](../../../kjv/psalms/83/12)).

**4. men of . . . east**—literally,
"children of the East," the nomad tribes of Arabia-Deserta,
east of the Jordan and the Dead Sea.
**palaces**—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 [Ezekiel 21:22](../../../kjv/ezekiel/21/22);
[Jeremiah 49:1-28](../../../kjv/jeremiah/49/1-28)).

**5. Rabbah**—meaning "the
Great," Ammon's metropolis. Under the Ptolemies it was rebuilt
under the name Philadelphia; the ruins are called *Amman* now,
but there is no dwelling inhabited.
**Ammonites**—that is, the
Ammonite *region* 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."

**6, 7.** "Because *thou*
hast clapped *thine* hands," exulting over the downfall of
Jerusalem, "*I* also will stretch out *Mine* hand upon
thee" (to which [Ezekiel 21:17](../../../kjv/ezekiel/21/17)
also may refer, "I will smite Mine hands together").
**hands . . . feet . . .
heart**—with the whole inward feeling, and with every outward
indication. *Stamping with the foot* means *dancing for joy.*

**7. a spoil**—so the *Hebrew
Margin,* or *Keri,* for the text or *Chetib,* "meat"
(so [Ezekiel 26:5](../../../kjv/ezekiel/26/5); [Ezekiel 34:28](../../../kjv/ezekiel/34/28)).
Their *goods* were to be a "spoil to the foe"; their
*state* was to be "cut off," so as to be no more a
"people"; and they were as *individuals,* for the most
part, to be "destroyed."

**8.** 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.
**Judah is like . . . all . . .
heathen**—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.

**9, 10. open . . . from the cities**—*I
will open up the side,* or border *of Moab* (metaphor from a
man whose side is open to blows), *from the* (direction of) *the
cities* on his northwest border beyond the Arnon, once assigned to
Reuben ([Joshua 13:15-21](../../../kjv/joshua/13/15-21)),
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 *Hebrew* as proper names, the *Ar* and
*Aroer,* on the Arnon. Hence the *Hebrew* for "cities,"
"Ar" is repeated twice ([Numbers 21:28](../../../kjv/numbers/21/28);
[Deuteronomy 2:36](../../../kjv/deuteronomy/2/36); [Isaiah 15:1](../../../kjv/isaiah/15/1)).
**glory of the country**—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.
**Beth-jeshimoth**—meaning
"the city of desolations"; perhaps so named from some siege
it sustained; it was towards the west.
**Baal-meon**—called also
"Beth-meon" ([Jeremiah 48:23](../../../kjv/jeremiah/48/23)),
and "Beth-baal-meon" ([Jeremiah 48:23](../../../kjv/jeremiah/48/23), called so from the worship of Baal), and "Bajith,"
simply ([Isaiah 15:2](../../../kjv/isaiah/15/2)).
**Kiriathaim**—"the
double city." The strength of these cities engendered "the
pride" of Moab ([Isaiah 16:6](../../../kjv/isaiah/16/6)).

**10. with the Ammonites**—FAIRBAIRN
explains and translates, "*upon* 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 *English
Version,* "*with* the Ammonites," that is, Moab,
"*together with* the land of Ammon," is to be thrown
"open to the men of the east," to enter and take possession
([Jeremiah 49:1-39](../../../kjv/jeremiah/49/1-39)).

**12. taking vengeance**—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 ([Genesis 25:23](../../../kjv/genesis/25/23);
[Genesis 27:27-41](../../../kjv/genesis/27/27-41)). 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 ([Genesis 27:27-1](../../../kjv/genesis/27/27-1)). They therefore gave vent to their spite by joining the
Chaldeans in destroying Jerusalem ([Psalms 137:7](../../../kjv/psalms/137/7);
[Lamentations 4:22](../../../kjv/lamentations/4/22); [Obadiah 1:10-14](../../../kjv/obadiah/1/10-14)),
and then intercepting and killing the fugitive Jews ([Obadiah 1:10-31](../../../kjv/obadiah/1/10-31)) and occupying part of the Jewish land as far as Hebron.

**13. Teman . . . they of
Dedan**—rather, "I will make it desolate from Teman (in the
south) *even to* Dedan (in the northwest)" [GROTIUS],
([Jeremiah 49:8](../../../kjv/jeremiah/49/8)), 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.

**14. by . . . my people
Israel**—namely, by Judas Maccabeus. The Idumeans were finally,
by compulsory circumcision, incorporated with the Jewish state by
John Hyrcanus (see [Isaiah 34:5](../../../kjv/isaiah/34/5);
[Isaiah 63:1](../../../kjv/isaiah/63/1), c. 1 Maccabees 5:3).
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 ([Isaiah 63:1](../../../kjv/isaiah/63/1)), "The elder shall serve the younger."

**15.** ([1 Samuel 13:1-14](../../../kjv/1-samuel/13/1-14);
[2 Chronicles 28:18](../../../kjv/2-chronicles/28/18)). 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 ([2 Chronicles 28:18](../../../kjv/2-chronicles/28/18)), and by Hezekiah ([2 Chronicles 28:18](../../../kjv/2-chronicles/28/18)). Nebuchadnezzar overran the cities on the seacoast on his
way to Egypt after besieging Tyre ([2 Chronicles 28:18](../../../kjv/2-chronicles/28/18)). God will take vengeance on those who take the avenging
of themselves out of His hands into their own ([Romans 12:19-21](../../../kjv/romans/12/19-21);
[James 2:13](../../../kjv/james/2/13)).

**16. cut off the Cherethims**—There
is a play on similar sounds in the *Hebrew, hichratti cherethim,*
"I will slay the slayers." The name may have been given to
a section of the Philistines from their warlike disposition ([1 Samuel 30:14](../../../kjv/1-samuel/30/14);
[1 Samuel 31:3](../../../kjv/1-samuel/31/3)). They excelled in
archery, whence David enrolled a bodyguard from them ([2 Samuel 8:18](../../../kjv/2-samuel/8/18);
[2 Samuel 15:18](../../../kjv/2-samuel/15/18); [2 Samuel 20:7](../../../kjv/2-samuel/20/7)).
They sprang from Caphtor, identified by many with Crete, which was
famed for archery, and to which the name *Cherethim* seems akin.
Though in emigration, which mostly tended westwards, Crete seems more
likely to be colonized from Philistia than Philistia from Crete, a
*section* of Cretans may have settled at Cherethim in South
Philistia, while the Philistines, *as a nation,* may have come
originally from the east (compare [Deuteronomy 2:23](../../../kjv/deuteronomy/2/23);
[Jeremiah 47:4](../../../kjv/jeremiah/47/4); [Amos 9:7](../../../kjv/amos/9/7);
[Zephaniah 2:5](../../../kjv/zephaniah/2/5)). In [Zephaniah 2:5](../../../kjv/zephaniah/2/5) the Philistines are made *distinct from the Caphtorim,*
and are said to come from the Casluhim; so that the Cherethim were
but *a part* of the Philistines, which [Zephaniah 2:5](../../../kjv/zephaniah/2/5) confirms.
**remnant of**—that is, "on
the seacoast" of the Mediterranean: those left *remaining*
after the former overthrows inflicted by Samuel, David, Hezekiah, and
Psammetichus of Egypt, father of Pharaoh-necho ([Zephaniah 2:5](../../../kjv/zephaniah/2/5)).

**17. know . . . vengeance**—They
shall know Me, not in mercy, but by My vengeance on them ().

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