Ezekiel 25:12-14·~1 min

A Prophecy against Edom

Because Edom acted vengefully and incurred great guilt by taking revenge on Judah, the Lord GOD will stretch out His hand against it and cut off people and animals. Its land will become desolate from Teman to Dedan, and God will lay His vengeance on Edom by the hand of Israel so that Edom will know the fury of divine retribution.

T¹²his 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.’

Section summaryEdom is condemned for taking vengeance on the house of Judah and piling up guilt in its hostility. The LORD responds by stretching out His hand against Edom and using His people Israel as instruments of retribution. Edom's violence will therefore return upon itself, and through that repayment it will experience the LORD's vengeance.

Role in the chapterThis section turns Edom's retaliatory spirit back upon its own head through divinely ordered recompense.