Ezek — Capítulo 25

25:1–32:32 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.

25:3-7 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.

25:8-11 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.

25:12-14 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.

25:15-17 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).