Ezekiel — Chapter 35

Loading ESV text...

1Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,

2Son of man, set thy face against mount Seir, and prophesy against it,

3And say unto it, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, O mount Seir, I am against thee, and I will stretch out mine hand against thee, and I will make thee most desolate.

4I will lay thy cities waste, and thou shalt be desolate, and thou shalt know that I am the LORD.

5Because thou hast had a perpetual hatred, and hast shed the blood of the children of Israel by the force of the sword in the time of their calamity, in the time that their iniquity had an end:

6Therefore, as I live, saith the Lord GOD, I will prepare thee unto blood, and blood shall pursue thee: sith thou hast not hated blood, even blood shall pursue thee.

7Thus will I make mount Seir most desolate, and cut off from it him that passeth out and him that returneth.

8And I will fill his mountains with his slain men: in thy hills, and in thy valleys, and in all thy rivers, shall they fall that are slain with the sword.

9I will make thee perpetual desolations, and thy cities shall not return: and ye shall know that I am the LORD.

10Because thou hast said, These two nations and these two countries shall be mine, and we will possess it; whereas the LORD was there:

11Therefore, as I live, saith the Lord GOD, I will even do according to thine anger, and according to thine envy which thou hast used out of thy hatred against them; and I will make myself known among them, when I have judged thee.

12And thou shalt know that I am the LORD, and that I have heard all thy blasphemies which thou hast spoken against the mountains of Israel, saying, They are laid desolate, they are given us to consume.

13Thus with your mouth ye have boasted against me, and have multiplied your words against me: I have heard them.

14Thus saith the Lord GOD; When the whole earth rejoiceth, I will make thee desolate.

15As thou didst rejoice at the inheritance of the house of Israel, because it was desolate, so will I do unto thee: thou shalt be desolate, O mount Seir, and all Idumea, even all of it: and they shall know that I am the LORD.

1Moreover the word of Jehovah came unto me, saying,

2Son of man, set thy face against mount Seir, and prophesy against it,

3and say unto it, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Behold, I am against thee, O mount Seir, and I will stretch out my hand against thee, and I will make thee a desolation and an astonishment.

4I will lay thy cities waste, and thou shalt be desolate; and thou shalt know that I am Jehovah.

5Because thou hast had a perpetual enmity, and hast given over the children of Israel to the power of the sword in the time of their calamity, in the time of the iniquity of the end;

6therefore, as I live, saith the Lord Jehovah, I will prepare thee unto blood, and blood shall pursue thee: since thou hast not hated blood, therefore blood shall pursue thee.

7Thus will I make mount Seir an astonishment and a desolation; and I will cut off from it him that passeth through and him that returneth.

8And I will fill its mountains with its slain: in thy hills and in thy valleys and in all thy watercourses shall they fall that are slain with the sword.

9I will make thee a perpetual desolation, and thy cities shall not be inhabited; and ye shall know that I am Jehovah.

10Because thou hast said, These two nations and these two countries shall be mine, and we will possess it; whereas Jehovah was there:

11therefore, as I live, saith the Lord Jehovah, I will do according to thine anger, and according to thine envy which thou hast showed out of thy hatred against them; and I will make myself known among them, when I shall judge thee.

12And thou shalt know that I, Jehovah, have heard all thy revilings which thou hast spoken against the mountains of Israel, saying, They are laid desolate, they are given us to devour.

13And ye have magnified yourselves against me with your mouth, and have multiplied your words against me: I have heard it.

14Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: When the whole earth rejoiceth, I will make thee desolate.

15As thou didst rejoice over the inheritance of the house of Israel, because it was desolate, so will I do unto thee: thou shalt be desolate, O mount Seir, and all Edom, even all of it; and they shall know that I am Jehovah.

1The Lord’s message came to me:

2“Son of man, turn toward Mount Seir and prophesy against it.

3Say to it, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: “‘Look, I am against you, Mount Seir; I will stretch out my hand against you and turn you into a desolate ruin.

4I will lay waste your cities, and you will become desolate. Then you will know that I am the Lord!

5“‘You have shown unrelenting hostility and poured the people of Israel onto the blades of a sword at the time of their calamity, at the time of their final punishment.

6Therefore, as surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I will subject you to bloodshed, and bloodshed will pursue you. Since you did not hate bloodshed, bloodshed will pursue you.

7I will turn Mount Seir into a desolate ruin; I will cut off from it the one who passes through or returns.

8I will fill its mountains with its dead; on your hills and in your valleys and in all your ravines, those killed by the sword will fall.

9I will turn you into a perpetual desolation, and your cities will not be inhabited. Then you will know that I am the Lord.

10“‘You said, “These two nations, these two lands will be mine, and we will possess them,” (although the Lord was there);

11therefore, as surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I will deal with you according to your anger and your envy, by which you acted spitefully against them. I will reveal myself to them when I judge you.

12Then you will know that I, the Lord, have heard all the insults you spoke against the mountains of Israel, saying, “They are desolate; they have been given to us for food.”

13You exalted yourselves against me with your speech and hurled many insults against me—I have heard them all!

14This is what the Sovereign Lord says: While the whole earth rejoices, I will turn you into a desolation.

15As you rejoiced over the inheritance of the house of Israel because it was desolate, so will I deal with you—you will be desolate, Mount Seir, and all Edom—all of it! Then they will know that I am the Lord.’”

1Moreover Yahweh’s word came to me, saying,

2“Son of man, set your face against Mount Seir, and prophesy against it,

3and tell it, ‘Thus says the Lord Yahweh: “Behold, I am against you, Mount Seir, and I will stretch out my hand against you. I will make you a desolation and an astonishment.

4I will lay your cities waste, and you will be desolate. Then you will know that I am Yahweh.

5“‘“Because you have had a perpetual hostility, and have given over the children of Israel to the power of the sword in the time of their calamity, in the time of the iniquity of the end;

6therefore, as I live,” says the Lord Yahweh, “I will prepare you for blood, and blood will pursue you. Since you have not hated blood, therefore blood will pursue you.

7Thus will I make Mount Seir an astonishment and a desolation. I will cut off from it him who passes through and him who returns.

8I will fill its mountains with its slain. The slain with the sword will fall in your hills and in your valleys and in all your watercourses.

9I will make you a perpetual desolation, and your cities will not be inhabited. Then you will know that I am Yahweh.

10“‘“Because you have said, ‘These two nations and these two countries will be mine, and we will possess it;’ whereas Yahweh was there:

11therefore, as I live,” says the Lord Yahweh, “I will do according to your anger, and according to your envy which you have shown out of your hatred against them; and I will make myself known among them when I judge you.

12You will know that I, Yahweh, have heard all your insults which you have spoken against the mountains of Israel, saying, ‘They have been laid desolate. They have been given us to devour.’

13You have magnified yourselves against me with your mouth, and have multiplied your words against me. I have heard it.”

14Thus says the Lord Yahweh: “When the whole earth rejoices, I will make you desolate.

15As you rejoiced over the inheritance of the house of Israel because it was desolate, so will I do to you. You will be desolate, Mount Seir, and all Edom, even all of it. Then they will know that I am Yahweh.’”

Summary
Authorship & Background
Map & Geography
Commentary
Videos
Reflection

Summary

An oracle against Mount Seir — the territory of Edom. God declares judgment on Edom because of her perpetual hatred against Israel and her rejoicing when the two kingdoms fell. Edom said "These two nations shall be mine" — attempting to inherit the land God promised to Israel. Because Edom gloated "They are laid desolate, they are given us to consume," God will make Edom herself a perpetual desolation. The mountain that celebrated Israel's emptiness will itself become permanently empty.

Authorship & Background

Author: Ezekiel son of Buzi (see Chapter 1 notes for full details).
Classification: Oracle Against the Nations / Covenant Lawsuit Key Themes: Edom's perpetual hatred, gloating over Israel's fall, attempting to seize God's land, "These two nations shall be mine," blood-guilt, speaking against the mountains of Israel, God's jealousy for His land, perpetual desolation for perpetual hatred
Historical Context: This chapter seems oddly placed — the oracles against the nations ended at chapter 32. But chapter 35 is strategically positioned as a CONTRAST to chapter 36 (the restoration of Israel's mountains). The structure is deliberate: Mount Seir judged (ch.35) / Mountains of Israel restored (ch.36). Edom DOWN, Israel UP. The contrast makes the restoration promises brighter.
Edom (descendants of Esau, Jacob's twin brother — Genesis 25:30; 36:1) occupied the mountainous region south of the Dead Sea (Mount Seir). The hatred between Edom and Israel was ancient, going back to the twins' rivalry in the womb (Genesis 25:22-23). But Edom's specific crimes here are: (1) perpetual hatred (v.5), (2) actively shedding Israelite blood during Jerusalem's fall (v.5), (3) coveting the land of both kingdoms for herself (v.10), and (4) speaking blasphemously against "the mountains of Israel" — which are God's mountains (v.12).
Edom's attempt to seize Israel's land was a direct challenge to God's covenant promises. By saying "These two nations... shall be mine" (v.10), Edom was claiming what God had given to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. This is not merely political ambition — it's theological rebellion: seizing what God pledged to another.
Historically, Edom was progressively displaced by Nabatean Arabs from the 6th century BC onward, completely losing their territory and eventually disappearing as a distinct people.
Structure:
  • God Against Mount Seir: The Sentence (vv.1-4)
  • The Charge: Perpetual Hatred and Blood (vv.5-9)
  • The Claim: "These Two Nations Shall Be Mine" (vv.10-13)
  • The Verdict: Edom's Desolation Is Israel's Joy (vv.14-15)

Map & Geography

  • No specific geographic locations are referenced in this chapter.

Commentary

  • Enduring Word (David Guzik): enduringword.com
  • Charles Spurgeon: "'Whereas the LORD was there.' What a sentence! Edom looked at the smoking ruins of Jerusalem and saw vacancy. God looked at the same ruins and saw His own presence. The land was not abandoned — it was temporarily disciplined. And the Brother who tried to steal what God had not given found that God's absence from the temple did not mean God's absence from the land. HE WAS THERE."

Videos

The Bible Project — Ezekiel Overview (Video)

Reflection

  • 1. "Perpetual hatred" destroys (v.5). Unforgiveness held across years becomes a defining characteristic — and eventually a death sentence. What ancient grudge are you carrying? It will consume YOU long before it harms them. Release it before it becomes your identity.
  • 2. "Whereas the LORD was there" (v.10). When you look at a difficult situation and see only emptiness — God is THERE. The church may look weak, the land may look desolate, your life may feel empty — but God has not vacated. He is present in what others write off.
  • 3. Don't rejoice over others' discipline (v.15). When God corrects someone else — even if they deserve it — your job is NOT to gloat. Celebration of another's suffering invites the same suffering to your door. Weep with those who weep (Romans 12:15), even when their tears are deserved.
  • 4. God hears your words ABOUT His people (v.13). Every mocking comment about the church, every gleeful observation about a believer's failure, every "Aha!" over God's people — He hears. You're not speaking about them; you're speaking against HIM.
  • 5. Trying to seize what God gave to another will fail (v.10). Coveting someone else's calling, position, blessing, or inheritance — it won't work. God's gifts are assigned. What He gave to another is not available for your hostile takeover. Find your OWN calling instead.