Ezekiel 25:12 kjv
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;
Ezekiel 25:12 nkjv
'Thus says the Lord GOD: "Because of what Edom did against the house of Judah by taking vengeance, and has greatly offended by avenging itself on them,"
Ezekiel 25:12 niv
"This is what the Sovereign LORD says: 'Because Edom took revenge on Judah and became very guilty by doing so,
Ezekiel 25:12 esv
"Thus says the Lord GOD: Because Edom acted revengefully against the house of Judah and has grievously offended in taking vengeance on them,
Ezekiel 25:12 nlt
"This is what the Sovereign LORD says: The people of Edom have sinned greatly by avenging themselves against the people of Judah.
Ezekiel 25 12 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Obadiah 1:10 | "For thy violence against thy brother Jacob shame shall cover thee, and thou shalt be cut off for ever." | Edom's judgment for violence against Judah. |
| Obadiah 1:12 | "But thou shouldest not have looked on the day of thy brother in the day of his stranger; neither shouldest thou have rejoiced over the children of Judah in the day of their destruction..." | Edom's malicious joy and active participation in Judah's distress. |
| Psa 137:7 | "Remember, O LORD, the children of Edom in the day of Jerusalem; who said, Rase it, rase it, even to the foundation thereof." | Edom's call for Jerusalem's utter destruction. |
| Lam 4:21 | "Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Edom, that dwellest in the land of Uz; the cup also shall pass through unto thee: thou shalt be drunken, and shalt make thyself naked." | Edom's gloating, foretelling their own future judgment. |
| Eze 35:5 | "Because 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..." | Edom's long-standing, unwavering hatred. |
| Am 1:11 | "Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Edom, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because he did pursue his brother with the sword..." | Edom's relentless persecution of Judah, their brother. |
| Isa 34:5 | "For my sword shall be bathed in heaven: behold, it shall come down upon Idumea, and upon the people of my curse, to judgment." | God's specific judgment on Edom (Idumea). |
| Jer 49:7 | "Concerning Edom, thus saith the LORD of hosts; Is wisdom no more in Teman? is counsel perished from the prudent? is their wisdom vanished?" | God's challenge to Edom's boasted wisdom, signaling their fall. |
| Mal 1:2-3 | "...I loved Jacob, and I hated Esau, and laid his mountains and his heritage waste for the dragons of the wilderness." | God's long-term covenant choice reflected in Edom's fate. |
| Gen 12:3 | "And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed." | Universal principle of judgment for mistreating God's people. |
| Gen 27:41 | "And Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing wherewith his father blessed him: and Esau said in his heart, The days of mourning for my father are at hand; then will I slay my brother Jacob." | Root of the hatred between Esau (Edom) and Jacob (Israel). |
| Deut 32:35 | "To me belongeth vengeance, and recompence; their foot shall slide in due time: for the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things that shall come upon them make haste." | Vengeance belongs solely to the Lord. |
| Psa 94:1 | "O LORD God, to whom vengeance belongeth; O God, to whom vengeance belongeth, shew thyself." | A prayer acknowledging God's sovereign right to vengeance. |
| Rom 12:19 | "Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord." | New Testament affirmation of God's prerogative regarding vengeance. |
| Heb 10:30 | "For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people." | Further NT confirmation that vengeance is God's. |
| 1 Pet 4:17 | "For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?" | Implies stricter judgment for those outside God's covenant when His people suffer. |
| Zec 2:8 | "For thus saith the LORD of hosts; After the glory hath he sent me unto the nations which spoiled you: for he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye." | God's deep concern and protection for His people, viewing harm against them as harm against Himself. |
| Nah 1:2-3 | "God is jealous, and the LORD revengeth; the LORD revengeth, and is furious... The LORD is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked..." | Description of God as a God who justly takes vengeance against wickedness. |
| Prov 24:17-18 | "Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth: Lest the LORD see it, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him." | Prohibition against taking joy in an enemy's misfortune, applying here to Edom's greater sin. |
| Isa 63:4 | "For the day of vengeance is in mine heart, and the year of my redeemed is come." | Prophetic word about God's future day of vengeance for His people. |
Ezekiel 25 verses
Ezekiel 25 12 Meaning
Ezekiel 25:12 declares the divine judgment against Edom for its actions of vindictive vengeance and profound malice against the kingdom of Judah. It asserts that Edom not only nursed ancient grudges but actively sought and executed retribution with great destructiveness and unrestrained animosity when Judah faced its downfall at the hands of Babylon, treating their 'brother' nation with intense hatred.
Ezekiel 25 12 Context
Ezekiel chapter 25 initiates a series of divine pronouncements against various nations surrounding Judah: Ammon, Moab, Edom, and Philistia. This section, which continues through chapter 32, immediately follows prophecies concerning Jerusalem's imminent destruction, signaling that while Judah would face judgment for its sins, nations that rejoiced in its suffering or actively participated in its demise would not escape God's reckoning. Historically, Edom, descendants of Esau and thus considered Judah's 'brother,' had a long-standing history of animosity towards Israel. This enmity intensified during Jerusalem's fall to Babylon in 586 BCE. Edomites not only stood by and watched but likely looted, occupied vacated territories, and even captured fleeing Judeans, fueled by deep-seated resentment and a desire to settle old scores. This verse directly addresses Edom's profound betrayal and vindictive actions during Judah's most vulnerable time, setting the stage for the specific judgment against them.
Ezekiel 25 12 Word analysis
- Thus saith the Lord GOD: (Hebrew: Ko amar Adonai YHWH כה אמר אדני יהוה). This is a standard prophetic formula, common throughout Ezekiel. It immediately establishes the divine, authoritative source of the message, signifying that these are not merely human words or political pronouncements, but the infallible decree of the sovereign God of Israel. Adonai (Lord) substitutes for YHWH (GOD) in reverence, emphasizing His ownership and power.
- Because that Edom: Edom, (Hebrew: Edom אֱדֽוֹם), refers to the nation descended from Esau, Jacob's twin brother (Gen 36). Their territory was south-east of Judah. Their 'brotherly' relationship made their subsequent betrayal and hatred particularly heinous in God's eyes. Edom had a persistent and often hostile relationship with Israel throughout history (Num 20, 1 Sam 14, 2 Sam 8, Amos 1:11).
- hath dealt against: (Hebrew: ‘asah עָשָׂה – to do, make, act). The term signifies direct action. Edom wasn't merely a passive observer but an active participant against Judah. The verb suggests an intentional course of action, not an accidental occurrence.
- the house of Judah: Refers to the Southern Kingdom, the descendants of Jacob through Judah, God's chosen people, the inheritors of the covenant promises, and at this point, the primary remnant of Israel. Attacking them was an affront to God Himself.
- by taking of vengeance: (Hebrew: bi-nqoām nqam בִּֽנְקֹ֥ם נָקָ֖ם). This is an emphatic construction using the verbal infinitive absolute alongside the finite verb, literally meaning "in avenging an avenging" or "to avenge with vengeance." It highlights the deliberate, premeditated, and deeply motivated nature of Edom's vengeful actions. This wasn't incidental harm; it was a settled intent to exact retribution for perceived past wrongs, going beyond mere opposition to malicious payback.
- and hath greatly offended: (Hebrew: wa-yishḥīt shāḥōth וַיִּשְׁחִ֥ית שָׁחֹ֖ת). The Hebrew root shāḥath (שָׁחַת) means to corrupt, ruin, destroy, spoil, or act viciously. The doubling of the word (finite verb with infinitive absolute) again provides intense emphasis, signifying an "utterly corrupting" or "greatly destroying" action. This conveys that Edom’s offense was not a minor slight but a significant, deeply damaging, and malicious transgression, an act of intentional devastation. It highlights a grievous moral failing and a profound act of malice, contributing significantly to Judah's ruination.
- and revenged himself upon them: (Hebrew: wa-yishpoch naqam וַיִּשְׁפֹּ֣ךְ נָקָ֖ם). Literally translated "and poured out vengeance." The verb shāphakh (שָׁפַךְ) means to pour out, to shed (blood). The imagery of "pouring out" suggests an unrestrained, overflowing, and unrestrained display of wrath and malice. It implies an overwhelming and relentless application of their vengeful desires against Judah, going beyond proportionate reaction to a destructive outpouring of hatred.
Words-Group Analysis:
- "by taking of vengeance, and hath greatly offended, and revenged himself upon them": This powerful triplet describes the depth of Edom's malicious actions. Each phrase intensifies the preceding one. "Taking of vengeance" denotes the motive; "greatly offended/ruined" describes the severe, damaging nature of their actions; and "poured out vengeance" emphasizes the overwhelming, unbridled intensity and extent of their animosity and destructive intent. It's a progressive description of deep-seated malice translated into destructive action against a vulnerable, covenant people. The repeated emphasis on vengeance indicates that this was not a side effect of war but Edom’s primary, hateful objective.
Ezekiel 25 12 Bonus section
The concept of Edom's "perpetual hatred" is further elaborated in Ezekiel 35:5. This underscores that their actions against Judah in Ezekiel 25:12 were not an isolated incident but the culmination of a deep, abiding antagonism rooted in the foundational rivalry of Jacob and Esau. Scholarly analysis often points out that Edom’s actions challenged God’s faithfulness to His covenant people, making their sin particularly grievous. By exploiting Judah’s weakness and actively participating in their ruin, Edom effectively mocked God's ongoing relationship with Judah, even in judgment. The specific use of terms related to "vengeance" highlights that Edom was settling scores for historical grievances, possibly even linking back to Esau's loss of his birthright. This verse also implicitly warns against triumphalism over the defeated, especially those considered family or former associates. God views actions taken in moments of vulnerability with great seriousness, particularly when driven by such deep-seated and malicious vengeance.
Ezekiel 25 12 Commentary
Ezekiel 25:12 unveils God's profound indignation towards Edom's egregious and deliberate acts of malice against Judah. This is not merely about national conflict but a divine response to a deep-seated, brotherly betrayal rooted in historical enmity (Gen 27:41) and culminated in vindictive Schadenfreude during Judah's devastation by Babylon. Edom's sin wasn't passive indifference but active participation, seeking and "pouring out" vengeance. This 'great offense' went beyond typical warfare, demonstrating an unbridled, destructive desire to further harm an already defeated kin. The Lord’s specific pronouncement underscores that His oversight extends to the actions of all nations, especially when they touch His chosen people, revealing a fundamental principle that mistreating Israel carries divine consequence. God is not only the judge of His people but also the protector of His covenant, ultimately affirming that vengeance belongs to Him alone (Deut 32:35, Rom 12:19). Edom's behavior reflected a heart devoid of compassion, filled with a malevolent delight in the suffering of their kin, prompting God's severe and justified judgment, serving as a solemn warning against such hateful glee.