Ezekiel 25:14 kjv
And I will lay my vengeance upon Edom by the hand of my people Israel: and they shall do in Edom according to mine anger and according to my fury; and they shall know my vengeance, saith the Lord GOD.
Ezekiel 25:14 nkjv
I will lay My vengeance on Edom by the hand of My people Israel, that they may do in Edom according to My anger and according to My fury; and they shall know My vengeance," says the Lord GOD.
Ezekiel 25:14 niv
I will take vengeance on Edom by the hand of my people Israel, and they will deal with Edom in accordance with my anger and my wrath; they will know my vengeance, declares the Sovereign LORD.'?"
Ezekiel 25:14 esv
And I will lay my vengeance upon Edom by the hand of my people Israel, and they shall do in Edom according to my anger and according to my wrath, and they shall know my vengeance, declares the Lord GOD.
Ezekiel 25:14 nlt
I will accomplish this by the hand of my people of Israel. They will carry out my vengeance with anger, and Edom will know that this vengeance is from me. I, the Sovereign LORD, have spoken!
Ezekiel 25 14 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Deut 32:35 | "Vengeance is mine, and recompence; their foot shall slide in due time..." | God's right to vengeance |
| Rom 12:19 | "Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine..." | Vengeance belongs to God, not man |
| Isa 34:5-6 | "For my sword shall be bathed in heaven... against Edom, and against the people of my curse, to judgment." | Prophecy of judgment on Edom |
| Jer 49:7 | "Concerning Edom, thus saith the Lord of hosts..." | Specific prophecy against Edom |
| Obadiah 1:10 | "For thy violence against thy brother Jacob shame shall cover thee..." | Edom's sin against Israel |
| Obadiah 1:15 | "For the day of the Lord is near upon all the heathen: as thou hast done, it shall be done unto thee..." | Retribution principle |
| Eze 25:6 | "Because thou hast clapped thine hands, and stamped with the feet... with all thy despite..." | Edom's malicious rejoicing |
| Eze 25:8 | "Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because that Moab and Seir do say, Behold, the house of Judah is like unto all the heathen..." | Moab/Edom's scornful comparison of Judah |
| Eze 6:7 | "And ye shall know that I am the Lord." | Knowing God through judgment |
| Psa 9:16 | "The Lord is known by the judgment which he executeth..." | God revealed through justice |
| Psa 149:7-9 | "To execute vengeance upon the heathen... to execute upon them the judgment written..." | God's people executing judgment |
| Isa 10:5-6 | "O Assyrian, the rod of mine anger... I will send him against an hypocritical nation..." | God uses nations as instruments |
| Joel 3:4-8 | "What have ye to do with me, O Tyre, and Zidon, and all the coasts of Palestine... I will return your recompence upon your own head." | Judgment on nations for harming Israel |
| Matt 25:31-46 | "Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed..." | Eschatological judgment on nations |
| Rev 16:6 | "For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink..." | Divine recompense for persecution |
| Isa 63:4 | "For the day of vengeance is in mine heart..." | God's resolute will for vengeance |
| Jer 50:15 | "Shout against her round about... for it is the vengeance of the Lord: take vengeance upon her..." | God calling for vengeance against Babylon |
| Hab 3:12 | "Thou didst march through the land in indignation, thou didst thresh the heathen in anger." | God's holy wrath in judgment |
| 2 Thess 1:6-9 | "Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you..." | Righteous judgment on persecutors |
| Eze 28:22 | "And they shall know that I am the Lord, when I shall have executed judgments in her..." | Knowing God through judgments |
| Mal 1:3-4 | "And I hated Esau... Whereas Edom saith, We are impoverished... The Lord hath indignation against them for ever." | Enduring divine judgment on Edom |
| Nahum 1:2-3 | "God is jealous, and the Lord revengeth... the Lord is slow to anger, and great in power..." | God's vengeance is rooted in His nature |
Ezekiel 25 verses
Ezekiel 25 14 Meaning
Ezekiel 25:14 declares God's solemn promise to execute His righteous vengeance upon Edom through the agency of His people, Israel. This divine retribution, driven by God's holy anger and fury against Edom's malicious actions, would culminate in Edom's experiential realization and acknowledgment of His absolute justice and power. It emphasizes divine sovereignty, the consequences of enmity against God's chosen people, and the certain fulfillment of prophetic judgment.
Ezekiel 25 14 Context
Ezekiel Chapter 25 is part of a larger section (chapters 25-32) that pronounces oracles of judgment against various foreign nations. These judgments follow the pronouncements against Judah and Jerusalem, emphasizing God's universal sovereignty and justice over all nations, not just Israel. Specifically, verses 12-14 deal with Edom. Edom, sharing a common ancestor with Israel (Esau and Jacob), displayed deep-seated and persistent hostility towards Judah, especially during Jerusalem's fall to Babylon. Rather than showing sympathy or kinship, Edom actively rejoiced, pillaged, and gloated over Judah's misfortune (cf. Eze 25:12, Oba 1:10-14). This verse's immediate context is God's specific response to Edom's vengeful and spiteful actions, promising them the very thing they enacted against Israel. Historically, the enmity between Israel and Edom was long-standing, reflecting the ancient struggle between Jacob and Esau. This prophecy ensured Edom would receive proportional retribution.
Ezekiel 25 14 Word analysis
- Thus will I execute (וְעָשִׂיתִי֙ - wəʿāśîṯî): The Hebrew verb ‘āśâ typically means "to do" or "to make," but here, with niqām (vengeance), it carries the strong meaning of "perform," "inflict," or "bring about." The "I" is God, emphasizing His personal, active involvement and sovereign determination.
- my vengeance (אֶת־נִקְמָתִ֖י - ʾeṯ-niq̄māṯî): Hebrew nāqām refers to retribution or justified punishment, often divinely ordained. It is not personal spite but divine justice against wrong, in contrast to human vindictiveness. It highlights God's attribute of righteousness in response to unrighteousness.
- upon Edom (בֶּאֱדֹֽום - bāʾĕḏōwm): The target nation. Edom, descended from Esau, was geographically situated south and east of Judah. Their deep-rooted enmity towards Israel made them a symbol of opposition to God's chosen people.
- by the hand of my people Israel (בְּיַד־עַמִּ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל - bəyaḏ-ʿammî yiśrāʾēl): This is a pivotal phrase. "By the hand of" (בְּיַד - bəyaḏ) indicates instrumentality or agency. God, the ultimate avenger, chooses to use Israel—His covenant people who were often passive recipients of judgment—as His instrument. This signifies their eventual restoration and empowerment. Historically, this saw partial fulfillment through the Maccabees and later by the Hasmonean ruler John Hyrcanus.
- and they shall do (וְעָשׂ֣וּ - wəʿāśû): "They" refers to "my people Israel." This verb mirrors wəʿāśîṯî from "I will execute," underscoring that Israel's actions in this specific instance are extensions of God's will.
- in Edom (בֶּאֱדֹ֗ום - bāʾĕḏōwm): Reinforces the target, specific and unsparing.
- according to my anger (כְּאַפִּ֖י - kəʾapî): Hebrew ʾap denotes fierce anger, nostrils flaring. It indicates the divine indignation and intense wrath provoked by Edom's cruel and persistent animosity towards God's people. This wrath is righteous.
- and according to my fury (וְכַֽחֲמָתִ֑י - wəkaḥămāṯî): Hebrew ḥēmâ also denotes burning wrath, often passionate and consuming. The use of both terms (
ʾapandḥēmâ) intensifies the description, stressing the unmitigated, holy displeasure of God that fuels this judgment. - and they shall know my vengeance (וְיָדְע֖וּ אֶת־נִקְמָתִ֖י - wəyāḏəʿû ʾeṯ-niqmaṯî): "They" here refers to Edom. The verb yāḏaʿ ("know") implies not just intellectual recognition but experiential and undeniable realization. Through suffering God's judgment, Edom would be forced to acknowledge that it originated from the sovereign God, a truth they previously denied or ignored. This knowledge is born out of judgment.
- saith the Lord GOD (נְאֻם֙ אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהֹוִֽה - nəʾum ʾăḏōnāy YHWH): This prophetic formula authenticates the divine origin and ensures the certain fulfillment of the oracle.
ʾăḏōnāy(Lord) signifies mastership, whileYHWH(God) points to God's covenant name and unchanging nature, confirming His power and faithfulness to His word.
Ezekiel 25 14 Bonus section
The historical fulfillment of Ezekiel 25:14 is primarily understood through the actions of the Hasmonean dynasty. John Hyrcanus, a Jewish high priest and ruler, conquered Edom (Idumea) in the late 2nd century BC, forcing them to convert to Judaism. While the "Israel" in Ezekiel's day might have pointed to the physical nation, the New Testament expands the understanding of "God's people" to include spiritual Israel (Gal 6:16). This means the principle of divine justice, exercised through God's instruments, remains true, though the exact form might shift from national execution to spiritual vindication and ultimate eschatological judgment. Edom, having deeply reviled Jacob's descendants, effectively disappeared as a distinct national entity, a testament to the comprehensive nature of this prophetic judgment.
Ezekiel 25 14 Commentary
Ezekiel 25:14 provides a powerful insight into the nature of divine justice and sovereignty. God's judgment on Edom is not arbitrary but a righteous response to their profound malice and unbrotherly hatred against Judah, particularly at their most vulnerable. The use of "my people Israel" as the instrument of this vengeance is significant; it signifies God's restoration of Israel's standing and their role as agents in His sovereign plan, contrasting their previous suffering at the hands of other nations. This action by Israel is not an act of human hatred, but a direct fulfillment of God's command and purpose, aligning their will with His holy anger and fury. The ultimate goal is for Edom to "know" God's vengeance, implying a forced recognition of His power, righteousness, and the consequences of opposing Him and His covenant people. This underscores the theological truth that all nations will eventually stand accountable before God. It highlights the distinction between human vengefulness (which is forbidden, Rom 12:19) and divine retribution (which is holy, just, and executed according to God's righteous character). Edom’s ultimate disappearance from history stands as a testament to this powerful prophecy.