Ezekiel 25 3

Ezekiel 25:3 kjv

And say unto the Ammonites, Hear the word of the Lord GOD; Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thou saidst, Aha, against my sanctuary, when it was profaned; and against the land of Israel, when it was desolate; and against the house of Judah, when they went into captivity;

Ezekiel 25:3 nkjv

Say to the Ammonites, 'Hear the word of the Lord GOD! Thus says the Lord GOD: "Because you said, 'Aha!' against My sanctuary when it was profaned, and against the land of Israel when it was desolate, and against the house of Judah when they went into captivity,

Ezekiel 25:3 niv

Say to them, 'Hear the word of the Sovereign LORD. This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Because you said "Aha!" over my sanctuary when it was desecrated and over the land of Israel when it was laid waste and over the people of Judah when they went into exile,

Ezekiel 25:3 esv

Say to the Ammonites, Hear the word of the Lord GOD: Thus says the Lord GOD, Because you said, 'Aha!' over my sanctuary when it was profaned, and over the land of Israel when it was made desolate, and over the house of Judah when they went into exile,

Ezekiel 25:3 nlt

Give the Ammonites this message from the Sovereign LORD: Hear the word of the Sovereign LORD! Because you cheered when my Temple was defiled, mocked Israel in her desolation, and laughed at Judah as she went away into exile,

Ezekiel 25 verses

Ezekiel 25 3 Meaning

Ezekiel 25:3 is a divine indictment against the Ammonites, conveyed through the prophet Ezekiel. It declares God's imminent judgment upon them because they found malicious joy in the calamities that befell Judah. Specifically, their offenses include rejoicing over the desecration of God's Temple in Jerusalem, the subsequent desolation of the land of Israel, and the forced exile of the house of Judah. This "rejoicing" was a profound affront, demonstrating contempt for God's chosen people and, by extension, God Himself, warranting severe divine retribution.

Ezekiel 25 3 Context

Ezekiel 25:3 initiates a series of prophetic oracles (Ezek 25-32) pronounced against seven nations surrounding Judah: Ammon, Moab, Edom, Philistia, Tyre, Sidon, and Egypt. This specific oracle against the Ammonites immediately follows the dramatic account of Jerusalem's final fall and the destruction of the Temple (Ezek 24). At this catastrophic moment for Judah, its traditional enemies like Ammon, instead of lamenting or showing solidarity, openly gloated. This malicious rejoicing highlighted their deep-seated animosity toward God's chosen people and, implicitly, God Himself. Historically, the Ammonites, descended from Lot, shared a turbulent relationship with Israel, marked by territorial disputes and military conflicts since the days of Judges. Their specific transgression here—celebrating the destruction of God's sanctuary and the scattering of His people—was an act of contempt against divine honor and therefore provoked God's wrath.

Ezekiel 25 3 Word analysis

• and say to the Ammonites,:

  • say (אָמַר, ʾā-mar): A divine imperative to Ezekiel, marking the message as God's own word to a specific nation.
  • Ammonites (בְּנֵי־עַמּוֹן, bə-nê-ʿammôn): "Sons of Ammon," referring to the people descended from Ben-Ammi, son of Lot. They historically inhabited Transjordan, east of the Jordan River. Their historical enmity with Israel/Judah is well-documented (e.g., in Judg 3; 1 Sam 11; 2 Sam 10; Neh 4).

• 'Hear the word of the Lord GOD!:

  • Hear (שִׁמְעוּ, shim·ʿu): A call for serious attention and reception of the message, common in prophetic pronouncements, demanding that even hostile nations heed God's voice.
  • word (דְּבַר, də-ḇar): Denotes a direct, authoritative utterance or decree from God.
  • the Lord GOD (אֲדֹנָי יְהוָה, ʾĂḏō-nāy Yah·weh): This combined divine name ("Adonai" meaning Master/Sovereign and "Yahweh" as the covenantal, self-existent God) emphasizes both absolute authority and covenant justice. It underscores that the message comes from the supreme, sovereign God who upholds His promises and principles, even against nations unfamiliar with His covenant.

• Thus says the Lord GOD:

  • Thus says (כֹּה אָמַר, kōh-ʾā-mar): The standard prophetic formula establishing divine origin and irrefutable authority for the pronouncement that follows. It reaffirms that the message is not Ezekiel's, but God's.
  • the Lord GOD: Repeats the solemn authority of the speaker, lending ultimate weight and certainty to the impending judgment.

• Because you rejoiced:

  • Because (יַעַן, yaʿan): Introduces the reason or basis for the divine judgment, emphasizing the cause-and-effect relationship between Ammon's action and God's response.
  • rejoiced (שָׂמְחַתָּה, śā-mə-ḥat-tāh): From the verb שָׂמַח (samach), meaning to be joyful, glad, or rejoice. In this context, it is not an innocent or appropriate joy but a malicious, hostile glee, indicative of malevolent pleasure at another's suffering. This emotional response reveals deep enmity.

• over the desecration of my sanctuary,:

  • desecration (בַחֲלָּלוֹ, ba-ḥă-lā-lōw): From חָלַל (ḥalal), meaning to profane, defile, pollute, or violate. It implies making something holy common or unclean. This goes beyond mere destruction; it points to the violation of its sacredness and the contempt shown towards God's dwelling place.
  • my sanctuary (מִקְדָּשִׁי, miq·dā·šî): Refers to the Temple in Jerusalem. The possessive pronoun "my" (-î) is crucial: Ammon's joy was over the desecration of God's own house, a direct insult and challenge to His presence and honor among His people.

• over the desolation of the land of Israel,:

  • desolation (עַל־אַדְמַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, ʿal-ʾaḏ-mat Yiś·rā-ʾêl): Literally "over the land of Israel's becoming a waste." Admah is ground/land. This refers to the physical devastation and abandonment of the land that God had covenanted to His people. Ammon's joy here celebrated not just an enemy's defeat, but the ruin of a land that God considered His own, designated for His people.

• and over the exile of the house of Judah,:

  • exile (גְלֹת, gə-lōt): Refers to the forced removal and captivity of a people, their displacement from their homeland.
  • the house of Judah: Designates the people of the Southern Kingdom of Judah, which included Jerusalem. Rejoicing over their exile was celebrating the ultimate punishment and suffering of God's covenant people.

• Words-group by words-group analysis:

  • "and say to the Ammonites, 'Hear the word of the Lord GOD! Thus says the Lord GOD'": This opening establishes the divine mandate and absolute authority of the message. The repetition of "the Lord GOD" amplifies the seriousness and inevitability of the pronouncement, asserting God's sovereignty over nations.
  • "Because you rejoiced": This phrase directly identifies the core offense. It is not Judah's sin, nor God's judgment of Judah that is condemned, but the Ammonites' attitude – their cruel and mocking glee at the suffering of others who were, in a spiritual sense, God's very own.
  • "over the desecration of my sanctuary, over the desolation of the land of Israel, and over the exile of the house of Judah": These three elements specify the targets of Ammon's malevolent joy. They form a progression: the attack on God's dwelling (the Temple), the ruin of God's inheritance (the Land), and the suffering of God's people (Judah). Each offense is not just against Judah but an insult directed personally at the God who claimed these as "My" sanctuary, land, and people. This triumvirate of offenses encapsulates the complete tragedy that befell Judah, over which the Ammonites expressed heartless delight.

Ezekiel 25 3 Bonus section

The specific targeting of the "sanctuary" highlights a crucial theological point: the Ammonites' offense was against God's direct representation and dwelling on earth. Even though God allowed His Temple to be destroyed as part of Judah's judgment, He maintained proprietary claim over it. The Ammonites' malicious joy over its defilement effectively sided with the pagan destroyers, indicating a profound lack of respect for the Almighty. This demonstrates that God holds all nations accountable for their moral actions and attitudes toward Him and His people, not just for specific military conflicts or land grabs. It emphasizes that divine judgment extends to the disposition of the heart, particularly the dark satisfaction derived from the suffering of others. This is a recurring theme in prophetic literature, warning against pride and Schadenfreude among God's enemies.

Ezekiel 25 3 Commentary

Ezekiel 25:3 acts as a stern theological declaration, illustrating God's meticulous justice towards surrounding nations, even as He disciplined His own people. The core offense of the Ammonites was not simply passive observation of Judah's calamity but active, malicious joy (Hebrew śamach). This profound contempt extended beyond mere political rivalry; by rejoicing over the profaning of God's sanctuary, the desolation of His land, and the exile of His people, Ammon implicitly mocked God's power, covenant, and presence. This was viewed as a personal affront to God (my sanctuary). God does not tolerate those who take pleasure in the downfall of His children, for it demonstrates a heart hostile to His own divine honor. The verse lays the groundwork for the lex talionis principle of "measure for measure" in the subsequent verses and chapter, showing that God's justice would be executed precisely according to their sinful actions.