Ezekiel 25 5

Ezekiel 25:5 kjv

And I will make Rabbah a stable for camels, and the Ammonites a couching place for flocks: and ye shall know that I am the LORD.

Ezekiel 25:5 nkjv

And I will make Rabbah a stable for camels and Ammon a resting place for flocks. Then you shall know that I am the LORD."

Ezekiel 25:5 niv

I will turn Rabbah into a pasture for camels and Ammon into a resting place for sheep. Then you will know that I am the LORD.

Ezekiel 25:5 esv

I will make Rabbah a pasture for camels and Ammon a fold for flocks. Then you will know that I am the LORD.

Ezekiel 25:5 nlt

And I will turn the city of Rabbah into a pasture for camels, and all the land of the Ammonites into a resting place for sheep and goats. Then you will know that I am the LORD.

Ezekiel 25 verses

Ezekiel 25 5 Meaning

Ezekiel 25:5 pronounces a divine judgment upon the Ammonites and their capital city, Rabbah. God declares He will transform Rabbah from a proud urban center into a desolate area suitable only for animals to rest, specifically camels and flocks. This transformation signifies the utter downfall, depopulation, and reversal of their status, directly orchestrated by God. The ultimate purpose of this judgment is for the Ammonites, and implicitly the surrounding nations, to recognize and acknowledge the sovereignty and power of the LORD.

Ezekiel 25 5 Context

Ezekiel chapter 25 marks a turning point in the book of Ezekiel. Following prophecies predominantly concerning Judah and Jerusalem (chapters 1-24), Ezekiel now turns his prophetic focus to the surrounding nations that gloated over Judah's downfall and actively participated in its demise. The specific targets in this chapter are the Ammonites (vv. 1-7), Moabites (vv. 8-11), Edomites (vv. 12-14), and Philistines (vv. 15-17). These nations were all neighbors to Israel and Judah, and each had displayed varying degrees of hostility, opportunism, and cruelty toward God's people during their time of distress.

Ezekiel 25:5 is part of the prophecy specifically against Ammon. Historically, the Ammonites, descendants of Lot, resided to the east of the Jordan River. They were often in conflict with Israel and held a deep-seated enmity, highlighted by their capital Rabbah (modern Amman, Jordan). The prophet's indictment stems from their celebratory response to Jerusalem's destruction, "because you rejoiced over the land of Israel when it was laid waste, and over the house of Judah when they went into captivity" (Ezek 25:3). Their malicious pleasure at Israel's calamity incurred God's wrath, leading to this declaration of complete and humiliating desolation for their capital and people.

Ezekiel 25 5 Word analysis

• And I will make (וְשַׂמְתִּי - və·śam·tî): This phrase indicates a direct, active, and intentional divine agency. It is not a passive observation of historical events, but God's deliberate, powerful action to bring about this change. The prefix וְ (və-, "and") connects this action to God's prior declaration of judgment against Ammon. The verb שִׂים (śîm) often denotes 'to place,' 'to put,' 'to appoint,' or 'to make,' underscoring God's absolute authority in shaping destinies.
• Rabbah (רַבָּה - rab·bāh): This is the full, proper name for the capital city of Ammon, often known as Rabbath-Ammon. The name itself might suggest 'greatness' or 'multitude.' As the capital, its downfall symbolizes the complete subjugation and demise of the Ammonite kingdom. Its transformation underscores the ultimate humiliation of the nation.
• a stable for camels (לִנְוֵה גְמַלִּים - li·nə·wēh gə·mal·lîm): נְוֵה (navah) means a pasture, dwelling place, or fold, suggesting a place of encampment or rest. גְמַלִּים (gə·mal·lîm) refers to camels, creatures typically associated with desert or semi-desert environments, used by nomadic or caravanning peoples. The imagery evokes a place of desolation, stripped of human habitation, its urban structures either destroyed or abandoned, turning it into an area suitable for animals to dwell or pass through, rather than a thriving city. This is a complete reversal of its prior glory and significance.
• and the Ammonites (וּבְנֵי עַמּוֹן - ū·və·nê ʿam·môn): Literally "the sons of Ammon." This term refers to the entire people or nation, indicating that the judgment is not limited to their capital city but extends to the populace and their collective identity.
• a resting place for flocks (לְמִרְבַּץ צֹאן - lə·mir·baṣ ṣōʾn): מִרְבַּץ (mir·baṣ) denotes a lying-down place, a resting place for animals, often specifically flocks (צֹאן - ṣōʾn). Similar to the "stable for camels," this phrase reinforces the theme of extreme desolation and pastoralization. It suggests that human presence will vanish, replaced by livestock, highlighting a regression to a more primitive or even wild state.
• and you shall know (וִידַעְתֶּם - wî·ḏaʿ·tem): This phrase (יָדַע - yadaʿ, to know) is a crucial didactic motif throughout Ezekiel, appearing numerous times (e.g., Ex 7:5; Ezek 6:7, 12:20, 25:17). It indicates the revelatory purpose behind God's judgment. The experience of the Ammonites and the observing nations is intended to lead to a profound understanding of who God truly is. It's not just punishment but a demonstration of divine identity.
• that I am the LORD (כִּי־אֲנִי יְהוָה - kî-ʾa·nî Yah·weh): יהוה (Yahweh) is God's personal covenant name, often rendered "LORD" in English Bibles. The assertion אֲנִי יְהוָה ("I am Yahweh") affirms His unique existence, sovereignty, and faithfulness. Through this severe judgment, Ammon, and by extension all who observe, will come to recognize that the God of Israel is not merely one god among many, nor is He impotent to protect His people, but He is the supreme, omnipotent, and active deity who executes His word.

Words-group analysis:

• "And I will make Rabbah a stable for camels and the Ammonites a resting place for flocks": This phrase exhibits striking parallelism and provides vivid imagery. The parallel structures ("Rabbah a stable for camels" and "the Ammonites a resting place for flocks") powerfully emphasize the completeness of the desolation and reversal. It's a precise judgment that aligns with the Ammonites' gloating, transforming their thriving capital and identity into a testament of their downfall. The judgment affects both the physical city and the identity of the people.
• "and you shall know that I am the LORD": This forms the theological climax and purpose clause of the entire statement. It transcends the mere declaration of destruction, revealing God's ultimate goal. The suffering inflicted is a pedagogical tool to reveal His singular authority and identity to a people (Ammon) who either mocked or underestimated Him and His covenant with Israel.

Ezekiel 25 5 Bonus section

The desolation described for Rabbah becoming a "stable for camels and a resting place for flocks" is a powerful idiom for reversing the order of creation. Human dominion over the earth and the development of settled cities were seen as hallmarks of civilization, as depicted in the earliest chapters of Genesis (Gen 4:17). To reduce a city to an animal enclosure signifies a dramatic humbling, stripping it of its cultivated, human-centric purpose and returning it to a more primitive or wild state where nature and livestock reclaim human spaces. This is a common motif in prophecies against wicked cities (e.g., Babylon in Isa 13:21-22).

Furthermore, the concept of "knowing that I am the LORD" serves as both a threat and a promise throughout Ezekiel. For hostile nations like Ammon, it is a forced acknowledgment through devastating judgment, a stark realization of His power (Ezek 25:7, 11, 14, 17). For Israel, this same phrase carries the hope of restoration and a deeper, redemptive knowledge of their covenant God after purification (Ezek 36:11, 23, 38). Thus, the verse, while specifically condemning Ammon, also speaks to the overarching purpose of God's redemptive plan in demonstrating His unchallengeable authority to all of creation, leading some to destruction and others to a renewed relationship. The prophecy concerning Ammon saw its historical fulfillment through subsequent conquests by Babylonian, Persian, Hellenistic, and Roman empires, gradually leading to its decline as a distinct national entity and its territories often used for grazing.

Ezekiel 25 5 Commentary

Ezekiel 25:5 is a forceful declaration of divine judgment against the Ammonites, demonstrating God's sovereign power over nations. Their capital, Rabbah, emblematic of their national strength and pride, is sentenced to utter desolation, reduced from a fortified city to a desolate place fit only for wandering herds. This transformation is not a natural process but a direct, purposeful act of God, explicitly stated with "I will make." The severity of this judgment reflects the Ammonites' deep-seated and malicious joy over Judah's calamity (Ezek 25:3), an act seen as an affront to God himself who, though punishing His people, still reserved the right of judgment for their enemies.

The phrase "a stable for camels and a resting place for flocks" vividly paints a picture of complete depopulation and a return to a wilderness state, where nomadic animals rather than settled humans define the landscape. This debasement contrasts sharply with Rabbah's former glory. The ultimate theological thrust lies in the concluding statement, "and you shall know that I am the LORD." This consistent motif throughout Ezekiel emphasizes that divine judgments, even against pagan nations, serve as undeniable proofs of Yahweh's unique identity, sovereignty, and omnipotence. The punishment of Ammon is a clear lesson: the God of Israel reigns supreme over all the earth, and no nation can rejoice in His people's suffering without incurring His righteous wrath. This prophetic word not only condemns Ammon but also comforts Judah by affirming that God had not abandoned them and would bring justice to their enemies.