Matthew Poole and continuators on Ezekiel 35

2 Son of man, set thy face against Mount Seir , and prophesie against it.

Put thy self in a posture, looking towards Mount Seir, but with a stern and menacing Countenance, the phrase you meet, chap. 20. ver. 46. let. n. and chap. 21. ver. 2 and chap. 25. ver. 2.

The Countrey for the Inhabitants of it, as is usual in Scripture; this was a Mountainous Countrey, yet fruitful.

So called from its old Lord of it, Stir the Horite, or Mountainer from Hor, whose posterity were ou[illegible: 1 letter]ed of it by Esau's posterity, Deut. 2.12.

Foretell what sad things are coming on them.

Marginal references: Jer. 49.7. Amo. 1.11. Obad. 10. &c.

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

By a Prosopopaela, or personating a Discourse with them; speak of them, as if thou wer[illegible: 1 letter] speaking to them.

See chap. 28. ver. 22. let. f. and chap. 34. ver. 10. let. q.

Chap. 25. ver. 7. let. s. and chap. 6. ver. 14.

Or over, denoting how inevitable the stroak will be, which God gives from above.

Wasted, forsaken, and nothing but solitariness left in thee.

Marginal references: Heb. a desolatio n, and a desolation.

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

God doth what he stirs up his Servants to do, it was Nebuchadnezzar, who was appointed to do this, and who did it as Ier. 27.36, 14, 17.

In the plural there were many, and strong Cities in Edom, yet all should be wasted, as chap. 25.12, 13, 14. where he in like manner is threatned.

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 , in the time that their iniquity had an end .

Edom was of the same stock, brother to Iacob, and 'twas sin to disgust or envy, but greater to hate, and greatest to retain a perpetual hatred, an hereditary enmity from Esaus time the Father of the Edomites, till now; near 1200 years had the Seed of Es[illegible: 1 letter]u hated Iacobs seed for inheriting the blessing, which yet I have some cause to think they, as little valued as their Father did before them.

By s[illegible: 1 letter]dden incursions sometime, by a formed war at other times, and by taking side with those, who warred upon him at all times, thus the sword of Edom was e[illegible: 1 letter]er drawn, or ready against Iacobs seed.

With fierceness, cruelty, and burning hatred, as appears Obad. 11, 12, 13, 14. which see.

Deepest calamity when all was lost, and their City taken▪ and none to pity, or help, then did Edom cruelly execute his hatred. Psal. 137.7.

When their iniquity was charged and punished on them.

Which brought them to final ruine. See 21.25. let. c.

Marginal references: Or, hatred of [illegible: 1 word].; Heb. poured o[illegible: 1 letter]t the children.; Heb. [illegible: 1 letter]ands.

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

God is true and constant to his threats against hardned sinner[illegible: 1 letter], and will be so as sure as he lives.

I'le dispose all things for War against thee, for a bloody War, in which thy blood shall be shed.

Thy guilt and my just revenges of innocent blood.

Never leave till thou die for it.

Thou hast loved, rather then hated blood-shed, therefore vengeance for it follows thee.

Marginal references: Psal. 1[illegible: 2 letters].17.

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

See ver. 3. let. h.

All Travellers that go to, or from Edoms Countrey, or his Cities, or possibly it may intimate the close Sieges with which his Cities should be so begirt, that none should attempt to go out, or go in, but it should cost them their life, so Iericho close besieged none went in or out, Ioshua 6.1.

8 And 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.

See this phrase ch. 30.11. but explained chap. 32.5. let. b.

There they will fortifie, or thither they will fly, and there the Enemy shall take and slay his men every where, as it follows in the words, slaughter shall be made of his men pursued by the [illegible: 1 letter]ager Chaldaean, but more by the vengeance of God.

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

Edoms sin was perpetual hatred, and Edoms punishment shall be perpetual desolations.

Edomites would never return into friendship with the Israelites but still hate and molest and waste them, now for just recompences Edoms Cities shall be wasted, and never return to their former glory.

Marginal references: Jer. 49.18. Ma[illegible: 1 letter]. 1.3, 4.

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

Covetousness is here charged upon these Edomites.

Israel and Iudah two ever after the revolt of the Ten Tribes.

With arrogance they determine what they will do, they reckon, the right was theirs as being the descendents of the Elder brother, and now the possession they say shall be theirs too.

Either thus, though God was with Israel Patron of them, and their right, this is blasphemous pride, to resolve thus against God himself, or though he was present among them, heard their resolutions, and would disappoint them.

Marginal references: Psal. 83.4, 12.; Or, though the Lord was [illegible: 1 word].

11 Therefore, 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 my self known amongst them, when I have judged thee.

Deal with thee, O Mount Seir.

I will take my measures from thy using of Israel, thou wast angry, and that very fiercely, in which anger thou didst smite. In fierce anger against thee I will smite thee, thou thoughtest with an envious heart, all Israel had was too good for him, and wouldst spoil him of all. And I know thee unworthy of all thou hast, and I will take it from thee. Thy hatred edged both thine anger and thine envy to extirpate, and root them out, and in my hatred against such sins, and obstinate sinners I will utterly destroy thee, and root thee out.

So God is known by the judgme nts that he executeth, when such wicked ones are taken in their own works, as snares, which themselves have laid.

12 And 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 .

Thou didst reproach, scoffe, and vilifie my people, as if they had been the people of some deaf Idol, but I will make thee know I am the Lord, who heard all thy blasphemies, and can, for I have punisht them.

Not speaking this without insulting and rejoycing as Tyre did, chap. 27.

Their God hath left, either unable to rescue them, or changed in his kindness, and gone back from his word; or some such like impious thoughts, and discourses they had against God, whose City, and Temple they saw the Babylonians ruine, and which Edomites helpt in doing.

Either by the Chald[illegible: 1 letter]ans or else by God.

Utterly to consume and to satisfie our hatred against them in the destruction of them.

Marginal references: Heb. [illegible: 1 word] ▪

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

Though the very words be not reported, yet 'tis certain from this passage, that they spake proudly against the God of Israel, boasting, what they wo[illegible: 1 letter]ld do will he, [illegible: 1 letter]ill he.

And these blasphemous words or discourses were not once or twice, they multiplied them 'tis probable, not much unlike the words of Senacherib, but they shall smart for all this and know 'tis for this, when God acts against them, who durst proudly speak against him. I have heard your words, you shall feel my Sword.

Marginal references: Heb. [illegible: 1 word].; 1 Sam. [illegible: 1 span]

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

The inhabitants of the Countries round about thee, the whole that thou knowest.

Is in peace and plenty, and enjoy both, thou shalt want all, and then envy at the welfare of others shall break thy heart. Envy was thy sin, and now what is the object of envy shall be thy grief, viz. the prosperity of others.

15 As thou didst rejoyce 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.

Thou took'st pleasure in the ruin of my people, for this thy sin, I will ruin thee, and then do to thee as thou didst, I will retaliate, and rejoyce in thy ruin: thou helpest to make Ierusalem desolate, I will make thee so; thou criedst to ruin them all, to destroy all the land, all thy land shall be ruin'd, and by these Judgments I will be known to be the Lord.