Ezekiel 35:2

Son of man set thy face against Mount Seir,.... Which had its name from Seir the Horite, who first possessed it; and was succeeded in it by Esau and his posterity, the Edomites; see Genesis 36:8 , Deuteronomy 2:12 , so that the country of Edom or Idumea is here intended, and the inhabitants of it; who are put for the enemies of the church and people of God in general, as these were the enemies of Israel and Judah; and particularly for Rome, which, as it was spiritually called Egypt and Sodom, so it may be called Edom, as it often is by the Jews: now the prophet is bid to turn his face towards this mountain or country, and look sternly at it, and severely threaten it. The Targum is, "take up a prophecy against it;'' which is expressed in the next clause: and prophesy against it; foretell things contrary to it, which relate to its destruction, as follows:

(2) Mount Seir. —This poetical designation of the Edomites from the land which they inhabited is common in Scripture ( Genesis 36:8-9 ; Deuteronomy 2:1 ; Deuteronomy 2:5 ; 1Chronicles 4:42 , &c.). The land included the whole mountainous region between the Dead Sea and the Elanitic Gulf, or eastern branch of the Red Sea. The earlier denunciation of the Edomites had in view their historical relations to Israel; this, on the other hand, as already said—like Isaiah 34; Isaiah 63:1-6 —while still keeping this historical relation in view, regards them also as representative of the world’s hostility to the covenant people of God. This appears from the fact that the desolation of Edom, itself but a small province, is put in contrast ( Ezekiel 35:14 ) with the rejoicing of the whole earth, and that in Ezekiel 36:5 (and generally Ezekiel 35:3-7 ) Edom is coupled with “the residue of the heathen.” For the phrase “set thy face against,” see Ezekiel 13:17 ; and on Ezekiel 35:3 , comp. Ezekiel 6:14 .

Verse 2. - Set thy face against Mount Seir. The mountainous are in between the Dead Sea and the Elanitic Gulf, which formed the original settlement of Esau and his descendants ( Genesis 36:9 ), is here put for the land of Edom, as the land in turn stands for its people ( Ezekiel 25:8 ). Although already the prophet has pronounced a threatening doom against Edom ( Ezekiel 25:12-14 ), he once more directs against, it the judgments of Heaven, on this occasion viewing it as the representative of all those hostile world-powers which from the first had been opposed to Israel as the theocratic nation, and which even then, by their antagonism, hindered her return (cf. Isaiah 63:1-8 ). Ezekiel 35:2

In Ezekiel 35-36 we see the devastation of Edom, and the restoration of Israel. Edom was included among the nations against which Ezekiel prophesied Ezekiel 25:12-14 . But its fuller doom was reserved for this place, because Edom was one of the surrounding nations that profited at first by Judah's fall, and because it helps by way of contrast to bring out in a marked way the better future designed for Israel. Edom is the God-hating, God-opposing power, ever distinguished for its bitter hatred against Israel; and so the ruin of Edom is the triumph of Israel in the power of God.

Put thyself in a posture looking towards Mount Seir, but with a stern and menacing countenance; the phrase you meet Ezekiel 20:46 21:2 25:2 . Mount Seir; the country for the inhabitants of it, as is usual in Scripture. This was a mountainous country, yet fruitful. It was so called from the old lord of it, Seir the Horite, or mountaineer from Hor, whose posterity were ousted of it by Esau’s posterity, Deu 2:12 . Prophesy against it; foretell what sad things are coming on them.

2. Mount Seir—that is, Idumea (Ge 36:9). Singled out as badly pre-eminent in its bitterness against God's people, to represent all their enemies everywhere and in all ages. So in Isa 34:5; 63:1-4, Edom, the region of the greatest enmity towards God's people, is the ideal scene of the final judgments of all God's foes. "Seir" means "shaggy," alluding to its rugged hills and forests.

The Devastation of Edom Ezekiel 35:1. And the word of Jehovah came to me, saying, Ezekiel 35:2. Son of man, set thy face against Mount Seir, and prophesy against it, Ezekiel 35:3. And say to it, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah, Behold, I will deal with thee, Mount Seir, and will stretch out my hand against thee, and make thee waste and devastation. Ezekiel 35:4. Thy cities will I make into ruins, and thou wilt become a waste, and shalt know that I am Jehovah. Ezekiel 35:5. Because thou cherishest eternal enmity, and gavest up the sons of Israel to the sword at the time of their distress, at the time of the final transgression, Ezekiel 35:6. Therefore, as truly as I live, is the saying of the Lord Jehovah, I will make thee blood, and blood shall pursue thee; since thou hast not hated blood, therefore blood shall pursue thee. Ezekiel 35:7. I will make Mount Seir devastation and waste, and cut off therefrom him that goeth away and him that returneth, Ezekiel 35:8. And fill his mountains with his slain; upon thy hills, and in thy valleys, and in all thy low places, those pierced with the sword shall fall. Ezekiel 35:9. I will make thee eternal wastes, and thy cities shall not be inhabited; and ye shall know that I am Jehovah. Ezekiel 35:10. Because thou sayest, The two nations and the two lands they shall be mine, and we will take possession of it, when Jehovah was there; Ezekiel 35:11.

Therefore, as truly as I live, is the saying of the Lord Jehovah, I will do according to thy wrath and thine envy, as thou hast done because of thy hatred, and will make myself known among them, as I shall judge thee. Ezekiel 35:12. And thou shalt know that I, Jehovah, have heard all thy reproaches which thou hast uttered against the mountains of Israel, saying, "they are laid waste, they are given to us for food." Ezekiel 35:13. Ye have magnified against me with your mouth, and heaped up your sayings against me; I have heard it. Ezekiel 35:14. Thus saith the Lord Jehovah, When the whole earth rejoiceth, I will prepare devastation for thee. Ezekiel 35:15. As thou hadst thy delight in the inheritance of the house of Israel, because it was laid waste, so will I do to thee; thou shalt become a waste, Mount Seir and all Edom together; and they shall know that I am Jehovah. The theme of this prophecy, viz., "Edom and its cities are to become a desert" (Ezekiel 35:2-4), is vindicated and earnestly elaborated in two strophes, commencing with 'יען וגו (Ezekiel 35:5 and Ezekiel 35:10), and closing, like the announcement of the theme itself (Ezekiel 35:4), with 'כּי אני (וידעוּ) וידעתּם, by a distinct statement of the sins of Edom. - Already, in Ezekiel 25, Edom has been named among the hostile border nations which are threatened with destruction (Ezekiel 35:12-14).