Judgment on Ammon's Mockery
Four short verdicts on the neighbors who cheered when Jerusalem fell: Ammon for its gloating, Moab for calling Judah ordinary, Edom for taking revenge, Philistia for old malice. Each ends the same way, with the promise that they will know who the Father is.
25 1The word of our Father came to me:
2"Son of man, set your face against the Ammonites and prophesy against them. 3Say to the Ammonites, 'Hear the word of the Sovereign Father. This is what the Sovereign Father says: Because you cried "Aha!" over my sanctuary when it was profaned, and over the land of Israel when it was laid waste, and over the house of Judah when they went into exile, 4therefore I am giving you to the people of the East as a possession. They will set up their camps among you and make their homes there; they will eat your fruit and drink your milk. 5I will make Rabbah a pasture for camels and the land of the Ammonites a resting place for flocks. Then you will know that I am the Father. 6For this is what the Sovereign Father says: Because you clapped your hands and stamped your feet and rejoiced with all the malice in your heart against the land of Israel, 7therefore I am stretching out my hand against you and will give you as plunder to the nations. I will cut you off from the peoples and wipe you out from the lands; I will destroy you. Then you will know that I am the Father.'
Judgment on Moab's Contempt
8The Sovereign Father says: Because Moab and Seir said, 'Look, Judah's house is like all the nations,' 9so I am opening Moab's flank from the cities, its frontier cities, the land's glory: Beth-jeshimoth, Baal-meon, and Kiriathaim. 10I will give it, with Ammon, to the easterners as a possession, so Ammon won't be remembered among the nations. 11And I will execute judgments on Moab. Then they will know that I am the Father.
Judgment on Edom's Vengeance
12This is what the Sovereign Father says: Because Edom took revenge on the house of Judah and became very guilty by avenging itself on them, 13so the Sovereign Father says: I will stretch my hand against Edom, cut off man and beast from it, make it a wasteland; from Teman to Dedan they will fall by the sword. a a v13 Teman and Dedan mark opposite ends of Edom's territory — the phrase means the whole land, from north to south. 14I will lay my vindication on Edom through my people Israel; they will deal with Edom according to my anger and my rage. Then they will know my justice, declares the Sovereign Father.
Judgment on Philistia's Malice
15This is what the Sovereign Father says: Because the Philistines acted in revenge, taking vengeance with malice in their hearts, destroying out of long-held hostility, 16so the Sovereign Father says: I am extending my hand against the Philistines. I will cut off the Cherethites and destroy those left on the seacoast. b b v16 The Cherethites were a people closely linked to the Philistines, likely of Cretan descent, living along the southern coast. 17I will carry out great acts of justice against them, punishing them in wrath. Then they will know that I am the Father, when I lay my vindication on them."
