Bible Commentaries

Son of man, set thy face against mount ^a Seir, and prophesy against it,

(a) Where the Idumeans dwelt.

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] ^b iniquity [had] an end:

(b) When by their punishment I called them from their iniquity.

Therefore, [as] I live, saith the Lord GOD, I will prepare thee to blood, and blood shall pursue thee: since thou hast not ^c hated blood, even blood shall pursue thee.

(c) Except you repent your former cruelty.

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

(d) That is, to their former estate.

Because thou hast said, ^e These two nations and these two countries shall be mine, and we will possess it; though the LORD was ^f there:

(e) Meaning, Israel and Judah.

(f) And so by fighting against God's people they should go about to put him out of his own possession.

Therefore, [as] I live, saith the Lord GOD, I will even do according to thy ^g anger, and according to thy envy which thou hast used out of thy hatred against them; and I will make myself known among ^h them, when I have judged thee.

(g) As you have done cruelly, so will you be cruelly handled.

(h) Showing that when God punishes the enemies, the godly ought to consider that he has a care over them and so praise his name: and also that the wicked rage as though there were no God, till they feel his hand to their destruction.