I will make Rabbah a pasture for camels and Ammon a fold for flocks. Then you will know that I am the LORD.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This prophecy isn't just about destruction, but about a profound reversal: the vibrant capital city will become mere housing for nomadic animals, and the people's land will be reduced to a resting place for grazing flocks. It highlights how God's judgment will strip away human pride and activity, leaving only the silent, elemental reality of the land serving its basic animal needs.
I will make Rabbah a pasture for camels and Ammon a fold for flocks. Then you will know that I am the LORD.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This prophecy is part of God's judgment against the surrounding nations for their cruelty towards His people during the Babylonian exile. After declaring judgment on Rabbah, the capital city of Ammon, the Lord proclaims that it will be reduced to a desolate wasteland, suitable only for wild animals and nomadic herds. This destruction serves as a stark demonstration of God's power and His ultimate authority, which the Ammonites will be forced to acknowledge.
Imagine the grandest city in Ammon, a place of power and pride, reduced to a resting spot for camels. This isn't just destruction; it's a profound declaration of judgment.
Rabbah, the capital city of the Ammonites, was known for its grandeur – it was called 'the Great City.' But God declares through Ezekiel that this once-proud metropolis will be transformed.
Why go through such drastic measures? The goal wasn't just punishment, but a profound revelation that echoes through history.
The devastating judgment on Rabbah and the Ammonites isn't an end in itself. It serves a greater purpose: to reveal God's true nature and authority.
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Ezekiel's prophecy against the Ammonites wasn't just about future destruction; it was a direct response to their gleeful participation in Judah's suffering during the Babylonian siege, highlighting God's justice for those who gloat over His people's pain.
c. 625 BC
Ezekiel's Prophetic Ministry Begins
Ezekiel begins prophesying in Babylon to the Jewish exiles, warning of impending judgment on Judah and surrounding nations.
589-582 BC
Siege and Fall of Jerusalem
Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon lays siege to Jerusalem, eventually destroying the city and the Temple, leading to a third wave of exiles.
c. 586 BC— this verse
Ammonites Join Judah's Enemies
During the final stages of Jerusalem's siege, the Ammonites, along with other neighboring peoples, actively opposed Judah and celebrated its downfall.
c. 585 BC
Judgment on Ammon Announced
Ezekiel delivers this prophecy specifically targeting the Ammonites for their actions against Judah, foretelling the destruction of their capital, Rabbah, and their land.
c. 5th century BC
Ammonite Decline
Following the Babylonian conquests, the Ammonites experienced a significant decline in power and population, their land becoming sparsely inhabited.
c. 3rd century BC
Rabbah Rebuilt as Philadelphia
Under the Ptolemies, the capital city of Rabbah was rebuilt and renamed Philadelphia, yet it did not regain its former prominence and eventually fell into ruins.
This passage prophesies the same desolation for Rabbah and Ammon, showing a consistent prophetic message about judgment falling upon them for their actions.
Amos 1:13-14Amos also condemns the Ammonites, specifically mentioning Rabbah, and predicts judgment, highlighting their cruelty and the divine retribution that would come.
Zephaniah 2:8-10Zephaniah foretells the judgment of Moab and Ammon, describing their land being turned into desolate places for flocks and herds, mirroring Ezekiel's imagery of animal pasturage.
Isaiah 5:17This verse speaks of sheep grazing in desolate places and lambs feeding among ruins, echoing the imagery of flocks taking over once-inhabited areas, reflecting the emptiness left after judgment.
ellicottEzekiel 25:5: "And I will make Rabbah a stable for camels, and the Ammonites a couchingplace for flocks: and ye shall know that I am the LORD."
(5) Rabbah was the only important town belonging to the Ammonites. It has become literally a stable for the camels of the wandering Bedouins. In the parallel clause the “Ammonites” are put for the land which they inhabit.
cambridgeEzekiel 25:5: "And I will make Rabbah a stable for camels, and the Ammonites a couchingplace for flocks: and ye shall know that I am the LORD."
5 . Rabbah a stable ] Rabbah, “great city,” was the capital ( Amos 1:14 ); in later times it bore the name of Philadelphia, and its site is probably marked by the ruins called Ammân. The word “stable” is usually rendered habitation, but sheepcote, 2 Samuel 7:8 . It may mean a place where animals are housed or where they pasture, cf. Isaiah 5:17 ; Isaiah…
This prophecy isn't just about destruction, but about a profound reversal: the vibrant capital city will become mere housing for nomadic animals, and the people's land will be reduced to a resting place for grazing flocks. It highlights how God's judgment will strip away human pride and activity, leaving only the silent, elemental reality of the land serving its basic animal needs.
This prophecy is part of God's judgment against the surrounding nations for their cruelty towards His people during the Babylonian exile. After declaring judgment on Rabbah, the capital city of Ammon, the Lord proclaims that it will be reduced to a desolate wasteland, suitable only for wild animals and nomadic herds. This destruction serves as a stark demonstration of God's power and His ultimate authority, which the Ammonites will be forced to acknowledge.
This prophecy is part of God's judgment against the surrounding nations for their cruelty towards His people during the Babylonian exile. After declaring judgment on Rabbah, the capital city of Ammon, the Lord proclaims that it will be reduced to a desolate wasteland, suitable only for wild animals and nomadic herds. This destruction serves as a stark demonstration of God's power and His ultimate authority, which the Ammonites will be forced to acknowledge.
"I will make Rabbah a pasture for camels and Ammon a fold for flocks. Then you will know that I am the LORD." — This prophecy isn't just about destruction, but about a profound reversal: the vibrant capital city will become mere housing for nomadic animals, and the people's land will be reduced to a resting pl…
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Last reviewed October 2026