Ezekiel 35:12-13
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Edom's taunts weren't just about Israel's suffering; they were direct insults aimed at God, implying He was powerless or had abandoned His people. God declares He heard these "reproaches," showing that attacks against His chosen are seen as attacks against Him. This reveals how deeply God cares about His relationship with His people, and how seriously He takes any mockery of that bond.
And you shall know that I am the LORD. “I have heard all the revilings that you uttered against the mountains of Israel, saying, ‘They are laid desolate; they are given us to devour.’ And you magnified yourselves against me with your mouth, and multiplied your words against me; I heard it.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Ezekiel is pronouncing judgment against Edom for their cruel rejoicing and active participation in Israel's downfall during the Babylonian exile. The Edomites boasted that the desolation of Israel's lands was a gift to them, essentially taunting God and His people. God declares that He has heard these insults, viewing them as direct blasphemies against Himself, and promises to make His power known through retribution.
Did you know that the words you speak against God's people can be heard by God Himself? This passage reveals a profound truth about how God identifies with His followers.
The Edomites, fueled by hatred, rejoiced in Israel's desolation. They saw the land as rightfully theirs for the taking, a testament to their belief that God had abandoned His people. But God declares through Ezekiel, 'I have heard all your revilings.'
This isn't just about Edom's taunts; it's about God's deep connection with His people. He doesn't see attacks on Israel as separate from attacks on Himself. What is done against His chosen ones, He considers done against Him. It’s a powerful reminder that our attitudes and words toward fellow believers, especially when they are struggling, are noticed by the Lord.
Imagine shouting insults at someone you think is weak and abandoned. What if the person you're mocking is actually listening, and has the power to respond? That's the position the Edomites were in.
The core of God's message to Edom is: 'And you shall know that I am the LORD.' This isn't just a statement of His identity, but a declaration of His active awareness and His promised intervention. The Edomites acted as if God was deaf or powerless, believing Israel’s desolation meant God had left them and their land was up for grabs.
But God heard every word, every boast, every insult. His hearing implies His knowledge, and His knowledge implies His action. The judgment that follows is not arbitrary; it is a direct response to their 'blasphemies.' This knowledge and assurance should bring comfort to God’s people – the One who sees and hears all will ultimately bring justice.
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Understand the original words
YHWH · Hebrew Noun
The sovereign, self-existent covenant God of Israel (Yahweh), who reveals Himself through His redemptive and judicial acts.
ni'atsah · Hebrew Noun
Blasphemous, contemptuous, or insulting language directed against God or His people, implying a rejection of His authority.
shemamah · Hebrew Adjective/Noun
A state of being laid waste, destroyed, or left empty, often as a result of divine judgment for disobedience or hostility against God.
Edom's taunts against the desolate mountains of Israel reveal a deep spiritual blindness; they saw only ruins and an opportunity for plunder, failing to recognize God's presence and His ultimate sovereignty. This chapter underscores that God hears every insult against His people and will judge those who rejoice in their suffering.
c. 605 BC
First Deportation to Babylon
Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon deports some Jewish nobles and skilled workers, including Daniel, to Babylon. This marks the beginning of the Babylonian exile, a period of great distress for Judah.
597 BC
Second Deportation
More Judeans, including the prophet Ezekiel and King Jehoiachin, are deported to Babylon after a rebellion. The land of Judah is left in a state of devastation and despair.
586 BC
Fall of Jerusalem and Destruction of the Temple
Nebuchadnezzar conquers Jerusalem, destroys the city and the Temple, and exiles most of the remaining population to Babylon. This event represents the absolute low point for the nation of Judah.
Post-586 BC— this verse
Edom's Exultation and Plundering
During and after the fall of Jerusalem, the Edomites actively looted and occupied parts of Judah, particularly the southern regions. They gloated over Israel's ruin, treating the desolation as an opportunity for personal gain and displaying immense hostility towards God's people.
c. 585-571 BC
Ezekiel's Ministry in Exile
Ezekiel, living among the exiles in Babylon, receives visions and prophecies, including the oracle against Edom in chapter 35. He pronounces judgment on Edom for their actions and attitudes during Judah's downfall.
This passage echoes the theme of God hearing arrogant words spoken against Him and His people, stating 'Talk no more so very proudly, let not arrogance come from your mouth, for the LORD is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed.' It highlights that God is aware of and judges presumptuous speech, just as He heard Edom's blasphemies.
Matthew 25:45Jesus' words here powerfully connect actions against 'the least of these' with actions against Himself, reinforcing the idea that Edom's taunts against Israel were heard by God as if directed against Him personally. God takes it personally when His people are reviled.
Psalm 9:16This Psalm speaks about God making Himself known through His judgments, stating 'The LORD is known by the justice he executes.' This aligns with Ezekiel's prophecy where God declares 'You shall know that I am the LORD,' implying His knowledge will be revealed through the judgment He brings upon Edom for their words.
Revelation 13:6This prophetic passage describes the Antichrist opening his mouth 'to blaspheme God, by his name and his dwelling, that is, those who dwell in heaven.' It draws a parallel to Edom's blasphemies against God's people and land, showing that such arrogant defiance against God's chosen ones is a recurring theme of opposition throughout Scripture.
pooleEzekiel 35:12: "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, scoff, and vilify 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 punished them. Which thou hast spoken ; not speaking this without insulting and rejoicing,…
jfbEzekiel 35:12: "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."
12, 13. blasphemies … against … Israel … against me—God regards what is done against His people as done against Himself (Mt 25:45; Ac 9:2, 4, 5). Edom implied, if he did not express it, in his taunts against Israel, that God had not sufficient power to protect His people. A type of…
Edom's taunts weren't just about Israel's suffering; they were direct insults aimed at God, implying He was powerless or had abandoned His people. God declares He heard these "reproaches," showing that attacks against His chosen are seen as attacks against Him. This reveals how deeply God cares about His relationship with His people, and how seriously He takes any mockery of that bond.
Ezekiel is pronouncing judgment against Edom for their cruel rejoicing and active participation in Israel's downfall during the Babylonian exile. The Edomites boasted that the desolation of Israel's lands was a gift to them, essentially taunting God and His people. God declares that He has heard these insults, viewing them as direct blasphemies against Himself, and promises to make His power known through retribution.
Ezekiel is pronouncing judgment against Edom for their cruel rejoicing and active participation in Israel's downfall during the Babylonian exile. The Edomites boasted that the desolation of Israel's lands was a gift to them, essentially taunting God and His people. God declares that He has heard these insults, viewing them as direct blasphemies against Himself, and promises to make His power known through retribution.
"And you shall know that I am the LORD.
“I have heard all the revilings that you uttered against the mountains of Israel, saying, ‘They are laid desolate; they are given us to devour.’ And you magnified yourselves against me with your mo…" — Edom's taunts weren't just about Israel's suffering; they were direct insults aimed at God, implying He was powerless or had abandoned His people. God declares He heard these "reproaches," showing th…
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Last reviewed October 2026
