therefore, as I live, declares the Lord GOD, I will prepare you for blood, and blood shall pursue you; because you did not hate bloodshed, therefore blood shall pursue you.
English Standard Version (ESV)
God swears by His own life that Edom will be given over to slaughter, not just because they caused bloodshed, but because they never truly recoiled from it. This isn't just about punishment; it's about a deep-seated love for violence that ensures its pursuit.
therefore, as I live, declares the Lord GOD, I will prepare you for blood, and blood shall pursue you; because you did not hate bloodshed, therefore blood shall pursue you.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The Lord is pronouncing judgment on the nation of Edom, who have relentlessly plotted against and attacked His people, Israel. Edom's deep-seated hatred and desire for Israel's destruction have led God to swear an oath that their own violence will ultimately consume them. This verse emphasizes the retributive justice that awaits those who revel in bloodshed, assuring them that the very blood they loved will become their pursuer.
When God declares judgment, He doesn't just say it; He lives it. He binds Himself to His word.
The phrase "as I live, declares the Lord GOD" is a profound oath. God swears by Himself, the highest possible affirmation. This isn't a casual threat; it’s a divine guarantee of judgment.
The Weight of God's Oath
Edom's love for bloodshed would become their undoing. God's justice is a mirror, reflecting sin back upon the sinner.
Ezekiel 35:6 reveals a principle of divine retribution: "blood shall pursue you." This isn't just about a physical chasing, but a spiritual and legal consequence.
Bloodshed's Inescapable Grasp
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Understand the original words
ḥay-ʾǎnî · Hebrew Phrase (Verb + Pronoun)
An oath formula used by God, affirming His eternal existence, character, and the absolute certainty of His decreed word. It underscores that because God is the living, active Sovereign, His promises and judgments will inevitably come to pass.
dām · Hebrew Noun
Life-blood, often associated with murder, violence, or sacrificial atonement. In a legal context, it refers to the penalty for the taking of human life, signifying divine retribution for shedding innocent blood.
Ezekiel's prophecy against Edom in chapter 35 directly follows judgment against Judah and foresees Edom's own imminent judgment. The context of the Babylonian exile, particularly the fall of Jerusalem in 586 BC, highlights Edom's perceived gloating and historical animosity towards Judah, setting the stage for God's retributive justice described in this verse.
c. 8th century BC
Assyrian Empire's Dominance
The Assyrian Empire exerted significant influence and military control over the region, impacting the geopolitical landscape for nations like Edom and Judah.
605 BC
First Babylonian Deportation
Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon initiated deportations of Judean elites to Babylon, marking the beginning of the Judean exile and escalating regional tensions.
597 BC
Second Babylonian Deportation
A second wave of deportations occurred after a rebellion in Judah, further destabilizing the region and intensifying Babylonian control.
586 BC— this verse
Fall of Jerusalem and Third Deportation
The Babylonians destroyed Jerusalem and the Temple, exiling the majority of the remaining population. This event profoundly shaped the identity and theology of the Judean people.
c. 580-570 BC
Ezekiel's Prophetic Ministry
Ezekiel prophesied during the Babylonian exile, delivering messages of judgment and hope to the exiles and prophecies against surrounding nations.
This passage establishes the principle that shedding innocent blood is a grave offense against God, laying the groundwork for the idea that blood will pursue those who are guilty of it.
Deuteronomy 28:22This verse describes curses that include pestilence and blood, mirroring the inescapable pursuit of blood mentioned in Ezekiel, as a consequence of disobedience.
Jeremiah 15:3Jeremiah cries out to God that the sword, pestilence, and famine are pursuing his people; this shows a pattern of divine judgment where destructive forces are sent after those who have strayed from God.
Matthew 27:25The crowd cries, 'His blood be on us and on our children!' This is a chilling example of people accepting guilt for bloodshed, and foreshadows the destructive consequences that would pursue them.
Revelation 16:6This passage speaks of God pouring out wrath upon those who shed the blood of saints and prophets, indicating that divine judgment will directly confront those who have a history of loving and perpetrating bloodshed.
gillEzekiel 35:6: "Therefore, as I live, saith the Lord GOD, I will prepare thee unto blood, and blood shall pursue thee: sith thou hast not hated blood, even blood shall pursue thee."
Therefore, as I live, saith the Lord God,.... The form of an oath; the Lord swears by himself, because he could swear by no greater; and which he never does but in matters of importance, and for the confirmation of them, as the following is: I will prepare thee unto blood; prepare them for war, which will issue in sl…
clarkeEzekiel 35:6: "Therefore, as I live, saith the Lord GOD, I will prepare thee unto blood, and blood shall pursue thee: sith thou hast not hated blood, even blood shall pursue thee."
Blood shall pursue thee - Thou lovest blood, and thou shalt have blood. It is said that Cyrus and two hundred thousand men were slain in an ambush by Thomyris, queen of the Scythians, and that she cut ok his head, and threw it into a vessel filled with blood, with this severe sarcasm: - Satia te sanguine quem sitisti…
God swears by His own life that Edom will be given over to slaughter, not just because they caused bloodshed, but because they never truly recoiled from it. This isn't just about punishment; it's about a deep-seated love for violence that ensures its pursuit.
The Lord is pronouncing judgment on the nation of Edom, who have relentlessly plotted against and attacked His people, Israel. Edom's deep-seated hatred and desire for Israel's destruction have led God to swear an oath that their own violence will ultimately consume them. This verse emphasizes the retributive justice that awaits those who revel in bloodshed, assuring them that the very blood they loved will become their pursuer.
The Lord is pronouncing judgment on the nation of Edom, who have relentlessly plotted against and attacked His people, Israel. Edom's deep-seated hatred and desire for Israel's destruction have led God to swear an oath that their own violence will ultimately consume them. This verse emphasizes the retributive justice that awaits those who revel in bloodshed, assuring them that the very blood they loved will become their pursuer.
"therefore, as I live, declares the Lord GOD, I will prepare you for blood, and blood shall pursue you; because you did not hate bloodshed, therefore blood shall pursue you." — God swears by His own life that Edom will be given over to slaughter, not just because they caused bloodshed, but because they never truly recoiled from it. This isn't just about punishment; it's abo…
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Last reviewed October 2026