Ezekiel 35:7
I will make Mount Seir a waste and a desolation, and I will cut off from it all who come and go.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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This prophecy doesn't just promise emptiness; it declares the complete end of all movement and trade through Mount Seir, meaning not a single traveler or merchant would ever pass through safely again. This utterly halts the very lifeblood of Edom, which had grown prosperous through controlling these ancient trade routes.
This passage is part of a prophecy specifically against Mount Seir, the homeland of Edom, who were descendants of Esau and had a long-standing enmity with Israel. Edom had rejoiced over Jerusalem's destruction and had even participated in the plunder, acting with fierce hostility and greed. God declares that He will bring utter ruin upon Edom, making their land uninhabitable and cutting off all travel and trade that once flowed through it.
God declares a total destruction upon Mount Seir, the land of Edom. What does this extreme judgment reveal about His justice?
God’s judgment on Mount Seir is described with powerful imagery of complete devastation. The phrase 'a waste and a desolation' emphasizes the thoroughness of the destruction. This isn't just a military defeat; it's an obliteration of the land and its ability to sustain life or commerce.
Complete Annihilation
The prophecy speaks of 'cutting off all who come and go.' This paints a picture of silent, empty highways, where no travelers dare to pass, and no merchants can conduct their business. The land will become so dangerous and barren that its vital connections to the outside world will be severed. This total isolation signifies the finality of God’s judgment against those who actively plotted against His people.
Edom harbored deep-seated hatred towards Israel. Why does God take such personal offense at their malicious actions?
Mount Seir, the home of Edom, was not arbitrarily chosen for destruction. Edom’s fate was a direct consequence of their actions and attitudes towards God’s people, Israel.
The Sin of Edom
Edom's sin was rooted in their bitter envy and malice. They rejoiced when Jerusalem fell, siding with Israel's enemies and actively plotting to seize Israelite territory. They saw themselves as inheritors of the land God had given to Israel, driven by a hostile spirit rather than righteous claim. God declares, 'I will do to you as you have done to others' (Ezekiel 35:11). This principle of reciprocal justice is a hallmark of God's judgment.
God's Presence Defied
Edom acted against Israel even while God's presence was still associated with His people and their land. This wasn't just an attack on a nation; it was a defiance of the God who had chosen Israel. God makes His power and sovereignty known through such judgments, demonstrating that He will not tolerate those who seek to destroy His chosen ones out of hatred.
Understand the original words
šĕmāmâ · Hebrew Noun
A state of being laid waste, empty, or ruined; often used to describe divine judgment upon a land or people due to rebellion against God. It signifies the removal of God's blessing and the resulting emptiness.
Ezekiel's prophecy is a direct response to the Edomites' aggressive actions and schadenfreude following the Babylonian conquest of Jerusalem, highlighting how divine justice often intersects with geopolitical power struggles and historical grievances.
c. 586 BC
Fall of Jerusalem and Babylonian Exile
Nebuchadnezzar's Babylonian armies conquered Jerusalem, destroyed the Temple, and deported a significant portion of the Jewish population. This event marked the end of the Southern Kingdom of Judah as an independent state.
c. 585-580 BC— this verse
Edomites occupy southern Judea
Following the destruction of Jerusalem, the Edomites, who had long been hostile to Israel, moved into the depopulated southern territories of Judah. This occupation is the specific act of aggression that triggers God's judgment in Ezekiel 35.
c. 580 BC
Ezekiel's Prophecy Against Edom
The prophet Ezekiel delivers his oracle against Mount Seir (Edom), condemning their gloating over Jerusalem's downfall and their territorial encroachment. This prophecy pronounces a future desolation upon Edom for their actions.
c. 538 BC
Persian Empire allows Jewish return from exile
Cyrus the Great of Persia conquers Babylon and issues a decree allowing the Jewish exiles to return to their homeland and rebuild the Temple. Edom's presence in southern Judea creates ongoing tension with the returning Jewish population.
This passage describes Edom (Mount Seir's inhabitants) becoming a desolation, echoing Ezekiel's prophecy that no one will pass through it, fulfilling the judgment announced here.
Isaiah 34:10This verse explicitly states that Mount Seir will be a 'desolation,' with 'no one to pass through,' directly paralleling the judgment declared in Ezekiel 35:7.
Zechariah 7:14This verse speaks of God scattering his people and the land becoming desolate, with 'no one to pass through,' which is a similar consequence of divine judgment on a people who have acted unjustly, as Edom did.
Revelation 18:11This passage describes the commercial devastation of a future apocalyptic city, noting that 'no one buys their cargo anymore,' which shares the theme of complete economic and physical desolation for a place formerly frequented by travelers and traders.
gillEzekiel 35:7: "Thus will I make mount Seir most desolate, and cut off from it him that passeth out and him that returneth."
Thus will I make Mount Seir most desolate,.... By shedding the blood of the inhabitants of it; and as Rome will be, when it will be utterly burnt with fire, as that city will, and the flesh of the whore also, and made desolate; and when all the vials shall be poured out on the antichristian states under her jurisdiction, Revelation 16:1 , and cut off from it him that passe…
bensonEzekiel 35:7: "Thus will I make mount Seir most desolate, and cut off from it him that passeth out and him that returneth."
Ezekiel 35:7-12 . Thus will I make mount Seir most desolate — Hebrew, לשׁממה ושׁממה , a desolation and a desolation, or, a desolation and an astonishment, as Bishop Newton renders it, following the reading of several MSS. And cut off from it him that passeth out, &c. — No travellers shall go forward or backward in it with safety: see the margin. And thy cities shall not re…
This prophecy doesn't just promise emptiness; it declares the complete end of all movement and trade through Mount Seir, meaning not a single traveler or merchant would ever pass through safely again. This utterly halts the very lifeblood of Edom, which had grown prosperous through controlling these ancient trade routes.
This passage is part of a prophecy specifically against Mount Seir, the homeland of Edom, who were descendants of Esau and had a long-standing enmity with Israel. Edom had rejoiced over Jerusalem's destruction and had even participated in the plunder, acting with fierce hostility and greed. God declares that He will bring utter ruin upon Edom, making their land uninhabitable and cutting off all travel and trade that once flowed through it.
This passage is part of a prophecy specifically against Mount Seir, the homeland of Edom, who were descendants of Esau and had a long-standing enmity with Israel. Edom had rejoiced over Jerusalem's destruction and had even participated in the plunder, acting with fierce hostility and greed. God declares that He will bring utter ruin upon Edom, making their land uninhabitable and cutting off all travel and trade that once flowed through it.
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c. 140 BC
Hasmonean conquest of Edom
The Hasmonean ruler John Hyrcanus conquers the remaining Edomite territories, forcing the Edomites to undergo circumcision and convert to Judaism. This effectively ends Edom as a distinct people and fulfills prophecies of their subjugation.
"I will make Mount Seir a waste and a desolation, and I will cut off from it all who come and go." — This prophecy doesn't just promise emptiness; it declares the complete end of all movement and trade through Mount Seir, meaning not a single traveler or merchant would ever pass through safely again…
