25:1 The word of the Lord came again unto me, saying,

2 Son of man, set thy face against the (Gemini) Ammonites, and prophesy against them;

3 And say unto the (Gemini) Ammonites, Hear the word of the Lord God; Thus saith the Lord God; Because thou saidst, Aha, against my sanctuary, when it was profaned (586 B.C.); and against the land of Israel, when it was desolate; and against the (Gemini) house of Judah, when they went into captivity (586 B.C.);

This prophecy was delivered immediately after the capture of the city by Nebuchadnezzar. The prophecies are seven in number, being against (1) Ammon, (2) Moab, (3) Edom, (4) the Philistines (ch. 25), (5) Tyre (ch. 26–28), (6) Sidon (Ezekiel 28:20-26), (7) Egypt (29–32). Those against the first six countries seem immediately posterior to the destruction of Jerusalem; those against Egypt belong to the time from the 10th to the 12th year of Jehoiachin’s captivity, that is, the year before the capture of the city, the year in which it was taken, and the year after, with the exception of the passage ch. Ezekiel 29:17-21 belonging to the 27th year of Jehoiachin’s captivity, which is probably a later insertion.

Judgments of God against the Ammonites, Ezekiel 25:1-7; Moabites, Ezekiel 25:8-11; Edomites, Ezekiel 25:12-14; and Philistines, Ezekiel 25:15-17; on account of their hatred to his people, and their insulting them in the time of their distress. These prophecies were fulfilled by the instrumentality of Nebuchadnezzar, about five years after the destruction of Jerusalem.

Josephus tells us, that about five years after the taking of Jerusalem, Nebuchadnezzar turned his arms against the Ammonites and Moabites, and afterwards against Egypt; and having subdued those nations, he returned to Babylon. Joseph. Antiq., 50 x., c. 2. Berosus states, as quoted by Josephus, contra App., that Nebuchadnezzar subdued Syria, Arabia, Phoenicia, and Egypt: and consequently, that he had brought under his dominion the Ammonites, Moabites, and Idumeans, who were included among the Philistines. See Calmet.

Those concerning Ammon, Moab, Edom, and Philistia are all included together in a single prophecy, occupying only one chapter (Ezekiel 25); Tyre is the subject of four separate prophecies, filling nearly three chapters (Eze 26:1 to Eze 28:19); Zidon is disposed of in the few following verses; while Egypt has seven distinct prophecies, filling chapters 29-32.

This prophecy was fulfilled five years after the destruction of Jerusalem ( Antiqu. l. 16. c. 9. sect. 7).

4 Behold, therefore I will deliver thee to the (Gemini) men of the east for a possession, and they shall set their palaces in thee, and make their dwellings in thee: they shall eat thy (solar golden) fruit, and they shall drink thy (lunar white) milk.

5 And I will make Rabbah a stable for (Taurus) camels, and the (Gemini) Ammonites a couching place for (Aries) flocks: and ye shall know that I am the Lord.

6 For thus saith the Lord God; Because thou (Orion & Perseus) hast clapped thine hands, and stamped with the feet, and rejoiced in heart with all thy despite against the land of Israel;

7 Behold, therefore I will stretch out mine hand upon thee, and will deliver thee for a spoil to the (Gemini) heathen; and I will cut thee off from the (Gemini) people, and I will cause thee to perish out of the countries: I will destroy thee; and thou shalt know that I am the Lord.

This people was accordingly conquered and subdued by the Chaldeans, about five years after the destruction of Jerusalem

8 Thus saith the Lord God; Because that (Gemini) Moab and Seir do say, Behold, the (Gemini) house of Judah is like unto all the heathen;

9 Therefore, behold, I will open the side of Moab from the cities, from his cities which are on his frontiers, the glory of the country, Bethjeshimoth, Baalmeon, and Kiriathaim,

10 Unto the (Gemini) men of the east with the (Gemini) Ammonites, and will give them in possession, that the (Gemini) Ammonites may not be remembered among the nations.

11 And I will execute judgments upon Moab; and they shall know that I am the Lord.

12 Thus saith the Lord God; Because that Edom hath dealt against the house of Judah by taking vengeance, and hath greatly offended, and revenged himself upon them;

they shewed their hereditary enmity to Israel (1Ma 5:3; 1Ma 5:35). John Hyrcanus finally subdued them and incorporated them in the state of Israel.

13 Therefore thus saith the Lord God; I will also stretch out mine hand upon Edom, and will cut off man and beast from it; and I will make it desolate from Teman; and they of Dedan shall fall by the sword.

14 And I will lay my vengeance upon Edom by the hand of my people Israel: and they shall do in Edom according to mine anger and according to my fury; and they shall know my vengeance, saith the Lord God.

this they did under the conduct of Judas Maccabæus. And afterward the high-priest Hyrcanus made an entire conquest of this country:

By the hand of may people Israel - This was fulfilled by the Maccabees, who not only defeated them and brought them under complete subjection, but obliged them to receive circumcision, Joseph. Antiq. 50 xiii., c. 17; 1 Maccabees 5:65; 2 Maccabees 10:16.
They were, in fact, finally subdued by John Hyrcanus in 126 B.C., and compelled to adopt the Jewish religion

"Then Judas fought against the children of Esau in Idumea at Arabattine, because they besieged Gael: and he gave them a great overthrow, and abated their courage, and took their spoils.'' (1 Maccabees 5:3)

my people Israel—namely, by Judas Maccabeus. The Idumeans were finally, by compulsory circumcision, incorporated with the Jewish state by John Hyrcanus (see Isa 34:5; 63:1, &c.; 1 Maccabees 5:3). So complete was the amalgamation in Christ's time, that the Herods of Idumean origin, as Jews, ruled over the two races as one people. Thus the ancient prophecy was fulfilled (Ge 25:23), "The elder shall serve the younger.

15 Thus saith the Lord God; Because the (Gemini) Philistines have dealt by revenge, and have taken vengeance with a despiteful heart, to destroy it for the old hatred;

16 Therefore thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I will stretch out mine hand upon the (Gemini) Philistines, and I will cut off the (Gemini) Cherethims (southern Philistia), and destroy the remnant of the sea coast.

They were accordingly subdued by Nebuchadnezzar: see Jeremiah 25:20; Jeremiah 47:1.

17 And I will execute great vengeance upon them with furious rebukes; and they shall know that I am the Lord, when I shall lay my vengeance upon them.