Ezekiel 25

Ammon. These nations were punished five years after the Jews, chap. xxi. 19., and Jeremias xxvii. 3. (Calmet)

“Egypt, Syria, Phœnicia, and Arabia,” were conquered. (Berosus)

Hast. God saw their dispositions, which they manifested afterwards. (Calmet)

They rejoiced most, and were therefore punished with other nations. (Worthington)

East; the Chaldeans, (Sanctius) who conquered them, (Haydock) though the Scenite Arabs, who occupied the country after the inhabitants were removed, or the Armenians and Agarens, are rather meant than the Chaldeans. (Worthington)

Rabbath, the capital city of the Ammonites: it was afterwards called Philadelphia. (Challoner)

Flocks. These constituted the riches of those Arabians.

Lord, and that it was not through impotence that my people became a prey. Ammon and Moab returned after some time, ver. 10., and chap. xvi. 53., and Jeremias xlix. 6.

Seir; Idumea.

Nations, whose gods could not defend them. (Calmet)

Thus they blasphemed the Lord. (Theodoret)

Shoulder; reduce to slavery, (Haydock) or take the strong places, (Jeremias xlviii. 7.; Calmet) or cities and strength of Moab. (Worthington)

With, or “like thee.” Moab (ver. 11.) shall be treated like Ammon. (Haydock)

Hebrew, “As for the,” &c. (Calmet)

Revenge; exhorting the Chaldeans to destroy utterly, (Psalm cxxxvi. 7.) and seizing every opportunity of injuring the Jews, 2 Paralipomenon xxviii. 18., and Amos i. 11.

South. Hebrew, “Theman,” a city at one extremity. The Chaldeans laid waste the country, (chap. xxxii. 29.) but did not remove the people, who seized the southern parts of Juda, till they were forced to submit to the Machabees.

Enmities. They also watched every moment to injure the Jews, Amos i. 5. But Nabuchodonosor was irritated, because they had assisted Tyre, Jeremias xlvii. 4.

Killers. Hebrew, “Ceretheans.” David’s guards were of this nation, 2 Kings viii. 18. They came originally from Crete; and the Septuagint have here, “Cretans;” (Calmet) as Grabe substitutes for “Judges of Sidon.” (Haydock)

Chaldean, “archers.”

Remnant. They deserve not the name of a nation, having been much reduced by Egypt and the Chaldeans. (Calmet)