1 The word of the Lord came againe vnto me, saying;
2 Sonne of man, set thy face against the Ammonites, and prophecie against them,
3 And say vnto the Ammonites; Heare the word of the Lord God, Thus saith the Lord God; Because thou saidst, Aha, against my sanctuarie, when it was prophaned, and against the land of Israel, when it was desolate, & against the house of Iudah, when they went into captiuitie;
4 Behold therefore, I will deliuer thee to the men of the East for a possession, and they shall set their palaces in thee, and make their dwellings in thee: they shall eate thy fruit, and they shall drinke thy milke.
5 And I will make Rabbah a stable for camels, and the Ammonites a couching place for flocks: and ye shal know that I am the Lord.
6 For thus saith the Lord God, Because thou hast clapped thine hands and stamped with the feete, and reioyced in heart with all thy despite against the land of Israel:
7 Behold therefore, I will stretch out mine hand vpon thee, and will deliuer thee for a spoile to the heathen, and I will cut thee off from the people, and I wil cause thee to perish out of the countreys: I will destroy thee, and thou shalt know that I am the Lord.
8 ¶ Thus saith the Lord God, Because that Moab and Seir doe say, Behold, the house of Iudah is like vnto all the heathen:
9 Therefore beholde, I will open the side of Moab from the cities, from his cities which are on his frontiers, the glory of the countrey Beth-ieshimoth, Baal-meon and Kiriathaim,
10 Unto the men of the East with the Ammonites, and will giue them in possession, that the Ammonites may not be remembred among the nations.
11 And I will execute iudgments vpon 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 Iudah by taking vengeance, and hath greatly offended, and reuenged himselfe vpon them:
13 Therefore thus saith the Lord God, I will also stretch out mine hand vpon 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 vpon Edom by the hand of my people Israel, and they shall doe in Edom according to mine anger, and according to my furie, and they shall know my vengeance, saith the Lord God.
15 ¶ Thus saith the Lord God, Because the Philistines haue dealt by reuenge, and haue 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 vpon the Philistines, and I will cut off the Cherethims, and destroy the remnant of the Seacoast.
17 And I wil execute great vengeance vpon them with furious rebukes, and they shall knowe that I am the Lord, when I shall lay my vengeance vpon them.
Judgments against the Ammonites. (1-7) Against the Moabites, Edomites, and Philistines. (8-17)1-7. It is wicked to be glad at the calamities of any, especially of God's people; it is a sin for which he will surely reckon. God will make it appear that he is the God of Israel, though he suffers them for a time to be captives in Babylon. It is better to know Him, and to be poor, than to be rich and ignorant of him.
8-17 Though one event seem to the righteous and wicked, it is vastly different. Those who glory in any other defence and protection than the Divine power, providence, and promise, will, sooner or later, be ashamed of their glorying. Those who will not leave it to God to take vengeance for them, may expect that he will take vengeance on them. The equity of the Lord's judgments is to be observed, when he not only avenges injuries upon those that did them, but by those against whom they were done. Those who treasure up old hatred, and watch for the opportunity of manifesting it, are treasuring up for themselves wrath against the day of wrath.
Commentary by Matthew Henry, 1710.