Verse 3. - Behold, O Mount Seir, I am against thee (cf. Ezekiel 5:8; Ezekiel 13:8; and contrast Ezekiel 36:9), and I will stretch out mine hand against thee (cf. Ezekiel 6:14; Ezekiel 14:9, 13; Ezekiel 25:7, 19; and Exodus 7:5), and I will make thee most desolate; literally, a desolation and an astonishment (cf. ver. 7). Against the mountains of Israel had been denounced a similar fate, which the idolatrous remnant that lingered in the laud after the Captivity had commenced began to experience (Ezekiel 33:28, 29). The doom, however, connected with the day of Israel's return was to fall upon Edom, whose cities should be emptied of their inhabitants and whose fields should be cursed with barrenness (Ezekiel 25:13; Obadiah 1:8, 10).
35:1-9 All who have God against them, have the word of God against them. Those that have a constant hatred to God and his people, as the carnal mind has, can only expect to be made desolate for ever.
And say unto it, thus saith the Lord God,.... The prophet was not upon the spot, and could not direct his speech immediately to the Edomites; but he might send this prophecy to their ambassadors at Babylon; or in a letter to them in their own land, in the name of the Lord:
behold, O Mount Seir, I am against thee: not the face of the prophet only, but the face of God himself was against them; and a terrible thing it is for any to have God to be against them, whether a nation, or a particular person. The Targum is,
"behold, I send my fury upon thee:''
and I will stretch out mine hand against thee; which was able to reach them wherever they were: and which, being stretched out, cannot be turned back; and, where it lights, falls heavy indeed; namely, his mighty hand of power and wrath. The Targum is,
"and I will lift up the stroke of my power upon thee;''
that is, lift up his hand and strike powerfully; the consequence of which must be as follows:
and I will make thee most desolate; their land, cities, towns, and villages, all should be utterly laid waste; see Revelation 17:16, so it follows:
behold, O Mount Seir, I am against thee: not the face of the prophet only, but the face of God himself was against them; and a terrible thing it is for any to have God to be against them, whether a nation, or a particular person. The Targum is,
"behold, I send my fury upon thee:''
and I will stretch out mine hand against thee; which was able to reach them wherever they were: and which, being stretched out, cannot be turned back; and, where it lights, falls heavy indeed; namely, his mighty hand of power and wrath. The Targum is,
"and I will lift up the stroke of my power upon thee;''
that is, lift up his hand and strike powerfully; the consequence of which must be as follows:
and I will make thee most desolate; their land, cities, towns, and villages, all should be utterly laid waste; see Revelation 17:16, so it follows: