Ezekiel 35 - Mount Seir Condemned for Perpetual Hatred
Edom, pictured as Mount Seir, is sentenced to desolation for its lasting hatred of Israel.
Mount Seir, standing for Edom, is condemned for a 'perpetual hatred' that shed Israelite blood in the time of Judah's calamity and for boasting that the land left desolate was theirs to take. The short oracle follows the shepherd promises of Ezekiel 34 with a sharp reminder that not every neighbor shares in that restoration.
And the word of the Lord was maad to me,
and he seide, Thou, sone of man, sette thi face ayens the hil of Seir; and thou schalt profesie to it, and thou schalt seie to it,
The Lord God seith these thingis, Thou hil of Seir, lo! Y to thee; Y schal stretche forth myn hond on thee, and Y schal yyue thee desolat and forsakun.
Y schal distrie thi citees, and thou schalt be forsakun; and thou schalt wite, that Y am the Lord.
For thou were an enemye euerlastynge, and closidist togidere the sonis of Israel in to the hondis of swerd, in the tyme of her turment, in the tyme of the laste wickidnesse;
therfor Y lyue, seith the Lord God, for Y schal yyue thee to blood, and blood schal pursue thee; and sithen thou hatidist blood, blood schal pursue thee.
And Y schal yyue the hil of Seir desolat and forsakun, and Y schal take awei fro it a goere and a comere ayen;
and Y schal fille the hillis therof with the careyns of her slayn men. Men slayn by swerd schulen falle doun in thi litle hillis, and in thi valeys, and in thi strondis.
Y schal yyue thee in to euerlastynge wildirnessis, and thi citees schulen not be enhabitid; and ye schulen wite, that Y am the Lord God.
For thou seidist, Twei folkis and twei londis schulen be myne, and Y schal welde tho bi eritage, whanne the Lord was there;
therfor Y lyue, seith the Lord God, for Y schal do bi thi wraththe, and bi thin enuye, which thou didist, hatinge hem, and Y schal be made knowun bi hem, whanne Y schal deme thee;
and thou schalt wite, that Y am the Lord. Y herde alle thi schenschipis, whiche thou spakist of the hillis of Israel, and seidist, The hillis of Israel ben forsakun, and ben youun to vs, for to deuoure.
And ye han rise on me with youre mouth, and ye han deprauyd ayens me; Y herde youre wordis.
The Lord God seith these thingis, While al the lond is glad, Y schal turne thee in to wildernesse.
As thou haddist ioie on the eritage of the hous of Israel, for it was distried, so Y schal do to thee; the hil of Seir schal be distried, and al Ydumee; and thei schulen wite, that Y am the Lord.