Matthew Henry on Ezekiel 35:1-9
Mount Seir was mentioned as partner with Moab in one of the threatenings we had before (Eze 25:8); but here it is convicted and condemned by itself, and has woes of its own. The prophet must boldly set his face against Edom, and prophesy particularly against it; for the God of Israel has said, O Mount Seir! I am against thee. Note, Those that have God against them have the word of God against them, and the face of his ministers, nor dare they prophesy any good to them, but evil. The prophet must tell the Edomites that God has a controversy with them, and let them know,
I. What is the cause and ground of that controversy, Eze 35:5. God espouses his people's cause, and will plead it, takes wha…
Read the whole note in the consoleJamieson-Fausset-Brown on Ezekiel 35:6
I will prepare thee unto blood--I will expose thee to slaughter.
sith--old English for "seeing that" or "since."
thou hast not hated blood--The Hebrew order is, "thou hast hated not blood"; that is, thou couldst not bear to live without bloodshed [GROTIUS]. There is a play on similar sounds in the Hebrew; Edom resembling dam, the Hebrew for "blood"; as "Edom" means "red," the transition to "blood" is easy. Edom, akin to blood in name, so also in nature and acts; "blood therefore shall pursue thee." The measure which Edom meted to others should be meted to himself (Psa 109:17; Mat 7:2; Mat 26:52).
Adam Clarke on Ezekiel 35:6
Blood shall pursue thee - Thou lovest blood, and thou shalt have blood. It is said that Cyrus and two hundred thousand men were slain in an ambush by Thomyris, queen of the Scythians, and that she cut ok his head, and threw it into a vessel filled with blood, with this severe sarcasm: -
Satia te sanguine quem sitisti, Cyre.
"O Cyrus, now satisfy thyself with blood."
Hence, the figure: -
"Sarcasmus, with this biting taunt doth kill:
Cyrus, thy thirst was blood, now drink thy fill."
John Gill on Ezekiel 35:6
Therefore, as I live, saith the Lord God,.... The form of an oath; the Lord swears by himself, because he could swear by no greater; and which he never does but in matters of importance, and for the confirmation of them, as the following is:
I will prepare thee unto blood; prepare them for war, which will issue in slaughter and blood, such as the battle at Armageddon, Revelation 16:14, or, "I will make thee blood" (w); nothing else but blood; a mere "Aceldama", a field of blood; turn thee into blood, as the sea, rivers, and fountains will be, at the pouring out the second and third vials, Revelation 16:3,
and blood shall pursue thee; the guilt and vengeance of blood; or the avengers of the…