25:1 The word of the LORD came to me [Ezekiel functioned as God’s messenger]:

25:2 “Son of man [this expression designated Ezekiel as a member of the human race], set your face against [indicates that the Ammonites were to be the focus of Ezekiel’s prophetic attention] the Ammonites [people descended from Abraham’s nephew Lot (through Lot’s incestuous relationship with his daughter (Gen. 19:36-38); resided in region east of Jordan River and generally hostile toward God’s people; note: Amman is the capital of modern day Jordan] and prophesy against them [no evidence that the Ammonites actually heard Ezekiel’s words, but his words served to encourage God’s people].

Note: Ammonite and Israelite hostilities include:
• Judges 11:32-33 Jephthah fought against and defeated the Ammonites
• 1 Samuel 11:11 Saul defeated the Ammonites
• 2 Samuel 10:6-14; 12:26-31 David defeated the Ammonites
• Amos 1:13 Ammonites pushed into Gilead and slaughtered pregnant women

25:3 Say to them [the Ammonites; the people on whom God’s judgment would fall], ‘Hear the word of the Sovereign LORD. This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Because you said “Aha! [a cry of malicious satisfaction over the misfortune of God’s people]” [1] over my sanctuary when it was desecrated and [2] over the land of Israel when it was laid waste [Assyrians defeated Northern Kingdom in 722 BC] and [3] over the people of Judah [the Southern Kingdom] when they went into exile [587 BC; Jews remained in exile until Cyrus, king of Persia, allowed them to return in 538 BC],

25:4 therefore [note hat God’s judgment was imminent] I am going to give you to the people of the East [denotes the Babylonians or Chaldeans] as a possession. They will set up their camps and pitch their tents among you; they will eat your fruit and drink your milk.

25:5 I will turn Rabbah into a pasture for camels and Ammon into a resting place for sheep. Then you will know that I am the LORD.

25:6 For this is what the Sovereign LORD says: Because you have clapped your hands and stamped your feet, rejoicing with all the malice of your heart against the land of Israel,

25:7 therefore I will stretch out my hand against you and give you as plunder to the nations. I will cut you off from the nations and exterminate you from the countries. I will destroy you, and you will know that I am the LORD.’”

25:8 “This is what the Sovereign LORD says: ‘Because Moab and Seir said, “Look, the house of Judah has become like all the other nations,”

25:9 therefore I will expose the flank of Moab, beginning at its frontier towns—Beth Jeshimoth, Baal Meon and Kiriathaim—the glory of that land.

25:10 I will give Moab along with the Ammonites to the people of the East as a possession, so that the Ammonites will not be remembered among the nations;

25:11 and I will inflict punishment on Moab. Then they will know that I am the LORD.’”

25:12 “This is what the Sovereign LORD says: ‘Because Edom took revenge on the house of Judah and became very guilty by doing so,

25:13 therefore this is what the Sovereign LORD says: I will stretch out my hand against Edom and kill its men and their animals. I will lay it waste, and from Teman to Dedan they will fall by the sword.

25:14 I will take vengeance on Edom by the hand of my people Israel, and they will deal with Edom in accordance with my anger and my wrath; they will know my vengeance, declares the Sovereign LORD.’”

25:15 “This is what the Sovereign LORD says [this expression stresses Ezekiel’s role as God’s messenger]: ‘Because the Philistines [lived along southwest coastline of the promised land; modern day designation Palestine derived from term meaning “Philistines”] acted in vengeance and took revenge with malice in their hearts [the Philistines were committed to the total destruction of God’s people], and with ancient hostility sought to destroy Judah,

25:16 therefore this is what the Sovereign LORD says: I am about to stretch out my hand against the Philistines, and I will cut off the Kerethites and destroy those remaining along the coast.

25:17 I will carry out great vengeance on them and punish them in my wrath [God’s judgment designed to awaken the Philistines to the evil of their actions]. Then [as a result of God’s judgment] they [the Philistines] will know that I am the LORD, when I take vengeance on them [the Lord held the Philistines accountable for how they had treated others].’”