This is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Because Edom acted vengefully against the house of Judah, and in so doing incurred grievous guilt,
Parallel translations
- WEB Thus says the Lord Yahweh: Because Edom has dealt against the house of Judah by taking vengeance, and has greatly offended, and revenged himself on them;
- KJV Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because that Edom hath dealt against the house of Judah by taking vengeance, and hath greatly offended, and revenged himself upon them;
- NKJV ‘Thus says the Lord God: “Because of what Edom did against the house of Judah by taking vengeance, and has greatly offended by avenging itself on them,”
- NASB ‘The Lord God says this: “Because Edom has acted against the house of Judah by taking vengeance, and has incurred great guilt, and avenged themselves upon them,”
- NLT “This is what the Sovereign Lord says: The people of Edom have sinned greatly by avenging themselves against the people of Judah.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Edom is condemned for taking vengeance on Judah, exploiting her downfall to settle an old grudge. It matters because God holds nations accountable for cruelty toward His covenant people.
Overview
Edom, descended from Esau, had a long history of hostility toward Israel and seized Judah's collapse as a chance for revenge. The Lord declares this vengeance 'greatly offended' Him, showing that gloating over a brother's ruin incurs guilt. Scripture consistently treats Edom as a type of those who oppose God's people, and the gospel answers such enmity by calling enemies to repentance and reconciliation in Christ.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 8
- Jer 49:7–22Concerning Edom, this is what the LORD of Hosts says: “Is there no longer wisdom in Teman? Has counsel perished from the prudent? Has their wisdom decayed?
- Ps 137:7Remember, O LORD, the sons of Edom on the day Jerusalem fell: “Destroy it,” they said, “tear it down to its foundations!”
- Ezek 25:8This is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Because Moab and Seir said, “Look, the house of Judah is like all the other nations,”
- Amos 1:11–12This is what the LORD says: “For three transgressions of Edom, even four, I will not revoke My judgment, because he pursued his brother with the sword and stifled all compassion; his anger raged continually, and his fury flamed incessantly.
- Obad 1:10–16Because of the violence against your brother Jacob, you will be covered with shame and cut off forever.
- Ezek 35:1–15Moreover, the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
- 2 Chr 28:17–18The Edomites had again come and attacked Judah and carried away captives.
- Gen 27:41–42Esau held a grudge against Jacob because of the blessing his father had given him. And Esau said in his heart, “The days of mourning for my father are at hand; then I will kill my brother Jacob.”
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Christ at the center
The promise of one Shepherd-King David, a new heart and new Spirit, and the river of life flowing from the temple all stream toward Christ, the good Shepherd who gives the Spirit.
How Ezekiel 25:12 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.