word of the Lord. In a new session of divine inspiration, the prophet's attention is finally turned away from Israel to her immediate neighbors—Ammon, Moab, Edom and Philistia. These had all been almost constant enemies of Israel and Judah, and now were either aiding the Babylonians or gloating over the defeat of God's people. For this, they must also be judged. Then, in Ezekiel 27-32, two additional sets of prophecies are given through Ezekiel—first against Phoenicia (with her great cities, Tyre and Sidon), then against Egypt. All these prophecies have largely been fulfilled, with certain aspects yet to be accomplished in the last days.

Ammonites. The Ammonites were descended from Lot (Genesis 19:38), and so were related to Israel. Nevertheless, they were inveterate enemies of Israel, as well as idolatrous and immoral. However, they were very prosperous, living in the region east of the Jordan, and boasting many strong and prosperous cities. This is the region now known as Trans-Jordan, or simply Jordan. Its ancient capital was Rabbah, meaning “City of Waters.” It continued as a prosperous country until well into the Christian era.

against them. In spite of their long prosperity, God prophesied through Ezekiel that the Ammonites would be conquered by “men of the east” (Ezekiel 25:4), and that its capital would become a “stable for camels” and a “couching place for flocks” (Ezekiel 25:5). It was also predicted that Rabbah would become “a desolate heap” (Jeremiah 49:2). All of this came to pass many centuries later, when the country was taken over by Bedouins from Arabia, with their vast flocks of sheep and herds of camels. For many ensuing centuries, Rabbah or Rabbath-Ammon, as it was also called, was indeed a “desolate heap.” See note on Jeremiah 49:6.

I will destroy thee. See also Ezekiel 25:2, 10, and Zephaniah 2:9. Unlike Israel, whose existence was guaranteed forever, the Ammonites have been thoroughly extinguished as a distinctive people, though now amalgamated with Arabs.

judgments upon Moab. See also Jeremiah 48, Amos 2:1-3, and Zephaniah 2:8-10. Like Ammon, Moab was descended from Lot, was a very prosperous country for two thousand years or more, and was always at enmity with Israel. Like Ammon, God eventually judged her for this, and her land was taken over by Bedouins and became quite desolate for centuries. Also like Ammon, however, God promised an eventual restoration of Moab in the latter days (Jeremiah 48:47), even though (like Ammon) she would have been “destroyed from being a people” (Jeremiah 48:42). This means, evidently, that Moab would never again be a distinct people, for her descendants, like those of Ammon, have been amalgamated with the Jordanian Arabs.

desolate from Teman. The Edomites likewise eventually disappeared from history as a distinct people, and their lands became desolate. The city of Teman was one of its chief cities, and apparently so was Dedan, but the locations of both are unknown today. See also Ezekiel 35:15.

upon the Philistines. The Philistines had been cruel enemies of Israel and Judah for many centuries, but Ezekiel prophesied their eventual destruction. Nebuchadnezzar invaded and conquered Philistia in the same campaign which finally destroyed Jerusalem.