The Pulpit Commentary — Ezekiel — Volume 2 — Section 220

that her iniquity had an end; or, in the time Edom and Israel, and hold the oharge to be 6/ the i1•i.quity of the end (Revised Version); that Edom had hated his "brother" Israel. me1ming, nccor<ling to Keil, " the time of Others, with Hengstenberg, take the blood Judah's final transgression;" or, according Edom hated to be the blood he had shed. to Dr. Currey, in the • Speaker's Commen- Hitzig aud Fairbairn suppose the sense to tary,' the time when the capture of the city be that Edom hated the idea. of his own put an end to her iniquity; but; with more blood being shed. Even-better, t11erefore probability, aooording to Hengstenberg, (Revised Version)~blood shall pursue thee. Plumptre, and others, the time of that A po.ro.llel to this expression is supplied by .iniquity which brought on her end (oomp. eh. Deut. xxviii. 22, 45. Aocording to the iri. 29). Ewald translates, "at tile time of first or commonly accepted exposition of her extremest punishment," taking avon in the preceding cl'1use, the sense is that the sense of punishment-a rendering the Edom would ultimately fall beneath the Revisers have placed in the margin. Then, great law of retribution, and reap as she had according to Obadiah (vers. 11-14), the sown-blood for blood; according to the Edomites had not only stood coolly by, but second, the allusion is to the fact that what malevolently exulted wben they beheld Edom now most dreaded, the shedding of Jerusalem besieged by the Babylonian his own blood, would be that which should warriors; and not only joined with the ultimately overtake him (cf. eh. xi. 8; Job foreign invaders in I.he ea.eking of the city, iii. 25). but occupied its gates and guarded the Ver. 7.-Thns will I make-Mount Bei.r roads leading into the country, so as to most desolate; literally, desolation and a prevent the escape of any of tile wretched tksolation (;iQQl?I il~q~; or,as in the Revised inhabitants, and even hewed down with the Version, an a11ionishment and a desolation; sword Bllch fugitives as they were not able changing nt?P.tt! into n~rlr;,, for which, how- to save alive and deliver up to captivity. To this Ezekiel refers when he accuses ever, there is iio sufficient warrant. And I Edom of having shed the blood of the will out oft' . .. him that pasaeth out (or, ehildren of Israel by the force of the sword; through) and him that returneth. No more literally, of having poured the cMldren of should traders or travellers pass through I,rael upon the hands of the su,ord ; i.e. of the land of Edom or go to and return from having delivered them up to the sword (cf. it ( cf. oh. x:.xxiii. 28 ; Zcch. vii. U; ix. 8, Ps. I.xiii 11; Jer. xviii. 21). 10). Ver. 6.-I will prepare thee unto blood. Ver. 8.-And I will fill his mountains This peculiar expression was probably with his slain; literally, pief'ced through; selected because of the suggestion of the hence mortally wounded. Then Edom's name Edom (''red") contained in the term desolation would result from an exterminat- dam (" blood ")--though Smend doubts ing war, which should fill its hills, valley,, this-and designed to intimate that Edom's and rivers, or rather, water-courBes, with name would eventually be verified in slaughtered men (cf. eh, xxxi. 12; xxxi.i. 5). Edom's fate. And blood shall pursue thee. The physical features of Edom here speci- "AB blood-guiltiness invariably pursues a fied by the prophet have often been attested murderer, cries for vengeance, e.nd delivers by travellers. "Idumea embraces a section him np to punishment" (Hiivernick), so of a broad mountain range, extending in &hould blood follow in the steps of Edom. breadth from the valley of the Arabah to The translation of Ewo.ld, who reads 1?1.'I? the desert plateau of Arabia.... The ravines which intersect these sandstone mountains instead of 1·?-'J)t:t, " And because thy incli- are very remarkable. Take them as 11 nation is aft~; blood, therefore blood shall whole, there is nothing like them in tlie pursue thee,'' is hardly an improvement, world, especially those near Petra.... The and is besides unnecessary. Sith thou hast deep valleys and the little terraces along not hated blood, So render Ewald, Keil, the mountain-sides, and the broo.d downs Kliefoth, Hii.vernick, Schroder, Plnmptre, upon their summits, e.re covered with rich and the Revised Version, meaning tho.t soil, in which trees, shrubs, and flowers Edom had loved bloodshed. Kimchi, Hit- grow luxuriantly" (Porter, in Kitto'■ zig, Hengstenberg, Smend, and Fairbairn ' Cyolopredia,' art, "Idumea "). regard ti,-oi:i as a particle of strong affir- Ver. 9.-Thy oitiea shall not return, as io mation, equivalent to "forsooth," "verily," eh. xvi. 55 (Authorized Version arter the and understand the prophet to say that Keri) ; or, shall not be inhabited, ns in eh. Edom had hated blood. As to the precise xxvi. 20; xxix. 11; xxxvi. 83 (LXX. and import of this rendering, diversity of senti- Revised Version, both of which follow the ment prevails. Some, with 'fheodoret, Chethib). Heng~tonberg's. translntion, ~• Thy explain "blood" li8 an allusion to the cities ahnll not sit," but lie prostrate, 1B no, blood-rdatiow;hip of Esau and Jacob, extremely happy. ,c:,u. xxxv. 1-15.] THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET EZEKIEL. 221