Ezekiel 35:7-12 - Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Thus will I make mount Seir most desolate Hebrew, לשׁממה ושׁממה, a desolation and a desolation, or, a desolation and an astonishment, as Bishop Newton renders it, following the reading of several MSS. And cut off from it him that passeth out, &c. No travellers shall go forward or backward in it with safety: see the margin. And thy cities shall not return Thy cities shall not be restored to thee again. This was exactly fulfilled; for the Nabatheans having driven the Edomites out of their ancient habitations, in the time of the Babylonish captivity, they settled themselves in the southern part of Judea, where they were afterward conquered by Hyrcanus, and obliged to embrace the Jewish religion, and so became at length incorporated with that nation. Dr. Prideaux. Because thou hast said, These two nations, &c., shall be mine The two nations and countries here spoken of mean the two kingdoms of Israel and Judah. The Edomites had settled themselves in part of Judea, and hoped to have got possession both of the land of Judah and the land of Israel in time. The Ammonites had the same design, as appears from Jeremiah 49:1. Whereas, or although, the Lord was there Was still with his ancient people, and had not yet entirely abandoned them, or withdrawn his protection from their country, and given it up to be laid waste. These Edomites, it seems, did not believe that God had placed his name in Judea, had chosen it for the place of his peculiar residence, and would never quite relinquish his property in it. Therefore I will even do according to thine anger As thou out of anger and envy didst hurt them, so will I hurt thee. I will make myself known among them I will make my people see that I have not quite cast them off, by the punishments I will bring upon thee on account of the evil thou hast done to them. And thou shalt know that I am the Lord Thou shalt then be convinced that I am the sovereign Lord of all things.