For my sword shall be bathed in heaven: behold, it shall come down upon Idumea, and upon the people of my curse, to judgment.
My sword - (Jeremiah 46:10.) Or else, knife for sacrifice; because God does not here appear as a warrior with His sword, but as one about to sacrifice victims doomed to slaughter (Vitringa). (Ezekiel 39:17.)
Shall be bathed - Hebrew, rivvthah; well-soaked, or glutted with blood: rather is intoxicated with blood (so Deuteronomy 32:42). So the Septuagint, Vulgate, Arabic, and Syriac. "In heaven" implies the place where God's purpose of wrath is formed, in antithesis to its 'coming down' in the next clause. Translate present, 'is bathed,' or 'intoxicated.' The thing is already settled in heaven; though the ungodly enjoy unconcerned and undisturbed peace, yet the sword, in God's decree in heaven, is already drunk with their blood.
Behold, it shall come down upon Idumea - originally extending from the Dead Sea to the Red Sea; afterward the Idumeans obtained possession of the country east of Moab, of which Bozrah was capital. Petra, or Selah, called Joktheel by Amaziah, who took it (2 Kings 14:7), was capital of South Edom (note, Isaiah 16:1). David subjugated Edom (2 Samuel 8:13-14). Under Jehoram they regained independence (2 Chronicles 21:8). Under Amaziah they were again subdued, and Selah taken (2 Kings 14:7). When Judah was captive in Babylon, Edom, in every way, insulted over her fallen mistress, and killed many of those Jews whom the Chaldeans had left, and hence, was held guilty of fratricide by God (Esau, their ancestor, having been brother to Jacob). This was the cause of the denunciations of the prophets against Edom (Isaiah 63:1, etc.; Jeremiah 49:7; Ezekiel 25:12-14; Ezekiel 35:3-15; Joel 3:19; Amos 1:11-12; Obadiah 1:8; Obadiah 1:10; Obadiah 1:12-18; Malachi 1:3-4). Nebuchadnezzar humbled Idumea accordingly (Jeremiah 25:15-21).
And upon the people of my curse - i:e., doomed to it.
To judgment - i:e., to execute it.