A Message Condemning Ammon

1This message came to me from the LORD: 2“Son of Man, turn your attentiona to the descendants of Ammon and rebukeb them. 3Tell the Ammonites: ‘Listen to a message fromc the Lord GOD! This is what the Lord GOD says: “Because you have said, ‘Aha!’d about my sanctuary when it was desecrated, about the land of Israel when it became desolate, and about the households of Judah when they went into exile, 4therefore you’d better look out! I’m going to turn you over to mene from the East, who will dominate you. You will become their property. They will set up military encampments and permanent placesf in which to live among you, and then they’ll eat your fruit and drink your milk. 5I will turn Rabbahg into a pasture for camels, and Ammon will become a resting place for flocks of sheep. That’s how they’ll learn that I am the LORD.”’”

Why God Condemned Ammon

6“This is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Because you’ve applauded, stamped your feet, and rejoiced with all sorts of malice in your hearth against the land of Israel, 7therefore you’d betteri watch out! I’m raising a clenched fistj in your direction! I’m about to feed you to the surroundingk nations as war plunder. I’m going to eliminate you as a nation and kill off those of you who survive to live in otherl countries. I’m going to destroy you, and that’s how you’ll learn that I am the LORD.’”

A Message Rebuking Moab and Seir

8“This is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Because Moab and Seir are claiming, “Judah’s citizens arem just like every othern nation,” 9therefore you’d better watch out! I’m going to tear open Moab’s flanks, starting with its frontier cities—the very glory of the nation!—including Beth-jeshimoth,o Baal-meon,p and Kiriathaim.q 10I’m going to turn these citiesr over to mens from the East, who will dominate you. You will become their property. As a result, Ammon will be forgotten as a nation. 11I’m also going to punish Moab, and that’s how they’ll learn that I am the LORD.’”

The Coming Destruction of Edom

12“This is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Because Edom has made it their practice to seek extraordinary vengeance against Judah’s citizens,t and by doing so has incurred extraordinary guilt by taking revenge against them,’ 13therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘I’m going to raise my clenched fistu in Edom’s direction and eliminate every single human being and animal from Edom! I’m going to turn everything into a wasteland, starting with Teman, and Dedan will fall by violence!v 14I’m going to inundate Edom withw my retribution, using my people Israel to carry it out! They’ll deliver my anger, acting as an agent of my fury. Edom will come to know my vengeance,’ declares the Lord GOD.’”

A Message Condemning Philistia

15“This is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Because Philistia has made it their practice to carry out retribution, accompanied by extraordinary malice in their personal vendettas—vendettas that spring from their everlasting hostility— 16this is what the Lord GOD says: “Look out! I’m raising my clenched fistx in Philistia’s direction. I’m going to executey the Cherethitesz and destroy what’s left of the coastline of the Mediterraneanaa Sea. 17I’ll take vengeance on them, punishing them severely in my anger. They’ll know that I am the LORD when I take my vengeance on them.”’”