Ezekiel 35:5
““‘“Because you have had a perpetual hostility, and have given over the children of Israel to the power of the sword in the time of their calamity, in the time of the iniquity of the end;”
What does Ezekiel 35:5 mean?
Ezekiel is confronting Edom, a neighboring nation that had repeatedly opposed Israel throughout history. When Israel faced their worst moments—invasion, exile, and loss—Edom didn't just stand aside; they actively participated in the violence and handed Israelites over to their enemies. This verse captures God's anger at that kind of betrayal, especially when it happened to people already broken and defenseless. The "perpetual hostility" suggests this wasn't a one-time conflict but a pattern of cruelty born from old grudges, making it even more inexcusable in God's eyes.