A Prophecy Against Edom
1A message from the Lord came to me. The Lord said, 2 “Son of man, turn your attention to Mount Seir. Prophesy against it. 3 Tell it, ‘The Lord and King says, “Mount Seir, I am against you. I will reach out my powerful hand against you. I will turn you into a dry and empty desert. 4 I will destroy your towns. Your land will become empty. Then you will know that I am the Lord.
5 “ ‘ “People of Edom, you have been Israel’s enemies for a long time. You let many Israelites be killed by swords when they were in great trouble. At that time I used Nebuchadnezzar to punish them and destroy them completely. 6 Now I will hand you over to murderers. They will hunt you down. You murdered others. So murderers will chase you. And that is just as sure as I am alive,” announces the Lord and King. 7 “I will turn Mount Seir into a dry and empty desert. No one will be able to go anywhere or do anything there. 8 I will fill your mountains with dead bodies. Some of those who are killed by swords will fall down dead on your hills. Others will die in your valleys and in all your canyons. 9 I will make your land empty forever. No one will live in your towns. Then you will know that I am the Lord.
10 “ ‘ “You said, ‘The nations of Israel and Judah will belong to us. We will take them over.’ You said that, even though I was there. I am the Lord. 11 You were full of anger, jealousy and hatred toward my people. So I will punish you. When I judge you, they will know that I am the Lord. And that is just as sure as I am alive,” announces the Lord and King. 12 “You will know that I have heard all the terrible things you said. You said them about those who live in the mountains of Israel. You made fun of them. You said, ‘They have been destroyed. They’ve been handed over to us. Let’s wipe them out.’ 13 You bragged that you were better than I am. You spoke against me. You did not hold anything back. But I heard it.” ’ ” 14 The Lord and King says, “The whole earth will be glad. But I will make your land empty. 15 You were happy when the land of Israel became empty. So I will treat you in the same way. Mount Seir, you will be empty. So will the whole land of Edom. Then you will know that I am the Lord.”