The word of the Lord came again unto me, saying, Son of man, set thy
face against the Ammonites, and prophesy against them; And say unto
the Ammonites, Hear the word of the Lord God; Thus saith the Lord
God; Because thou saidst; Aha, against my sanctuary, when it was
profaned; and against the land of Israel, when it was desolate; and
against the house of Judah, when they went into captivity; Behold,
therefore I will deliver thee to the men of the East for a
possession, and they shall set their palaces in thee, and make their
dwellings in thee: they shall eat thy fruit, and they shall drink
thy milk. And I will make Rabbah a stable for camels, and the
Ammonites a couching place for flocks: and ye shall know that I am
the Lord. For thus saith the Lord God; Because thou hast clapped
thine hands, and stamped with the feet, and rejoiced in heart with
all thy despite against the land of Israel; Behold, therefore I will
stretch out mine hand upon thee, and will deliver thee for a spoil
to the heathen; and I will cut thee off from the people, and I will
cause thee to perish out of the countries: I will destroy thee; and
thou shalt know that I am the Lord (verses 1-7).
A message concerning Ammon had been given before to Ezekiel (chapter
xxi:28-32). The prophet Jeremiah also announced the coming judgment for
the Ammonites: "It shall be a desolate heap and her daughters shall be
burned with fire." But Jeremiah predicted a restoration of Ammon after
the judgment. "And afterward I will bring again the captivity of the
children of Ammon, saith the Lord" (Jer. lxix:1-6). God will accomplish
this in His own time and way. We do not need to trouble ourselves how He
will fulfil His Word; He takes care of that. Still another prophet
speaks concerning them. Zephaniah (ii:8-11) shows that they reproached
God's people and were filled with pride. As we know, both Ammon and Moab
had a deeply humiliating origin (Gen. xix:37-38) and had a racial
connection with Israel. As the past history shows they were in constant
conflict with Israel. When the sanctuary in the midst of God's people
was profaned, the land laid desolate and the house of Judah went into
captivity, they greatly rejoiced. Their exultation over Israel's sin and
God's punishment revealed their own wicked, God-defying, unbelieving
character. Therefore God is going to punish them. The men of the East
were to conquer them and take them for a possession. The men of the East
are the Bedouins. The word "palaces" must be translated "encampments."
The Bedouins set up their tents in stone rings. And this prophecy has
been fulfilled. The Bedouin nomads wander through Ammon's possession.