Because thou hast had a perpetual hatred, and hast shed the blood of the children of Israel by the force of the sword in the time of their calamity, in the time that their iniquity had an end:
You've carried this hatred forever, and when Israel was already down and facing judgment for their mistakes, you made it worse by attacking them with violence. You kicked them when they were already at their lowest point.
There's a special kind of wrong in attacking someone who's already facing consequences.
📚 Historical Context
In the book of Ezekiel, the prophet is delivering a message of divine judgment against Edom, a neighboring nation that had long harbored hostility toward Israel due to ancient family rivalries dating back to Esau and Jacob. This verse specifically condemns Edom for exploiting Israel's vulnerability during the Babylonian invasions, when the nation was suffering the consequences of its own sins and facing exile. Ezekiel spoke these words to the exiled Jews to assure them of God's justice amid their hardships.
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