Di a fis a Ammon yo: ‘Tande pawòl Senyè BONDYE a! Konsa pale Senyè BONDYE a: “Akoz ou te di: ‘Ha ha!’ kont sanktyè Mwen an lè li te vin pwofane a, kont peyi Israël lè l te vin dezole nèt la, e kont lakay Juda lè l te antre an egzil la,
What Does This Mean?
This verse is God speaking through the prophet Ezekiel to the Ammonites. God is upset because the Ammonites were happy when God's special place, the land of Israel, and the people of Judah were suffering. The message is that God does not approve of rejoicing over others' misfortunes.
Explained for Children
Imagine if you were sad because you lost your favorite toy, and your friend said 'Yay, now I can play with your toy!' That wouldn't be nice, right? Here, God is telling the Ammonites they were not kind when they were happy about the troubles of others.
Historical Background
Ezekiel, a prophet in the 6th century BCE, was communicating God's message to the Ammonites. This was during the time of the Babylonian exile, where many Israelites were suffering, and the Ammonites took advantage of their misfortune.
Living It Out Today
In today's world, we can apply this message by not rejoicing in the misfortunes of others. For example, if a colleague loses a job, it's not right to be happy about it, even if it might seem to benefit you.