Who are the “nations/enemies round about”?

  • Jos 23:1,2: All the Canaanites, and Moab, Ammon, and Edom.
  • Jdg 2:14: Philistia, Moab, Ammon, Canaanites, Midianites, Amalekites, etc.
  • 1Sa 10:1: Ammonites (1Sa 11); Philistines (1Sa 14); and Amalekites (1Sa 15).
  • 2Sa 7:1: Zobah, Philistia, Moab, Syria, Edom, Ammon, Amalek (2Sa 8-10).
  • 1Ki 4:31: Same as above. Also, Tyre and Ethiopia.
  • 2Ki 17:15: Edom, Moab, Ammon, Syria, and the Canaanites — whose abominable fertility rites Israel imitated.
  • 1Ch 22:9: Same as 1Sa 10:1; 2Sa 7:1; and 1Ki 4:31 above.
  • Neh 6:16: The Arabians, Ammonites, and Ashdodites (Philistines) (Neh 4:7).
  • Jer 25:9: All the Arab peoples, including Egypt and the Medes (see the full list in Jer 25:19-25).
  • Eze 5:4,15: Ammon, Moab, Edom, Philistia (Eze 25), Tyre (Eze 26-28), Egypt (Eze 29,30), Assyria (Eze 31).
  • Eze 36:4: See list above, but esp Edom (Eze 35).
  • Joel 3:11,12: Specifically mentioned are Tyre, Zidon, and Palestine/Philistia (Joel 3:4); and Egypt and Edom (Joel 3:19).
  • Oba 1:16: Edom esp (Oba 1:1), but all of Obadiah is similar to Jer 25 (see above).
  • Zec 12:2,6: Specifically, Syria, Tyre and Zidon, and the Philistines (Zec 9); Egypt and Assyria (Zec 10); and Egypt and the Canaanites (Zec 14).
  • Zec 14:14: Same general context as Zec 12 above.

In most of the above, the immediate context answers the question: “Who are the ‘nations round about’?” In a few instances, the answer comes from the wider context (ie, the section of a few chapters in which the passage is found).

When looking for a Last Days application, it makes sense to interpret the “nations round about” with reference to their proximity to Israel, which obviously is the point of reference of the prophets. Also, it makes sense to take those people who occupy those same geographical areas today as the logical successors of the peoples mentioned in the Bible. Such an interpretation harmonizes with a major Bible theme begun in Genesis: that God’s chosen seed (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and the tribes of Israel) would be in almost perpetual conflict with those neighbors (and relatives!) nearest to them (Lot, Ishmael, Esau, etc) over the ownership of the special Land which God promised to them.

The practical implications for us? When studying Bible prophecy, look first to the Middle East, not to Europe. This may require, for some, a rethinking of their personal views on Last Days events. It would be wrong to reason: ‘The Arabs can’t be the intended peoples, because they don’t fit into my prophetic scenario.’ It may be the scenario itself that needs changing!