Obadiah

Introduction

Obadiah wrote this shortest book of the Old Testament probably soon after the armies of Babylon destroyed Jerusalem (586 b.c.). During this conquest, the people of Edom helped capture fleeing Israelites and turn them over to the Babylonians. They even took up residence in some Judean villages. This angered the Lord, for the Edomites, as descendants of Esau, were related to the Israelites (Gen. 25:21–26, 30) and therefore should have helped them. Obadiah prophesied that Edom would be repaid for mistreating God’s people. Obadiah also asserted that God is sovereign over the nations and that the house of Jacob would be restored because of God’s covenant love for his people.

1 The vision of Obadiah.

Edom Will Be Humbled

Thus says the Lord God aconcerning Edom:

bWe have heard a report from the Lord,

and a messenger has been sent among the nations:

“Rise up! Let us rise against her for battle!”

2  Behold, I will make you small among the nations;

you shall be utterly despised.1

3  cThe pride of your heart has deceived you,

you who live in the clefts of the rock,2

in your lofty dwelling,

dwho say in your heart,

“Who will bring me down to the ground?”

4  Though you soar aloft like the eagle,

though your nest is set among the stars,

from there I will bring you down,

declares the Lord.

5  If ethieves came to you,

if plunderers came by night—

how you have been destroyed!—

would they not steal only enough for themselves?

If egrape gatherers came to you,

would they not leave gleanings?

6  fHow Esau has been pillaged,

his treasures sought out!

7  All your allies have driven you to your border;

those at peace with you have deceived you;

they have prevailed against you;

gthose who eat your bread3 have set a trap beneath you—

hyou have4 no understanding.

8  iWill I not on that day, declares the Lord,

destroy the wise men out of Edom,

and understanding out of jMount Esau?

9  And your mighty men shall be dismayed, kO Teman,

so that every man from jMount Esau will be cut off by slaughter.

Edom’s Violence Against Jacob

10  lBecause of the violence done to your brother Jacob,

shame shall cover you,

mand you shall be cut off forever.

11  nOn the day that you stood aloof,

oon the day that strangers carried off his wealth

and foreigners entered his gates

pand cast lots for Jerusalem,

you were like one of them.

12  qBut do not gloat over the day of your brother

in the day of his misfortune;

rdo not rejoice over the people of Judah

in the day of their ruin;

sdo not boast5

in the day of distress.

13  tDo not enter the gate of my people

in the day of their calamity;

tdo not gloat over his disaster

in the day of his calamity;

udo not loot his wealth

in the day of his calamity.

14  vDo not stand at the crossroads

to cut off his fugitives;

do not hand over his survivors

in the day of distress.

The Day of the Lord Is Near

15  For wthe day of the Lord is near upon all the nations.

xAs you have done, it shall be done to you;

your deeds shall return on your own head.

16  yFor as you have drunk on zmy holy mountain,

so all the nations shall drink continually;

they shall drink and swallow,

and shall be as though they had never been.

17  aBut in Mount Zion there shall be those who escape,

and it shall be holy,

band the house of Jacob shall possess their own possessions.

18  cThe house of Jacob shall be a fire,

and the house of Joseph a flame,

and the house of Esau dstubble;

they shall burn them and consume them,

eand there shall be no survivor for the house of Esau,

for the Lord has spoken.

The Kingdom of the Lord

19  Those of fthe Negeb bshall possess gMount Esau,

and those of the Shephelah shall possess hthe land of the Philistines;

they shall possess the land of Ephraim and the land of iSamaria,

and Benjamin shall possess Gilead.

20  The exiles of this host of the people of Israel

shall possess the land of the Canaanites as far as jZarephath,

and the exiles of Jerusalem who are in Sepharad

shall possess the cities of the Negeb.

21  kSaviors shall go up to Mount Zion

to rule gMount Esau,

and lthe kingdom shall be the Lord’s.