Obadiah 8–14

So don’t be surprised”—it’s God’s sure Word!—

“when I wipe out all sages from Edom

and rid the Esau mountains of its famous wise men.

Your great heroes will desert you, Teman.

There’ll be nobody left in Esau’s mountains.

Because of the murderous history compiled

against your brother Jacob,

You will be looked down on by everyone.

You’ll lose your place in history.

On that day you stood there and didn’t do anything.

Strangers took your brother’s army into exile.

Godless foreigners invaded and pillaged Jerusalem.

You stood there and watched.

You were as bad as they were.

You shouldn’t have gloated over your brother

when he was down-and-out.

You shouldn’t have laughed and joked at Judah’s sons

when they were facedown in the mud.

You shouldn’t have talked so big

when everything was so bad.

You shouldn’t have taken advantage of my people

when their lives had fallen apart.

You of all people should not have been amused

by their troubles, their wrecked nation.

You shouldn’t have taken the shirt off their back

when they were knocked flat, defenseless.

And you shouldn’t have stood waiting at the outskirts

and cut off refugees,

And traitorously turned in helpless survivors

who had lost everything.