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The Prophet Obadiah

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- Chapter 1 -

(Jeremiah 49:7–22)
1
The vision of Obadiah. Thus says the Lord God to Edom: We have heard a report from the Lord, and he has sent an envoy to the nations: “Arise, and let us together rise up in battle against him.”(a)
2
Behold, I have made you little among the nations. You are greatly contemptible.
3
The arrogance of your heart has lifted you up, living in the clefts of the rocks, exalting your throne. You say in your heart, “Who will pull me down to the ground?”(b)
4
Though you have been lifted high like an eagle, and though you have placed your nest among the stars, from there I will pull you down, says the Lord.
5
If thieves had approached you, if robbers by night, how would you have remained unnoticed? Would they not have stolen all that they wanted? If the grape-pickers had approached you, would they not have left you at least a cluster?(c)
6
In what way have they been examining Esau? They investigated his secrets.(d)
7
They have sent you out all the way to the limit. All the men of your alliance have deceived you. Your men of peace have prevailed against you. Those who eat with you will place snares under you. There is no foresight in him.(e)
8
Shall I not, in that day, says the Lord, wipe away understanding from Idumea and foresight from the mount of Esau?
9
And your strong from the Meridian will be afraid, so that man may perish from the mount of Esau.(f)
10
Because of the execution, and because of the iniquity against your brother Jacob, confusion will cover you, and you will pass away into eternity.(g)
11
In the day when you stood against him, when strangers seized his army, and foreigners entered into his gates, and they cast lots over Jerusalem: you also were just like one of them.
12
But you shall not show disdain for the day of your brother in the day of his sojourn. And you shall not rejoice over the sons of Judah in the day of their perdition. And you shall not magnify your mouth in the day of anguish.(h) (i)
13
And neither shall you enter into the gate of my people in the day of their ruin. And neither shall you also show disdain for his troubles in the day of his desolation. And you shall not send out against his army in the day of his desolation.
14
Neither shall you stand at the exits to execute those who will flee. And you shall not enclose their remnant in the day of tribulation.

The Deliverance of Israel

15
For the day of the Lord is near, over all nations. Just as you have done, so will it be done to you. He will turn back your retribution on your own head.
16
For in the manner that you drank on my holy mountain, so shall all nations drink continually. And they will drink, and they will absorb, and they will be as if they were not.(j)
17
And on mount Zion there will be salvation, and it will be holy. And the house of Jacob will possess those who had possessed them.
18
And the house of Jacob will be a fire, and the house of Joseph a flame, and the house of Esau stubble. And they will be set on fire among them, and they will devour them. And there will be no remnant of the house of Esau, for the Lord has spoken.
19
And those who are towards the South, and who are in the camps of the Philistines, will inherit the mount of Esau. And they will possess the region of Ephraim, and the region of Samaria. And Benjamin will possess Gilead.
20
And the exiles of this army of the sons of Israel, all the places of the Canaanites all the way to Sarepta, and the exiles of Jerusalem who are in Bosphoro, will possess the cities of the South.
21
And the saviors will ascend to mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau. And the kingdom will be for the Lord.(k)

Footnotes

(a)1:1 ‘Auditum’ is a report or a message or, more literally, something that has been heard. In this verse, the Lord sends an envoy or messenger (or even a message) to the nations to rise up against Edom.(Conte)
(b)1:3 The word ‘extulit’ means to lift up or to carry, but it can also refer to the process of lifting up and carrying someone to burial, which is an appropriate subtext for this passage of strong rebuke from the Lord.(Conte)
(c)1:5 The word ‘conticuisses’ does not mean to remain silent, but to go unnoticed. In other words, how would you have avoided being robbed by going unnoticed by the robbers? You cannot go unnoticed if you have exalted yourself.(Conte)
(d)1:6 In this Latin sentence, the question is found in the first part and the answer in the second part. But the question mark is placed at the end of the sentence in other editions of this Latin text: ‘Quomodo scrutati sunt Esau, investigaverunt abscondita eius?’ This is merely a peculiarity of Latin, it does not indicate that both parts of the sentence are questions.(Conte)
(e)1:7 The word ‘viri’ in this context does not merely mean men, but the men who are leaders.(Conte)
(f)1:9 In my interpretation, Meridian refers to most of Africa (but not the northern part that becomes part of the great monarch’s kingdom).(Conte)
(g)1:10 The phrase ‘peribis in æternum’ could be translated as ‘perish forever.’ But it does not necessarily mean that those who perish go to Hell. The phrase ‘in æternum’ tends to suggest the eternity of Heaven. Thus, those who pass away because of these offences are still worthy enough for eternal life.(Conte)
(h)1:12 You shall not look, etc:or, you should not, etc. It is a reprehension for what they had done, and at the same time a declaration that these things should not pass unpunished.(Challoner)
(i)1:12 You shall not magnify thy mouth:That is, you shall not speak arrogantly against the children of Juda as insulting them in their distress.(Challoner)
(j)1:16 The word ‘absorbebunt’ can be translated as ‘absorb’ or ‘take in’ or ‘engulf’ or ‘swallow.’(Conte)
(k)1:21 The use of the plural for ‘salvatores’ indicates that it does not refer to the Messiah (the one true Savior), but to those who follow and imitate the Savior, who do his will, and so who are properly referred to as saviors.(Conte)
(Jeremiah 49:7–22)
1
The vision of Obadiah. This is what the Lord (a) GOD (b) says about Edom. We have heard news from the LORD, and an ambassador is sent among the nations, saying, “Arise, and let’s rise up against her in battle.
2
Behold,(c) I have made you small among the nations. You are greatly despised.
3
The pride of your heart has deceived you, you who dwell in the clefts of the rock, whose habitation is high, who says in his heart, ‘Who will bring me down to the ground?’
4
Though you mount on high as the eagle, and though your nest is set among the stars, I will bring you down from there,” says the LORD.
5
“If thieves came to you, if robbers by night—oh, what disaster awaits you—wouldn’t they only steal until they had enough? If grape pickers came to you, wouldn’t they leave some gleaning grapes?
6
How Esau will be ransacked! How his hidden treasures are sought out!
7
All the men of your alliance have brought you on your way, even to the border. The men who were at peace with you have deceived you, and prevailed against you. Friends who eat your bread lay a snare under you. There is no understanding in him.”
8
“Won’t I in that day”, says the LORD, “destroy the wise men out of Edom, and understanding out of the mountain of Esau?
9
Your mighty men, Teman, will be dismayed, to the end that everyone may be cut off from the mountain of Esau by slaughter.
10
For the violence done to your brother Jacob, shame will cover you, and you will be cut off forever.
11
In the day that you stood on the other side, in the day that strangers carried away his substance and foreigners entered into his gates and cast lots for Jerusalem, even you were like one of them.
12
But don’t look down on your brother in the day of his disaster, and don’t rejoice over the children of Judah in the day of their destruction. Don’t speak proudly in the day of distress.
13
Don’t enter into the gate of my people in the day of their calamity. Don’t look down on their affliction in the day of their calamity, neither seize their wealth on the day of their calamity.
14
Don’t stand in the crossroads to cut off those of his who escape. Don’t deliver up those of his who remain in the day of distress.

The Deliverance of Israel

15
For the day of the LORD is near all the nations! As you have done, it will be done to you. Your deeds will return upon your own head.
16
For as you have drunk on my holy mountain, so all the nations will drink continually. Yes, they will drink, swallow down, and will be as though they had not been.
17
But in Mount Zion, there will be those who escape, and it will be holy. The house of Jacob will possess their possessions.
18
The house of Jacob will be a fire, the house of Joseph a flame, and the house of Esau for stubble. They will burn among them and devour them. There will not be any remaining to the house of Esau.” Indeed, the LORD has spoken.
19
Those of the South will possess the mountain of Esau, and those of the lowland, the Philistines. They will possess the field of Ephraim, and the field of Samaria. Benjamin will possess Gilead.
20
The captives of this army of the children of Israel, who are among the Canaanites, will possess even to Zarephath; and the captives of Jerusalem, who are in Sepharad, will possess the cities of the Negev.
21
Saviors will go up on Mount Zion to judge the mountains of Esau, and the kingdom will be the LORD’s.

Footnotes

(a)1:1 The word translated “Lord” is “Adonai.”
(b)1:1 When rendered in ALL CAPITAL LETTERS, “LORD” or “GOD” is the translation of God’s Proper Name.
(c)1:2 “Behold”, from “הִנֵּה”, means look at, take notice, observe, see, or gaze at. It is often used as an interjection.
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