1 The vision of Obadiah. Thus said the Lord GOD concerning Edom; We have heard a rumor from the LORD, and an ambassador is sent among the heathen, Arise you, and let us rise up against her in battle.

2 Behold, I have made you small among the heathen: you are greatly despised.

3 The pride of your heart has deceived you, you that dwell in the clefts of the rock, whose habitation is high; that said in his heart, Who shall bring me down to the ground?

4 Though you exalt yourself as the eagle, and though you set your nest among the stars, there will I bring you down, said the LORD.

5 If thieves came to you, if robbers by night, (how are you cut off!) would they not have stolen till they had enough? if the grape gatherers came to you, would they not leave some grapes?

6 How are the things of Esau searched out! how are his hidden things sought up!

7 All the men of your confederacy have brought you even to the border: the men that were at peace with you have deceived you, and prevailed against you; that they eat your bread have laid a wound under you: there is none understanding in him.

8 Shall I not in that day, said the LORD, even destroy the wise men out of Edom, and understanding out of the mount of Esau?

9 And your mighty men, O Teman, shall be dismayed, to the end that every one of the mount of Esau may be cut off by slaughter.

10 For your violence against your brother Jacob shame shall cover you, and you shall be cut off for ever.

11 In the day that you stood on the other side, in the day that the strangers carried away captive his forces, and foreigners entered into his gates, and cast lots on Jerusalem, even you were as one of them.

12 But you should not have looked on the day of your brother in the day that he became a stranger; neither should you have rejoiced over the children of Judah in the day of their destruction; neither should you have spoken proudly in the day of distress.

13 You should not have entered into the gate of my people in the day of their calamity; yes, you should not have looked on their affliction in the day of their calamity, nor have laid hands on their substance in the day of their calamity;

14 Neither should you have stood in the crossway, to cut off those of his that did escape; neither should you have delivered up those of his that did remain in the day of distress.

15 For the day of the LORD is near on all the heathen: as you have done, it shall be done to you: your reward shall return on your own head.

16 For as you have drunk on my holy mountain, so shall all the heathen drink continually, yes, they shall drink, and they shall swallow down, and they shall be as though they had not been.

17 But on mount Zion shall be deliverance, and there shall be holiness; and the house of Jacob shall possess their possessions.

18 And the house of Jacob shall be a fire, and the house of Joseph a flame, and the house of Esau for stubble, and they shall kindle in them, and devour them; and there shall not be any remaining of the house of Esau; for the LORD has spoken it.

19 And they of the south shall possess the mount of Esau; and they of the plain the Philistines: and they shall possess the fields of Ephraim, and the fields of Samaria: and Benjamin shall possess Gilead.

20 And the captivity of this host of the children of Israel shall possess that of the Canaanites, even to Zarephath; and the captivity of Jerusalem, which is in Sepharad, shall possess the cities of the south.

21 And saviors shall come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau; and the kingdom shall be the LORD's.

Obadiah = Servant of Jehovah. Compare 1Ki 18:3.

Thus saith, &c. The words of this prophecy, therefore, are not Obadiah’s, but Jehovah’s. Compare verses: Oba 1:1, Oba 1:8, Oba 1:18.

the Lord GOD. Hebrew Adonai Jehovah. App-4.

concerning Edom. See notes on p. 1244.

We have heard. The rhetorical difficulty may be removed by regarding these words as the words of Edom’s foes.

a rumour = tidings.

the LORD. Hebrew. Jehovah. App-4. Supply the logical Ellipsis (App-6): "from Jehovah [that Edom is to be attacked]".

and: or, and [already].

heathen = nations.

Arise ye. These are the words of the embassage.

in battle = the war.

Behold. Figure of speech Asterismos. App-6. Calling attention to the words of Jehovah.

the clefts, &c. Referring to the natural position of the Edomites. Compare 2Ki 14:7.

Though, &c. The words of Jehovah.

set thy nest. Reference to Pentateuch ( Num 24:21). App-92. Compare Hab 2:9.

among the stars. Figure of speech Hyperbole. App-6.

saith the LORD = [is] Jehovah’s oracle.

if the grape gatherers. Some codices, with Aramaean, Septuagint, and Syriac, read "or if", &c.

would they not. ? Reference to Pentateuch ( Deu 24:21). App-92. Compare Isa 17:6; Isa 24:13.

How . . . ! Figure of speech Erotesis. App-6.

searched out: i.e. discovered by the enemies. Ginsburg thinks it should be read "stripped bare".

men. Plural of ’enosh. App-14.

confederacy. See Psa 83:5-8.

the men, &c. = the men who were wont to salute thee.

and. Some codices, with three early printed editions and Syriac, read this "and" in the text.

they that eat. The Ellipsis is thus correctly supplied.

wound = snare.

understanding in him: or, no discernment of it: in spite of their renown for wisdom. Compare Oba 1:8. Jer 49:7.

that day: i.e. the day of the fulfillment of the prophecy. Copmare Oba 15:16, and Isa 63:1-6. Jer 49:13,

mount = hill country.

Teman. Compare Jer 49:7.

thy violence, &c. Reference to Pentateuch ( Gen 27:41-44. Deu 23:7). App-92.

in the day. See App-18. Note the Figure of speech Repetitio (App-6) in verses: Oba 1:12-14.

strangers = aliens.

gates. Hebrew text = gate; but Hebrew margin, with some codices and two early printed editions, read "gates"(plural)

thou shouldest not have looked on, &c. All these are Prohibitives in Hebrew: i.e. they are addressed to Edom as from a spectator looking on and saying; "Look not thou, "&c.

children = sons.

spoken proudly. Hebrew enlarged thy mouth [with laughter]. Compare Psa 35:21. Isa 57:4. Eze 35:13.

stood in the crossway. Referring to some antecedent event by Figure of speech Hysteresis (App-6).

crossway = fork of the roads, or a mountain pass.

the day of the LORD. See note on Isa 2:11, Isa 2:17. The prophecy is now enlarged, and includes all the nations who were Israel’s enemies.

as = according as. This prophecy was fulfilled, so far as Edom was concerned, later on (see 1 Macc. 5.4, 65. Josephus, De Bell. iv. 5); likewise will the judgment on "all the nations" be literally fulfilled.

holy. See note on Exo 3:5.

continually. Some codices, with four early printed editions (one Rabbinic in margin), read "round about",

swallow down: or, stagger. Only elsewhere in Job 6:3.

as though, &c. Solemn and note worthy words.

upon mount Zion. Compare Isa 46:13. Joe 2:32.

shall be. Compare Jer 46:28. Joe 3:16. Amo 9:8.

deliverance = a delivered remnant. Compare Joe 2:32.

and there shall be, &c. Compare Isa 1:26; Isa 4:3, Isa 4:4. Joe 3:17.

shall possess, &c. Reference to Pentateuch ( Num 24:18, Num 24:19), App-92. Compare Isa 14:1, Isa 14:2. Joe 3:19-21. Amo 9:11-15.

there shall not be. Compare verses: Oba 1:9-10, Oba 1:9, Oba 1:16.

any remaining = him that remaineth. Twenty-four centuries ago this prophecy was written, and to-day no Edomites can he identified. Compare Oba 1:14, and Num 24:19 (the same word). There will be a restored Edom, "in that day", or Isa 63:1-6. Jer 49:7-22 could not be fulfilled.

the south = the south [country], the Negeb. See note on Psa 126:4. Compare Amo 9:12.

the plain = the lowlands, the Shephelah [shall possess]. Compare Zep 2:7.

they = they [of the mountain], or [of the centre].

fields = territory.

and Benjamin = and [they of] Benjamin.

captivity = the captives: "captivity" being put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Adjunct), App-6, for the captives.

this host: i.e. the whole of the twelve tribes.

shall possess. Supply the Ellipsis thus: "they who are scattered among [the Canaanites]".

even, &c. Supply "[shall possess] as far as".

Zarephath = Sarepta, belonging to Sidon and Tyre. Sepharad is mentioned with Ionia and Greece (in the west) in the inscriptions of Behistun, vol. 1, line 15. See App-57. Jews were sold as slaves, and were taken to Spain by the Phoenicians to work in the mines near the great city of Ampuria, now being unearthed, near Figueras, in the province of Gerona. The "Jews’ houses" are still shown at Besalu.

the cities, &c. Jewish tradition declares for Spain.

south. After Oba 1:20, supply the logical Ellipsis of thought thus: "[yea. My People shall enlarge their borders on all sides], and saviours", &c.

saviours = deliverers: i.e. earthly and human, as in Jdg 3:9, Jdg 3:15. Compare Mic 5:4, Mic 5:5. See the Structure, above.

the kingdom shall be the LORD’S. Compare Psa 22:28. Dan 2:44; Dan 7:14, Dan 7:27. Zec 14:9. Rev 11:15; Rev 19:6.