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14 I have heard a message from the Lord
    that an ambassador was sent to the nations to say,
“Form a coalition against Edom,
    and prepare for battle!”

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14 I have heard a message from the Lord;
    an envoy was sent to the nations to say,
“Assemble yourselves to attack it!
    Rise up for battle!”

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For though his power extends to Zoan
    and his officials have arrived in Hanes,

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Though they have officials in Zoan(A)
    and their envoys have arrived in Hanes,

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And you will hear of wars and threats of wars, but don’t panic. Yes, these things must take place, but the end won’t follow immediately.

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You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come.

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This is the vision that the Sovereign Lord revealed to Obadiah concerning the land of Edom.

Edom’s Judgment Announced

We have heard a message from the Lord
    that an ambassador was sent to the nations to say,
“Get ready, everyone!
    Let’s assemble our armies and attack Edom!”

The Lord says to Edom,
“I will cut you down to size among the nations;
    you will be greatly despised.
You have been deceived by your own pride
    because you live in a rock fortress
    and make your home high in the mountains.
‘Who can ever reach us way up here?’
    you ask boastfully.
But even if you soar as high as eagles
    and build your nest among the stars,
I will bring you crashing down,”
    says the Lord.

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Obadiah’s Vision(A)(B)

The vision(C) of Obadiah.

This is what the Sovereign Lord says about Edom(D)

We have heard a message from the Lord:
    An envoy(E) was sent to the nations to say,
“Rise, let us go against her for battle”(F)

“See, I will make you small(G) among the nations;
    you will be utterly despised.
The pride(H) of your heart has deceived you,
    you who live in the clefts of the rocks[a](I)
    and make your home on the heights,
you who say to yourself,
    ‘Who can bring me down to the ground?’(J)
Though you soar like the eagle
    and make your nest(K) among the stars,
    from there I will bring you down,”(L)
declares the Lord.(M)

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Footnotes

  1. Obadiah 1:3 Or of Sela

25 Terror and trembling will overcome my people.
    They will look for peace but not find it.
26 Calamity will follow calamity;
    rumor will follow rumor.
They will look in vain
    for a vision from the prophets.
They will receive no teaching from the priests
    and no counsel from the leaders.

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25 When terror comes,
    they will seek peace in vain.(A)
26 Calamity upon calamity(B) will come,
    and rumor upon rumor.
They will go searching for a vision from the prophet,(C)
    priestly instruction in the law will cease,
    the counsel of the elders will come to an end.(D)

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46 But do not panic; don’t be afraid
    when you hear the first rumor of approaching forces.
    For rumors will keep coming year by year.
Violence will erupt in the land
    as the leaders fight against each other.

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46 Do not lose heart(A) or be afraid(B)
    when rumors(C) are heard in the land;
one rumor comes this year, another the next,
    rumors of violence in the land
    and of ruler against ruler.

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27 Raise a signal flag to the nations.
    Sound the battle cry!
Mobilize them all against Babylon.
    Prepare them to fight against her!
Bring out the armies of Ararat, Minni, and Ashkenaz.
    Appoint a commander,
    and bring a multitude of horses like swarming locusts!
28 Bring against her the armies of the nations—
    led by the kings of the Medes
    and all their captains and officers.

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27 “Lift up a banner(A) in the land!
    Blow the trumpet among the nations!
Prepare the nations for battle against her;
    summon against her these kingdoms:(B)
    Ararat,(C) Minni and Ashkenaz.(D)
Appoint a commander against her;
    send up horses like a swarm of locusts.(E)
28 Prepare the nations for battle against her—
    the kings of the Medes,(F)
their governors and all their officials,
    and all the countries they rule.(G)

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11 Sharpen the arrows!
    Lift up the shields![a]
For the Lord has inspired the kings of the Medes
    to march against Babylon and destroy her.
This is his vengeance against those
    who desecrated his Temple.

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Footnotes

  1. 51:11 Greek version reads Fill up the quivers.

11 “Sharpen the arrows,(A)
    take up the shields!(B)
The Lord has stirred up the kings(C) of the Medes,(D)
    because his purpose(E) is to destroy Babylon.
The Lord will take vengeance,(F)
    vengeance for his temple.(G)

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For I am raising up an army
    of great nations from the north.
They will join forces to attack Babylon,
    and she will be captured.
The enemies’ arrows will go straight to the mark;
    they will not miss!
10 Babylonia[a] will be looted
    until the attackers are glutted with loot.
    I, the Lord, have spoken!

Babylon’s Sure Fall

11 “You rejoice and are glad,
    you who plundered my chosen people.
You frisk about like a calf in a meadow
    and neigh like a stallion.
12 But your homeland[b] will be overwhelmed
    with shame and disgrace.
You will become the least of nations—
    a wilderness, a dry and desolate land.
13 Because of the Lord’s anger,
    Babylon will become a deserted wasteland.
All who pass by will be horrified
    and will gasp at the destruction they see there.

14 “Yes, prepare to attack Babylon,
    all you surrounding nations.
Let your archers shoot at her; spare no arrows.
    For she has sinned against the Lord.
15 Shout war cries against her from every side.
    Look! She surrenders!
    Her walls have fallen.
It is the Lord’s vengeance,
    so take vengeance on her.
    Do to her as she has done to others!
16 Take from Babylon all those who plant crops;
    send all the harvesters away.
Because of the sword of the enemy,
    everyone will run away and rush back to their own lands.

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Footnotes

  1. 50:10 Or Chaldea.
  2. 50:12 Hebrew your mother.

For I will stir(A) up and bring against Babylon
    an alliance of great nations(B) from the land of the north.(C)
They will take up their positions against her,
    and from the north she will be captured.(D)
Their arrows(E) will be like skilled warriors
    who do not return empty-handed.
10 So Babylonia[a] will be plundered;(F)
    all who plunder her will have their fill,”
declares the Lord.

11 “Because you rejoice and are glad,
    you who pillage my inheritance,(G)
because you frolic like a heifer(H) threshing grain
    and neigh like stallions,
12 your mother will be greatly ashamed;
    she who gave you birth will be disgraced.(I)
She will be the least of the nations—
    a wilderness, a dry land, a desert.(J)
13 Because of the Lord’s anger she will not be inhabited
    but will be completely desolate.(K)
All who pass Babylon will be appalled;(L)
    they will scoff(M) because of all her wounds.(N)

14 “Take up your positions around Babylon,
    all you who draw the bow.(O)
Shoot at her! Spare no arrows,(P)
    for she has sinned against the Lord.
15 Shout(Q) against her on every side!
    She surrenders, her towers fall,
    her walls(R) are torn down.
Since this is the vengeance(S) of the Lord,
    take vengeance on her;
    do to her(T) as she has done to others.(U)
16 Cut off from Babylon the sower,
    and the reaper with his sickle at harvest.
Because of the sword(V) of the oppressor
    let everyone return to their own people,(W)
    let everyone flee to their own land.(X)

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 50:10 Or Chaldea

Listen! I myself will move against him,[a] and the king will receive a message that he is needed at home. So he will return to his land, where I will have him killed with a sword.’”

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Footnotes

  1. 37:7 Hebrew I will put a spirit in him.

Listen! When he hears a certain report,(A) I will make him want(B) to return to his own country, and there I will have him cut down(C) with the sword.’”

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that sends ambassadors
    in swift boats down the river.

Go, swift messengers!
Take a message to a tall, smooth-skinned people,
    who are feared far and wide
for their conquests and destruction,
    and whose land is divided by rivers.

All you people of the world,
    everyone who lives on the earth—
when I raise my battle flag on the mountain, look!
    When I blow the ram’s horn, listen!

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which sends envoys(A) by sea
    in papyrus(B) boats over the water.

Go, swift messengers,
to a people tall and smooth-skinned,(C)
    to a people feared far and wide,
an aggressive(D) nation of strange speech,
    whose land is divided by rivers.(E)

All you people of the world,(F)
    you who live on the earth,
when a banner(G) is raised on the mountains,
    you will see it,
and when a trumpet(H) sounds,
    you will hear it.

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“Raise a signal flag on a bare hilltop.
    Call up an army against Babylon.
Wave your hand to encourage them
    as they march into the palaces of the high and mighty.
I, the Lord, have dedicated these soldiers for this task.
    Yes, I have called mighty warriors to express my anger,
    and they will rejoice when I am exalted.”

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Raise a banner(A) on a bare hilltop,
    shout to them;
beckon to them
    to enter the gates(B) of the nobles.
I have commanded those I prepared for battle;
    I have summoned my warriors(C) to carry out my wrath(D)
    those who rejoice(E) in my triumph.

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