Add parallel Print Page Options

The vision of Obadiah. This is what the Lord[a] Yahweh[b] says about Edom. We have heard news from Yahweh, and an ambassador is sent among the nations, saying, “Arise, and let’s rise up against her in battle. Behold,[c] I have made you small among the nations. You are greatly despised. 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?’ 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 Yahweh. “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? How Esau will be ransacked! How his hidden treasures are sought out! 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.”

“Won’t I in that day”, says Yahweh, “destroy the wise men out of Edom, and understanding out of the mountain of Esau? 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. 15 For the day of Yahweh 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 will all the nations 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, Yahweh 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 Yahweh’s.

Footnotes

  1. 1:1 The word translated “Lord” is “Adonai.”
  2. 1:1 “Yahweh” is God’s proper Name, sometimes rendered “LORD” (all caps) in other translations.
  3. 1:2 “Behold”, from “הִנֵּה”, means look at, take notice, observe, see, or gaze at. It is often used as an interjection.

The vision of Obadiah.

Edom Will Be Humbled

Thus says the Lord God (A)concerning Edom:
(B)We 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!”
Behold, I will make you small among the nations;
    you shall be utterly despised.[a]
(C)The pride of your heart has deceived you,
    you who live in the clefts of the rock,[b]
    in your lofty dwelling,
(D)who say in your heart,
    “Who will bring me down to the ground?”
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.

If (E)thieves came to you,
    if plunderers came by night—
    how you have been destroyed!—
    would they not steal only enough for themselves?
If (F)grape gatherers came to you,
    would they not leave gleanings?
(G)How Esau has been pillaged,
    his treasures sought out!
All your allies have driven you to your border;
    those at peace with you have deceived you;
they have prevailed against you;
    (H)those who eat your bread[c] have set a trap beneath you—
    (I)you have[d] no understanding.

(J)Will I not on that day, declares the Lord,
    destroy the wise men out of Edom,
    and understanding out of (K)Mount Esau?
And your mighty men shall be dismayed, (L)O Teman,
    so that every man from (M)Mount Esau will be cut off by slaughter.

Edom's Violence Against Jacob

10 (N)Because of the violence done to your brother Jacob,
    shame shall cover you,
    (O)and you shall be cut off forever.
11 (P)On the day that you stood aloof,
    (Q)on the day that strangers carried off his wealth
and foreigners entered his gates
    (R)and cast lots for Jerusalem,
    you were like one of them.
12 (S)But do not gloat over the day of your brother
    in the day of his misfortune;
(T)do not rejoice over the people of Judah
    in the day of their ruin;
(U)do not boast[e]
    in the day of distress.
13 (V)Do not enter the gate of my people
    in the day of their calamity;
(W)do not gloat over his disaster
    in the day of his calamity;
(X)do not loot his wealth
    in the day of his calamity.
14 (Y)Do 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 (Z)the day of the Lord is near upon all the nations.
(AA)As you have done, it shall be done to you;
    your deeds shall return on your own head.
16 (AB)For as you have drunk on (AC)my holy mountain,
    so all the nations shall drink continually;
they shall drink and swallow,
    and shall be as though they had never been.
17 (AD)But in Mount Zion there shall be those who escape,
    and it shall be holy,
(AE)and the house of Jacob shall possess their own possessions.
18 (AF)The house of Jacob shall be a fire,
    and the house of Joseph a flame,
    and the house of Esau (AG)stubble;
they shall burn them and consume them,
    (AH)and there shall be no survivor for the house of Esau,
for the Lord has spoken.

The Kingdom of the Lord

19 Those of (AI)the Negeb (AJ)shall possess (AK)Mount Esau,
    and those of the Shephelah shall possess (AL)the land of the Philistines;
they shall possess the land of Ephraim and the land of (AM)Samaria,
    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 (AN)Zarephath,
and the exiles of Jerusalem who are in Sepharad
    shall possess the cities of the Negeb.
21 (AO)Saviors shall go up to Mount Zion
    to rule (AP)Mount Esau,
    and (AQ)the kingdom shall be the Lord's.

Footnotes

  1. Obadiah 1:2 Or Behold, I have made you small among the nations; you are utterly despised
  2. Obadiah 1:3 Or of Sela
  3. Obadiah 1:7 Hebrew lacks those who eat
  4. Obadiah 1:7 Hebrew he has
  5. Obadiah 1:12 Hebrew do not enlarge your mouth