Obadiah 1-9

Amplified Bible

Edom Will Be Humbled

¹The vision of Obadiah.

Thus says the Lord God concerning ^[a]Edom—

We have heard a report from the Lord,
And an ambassador has been sent among the nations, saying,
“^[b]Arise, and let us rise up against Edom for battle [with the Lord as commander]!”^(A)
²
“Behold [Edom], I shall [humiliate you and] make you small among the nations;
You are greatly despised.^(B)
³
“The pride and arrogance of your heart have deceived you,
You who live in the clefts and lofty security of the rock (Sela),
Whose dwelling place is high,
Who say [boastfully] in your heart,
‘Who will bring me down to earth?’
⁴
“Though you build [your nest] on high like the eagle,
Though you set your nest among the stars,
I will bring you down from there,” says the Lord.
⁵
“If thieves came to you,
If robbers by night—
How you will be ruined!—
Would they not steal only until they had enough?
If grape gatherers came to you,
Would they not leave some grapes for gleaning?^(C)
⁶
“How Esau (Edom) shall be ransacked [by men who come to ravage with divine approval]!
How his hidden treasures shall be searched out!
⁷
“All the men allied with you
Shall send you on your way to the border;
The men who were at peace with you
Shall deceive you and overpower you;
Those who eat your bread [those you trust]
Shall set a hostile ambush for you.
(There is no understanding of it.)
⁸
“Will I not on that day,” says the Lord,
“Destroy the wise men from Edom [removing all wisdom]
And understanding from the ^[c]mountain of Esau?
⁹
“And your mighty men shall be dismayed and demoralized, O ^[d]Teman,
So that everyone from the mountain of Esau may be cut off in the slaughter.

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Footnotes

Obadiah 1:1 The people of Edom were descendants of Esau (Gen 25:30; 36:1). Edom was the country southeast of Judah extending from the Dead Sea to the eastern arm of the Red Sea. The capital city was Sela, also known as Petra (both names mean rock). The country of Moab formed Edom’s boundary on the north. Edom and Moab have a remarkably prominent place in prophecy as “the scene of the final destruction of Gentile world power in the day of the Lord” (Scofield Reference Bible). See the Scripture references following the first verse which outline the picture of what lies ahead for the nations of the world.
Obadiah 1:1 The Hebrew verb “to stand” or “arise” is an instruction to prepare to fulfill a command, somewhat similar to the military command “attention.”
Obadiah 1:8 Idumea, a mountainous region.
Obadiah 1:9 Teman was one of the main cities of Edom.