1 Edom Will Be Humbled The vision of Obadiah.hus says the Lord GconcerningThe 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.Edom—We have heard a report from the L,And an ambassador has been sent among the nations,saying,“The Hebrew verb “to stand” or “arise” is an instruction to prepare to fulfill a command, somewhat similar to the military command “attention.”Arise, and let us rise up against Edom for battle [with the Las commander]!”
2 “Behold [Edom], I shall [humiliate you and] make you small among the nations;You are greatly despised.
3 The prideandarrogance of your heart have deceived you,You who live in the cleftsandlofty 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 L.
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?
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 youShall send you on your way to the border;The men who were at peace with youShall deceive you and overpower you;Those who eatyour 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 L,“Destroy the wise men from Edom [removing all wisdom]And understanding from theIdumea, a mountainous region.mountain of Esau?
9 And your mighty men shall be dismayedanddemoralized, OTeman was one of the main cities of Edom.Teman,So that everyone from the mountain of Esau may be cut off in the slaughter.
10 Edom Denounced “Because of the violence you did against your brother Jacob,Shame shall cover you [completely],And you shall be cut off forever.
11 On the day that [Jerusalem was destroyed] you stood aloof [from your brother Jacob]—On the day that strangers took his forces captiveandcarried off his wealth,And foreigners entered his gatesAnd cast lots for Jerusalem [dividing the city for plunder]—You too were like one of them [collaborating with the enemy].
12 Do not gazeandgloat [in triumph] over your brother’s day,The day when his misfortune came.Do not rejoice over the sons of JudahIn the day of their destruction;Do not speak arrogantly [jeering and maliciously mocking]In the day of their distress.
13 Do not enter the gate of My peopleIn the day of their disaster;Yes, you, do not look [with delight] on their miseryIn the day of their ruin,And do not loot treasuresIn the day of their ruin.
14 Do not stand at the crossroadTo cut down those [of Judah] who escaped;And do not hand over [to the enemy] those [of Judah] who surviveIn the day of their distress.
15 The Day of the L and the Future “For the [judgment] day of the Ldraws near on all the nations.As you have done, it shall be done to you [in retribution];Your [evil] dealings will return on your own head.
16 Because just as you [Edom] drank on My holy mountain [desecrating it in the revelry of the destroyers],So shall all the nations drink continually [one by one, of My wrath];Yes, they shall drink and swallow [the full measure of punishment]And become as though they had never existed.
17 But on Mount Zion [in Jerusalem] there shall be [deliverance for] those who escape,And it shall be holy [no pagan will defile it];And the house of Jacob shall possess their [former] possessions.
18 Then the house of Jacob shall be a fireAnd the house of Joseph a flame [in executing God’s wrath];But the house of Esau will be like stubble.They (Jacob) shall set them on fire and consume them (the Edomites),So that there shall be no survivor of the house of Esau,”For the Lhas spoken.
19 Thenthose ofthe Negev shall possess the mountain of Esau,Andthose ofthe Shephelah [shall possess] the Philistineplain;Also, [they shall] possess the fields of Ephraim and the fields of Samaria,And Benjaminwill possessGilead [across the Jordan River].
20 And the exiles of this host of the sons (descendants) of IsraelWho areamongthe Canaanites as far as Zarephath,And the exiles of Jerusalem who are inLocation uncertain, possibly Sparta or Sardis.SepharadShall possess the cities of the Negev.
21 The deliverers shall go up on Mount ZionTo ruleandjudge the mountain of Esau,And the kingdomandthe kingship shall be the L’.