Teks -- Obadiah 1:1-21 (NET)

God’s Judgment on Edom

1:1 The vision that Obadiah saw. The Lord God says this concerning Edom: We have heard a report from the Lord. An envoy was sent among the nations, saying, “Arise! Let us make war against Edom!” 1:2 The Lord says, “Look! I will make you a weak nation; you will be greatly despised! 1:3 Your presumptuous heart has deceived you– you who reside in the safety of the rocky cliffs, whose home is high in the mountains. You think to yourself, ‘No one can bring me down to the ground!’ 1:4 Even if you were to soar high like an eagle, even if you were to make your nest among the stars, I can bring you down even from there!” says the Lord. 1:5 “If thieves came to rob you during the night, they would steal only as much as they wanted! If grape pickers came to harvest your vineyards, they would leave some behind for the poor! But you will be totally destroyed! 1:6 How the people of Esau will be thoroughly plundered! Their hidden valuables will be ransacked! 1:7 All your allies will force you from your homeland! Your treaty partners will deceive you and overpower you. Your trusted friends will set an ambush for you that will take you by surprise! 1:8 At that time,” the Lord says, “I will destroy the wise sages of Edom! the advisers from Esau’s mountain! 1:9 Your warriors will be shattered, O Teman, so that everyone will be destroyed from Esau’s mountain!

Edom’s Treachery Against Judah

1:10 “Because you violently slaughtered your relatives, the people of Jacob, shame will cover you, and you will be destroyed forever. 1:11 You stood aloof while strangers took his army captive, and foreigners advanced to his gates. When they cast lots over Jerusalem, you behaved as though you were in league with them. 1:12 You should not have gloated when your relatives suffered calamity. You should not have rejoiced over the people of Judah when they were destroyed. You should not have boasted when they suffered adversity. 1:13 You should not have entered the city of my people when they experienced distress. You should not have joined in gloating over their misfortune when they suffered distress. You should not have looted their wealth when they endured distress. 1:14 You should not have stood at the fork in the road to slaughter those trying to escape. You should not have captured their refugees when they suffered adversity.

The Coming Day of the Lord

1:15 “For the day of the Lord is approaching for all the nations! Just as you have done, so it will be done to you. You will get exactly what your deeds deserve. 1:16 For just as you have drunk on my holy mountain, so all the nations will drink continually. They will drink, and they will gulp down; they will be as though they had never been. 1:17 But on Mount Zion there will be a remnant of those who escape, and it will be a holy place once again. The descendants of Jacob will conquer those who had conquered them. 1:18 The descendants of Jacob will be a fire, and the descendants of Joseph a flame. The descendants of Esau will be like stubble. They will burn them up and devour them. There will not be a single survivor of the descendants of Esau!” Indeed, the Lord has spoken it. 1:19 The people of the Negev will take possession of Esau’s mountain, and the people of the Shephelah will take possession of the land of the Philistines. They will also take possession of the territory of Ephraim and the territory of Samaria, and the people of Benjamin will take possession of Gilead. 1:20 The exiles of this fortress of the people of Israel will take possession of what belongs to the people of Canaan, as far as Zarephath, and the exiles of Jerusalem who are in Sepharad will take possession of the towns of the Negev. 1:21 Those who have been delivered will go up on Mount Zion in order to rule over Esau’s mountain. Then the Lord will reign as King!

Tafsiran/Catatan -- Catatan Kata/Frasa (per frasa)

Wesley: Oba 1:1 - Obadiah

His name speaks a servant or a worshipper of the Lord, but who he was we know not.

Wesley: Oba 1:1 - We

The prophets, have heard.

Wesley: Oba 1:1 - A rumour

Not an uncertain report, but it comes from God.

Wesley: Oba 1:1 - Is sent

By the Lord first, and next by Nebuchadnezzar who executed on Edom what is here foretold.

Wesley: Oba 1:1 - The nations

Those that were with, or subject to Nebuchadnezzar.

Wesley: Oba 1:2 - Small

Thou art a small people. In comparison with other nations.

Wesley: Oba 1:2 - Despised

What ever these Edomites had been, now they were despised.

Wesley: Oba 1:3 - The pride

The Edomites were, as most mountaineers are, a rough hardy, and daring people. And proud above measure.

Wesley: Oba 1:3 - Deceived thee

Magnifying thy strength above what really it is.

Wesley: Oba 1:4 - Bring thee down

God who is in the heavens would throw thee down. When men could not marshal armies against thee, stars should fight in their courses against thee. Nothing can stand which God will cast down, Jer 49:16-17.

Wesley: Oba 1:5 - If thieves

If thieves by day had spoiled thee, they would not have thus stripped thee.

Wesley: Oba 1:5 - Robbers

If robbers in the night had been with thee, they would have left somewhat behind them.

Wesley: Oba 1:5 - 'Till they had enough

But here is nothing left.

Wesley: Oba 1:5 - Some grapes

But here have been those that have cut up the vine.

Wesley: Oba 1:6 - Esau

The father of this people, put for his posterity.

Wesley: Oba 1:6 - Sought up

All that the Edomites had laid up in the most secret places, are seized and brought forth by soldiers.

Wesley: Oba 1:7 - Thy confederacy

Thy confederates have marched with thee until thou wert come to the borders of thy country.

Wesley: Oba 1:7 - Deceived thee

Proved treacherous.

Wesley: Oba 1:7 - Prevailed

Treacherously.

Wesley: Oba 1:7 - A wound

A snare armed with sharp points.

Wesley: Oba 1:7 - No understanding

Thou wast not aware of it.

Wesley: Oba 1:9 - Teman

A principal city of Idumea.

Wesley: Oba 1:11 - In the day

During the war which the Babylonians made upon Judea.

Wesley: Oba 1:11 - Stoodest

Didst set thyself in battle array against thy brother.

Wesley: Oba 1:11 - Jerusalem

Upon the citizens and their goods.

Wesley: Oba 1:11 - As one of them

As merciless and insolent as any of them.

Wesley: Oba 1:12 - Looked

With joy on the affliction.

Wesley: Oba 1:12 - A stranger

As a stranger, one who had no more right to any thing in the land.

Wesley: Oba 1:12 - Proudly

Vaunting over the Jews, when Jerusalem was taken.

Wesley: Oba 1:13 - Entered

As an enemy.

Wesley: Oba 1:14 - The breaches

Of the walls, by which when the city was taken, some might have made their escape.

Wesley: Oba 1:14 - Delivered

To the Chaldeans.

Wesley: Oba 1:14 - Remain

Survived the taking of the city.

Wesley: Oba 1:15 - The day

The time which the Lord hath appointed for the punishing of this, and other nations.

Wesley: Oba 1:15 - As thou hast done

Perfidiously, cruelly, and ravenously, against Jacob.

Wesley: Oba 1:16 - As ye

As ye, my own people, have drunk deep of the cup of affliction, so shall other nations much more, yea, they shall drink of it, 'till they utterly perish.

Wesley: Oba 1:17 - Zion

Literally this refers to the Jews: typically to the gospel - church.

Wesley: Oba 1:17 - Deliverance

A remnant that shall be delivered by Cyrus, a type of Israel's redemption by Christ.

Wesley: Oba 1:17 - Holiness

The temple, the city, the people returned from captivity shall be holy to the Lord.

Wesley: Oba 1:17 - Their possessions

Their own ancient possessions.

Wesley: Oba 1:18 - Shall kindle

This was fulfilled in part by Hyrcanus and the Maccabees, 1 Macc. 5:3, but will be more fully accomplished, when the Lord shall make his church as a fire to all its enemies.

Wesley: Oba 1:19 - They

The Jews who live in the south parts of Canaan, next Idumea, shall after their return and victories over Edom, possess his country.

Wesley: Oba 1:19 - Of the plain

The Jews who dwell in the plain country, shall enlarge their borders, possess the Philistines country, together with their ancient inheritance. The former was fully accomplished by Hyrcanus. And if this were the time of fulfilling the one, doubtless it was the time of fulfilling the other also. And all the land which the ten tribes possessed, shall again be possessed by the Jews.

Wesley: Oba 1:19 - Gilead

Here is promised a larger possession than ever they had before the captivity; and it does, no doubt, point out the enlargement of the church of Christ in the times of the gospel.

Wesley: Oba 1:20 - The captivity

Those of the ten tribes that were carried away captive by Salmanesar.

Wesley: Oba 1:20 - Of the Canaanites

All the country they anciently possessed with this addition, that what the Canaanites held by force, and the Israelites could not take from them, shall now be possessed by these returned captives.

Wesley: Oba 1:20 - Zarephath

Near Sidon.

Wesley: Oba 1:20 - Of Jerusalem

The two tribes carried captive by Nebuchadnezzar.

Wesley: Oba 1:20 - Sepharad

Probably a region of Chaldea.

Wesley: Oba 1:20 - The cities

All the cities which were once their own.

Wesley: Oba 1:21 - Saviours

Deliverers, literally the leaders of those captive troops, who shall come up from Babylon, such as Zerubbabel, Ezra, and Nehemiah. Mystically, Christ and his apostles, and other preachers of the gospel.

Wesley: Oba 1:21 - To judge

To avenge Israel upon Edom.

Wesley: Oba 1:21 - The Lord's

The God of Israel, Jehovah, shall be honoured, obeyed, and worshipped by all.

JFB: Oba 1:1 - Obadiah

That is, servant of Jehovah; same as Abdeel and Arabic Abd-allah.

JFB: Oba 1:1 - We

I and my people.

JFB: Oba 1:1 - heard

(Isa 21:10).

JFB: Oba 1:1 - and an ambassador is sent

Yea, an ambassador is already sent, namely, an angel, to stir up the Assyrians (and afterwards the Chaldeans) against Edom. The result of the ambassador's message on the heathen is, they simultaneously exclaim, "Arise ye, and let us (with united strength) rise," &c. Jer 49:14 quotes this.

JFB: Oba 1:2 - I have made thee small

Thy reduction to insignificance is as sure as if it were already accomplished; therefore the past tense is used [MAURER]. Edom then extended from Dedan of Arabia to Bozrah in the north (Jer 49:8, Jer 49:13). CALVIN explains it, "Whereas thou wast made by Me an insignificant people, why art thou so proud" (Oba 1:3)? But if so, why should the heathen peoples be needed to subdue one so insignificant? Jer 49:15, confirms MAURER'S view.

JFB: Oba 1:3 - clefts of . . . rock

(Son 2:14; Jer 48:28). The cities of Edom, and among them Petra (Hebrew, sela, meaning "rock," 2Ki 14:7, Margin), the capital, in the Wady Musa, consisted of houses mostly cut in the rocks.

JFB: Oba 1:4 - exalt thyself

Or supply from the second clause, "thy nest" [MAURER] (Compare Job 20:6; Jer 49:16; Amo 9:2).

JFB: Oba 1:4 - set . . . nest among . . . stars

Namely, on the loftiest hills which seem to reach the very stars. Edom is a type of Antichrist (Isa 14:13; Dan 8:10; Dan 11:37).

JFB: Oba 1:4 - thence will I bring thee down

In spite of thy boast (Oba 1:3), "Who shall bring me down?"

JFB: Oba 1:5 - The spoliation which thou shalt suffer shall not be such as that which thieves cause, bad as that is, for these when they have seized enough, or all they can get in a hurry, leave the rest

Nor such as grape-gatherers cause in a vineyard, for they, when they have gathered most of the grapes, leave gleanings behind--but it shall be utter, so as to leave thee nothing. The exclamation, "How art thou cut off!" bursting in amidst the words of the image, marks strongly excited feeling. The contrast between Edom where no gleanings shall be left, and Israel where at the worst a gleaning is left (Isa 17:6; Isa 24:13), is striking.

JFB: Oba 1:6 - How are the things of Esau searched out!

By hostile soldiers seeking booty. Compare with Oba 1:5-6 here, Jer 49:9-10.

JFB: Oba 1:6 - hidden things

Or "places." Edom abounded in such hiding-places, as caves, clefts in the rock, &c. None of these would be left unexplored by the foe.

JFB: Oba 1:7 - Men of thy confederacy

That is, thy confederates.

JFB: Oba 1:7 - brought thee . . . to the border

That is, when Idumean ambassadors shall go to confederate states seeking aid, these latter shall conduct them with due ceremony to their border, giving them empty compliments, but not the aid required [DRUSIUS]. This view agrees with the context, which speaks of false friends deceiving Edom: that is, failing to give help in need (compare Job 6:14-15). CALVIN translates, "have driven," that is, shall drive thee; shall help to drive thee to thy border on thy way into captivity in foreign lands.

JFB: Oba 1:7 - the men that were at peace with thee

Literally, "the men of thy peace." Compare Psa 41:9; Jer 38:22, Margin, where also the same formula occurs, "prevailed against thee."

JFB: Oba 1:7 - they that eat thy bread

The poorer tribes of the desert who subsisted on the bounty of Edom. Compare again Psa 41:9, which seems to have been before Obadiah's mind, as his words were before Jeremiah's.

JFB: Oba 1:7 - have laid a wound under thee

"laid" implies that their intimacy was used as a SNARE laid with a view to wound; also, these guest friends of Edom, instead of the cushions ordinarily laid under guests at table, laid snares to wound, that is, had a secret understanding with Edom's foe for that purpose. MAURER translates, "a snare." But English Version agrees with the Hebrew, which means, literally, "a bandage for a wound."

JFB: Oba 1:7 - none understanding

None of the wisdom for which Edom was famed (see Oba 1:8) to extricate him from his perilous position.

JFB: Oba 1:7 - in him

Instead of "in thee." The change implies the alienation of God from Edom: Edom has so estranged himself from God, that He speaks now of him, not to him.

JFB: Oba 1:8

(Isa 49:7; compare Job 5:12-13; Isa 19:3; Jer 19:7).

JFB: Oba 1:8 - in that day . . . even destroy

Heretofore Edom, through its intercourse with Babylon and Egypt, and from its means of information through the many caravans passing to and fro between Europe and India, has been famed for knowledge; but in that day at last ("even") I will destroy its wise men.

JFB: Oba 1:8 - mount of Esau

That is, Idumea, which was a mountainous region.

JFB: Oba 1:9 - cut off by slaughter

MAURER translates, "on account of the slaughter," namely, that inflicted on Judea by Edom (compare Oba 1:14). The Septuagint, Syriac, and Vulgate connect these words with Oba 1:10, "for the slaughter, for the violence (of which thou art guilty) against thy brother Jacob." English Version, "cut off by slaughter" (that is, an utter cutting off), answers well to "cut off for ever" (Oba 1:10). However, the arrangement of the Septuagint gives a better parallelism in Oba 1:10. "For the slaughter" (1) being balanced in just retribution by "thou shalt be cut off for ever" (4); as "For thy violence (not so bad as slaughter) against thy brother Jacob" (2) is balanced by "shame (not so bad as being cut off) shall cover thee" (3). Shame and extinction shall repay violence and slaughter (Mat 26:52; Rev 13:10). Compare as to Edom's violence, Psa 137:7; Eze 25:12; Amo 1:11.

JFB: Oba 1:10 - against thy brother

This aggravates the sin of Esau, that it was against him who was his brother by birth and by circumcision. The posterity of Esau followed in the steps of their father's hatred to Jacob by violence against Jacob's seed (Gen 27:41).

JFB: Oba 1:10 - Jacob

Not merely his own brother, but his twin brother; hence the name Jacob, not Israel, is here put emphatically. Compare Deu 23:7 for the opposite feeling which Jacob's seed was commanded to entertain towards Edom's.

JFB: Oba 1:10 - shame . . . cover thee

(Psa 35:26; Psa 69:7).

JFB: Oba 1:10 - for ever

(Isa 34:10; Eze 35:9; Mal 1:4). Idumea, as a nation, should be "cut off for ever," though the land should be again inhabited.

JFB: Oba 1:11 - thou stoodest on the other side

In an attitude of hostility, rather than the sympathy which became a brother, feasting thine eyes (see Oba 1:12) with the misery of Jacob, and eagerly watching for his destruction. So Messiah, the antitype to Jerusalem, abandoned by His kinsmen (Psa 38:11).

JFB: Oba 1:11 - strangers

The Philistines, Arabians in the reign of Jehoram, &c. (2Ch 21:16); the Syrians in the reign of Joash of Judah (2Ch 24:24); the Chaldeans (2Ch. 36:1-23).

JFB: Oba 1:11 - carried . . . captive his forces

His "host" (Oba 1:20): the multitude of Jerusalem's inhabitants.

JFB: Oba 1:11 - cast lots upon Jerusalem

(Joe 3:3). So Messiah, Jerusalem's antitype, had lots cast for His only earthly possessions (Psa 22:18).

JFB: Oba 1:12 - looked on

With malignant pleasure, and a brutal stare. So the antitypes, Messiah's foes (Psa 22:17). MAURER translates, as the Margin, "thou shouldest not look" any more. English Version agrees with the context better.

JFB: Oba 1:12 - the day of thy brother

His day of calamity.

JFB: Oba 1:12 - became a stranger

That is, was banished as an alien from his own land. God sends heavy calamities on those who rejoice in the calamities of their enemies (Pro 17:5; Pro 24:17-18). Contrast the opposite conduct of David and of the divine Son of David in a like case (Psa 35:13-15).

JFB: Oba 1:12 - spoken proudly

Literally, "made great the mouth"; proudly insulting the fallen (Eze 35:13, Margin; compare 1Sa 2:8; Rev 13:6).

JFB: Oba 1:13 - substance

Translated "forces" in Oba 1:11.

JFB: Oba 1:14 - stood in the crossway, to cut off those of his

Judah's.

JFB: Oba 1:14 - that did escape

The Jews naturally fled by the crossways. (MAURER translates, "narrow mountain passes") well known to them, to escape to the desert, and through Edom to Egypt; but the Edomites stood ready to intercept the fugitives and either kill or "deliver them up" to the foe.

JFB: Oba 1:15 - For

Resumptive in connection with Oba 1:10, wherein Edom was threatened with cutting off for ever.

JFB: Oba 1:15 - the day of the Lord

The day in which He will manifest Himself as the Righteous Punisher of the ungodly peoples (Joe 3:14). The "all" shows that the fulfilment is not exhausted in the punishment inflicted on the surrounding nations by the instrumentality of Nebuchadnezzar; but, as in Joe 3:14, and Zec 12:3, that the last judgment to come on the nations confederate against Jerusalem is referred to.

JFB: Oba 1:15 - as thou hast done, it shall be done unto thee

The righteous principle of retribution in kind (Lev 24:17; Mat 7:2; compare Jdg 1:6-7; Jdg 8:19; Est 7:10).

JFB: Oba 1:15 - thy reward

The reward of thy deed (compare Isa 3:9-11).

JFB: Oba 1:16 - ye . . . upon my holy mountain

A periphrasis for, "ye Jews" [MAURER], whom Obadiah now by a sudden apostrophe addresses. The clause, "upon My holy mountain," expresses the reason of the vengeance to be taken on Judah's foes; namely, that Jerusalem is God's holy mountain, the seat of His temple, and Judah His covenant-people. Jer 49:12, which is copied from Obadiah, establishes this view (compare 1Pe 4:17).

JFB: Oba 1:16 - as ye have drunk, &c.

Namely, the cup of wrath, being dispossessed of your goods and places as a nation, by Edom and all the heathen; so shall all the heathen (Edom included) drink the same cup (Psa 60:3; Isa 51:17, Isa 51:22; Jer 13:12-13; Jer. 25:15-33; Jer 49:12; Jer 51:7; Lam 4:21-22 Nah 3:11; Hab 2:16).

JFB: Oba 1:16 - continually

Whereas Judah's calamity shall be temporary (Oba 1:17). The foes of Judah shall never regain their former position (Oba 1:18-19).

JFB: Oba 1:16 - swallow down

So as not to leave anything in the cup of calamity; not merely "drink" (Psa 75:8).

JFB: Oba 1:16 - be as though they had not been

Not a trace left of their national existence (Job 10:19; Psa 37:36; Eze 26:21).

JFB: Oba 1:17 - upon . . . Zion . . . deliverance

Both in the literal sense and spiritual sense (Joe 2:32; Isa 46:13; Isa 59:20; Rom 11:26). MAURER as the Margin explains it, "there shall be a remnant that shall escape." Compare Isa 37:32; to the deliverance from Sennacherib there described GROTIUS thinks Obadiah here refers. "Jerusalem shall not be taken, and many of the neighboring peoples also shall find deliverance there." Unlike Judah's heathen foes of whom no remnant shall escape (Oba 1:9, Oba 1:16), a remnant of Jews shall escape when the rest of the nation has perished, and shall regain their ancient "possessions."

JFB: Oba 1:17 - there shall be holiness

That is, Zion shall be sacrosanct or inviolable: no more violated by foreign invaders (Isa 42:1; Joe 3:17).

JFB: Oba 1:18 - fire

See the same figure, Num 21:28; Isa 5:24; Isa 10:17.

JFB: Oba 1:18 - house of Jacob . . . Joseph

That is, the two kingdoms, Judah and Ephraim or Israel [JEROME]. The two shall form one kingdom, their former feuds being laid aside (Isa 11:12-13; Isa 37:22-28; Jer 3:18; Hos 1:11). The Jews returned with some of the Israelites from Babylon; and, under John Hyrcanus, so subdued and, compelling them to be circumcised, incorporated the Idumeans with themselves that they formed part of the nation [JOSEPHUS, Antiquities, 13.17; 12.11]. This was but an earnest of the future union of Israel and Judah in the possession of the enlarged land as one kingdom (Eze 37:16, &c.).

JFB: Oba 1:18 - stubble

(Mal 4:1).

JFB: Oba 1:19 - they of the south

The Jews who in the coming time are to occupy the south of Judea shall possess, in addition to their own territory, the adjoining mountainous region of Edom.

JFB: Oba 1:19 - they of the plain

The Jews who shall occupy the low country along the Mediterranean, south and southwest of Palestine, shall possess, in addition to their own territory, the land of "the Philistines," which runs as a long strip between the hills and the sea.

JFB: Oba 1:19 - and they shall possess the fields of Ephraim

That is, the rightful owners shall be restored, the Ephraimites to the fields of Ephraim.

JFB: Oba 1:19 - Benjamin shall possess Gilead

That is, the region east of Jordan, occupied formerly by Reuben, Gad, and half Manasseh. Benjamin shall possess besides its own territory the adjoining territory eastward, while the two and a half tribes shall in the redistribution occupy the adjoining territory of Moab and Ammon.

JFB: Oba 1:20 - the captivity of this host

That is, the captives of this multitude of Israelites.

JFB: Oba 1:20 - shall possess that of the Canaanites

MAURER translates, "the captives . . . whom the Canaanites (carried away captive into Phœnicia) even unto Zarephath, shall possess the south," namely, Idumea as well as the south (Oba 1:19). HENDERSON, similarly, "the captives that are among the Canaanites," &c. But the corresponding clauses of the parallelism are better balanced in English Version, "the ten tribes of Israel shall possess the territory of the Canaanites," namely, Western Palestine and Phœnicia (Jdg 3:3). "And the captives of Jerusalem (and Judah) shall possess the southern cities," namely, Edom, &c. Each has the region respectively adjoining assigned to it; Israel has the western Canaanite region; Judah, the southern.

JFB: Oba 1:20 - even unto Zarephath

Near Zidon; called Sarepta in Luk 4:26. The name implies it was a place for smelting metals. From this quarter came the "woman of Canaan" (Mat 15:21-22). Captives of the Jews had been carried into the coasts of Palestine or Canaan, about Tyre and Zidon (Joe 3:3-4; Amo 1:9). The Jews when restored shall possess the territory of their ancient oppressors.

JFB: Oba 1:20 - in Sepharad

That is, the Bosphorus [JEROME, from his Hebrew Instructor]. Sephar, according to others (Gen 10:30). Palæography confirms JEROME. In the cuneiform inscription containing a list of the tribes of Persia [Niebuhr tab. 31.1], before Ionia and Greece, and after Cappadocia, comes the name CPaRaD. It was therefore a district of Western Asia Minor, about Lydia, and near the Bosphorus. It is made an appellative by MAURER. "The Jerusalem captives of the dispersion" (compare Jam 1:1), wherever they be dispersed, shall return and possess the southern cities. Sepharad, though literally the district near the Bosphorus, represents the Jews' far and wide dispersion. JEROME says the name in Assyrian means a boundary, that is, "the Jews scattered in all boundaries and regions."

JFB: Oba 1:21 - saviours

There will be in the kingdom yet to come no king, but a prince; the sabbatic period of the judges will return (comparethe phrase so frequent in Judges, only once found in the times of the kings, 2Ch 14:1, "the land had rest"), when there was no visible king, but God reigned in the theocracy. Israelites, not strangers, shall dispense justice to a God-fearing people (Isa 1:26; Eze. 45:1-25). The judges were not such a burden to the people as the kings proved afterwards (1Sa 8:11-20). In their time the people more readily repented than under the kings (compare 2Ch 15:17), [ROOS]. Judges were from time to time raised up as saviours or deliverers of Israel from the enemy. These, and the similar deliverers in the long subsequent age of Antiochus, the Maccabees, who conquered the Idumeans (as here foretold, compare II Maccabees 10:15,23), were types of the peaceful period yet to come to Israel.

JFB: Oba 1:21 - to judge . . . Esau

To punish (so "judge," 1Sa 3:13) . . . Edom (compare Oba 1:1-9, Oba 1:15-19). Edom is the type of Israel's and God's last foes (Isa 63:1-4).

JFB: Oba 1:21 - kingdom shall be the Lord's

Under Messiah (Dan 2:44; Dan 7:14, Dan 7:27; Zec 14:9; Luk 1:33; Rev 11:15; Rev 19:6).

Clarke: Oba 1:1 - We have heard a rumor

We have heard a rumor - See Jer 49:14, where the same expressions are found. The prophet shows that the enemies of Idumea had confederated against it, and that Jehovah is now summoning them to march directly against it.

Clarke: Oba 1:2 - I have made thee small among the heathen

I have made thee small among the heathen - God ever attributes to himself the rise and fall of nations. If they be great and prosperous, it is by God’ s providence; if they be tow and depressed, it is by his justice. Compared with the Assyrians, Chaldeans, Egyptians, Syrians, Arabs, and other neighboring nations, the Idumeans were a small people.

Clarke: Oba 1:3 - The pride of thine heart

The pride of thine heart - St. Jerome observes that all the southern part of Palestine, from Eleutheropolis to Petra and Aialath, was full of caverns hewn out of the rocks, and that the people had subterranean dwellings similar to ovens. Here they are said to dwell in the clefts of the rock, in reference to the caverns above mentioned. In these they conceived themselves to be safe, and thought that no power brought against them could dislodge them from those fastnesses. Some think that by סלע sela , rock, Petra, the capital of Idumea, is intended.

Clarke: Oba 1:4 - Though thou exalt thyself as the eagle

Though thou exalt thyself as the eagle - Though like this bird thou get into the highest cliff of the highest rock, it will not avail thee. To defend thee, when Jehovah has determined thy destruction, thy deepest caves and highest rocks will be equally useless. See Jer 49:16.

Clarke: Oba 1:5 - If thieves came to thee

If thieves came to thee - That is, if thieves entered thy dwellings, they would not have taken every thing; they would have laid hold on thy wealth; and carried off as much as they could escape with conveniently; if grape-gatherers entered thy vineyards, they would not have taken every bunch; some gleanings would have been left. But the Chaldeans have stripped thee bare; they have searched out all thy hidden things, Oba 1:6, they have left thee nothing. Hour art thou cut off! Thou art totally and irretrievably ruined! The prophet speaks of this desolation as if it had already taken place.

Clarke: Oba 1:7 - All the men of thy confederacy

All the men of thy confederacy - The Chaldeans are here intended, to whom the Idumeans were attached, and whose agents they became in exercising cruelties upon the Jews

Clarke: Oba 1:7 - Have brought thee even to the border

Have brought thee even to the border - Have hemmed thee in on every side, and reduced thee to distress. Or, they have driven thee to thy border; cast thee out of thy own land into the hands of thine enemies

Clarke: Oba 1:7 - The men that were at peace with thee

The men that were at peace with thee - The men of thy covenant, with whom thou hadst made a league

Clarke: Oba 1:7 - That eat thy bread

That eat thy bread - That professed to be thy firmest friends, have all joined together to destroy thee

Clarke: Oba 1:7 - Have laid a wound

Have laid a wound - Placed a snare or trap under thee. See Newcome

Clarke: Oba 1:7 - There is none understanding in him

There is none understanding in him - Private counsels and public plans are all in operation against thee; and yet thou art so foolish and infatuated as not to discern thy own danger.

Clarke: Oba 1:8 - Shall I not - destroy the wise men

Shall I not - destroy the wise men - It appears, from Jer 49:7, that the Edomites were remarkable for wisdom, counsel, and prudence. See on the above place.

Clarke: Oba 1:9 - Thy mighty men, O Teman

Thy mighty men, O Teman - This was one of the strongest places in Idumea; and is put here, as in Amo 1:2, and elsewhere, for Idumea itself

Clarke: Oba 1:9 - Mount of Esau

Mount of Esau - Mount Seir.

Clarke: Oba 1:10 - For thy violence against thy brother Jacob

For thy violence against thy brother Jacob - By this term the Israelites in general are understood; for the two brothers, - Jacob, from whom sprang the Jews, and Esau, from whom sprang the Idumeans or Edomites, - are here put for the whole people or descendants of both. We need not look for particular cases of the violence of the Edomites against the Jews. Esau, their founder, was not more inimical to his brother Jacob, who deprived him of his birthright, than the Edomites uniformly were to the Jews. See 2Ch 28:17, 2Ch 28:18. They had even stimulated the Chaldeans, when they took Jerusalem, to destroy the temple, and level it with the ground. See Psa 137:7.

Clarke: Oba 1:11 - Thou stoodest on the other side

Thou stoodest on the other side - Thou not only didst not help thy brother when thou mightest, but thou didst assist his foes against him

Clarke: Oba 1:11 - And cast lots

And cast lots - When the Chaldeans cast lots on the spoils of Jerusalem, thou didst come in for a share of the booty; "thou wast as one of them."

Clarke: Oba 1:12 - Thou shouldest not have looked

Thou shouldest not have looked - It shows a malevolent heart to rejoice in the miseries of those who have acted unkindly or wickedly towards us. The Edomites triumphed when they saw the judgments of God fall upon the Jews. This the Lord severely reprehends in Oba 1:12-15. If a man have acted cruelly towards us, and God punish him for this cruelty, and we rejoice in it, we make his crime our own; and then, as we have done, so shall it be done unto us; see Oba 1:15. All these verses point out the part the Edomites took against the Jews when the Chaldeans besieged and took Jerusalem, destroyed the temple, and divided the spoils.

Clarke: Oba 1:14 - Neither shouldest thou have stood in the crossway

Neither shouldest thou have stood in the crossway - They are represented here as having stood in the passes and defiles to prevent the poor Jews from escaping from the Chaldeans. By stopping these passes, they threw the poor fugitives back into the teeth of their enemies. They had gone so far in this systematic cruelty as to deliver up the few that had taken refuge among them.

Clarke: Oba 1:15 - The day of the Lord is near

The day of the Lord is near - God will not associate thee with him in the judgments which he inflicts. Thou also art guilty and shalt have thy punishment in due course with the other sinful nations.

Clarke: Oba 1:16 - For as ye have drunk

For as ye have drunk - This address is to the Jews. As ye have been visited and punished upon my holy mountain in Jerusalem, so shall other nations be punished in their respective countries. See Jer 49:12.

Clarke: Oba 1:17 - But upon Mount Zion shall be deliverance

But upon Mount Zion shall be deliverance - Here is a promise of the return from the Babylonish captivity. They shall come to Zion, and there they shall find safety; and it is remarkable that after their return they were greatly befriended by the Persian kings, and by Alexander the Great and his successors; so that, whilst they ravaged the neighboring nations, the Jews were unmolested. See Calmet

Clarke: Oba 1:17 - And there shall be holiness

And there shall be holiness - They shall return to God, separate themselves from their idols, and become a better people than they were when God permitted them to be carried into captivity

Clarke: Oba 1:17 - The house of Jacob shall possess

The house of Jacob shall possess - They were restored to their former possessions. But this may refer also to their future restoration under the Gospel, when they shall be truly converted, and become holiness to the Lord; for salvation and holiness shall be the characteristics of Zion - the Christian Church, for ever.

Clarke: Oba 1:18 - The house of Jacob shall be a fire

The house of Jacob shall be a fire - After their return from captivity, the Jews, called here the house of Jacob and the house of Joseph, did break out as a flame upon the Idumeans; they reduced them into slavery; and obliged them to receive circumcision, and practise the rites of the Jewish religion. See 1 Maccabees 5:3, etc.; 2 Maccabees 10:15-23; and Josephus Antiq., lib. 13 c. 17

Clarke: Oba 1:18 - There shall not be any remaining

There shall not be any remaining - As a people and a nation they shall be totally destroyed. This is the meaning; it does not signify that every individual shall be destroyed.

Clarke: Oba 1:19 - They of the south

They of the south - The Jews who possessed the southern part of Palestine, should render themselves masters of the mountains of Idumea which were contiguous to them

Clarke: Oba 1:19 - They of the plain

They of the plain - From Eleutheropolis to the Mediterranean Sea. In this and the following verse the prophet shows the different districts which should be occupied by the Israelites after their return from Babylon

Clarke: Oba 1:19 - The fields of Samaria

The fields of Samaria - Alexander the Great gave Samaria to the Jews; and John Hyrcanus subdued the same country after his wars with the Syrians. See Josephus, contra. App. lib, ii., and Antiq. lib. xiii., c. 18

Clarke: Oba 1:19 - Benjamin shall possess Gilead

Benjamin shall possess Gilead - Edom lay to the south; the Philistines to the west, Ephraim to the north; and Gilead to the east. Those who returned from Babylon were to extend themselves everywhere. See Newcome; and see, for the fulfillment, 1 Maccabees 5:9, 35, 45; 9:35, 36.

Clarke: Oba 1:20 - Zarephath

Zarephath - Sarepta, a city of the Sidonians, 1Ki 17:9. That is, they should possess the whole city of Phoenicia, called here that of the Canaanites

Clarke: Oba 1:20 - Which is in Sepharad

Which is in Sepharad - This is a difficult word. Some think the Bosphorus is meant; others, Spain; others, France; others, the Euphrates; others, some district in Chaldea; for there was a city called Siphora, in Mesopotamia, above the division of the Euphrates. Dr. Lightfoot says it was a part of Edom. Those who were captives among the Canaanites should possess the country of the Canaanites; and those whom the Edomites had enslaved should possess the cities of their masters. See Newcome and Lowth.

Clarke: Oba 1:21 - And saviours shall come up

And saviours shall come up - Certain persons whom God may choose to be deliverers of his people; such as Zerubbabel, Ezra, Nehemiah, and the Maccabees

Some think these saviours, מושיעים moshiim , mean the apostles of our Lord. Several MSS. have מושעים mushaim , the preserved; those that are saved, i.e., they who were delivered from the captivity; and those of Mount Zion shall judge, that is, shall execute judgment on the Edomites. And as the Asmonean princes joined the priesthood to the state, it might be what the prophet means when he says, "the kingdom shall be the Lord’ s,"the high priest having both the civil and ecclesiastical power in his own hands. And these actually were masters of Edom, and judged and governed the mountain of Esau. And thus this prophecy appears to have had a very literal fulfillment

But if we take the whole as referring to the times of the Gospel, which I believe is not its primary sense, it may signify the conversion and restoration of the Jews, and that under Jesus Christ the original theocracy shall be restored; and thus, once more, in the promised land, it may be said: -

המלוכה	ליהוה	והיתה
hammeluchah	laihovah	vehayethah

"And the kingdom shall belong to Jehovah"

Calvin: Oba 1:1 - We have heard,

Obadiah’s preface is, that he brought nothing human, but only declared the vision presented to him from above. We indeed know that it was God alone that was ever to be heard in the Church, as even now he demands to be heard: but yet he sent his prophets, as afterwards the apostles; yea, as he sent his only begotten Son, whom he has set over us to be our only and sovereign Teacher. Obadiah then by saying that it was a vision, said the same, as though he declared, that he did not presumptuously bring forward his own dreams, or what he conjectured, or discovered by human reason, but that he adduced only a celestial oracle: for חזון , chezun, as we have observed in other places, was a vision, by which God revealed himself to his Prophets.

He then adds, Thus saith Jehovah. Here is a fuller expression of the same declaration. We thus see that the Prophet, in order that the doctrine he brought forward might not be suspected, made God the author; for what faith can be put in men, whom we know to be vain and false, except as far as they are ruled by the Spirit of God and sent by Him? Seeing then that the Prophet so carefully teaches us, that what he declared was delivered to him by God, we may hence learn what I have lately referred to, — that the Prophets formerly so spoke, that God alone might be heard among the people.

He says afterwards, A rumor have we heard. Some render it, a word, or a doctrine. שמועה , shimuoe, is properly a hearing, and is derived from the verb the Prophet subjoins. A hearing then have we heard; so it is translated literally. But some think that what was taught is pointed out, as though he said, “The Lord has revealed this to me and to other Prophets;” according to what Isaiah says, Isa 53:1, ‘Who has believed our hearing?’ It is the same word, and he speaks of God’s word or doctrine. But it is probable that he refers here to those tumultuous rumors, which commonly precede wars and calamities. We have then heard a rumor The verb in Jeremiah is not in the plural number, שמענו shimonu, but שמועה שמעתו shimoti shimunoe, ‘I have heard,’ says Jeremiah, ‘a hearing.’ But our Prophet uses the plural number, ‘We have heard a hearing.’ The sense however is the same; for Jeremiah says that he had heard rumors; and the Prophet here adds others to himself, as though he said, “This rumor is spread abroad, but it is from the Lord: it is certain that this rumor has been heard even by the profane and the despisers of God.” But the Prophet shows that wars are not stirred up at random, but by the secret influence of God; as though he said, “When a tumult arises, let us not think that its beginning is from the earth, but God himself is the mover.” We now then apprehend the design of the Prophet: though he speaks of the rumor of wars, he yet shows that chance or accident does not rule in such commotions, but the hidden influence of God.

We have heard, he says from Jehovah, and a messenger, or, an ambassador, to the nations has been sent ⁷⁰, Arise ye, and we will arise against her to battle. In Jeremiah, it is, ‘Assemble ye, come and arise against her to battle.’ The Prophet here shows, I have no doubt, whence the rumor came, which he had just mentioned; for they were now indeed stirring up one another to destroy that land. If any one had formed a judgment according to human wisdom, he would have said that the Assyrians were the cause why war was brought on the Idumeans, because they had found them either inconstant or even perfidious, or because they had feigned a pretense when there was no just reason for making war. But the Prophet here raises his mind upwards and acknowledges God to be the mover of this war, because he intended to punish the cruelty of that people, which they had exercised toward their own kindred, the Israelites; and at the same time he encourages others also, that they might understand that it was altogether directed by the hidden counsel of God, that the Assyrians, from being friends, became of a sudden enemies, that a war was all in a flame against the Idumeans at a time when they were at ease, without any fear, without any apprehension of danger. It follows —

Calvin: Oba 1:2 - NO PHRASE

Jeremiah uses nearly the same words; but the sense of the expression is ambiguous, when he says, ‘Lo, little have I set thee.’ To me it appears probable, that the Prophet reproves the Idumeans, because they became arrogant, as it were, against the will of God, and in opposition to it, when, at the same time, they were confined to the narrow passes of mountains. It is said elsewhere, (Mal 1:2,) ‘Jacob and Esau, were they not brethren?’ “But I have given to you the inheritance promised to your father Abraham; I have transferred the Idumeans to mount Seir.” Now it is less bearable, if any one be elated with pride, when his condition is not so honorable. I therefore think that the Idumeans are here condemned because they vaunted so much, and arrogated to themselves more than what was right, when they yet were contemptible, when their condition was mean and obscure, for they dwelt on mount Seir. But others think that the punishment, which was impending over them, is here denounced, Lo, little have I made thee among the nations, and Jeremiah says, ‘and contemptible among men’; he omits the two words, thou and exceedingly; he says only, ‘and contemptible among men’. But as to the substance, there is hardly any difference. If then we understand that that nation was proud without reason, the sense is evident, that is, that they, like the giants, carried on war against God, that they vaunted themselves, though confined to the narrow passes of mountains. Though I leave to others their own free opinion, I am yet inclined to the former view, while the latter has been adopted nearly by the consent of all; and that is, that God was resolved forcibly to constrain to order those ferocious men, who, for no reason, and even in opposition to nature, are become insolent. But if a different interpretation be more approved, we may say, that the Prophet begins with a threatening, and then subjoins a reason why God determined to diminish and even to destroy them: for though they dwelt on mountains, it was yet a fertile region; and further, they had gathered in course of long time much wealth, when they attained security, when no enemy disturbed them. This then is the reasoning, Lo, I have made thee small and contemptible in the mountain, — and why? because the pride of thy heart has deceived thee; and Jeremiah adds, terror, ⁷¹ although some render תפלצתך taphlatastae, image; but this seems not appropriate. Jeremiah then, I doubt not, mentions terror in the first place; for it almost ever happens, that the proud strike others with fear: such then were the Idumeans.

Now if we follow the first meaning I explained, the two verses may be read as connected, Lo, I have made thee small and contemptible among the nations; ⁷² but the pride of thy heart has deceived thee; some render it, has raised thee up, deriving it from נשא nusha: but they read ש shin, pointed on the left side; for if נשא nusha has the point in the branch of the shin, on the right hand, it means to deceive, but if on the left, it signifies to raise up. Then they give this translations “The pride of thine heart has raised thee up:” but we clearly learn from Jeremiah, that it ought, as almost all interpreters agree, to be rendered thus, “The pride of thine heart has deceived thee:” for he says not השיאך eshiac but השיא אותך eshia autea, that is, it was to thee the cause of error and of madness. Of the sense then of this verb there can be no doubt.

Calvin: Oba 1:3 - NO PHRASE

The Prophet now laughs to scorn the Idumeans, because they relied on their own fortresses, and thought themselves, according to the common saying, to be beyond the reach of darts; and hence they petulantly insulted the Israelites and despised God himself. The Prophet therefore says, that the Idumeans in vain felicitated themselves, for he shows that all they promised to themselves were mere delusions. The import of what is said then is, “Whence is this your security, that ye think that enemies can do you no harm? Yea, ye despise God as well as men; whence is this haughtiness? whence also is the great confidence with which ye are puffed up? Verily, it comes only from mere delusions. The pride of thine heart has deceived thee.”

And yet there was not wanting a reason why the Idumeans were thus insolent, as the Prophet also states: but he at the same time shows that they had deceived themselves; for God cared not for their fortresses; nay, he counted them as nothing. Thou dwellest, he says, (this is to be regarded as a concession,) in the clefts of the stone; some read, “between the windings of the rock;” ⁷³ though others think סלע Salo to be the name of a city. But though I should allow that the Prophet alludes to the name of a city, I yet do not see how can that stand which they hold; for clefts comfort not with a city situated on a plain, though within the ranges of mountains. I do not then doubt but that סלע Salo here means mount Seir. As then the Idumeans had fortresses amidst rocks, they thought that all enemies could easily be kept out.

And hence it follows, The height is his habitation, that is, he dwells in lofty places; and hence he says in his heart, Who shall draw me down to the ground? He afterwards subjoins what I have already stated, — that though their region was exceedingly well fortified, yet the Idumeans were greatly deceived, and indulged themselves in vain delusions, “If thou shouldest raise up thy seat, he says, like the eagle”, — literally, ‘If thou shouldest rise as the eagle,’ — “and if thou shouldest among the clouds ⁷⁴ set and nest, I will thence draw thee down, saith Jehovah”. We now see that the Prophet did not without reason deride the confidence with which the Idumeans were inflated, by setting up their fortresses in opposition to God: for it is the greatest madness for men to rely on their own power and to despise God himself. At the same time he could, as it were, easily dissipate by one blast every idea of defense or of power that is in us; but this subject will be more fully handled by us tomorrow.

Calvin: Oba 1:5 - NO PHRASE

The Prophet shows in this verse that the calamity with which God was resolved to afflict the Idumeans would not be slight, for nothing would be left among them; and he amplifies what he says by a comparison. When one is plundered of his property by thieves, he grieves, that what he had acquired by much labor through life, has been in one moment taken from him: and when any one has spent labor and expense in cultivating his vineyard, and another takes away its fruit, he complains of his great misfortune, that he had lost his property and big labor in the cultivation of his vineyard, while another devours its fruit. But the Prophet intimates that God would not be content with such kind of punishment as to the Idumeans.

Hence he says, Have night thieves or robbers come to thee? They must doubtless have stolen, and have taken away what they thought sufficient for them; but now nothing shall be left to thee. In short, the Prophet intimates that the Assyrians would not be like thieves or night robbers, who stealthily and privately take away what comes to their hands; but he means, that the Idumeans would be so plundered, that their houses would be left wholly empty, and he declares that the Assyrians would thus spoil them like night thieves or robbers, who are wont to proceed with unbridled liberty; for none dares to resist them, or even to say a word against them. This plundering then will not be, says the Prophet, of an ordinary kind; but the enemies will make thee entirely empty.

The same is the object in view when he says, Have vintagers come to thee? To be sure, they commonly leave some clusters; but the Assyrians will leave, no, not one: they shall depart so laden with plunders, that thou shalt be left empty.

But all this, as we have reminded you, was said in order to alleviate or to mitigate the grief of the faithful, who then deemed themselves very miserable, as they were alone plundered by enemies; for they saw that their neighbors were dwelling in safety, and even becoming partakers of the spoil. Their condition therefore was very miserable and degraded. Hence the Prophet, that he might moderate this bitter grief, says, that the Idumeans would in no common way be plundered, for not a hair could be left them. This is the import of the passage.

But some regard the verb נדמיתה nudamite as signifying, “Thou art reduced to silence;” for the verb דום dum or דמה dame means to be silent: and they give this exposition, “How dost thou not endeavor at least to meet thine enemies?” for they take “to be silent” in the sense of being still, as דמה dame is often so taken in Scripture, “How then have they been silent?” but he speaks of the future in the past tense, as though God had already inflicted punishment on the Idumeans, that faith in the prediction might be made more certain: thou hast been reduced to silence, that is, how couldest thou remain quiet on seeing thine enemies plundering with so much violence — how then hast thou been reduced to silence? Others say, How hast thou been consumed? for דמה dame often means to destroy. But to this point belongs no great importance; for the Prophet means, that it could not be ascribed to chance, that enemies would destroy the whole land of Edom, for the cruel assault would by no means be of an ordinary kind: and then as the Idumeans thought that an entrance to their enemies was on every side closed up, as they inhabited the summits of mountains, according to what I have already said, and that they were most safe in their recesses and lofty rocks, the Prophet here sets it forth as a wonderful thing that God’s judgment would yet reach them. Let us proceed —

Calvin: Oba 1:6 - NO PHRASE

He confirms the former sentence, — that the Idumeans in vain trusted that their riches would be safe, because they had hidden and deep recesses. Even when a country is plundered by enemies, the conquerors dare not to come to places of danger; when there are narrow passes, they avoid them, for they think that there is there some evil design. Hence conquerors, fearing hidden places, plunder only those which are open, and always consider well whether their advance is safe: but Idumea, as we have said, had hidden recesses, for its rocks were almost inaccessible, and there were many conveniences there for hiding and concealing its riches. But the Prophet says, that all this would be useless: and that he might more effectually rouse them, he speaks with astonishment, as of something incredible. How have been sought the things of Esau, and thoroughly searched his hidden places! Who could have thought this? for they might have concealed their treasures in rocks and caverns, and thence repelled their enemies. But in vain would be all their attempts: how could this possibly be? Here then he awakens the minds of men, that they might acknowledge the judgment of God; and at the same time he laughs to scorn the vain confidence with which the Idumeans were inflated; and besides, he strengthens the minds of the godly, that they might not doubt but that God would perform what he declares, for he can indeed penetrate even to the lowest deep.

In short, the Prophet intimates that the faithful did not act wisely, if they measured God’s vengeance, which was impending on the Idumeans, by their own understanding or by what usually happens; for the Lord would make a thorough search, so that no hiding-places would escape his sight; and then all their treasures would be exposed as a prey to their enemies. We hence learn, that as men in vain seek hiding places for themselves that they may be safe from dangers; so in vain they conceal their riches; for the hand of God can penetrate beyond the sea, land, heaven, and the lowest deep. Nothing then remains for us but ever to offer ourselves and all our things to God. If he protects us under his wings, we shall be safe in the midst of innumerable dangers; but if we think that subterfuges will be of any avail to us, we deceive ourselves. The Prophet now adds —

Calvin: Oba 1:7 - NO PHRASE

Here the Prophet expresses the manner in which God would punish the Idumeans: trusting in their confederacies, they despised God, as we have already had to observe. The Prophet now shows that it is in the power of God to change the minds of men, so that they who were their friends being suddenly inflamed with rage, would go forth to destroy the Idumeans. Seeing then that they regarded the Assyrians not only as a shield to them, but also as a defense against God himself, the Prophet here declares that when it would be God’s purpose to punish them, there would be no need to send to a distance for agents or instruments to execute his vengeance; for he would arm the Assyrians themselves and the Chaldeans, inasmuch as he could turn the hearts of men as he pleased. We now see the Prophet’s meaning; for he here takes away and shakes off the vain confidence of the Idumeans, that they might not harden themselves for being fortified by confederacies and for having powerful friends, for the Lord would turn friends into enemies. To thy border, he says, have they driven thee שלח shilach is properly to send forth or to throw away; some render it, they have followed; as though the Prophet here spoke of the neighboring nations, and according to their view the meaning is, “However much thy neighbors may love thee, yet nothing will they show of this love, except that they will follow thee with feigned tears, when thine enemies shall lead thee away captive.” But this is a strained exposition, and corresponds not with the context. The Prophet then describes here, I doubt not, the change, such as would take place, that the Idumeans might know, that they trusted in vain in their power and defenses. The men of thy covenant, he says, have driven thee away; as though he said, “See what thou gainest in anxiously seeking the friendship of those who will yet be thy enemies; hadst thou remained quiet in thy clefts, it would have been much better for thee: but now thou runnest to Assyria and Chaldea, and this will be the cause of thy ruin. Hence the men of thy covenant shall banish thee to the border: but if thou hadst had no friendship nor commerce with them, thou mightest have lived safely in thy recesses, no one would have driven thee out: just, then, has been the reward of thy ambition, for having thus resorted to the Assyrians and Chaldeans.”

Continuing the same subject, the Prophet says, Deceived thee have the men of thy peace — friends and confederates; for the Hebrews call those men of peace, who are connected together by any kind of alliance. The men then of thy peace, that is those whom thou thoughtest thou mightest trust, and on whom thou midst rely; — these have deceived thee, even these have prevailed against thee, and oppressed thee through craft and treachery. The men of thy bread have placed under thee a wound: the men of bread were those who were guests or friends. Some give this rendering, “Who eat thy bread;” and it is an admissible interpretation, for the Assyrians and Chaldeans, as they were insatiable, had taken booty from the Idumeans; for whosoever then hunted for their friendship, must have brought them some gifts. Since then they thus sold their friendship, the Prophet rightly calls them the men of bread with regard to those whose substance and wealth they devoured. If then we take the men of bread in this sense, there is a probability in the meaning. But we may give another interpretation, as though he had said that they were guests and friends: these then have fixed under thee a wound, that is, they have been thy destruction, and that through guile and hidden artifices. When one attacks another openly, he who is attacked can avoid the stroke; but the Prophet says, that the Assyrians and Chaldeans would be perfidious to the Idumeans, so as to conquer them through treachery. Fix then shall they a wound under thee, as when one hides a dagger between the bed and the sheet, when a person intends to go to sleep. So also he says that a wound is placed underneath, when a feigned friend hides himself, that he may more easily hurt him whom he assails deceitfully and craftily.

He at length thus concludes, There is no intelligence in him. Here the Prophet no doubt derides in an indirect way the foolish confidence with which the Idumeans were blinded; for they thought themselves to be in a superlative degree wary, so that they had no reason to fear, as they could see afar off, and arrange their concerns with the utmost prudence. Since then they thought that they excelled in wisdom, and could not be surprised by any craft, the Prophet says here, that there would be in them no understanding.

But he immediately subjoins the reason, “Shall I not in that day, saith Jehovah, destroy, or extinguish, the wise from Edom?” While the Idumeans were prosperous, because they acted wisely, it was incredible that they could thus in a moment be overthrown: but the Prophet says, that even this was in the hand and power of God; “Can I not,” he says, “put an end to whatever there is of wisdom in the Idumeans? Cannot I destroy all their prudent men? This will I do.” We now then perceive the import of the words.

But this place deserves notice: the Prophet upbraids the Idumeans, and says, that their confederates and friends would prove their ruin, because they had conspired among themselves beyond what was just and right. When men thus mutually join together, there are none of them who do not greedily seek their own advantage; in the meantime, both sides are deceived; for God disconcerts their counsels, and blasts the issue, because they regard not the right end. And when the wicked seek friendships, they ever blend something that is wrong; they either try to injure the innocent, or they seek some advantage. All the compacts then which the ungodly and the despisers of God make with one another, have always something vicious intermixed; it is therefore no wonder that the Lord disappoints them of their hope, and curses their counsels. This is then the reason why the Prophet declares to the Idumeans, that those, whom they thought to be their best and most faithful friends, would be their ruin.

But here it may be objected and said, that the same thing happens to the children of God. For David, though he acted towards all with the utmost faithfulness and the greatest sincerity, yet complains, that the man of his peace and a friend had contrived against him many frauds,

‘Raised up his heel against me,’ he says,
‘has the man of my peace;
eat bread together did I with him, and he with me,’
(Psa 41:9)

It was necessary also that this should have been the case with Christ himself. Now, if the children of God must be conformed to the image of Christ, what the Prophet says is no more than what applies to the whole Church, and to every member of it. This may appear strange at the first view; but a solution may be easily given: for while we strive to maintain peace with all men, though they may perfidiously, through treachery, oppress us, yet the Lord himself will succor us; and in the meantime, however hard may this trial be, we yet know that our patience is tried by God, that he may at last deliver us, so that we may confidently flee to him and testify our sincerity. But while the ungodly mutually cheat one another, while with wicked and sideway artifices they oppress and circumvent each other, while they cast forth their hidden virulence, while they turn peace into war, they know that their recompense is just and merited: they cannot flee to God, for their conscience restrains them. They indeed understand that they have deserved what the Lord has justly repaid them. It is then no wonder that the conspiracy in which the Idumeans trusted, when they made the Chaldeans their friends, should have been accursed; for the Lord turned to their ruin whatever they thought useful to themselves.

This then is the import of the whole, — that if we wish not to be deceived, we must not attempt anything without an upright heart. Provided then we exceed not the limits of our calling, let us cultivate peace with all men, let us endeavor to do good to all men, that the Lord may bless us; but if it be his purpose to try our patience, he will be still present with us, though false friends try us by their treacheries, though we be led into danger by their malice, and be for a time trodden under their feet; if, on the contrary, we act with bad faith, and think that we have fortunate alliances, which have been obtained by wicked and nefarious artifices, the Lord will turn for our destruction whatever we think to be for our safety.

Calvin: Oba 1:8 - NO PHRASE

We must now notice what the Prophet says, Shall I not in that day destroy the wise from Edom? Though men be in many respects blind, whom God guides not by his Spirit, and on whom he shines not with his word, yet the worst blindness is, when men become inebriated with the false conceit of wisdom. When therefore any one thinks himself endued with understanding, so that he can perceive whatever is needful, and that he cannot be circumvented, his wisdom is insanity and extreme madness: it would indeed be better for us to be idiots and fools than to be thus inebriated. Since then the wise of this world are insane, the Lord declares that they will have no wisdom when the time of trial comes. God indeed permits the ungodly for a long time to felicitate themselves on account of their own acumen and counsels, as he suffered the Idumeans to go on prosperously. And there are also many at this day who felicitate themselves on their successes, and almost adore their own cunning. Who indeed can persuade the Venetians that there is anywhere consummate wisdom but among themselves, by which, forsooth, they surpass all others in deception? For no other reason do they, amidst many agitations, retain their own position, except that they seem to see farther into what is for their own advantages; nay, that kings in general stand, and continue safe amidst so many shakings, this they ascribe to their own wisdom: “Except I had looked well in this respect to my own affairs, except I had anticipated danger, and except I had foreseen it, it would have been all over as to my condition.” Thus they think within themselves: but the Lord at length infatuates them, that it may be evident, that this was not formerly said in vain to the Idumeans, Shall I not in that day, saith Jehovah, etc. and it was emphatically added, in that day: for the Prophet means, that it was no wonder that the Idumeans had been hitherto wary and adopted the best counsel; for it was not the Lord’s purpose to deprive them of wisdom; but when the suitable time of vengeance came, he instantly took away whatever prudence there was in them; for it is indeed in God’s hand to take away whatever there is either of understanding or of acuteness in men.

But we are warned by these words, that if we excel in understanding, we are not to abuse this singular gift of God, as we see the case to be with the ungodly, who turn to cunning whatever wisdom the Lord has bestowed on them. There is hardly one in a hundred to be found, who does not seek to be crafty and deceitful, if he excels in understanding. This is a very wretched thing. What a great treasure is wisdom? Yet we see that the world perverts this excellent gift of God; the more reason there is for us to labor, that our wisdom should be founded in true simplicity. This is one thing. Then we must also beware of trusting in our own understanding, and of despising our enemies, and of thinking that we can ward off any evil that may impend over us; but let us ever seek from the Lord, that we may be favored at all times with the spirit of wisdom, that it may guide us to the end of life: for he can at any moment take from us whatever he has given us, and thus expose us to shame and reproach.

When he says, from mount Esau, he means mount Seir, as I have already reminded you. But he meant to point out their whole country; for they were almost surrounded by mountains, and dwelt, as it is well known, in that Arabia which is called Patraea. It follows —

Calvin: Oba 1:9 - For cut off,

The Prophet, after having spoken of one kind of God’s vengeance, adds another, — that he would break whatever there was of strength in Idumea: and thus he shows that the courage and strength of men, no less than their understanding, are in the hand of God. As then God dissipates and destroys, whenever it pleases him, whatever wisdom there may be in men, so also he enervates and breaks down their hearts: in a word, he deprives them of all strength, so that they fail and come to nothing of themselves. Were they who are proud of their strength and counsels rightly to consider this, they would at length learn to submit themselves in true humility to God. But this truth is what the world cannot be made to believe: yet God shows to us here, as in a picture, that however men may flourish for a time, they would immediately vanish, were not he to sustain them, and to support his gifts in them, and keep them entire; and, especially, that empty smoke is everything, that seems to be understanding and strength in men; for the Lord can easily take away both, whensoever it may please him.

We ought therefore carefully to observe what he says here, Broken down shall be thy brave men, O Teman. Some think that a particular country is here pointed out; for Teman is the south, that is, with regard to Judea. But as Teman, we know, was one of the grandsons of Esau, (Gen 36:15,) and as a part of Arabia was called by this name, it is the more probable, that the Prophet turns here his discourse to Idumea. But as to the word Teman, it is, a part taken for the whole.

For cut off, he says, shall be man: by saying, cut off shall man, he means, that all to a man would be destroyed. How? “by slaughter” ⁷⁵. But קתל kothel means a slaughter in which no one remains alive. We hence see what the Prophet means, — that all the Idumeans would be so broken down, that all would fall, for there would be no heart nor strength to resist. It now follows —

Calvin: Oba 1:10 - For the unjust oppression of thy brother Jacob

The Prophet here sets forth the reason why God would deal so severely and dreadfully with the Idumeans. Had he simply prophesied of their destruction, it would have been an important matter; for the Jews might have thereby known that their ruin was not chance, but the scourge of God; they might have known that they themselves were with others chastised by God, and this would have been a useful instruction to them: but what brought them the chief consolation was to hear, that they were so dear to God that he would undertake the defense of their wrongs and avenge them, that he would have a regard for their safety. Hence, when they heard that God, because he loved them, would punish the Idumeans, it was doubtless an invaluable comfort to them in their calamities. To this subject the Prophet now comes.

For the unjust oppression of thy brother Jacob, etc. The word חמס chemes, violence, is to be taken passively; as though he said, “See, how thou hast acted towards thy brother Jacob.” And he calls him his brother, not for honor’s sake, but, on the contrary, for the purpose of showing forth more fully the cruelty of the Idumeans; for consanguinity had had no effect in preventing them from raging against their own brethren, and as it were against their own bowels. It was therefore a proof of barbarous inhumanity, that the Idumeans, forgetting their common nature, had been so inflamed with hatred against their own brethren: for, as it is well known, they had descended from the same common father, Abraham, and also from Isaac, and had the symbol of circumcision. The Idumeans indeed professed that they were the descendants of Abraham, and were God’s peculiar people. Since then God had made his covenant with their common father Isaac, and since they had equally retained circumcision, which was the seal of that covenant, how did it happen, that the Idumeans conducted themselves so cruelly towards their brethren? We hence see, that the name of brother in this clause — for the oppression of thy brother Jacob, is mentioned for the purpose of enhancing their crime.

As then, he says, thou hast been so violent against thy brother, cover thee shall reproach, and forever shalt thou be cut off. He intimates that the calamity would not be only for a time as in the case of Israel, but that the Lord would execute such a punishment as would prove that the Idumeans were aliens to him; for God in chastising his Church ever observes certain limits, as he never forgets his covenant. He proves indeed that the Idumeans were not his people, however much they might falsely boast that they were the children of Abraham, and make claim to the sign of circumcision; for they were professedly enemies, and had entirely departed from all godliness: it was then no wonder that their circumcision, which they had impiously profaned, was made no account of. But he afterwards more fully and largely unfolds the same thing.

Calvin: Oba 1:11 - In the day

In the day, he says, in which thou didst stand on the opposite side ”. But the Idumeans might have made this objection, “Why dost thou accuse us for having violently oppressed our brother? for we were not the cause why they were destroyed: they had a quarrel with the Assyrians, we labored to protect our own interest in the midst of these disturbances; we sought peace with the Assyrians, and if necessity so compelled us, that ought not to be ascribed to us as a crime or blame.” In this way the Idumeans might have made a defense: but the Prophet dissipates all such pretenses by saying, In the day in which thou didst stand on the opposite side, in the day in which strangers took away his substance, and aliens entered his gates, and cast lots on Jerusalem — were not thou there? Even thou were as one of them. Now this is emphatically introduced — Even thou or, thou also; ( Tu etiam ) for the Prophet exhibits it here as a hateful omen: “It was no wonder that the Assyrians and Chaldeans shed the blood of thy brethren, for they were enemies, they were foreigners, they were a very distant people: but thou, who were of the same blood, thou, whom the bond of religion ought to have restrained, and further, even thou, who oughtest by the very claims of vicinity either to have helped thy brethren, or at least to have condoled with them — yea, thou were so cruel as to have been as one of his enemies: this surely can by no means be endured.”

We now perceive what the Prophet meant by saying, In the day in which thou didst stand on the opposite side: it is then as it were, an explanation of the former sentence, lest the Idumeans should make a false excuse by objecting that they had not been violent against their brethren. It was indeed the worst oppression, when they stood over against them; though they were not armed they yet took pleasure in a spectacle so mournful; besides they not only were idle spectators of the calamity of their brethren but were also as it were a part of their enemies. “Hast thou then not been as one of them?” I shall not proceed farther now.

Calvin: Oba 1:12 - Thou shouldest not rejoice

The Prophet enumerates here the kinds of cruelty which the Idumeans exercised towards the Church of God, the children of Abraham, their own kindred. But he speaks by way of prohibition; it is then a personification, by which the Prophet introduces God as the speaker, as though he taught and admonished them on the duties of human kindness. Engraven, indeed, on their hearts ought all these to have been, on account of which he now reproaches them; for by forgetting humanity they had departed from everything right which nature requires. God indeed did not commence by instructing or teaching the Idumeans what were their duties; but the Prophet reminds them of things which must have been well known to them, and were beyond all dispute true.

Hence he says, Thou shouldest not look on in the day of thy brother, in the day of his alienation. The day of Judah he calls that in which God visited him: so the day of Jerusalem is called the day of calamity. Thou shouldest not then look on: we know in what sense this verb, to look on, is usually taken in Scripture; it is applied to men, when they lie in wait, or very anxiously desire anything, or rejoice at what they witness. The Prophet no doubt takes it metaphorically for taking delight in the misery of the chosen people; for, shortly after, he repeats the same word. Thou shouldest not then look on in the day of thy brother, even in the day of his alienation Some take another sense; but I approve of their opinion, who regard this alienation as meaning exile; at the same time, they give not the reason for this metaphor, which is this, — that such a change then took place in the people, that they put on a new appearance. It was then alienation, when God wholly abolished the glory of the kingdom of Judah, and when he took away all his favors, so that the appearance of the people became deformed. In the day then of his alienation, that is, when the Lord stripped him of his ancient dignity.

Thou shouldest not rejoice, he says, over the children of Judah, in the day of their destruction, that is of their ruin; “thou shouldest not make thy mouth great in the day of affliction”. We now perceive what the Prophet means. Though indeed he seems here to show to the Idumeans their duty, he yet reproves them for having neglected all the laws of humanity, and of having been carried away by their own pride and cruelty. It hence follows that they were worthy of that dreadful vengeance which he has already mentioned. In case then the Idumeans complained that God dealt too severely with them, the Prophet here reminds them, that they in many ways sought such a ruin for themselves, — How so? “Were not thou delighted with the calamity of thy brother? Didst not thou laugh when Judah was distressed? And didst not thou speak loftily in ridicule? Was this outrageousness to be endured? Can the Lord now spare thee, as thou hast been so cruel towards thy brother?” And he repeats the name of brother, for the crime was the more atrocious, as it has been already said, as they showed no regard for those of their own blood. But the Prophet often mentions either affliction, or ruin, or calamity, or evils, or adversity; for it is a feeling naturally implanted in us, that when one is distressed, we are touched with pity; even when we see our enemies lie prostrate on the ground, our hatred and anger are extinguished, or at least are abated: and all who see even their enemies ill-treated, become, as it were, other men, that is, they put off the anger with which they were previously inflamed. As then this is what is common almost to all men, it appears that the Idumeans must have been doubly and treble barbarous, when they rejoiced at the calamity of their brethren, and took pleasure in a spectacle so sad and mournful, and even spoke proudly, and jeered the miserable Jews; for this, as we have said, is the meaning of the words, to make great the mouth.

Calvin: Oba 1:13 - NO PHRASE

It follows, Thou shouldest not enter the gates of my people in the day of their destruction, nor shouldest thou look on in their calamity. Probably the Idumeans had made an irruption in company with the Assyrians and Chaldeans, when they ought to have remained at home, and there to lament the slaughter of their brethren. For if I cannot save my friend from death or from a calamity, I shall yet withdraw myself, for I could not bear to look on: but were I constrained to look on my friend, and be not able to succor him in his necessity, I should rather close my eyes; for there is in the eyes, we know, the tenderest sympathy. As then the Idumeans willingly went forth and entered Jerusalem with the enemies, it was hence evident that they were no better than wild beasts. Thou shouldest not then, he says, enter the gates of my people in the day of slaughter, nor shouldest thou especially then, look on. He again repeats גם אתה gam ate, thou also, or, especially thou: “If other neighbors do this, yet thou shouldest abstain, for thou art of the same blood; if thou can’t not bring help, show at least some token of grief and of sympathy: but as thou willingly and gladly lookest on their calamities, it is quite evident that there is not in thee a particle of right feeling.”

He afterwards adds, Thou shouldest not stretch forth thy hand to his substance. Here he accuses the Idumeans of having been implicated in taking the spoils with other enemies, as though he said, “Ye have not only suffered your brethren to be pillaged, but ye became robbers yourselves. Ye ought to have felt sorrow in seeing them distressed by foreign enemies; but ye have plundered with them, and enriched yourselves with spoils; this certainly is by no means to be endured.”

Calvin: Oba 1:14 - NO PHRASE

It follows, And thou shouldest not stand on the going forth. The word פרק perek signifies to break, to dissipate, to rend; hence פרק perek, as a noun, in Hebrew means rending and breaking. Therefore some take it metaphorically for a place where two ways meet, when one road is cut or divided into two. When the two meet then there is a going forth by two ways; hence they take פרק , perek, for such a place. But we may simply take it for the rending of the people. Though I am certainly pleased with the first explanation, yet I do not confine the word to that meaning; and I prefer the idea of going forth, as it harmonizes better with the context: Thou hast stood then on the going forth; and for what purpose? To destroy those who had escaped, and to stop or to deliver up his remaining captives in the day of affliction. In short, the Prophet means that the Idumeans occupied all the ways, to intercept the miserable exiles, to whom flight was the only way of safety.

As then the miserable Jews tried by winding outlets to provide for their own safety, the Prophet says that they were intercepted by the Idumeans, lest any of them should escape, and that they were stopped, that afterwards they might be slain by their enemies. Inasmuch as the Assyrians and the Chaldeans were a people far remote from Judea, it is probable that the roads were unknown to them, and that they were afraid of being entrapped; but the Idumeans, who were familiarly acquainted with all their roads, could stand at all the outlets. Some give the following explanation, but it is too frigid: Thou shouldest not stand for the rending of thy brethren, that is, thou should not stand still, but strive to extend a helping hand to the distressed: but this, as I have said, is too frigid and strained. Thou shouldest not then stand on the going forth of the roads to destroy We now see what the Prophet had in view; to destroy, he says, and whom did they destroy? Even those who had already escaped. Expressly then is pointed out here the cruelty to which I have referred, that the Idumeans were not contented with the ruin of the city, and the great slaughter which had been made; but in case any had stealthily escaped, they occupied the outlets of the roads, that they might not flee away: and the same thing is meant when he adds, that all were betrayed or stopped who had remained alive in the day of affliction.

We now understand the Prophet’s meaning; — that the Idumeans could not complain that God was too severe with them, when he reduced them to nothing, because they had given examples of extreme cruelty towards their own brethren, and at a time when their calamities ought to have obliterated all hatred and old enmities, as it is usually the case even with men the most alienated from one another. Let us proceed —

Calvin: Oba 1:15 - Behold, then, nigh is the day of Jehovah

By saying that the day of Jehovah was nigh upon all nations, the Prophet may be regarded as reasoning from the greater to the less: “If God will not spare other nations, how canst thou escape his hand?” In a like manner does Jeremiah speak in chapter 49, (Jer 49:12) he addresses the Idumeans in these words, ‘Behold, they shall drink of the cup, who have not been by judgment condemned to drink; and shalt thou not taste? by drinking thou shalt drink to the very dregs. He shows then that the Idumeans deserved a double vengeance; for if indeed they were compared with the Assyrians and Chaldeans, the fault of the latter would appear small: the Chaldeans might pretend some causes for the war, they were aliens, they were, in short, professed enemies; but the Idumeans were neighbors and kindred. The same thing might be also said of other nations. But the words may be explained in a simpler manner; and that is, that God would not only take vengeance on one or two nations, but on all. “See,” he says, “a change will take place not only in one corner, but in the whole world. The Lord will thus show that he is the judge of the whole earth. Hence it follows, that the Idumeans also must render an account, for God has resolved to execute judgment on all nations; no one whatever shall be passed by.”

Behold, then, nigh is the day of Jehovah. We have said that the time in which Obadiah prophesied is unknown to us. But it is no matter of wonder that he declares that nigh is the day of Jehovah; for the Lord hastens not after the manner of men; but, at the same time, he knows his own seasons; and this is ever accomplished, that when the ungodly think themselves to be at rest, then sudden destruction overtakes them.

He draws this conclusion, As thou hast done, so shall it be done to thee. There seems, however, to be here an implied comparison between the chastisement of the chosen people and the punishment which shall be inflicted on other nations. When the Idumeans saw that the kingdom of Israel and of Judah was trodden under foot, they thought that the children of Abraham were thus punished because they had despised their own Prophets, because they had become immoral and perverse in the extreme. Thus they exempted themselves and others from punishment. Now the Prophet declares that God had been the judge of his people, but that he is also the judge of the whole world, and that this would quickly be made evident. When, therefore, he says, that nigh was the day of Jehovah, he had, I have no doubt, a regard, as I have already said, to the chastisement of the Church; as though he said, “As God has proved himself to be one who justly punishes sins with respect to Israel and Judah; so also at length he will ascend his tribunal to judge all the nations; no one, therefore, shall escape punishment. All then in their different conditions shall be constrained to give an account of their actions, for the Lord will spare none: and though he has begun with his Church and his own house, yet there will come afterwards the suitable time to take vengeance, when he will extend his hand to punish all heathen nations.” This, seems to me to be the real meaning.

Rightly then does he conclude, As then thou hast done, it shall be done to thee: “Think not that thou shalt be unpunished for having gone against thy brother. It was God’s purpose to exhibit an example of his severity towards others, while he spared thee; but thou hast abused his forbearance; for thou mightest have remained quiet at home: the Lord will then repay thee.” And then he subjoins, Thy reward shall recoil, or return, on thine own head Here the Prophet announces what Christ also says

‘With what measure any one measures, it shall be repaid to him,’ (Mat 7:2.)

This sentence is worthy of being noticed: for when God leaves the innocent to the will of the ungodly, they think that they may do whatever they please with impunity, as though they were the executioners of God. As then they become thus insolent when the Lord spares them, let us take notice of what the Prophet says here, — that a reward is prepared for every one, and that whatever cruelty the ungodly may exercise, it shall be returned on their own heads. It follows —

Calvin: Oba 1:16 - Ye have

Here Obadiah proceeds farther and says, that God would revenge the wrongs done to his Church. The declaration in the last verse was general, “Behold, on all the nations the day of Jehovah is nigh; as then thou hast done, God will repay thee:” but now he shows that this would be, because God purposed to defend his own servants, ( clientes — clients;) and as they had been cruelly treated, he would become the avenger of their wrongs; As then ye have drunk on my holy mountain, etc. The Prophet, I have no doubt, taking a part for the whole, included in the word drink their triumphs and rejoicings. As then ye have rejoiced on my holy mountain, so also all the nations shall drink and continue their excess; they shall drink up, so that ye shall utterly perish. But the Prophet appears to me evidently to add here a proof of their avariciousness. He had shortly before accused the Idumeans of having taken away a part of the spoil, together with the foreign nations, when the miserable Jews were plundered. So also, he says now, Ye have drunk, in token of triumph and rejoicing.

Ye have then drunk wine on my holy mountain: now drink shall all the nations This latter drinking is to be taken in a sense different from the former. What then? Drink they shall, and drink up, that is, “They shall consume all your substance.” And he afterwards adds, And drink they shall continually; and they shall be as though they had not been, that is they shall not cease to eat and to drink until they shall consume whatever is among you. He then intimates that the Idumeans, who had enriched themselves with the spoils of their brethren, and who had also kept feastings in token of their joy on the holy mountain, would hereafter be the food of others, for all the nations would drink, and drink them up To drink then here is the same as to consume. It follows, (for I am under the necessity of finishing this prophecy today, and time, I hope, will allow me) —

Calvin: Oba 1:17 - NO PHRASE

Here the Prophet promises deliverance to the Jews; for other consolations would have been of no great moment, had they, who then were perishing, no hope of being some time restored to safety. The Jews might indeed have objected, and said, “What is it to us, though the Lord may avenge our wrongs? Should the Idumeans be destroyed for our sake, what profit will that be to us? We are in the meantime destroyed and have no hope of deliverance.” The Prophet here meets this objection, and says, In mount Zion shall be escape Though then the Idumeans had attempted to intercept all outlets, as it has been before mentioned, yet God promises here that there would be an escape in mount Zion: he says not, from mount Zion, but in the very mountain. What does this mean? even that God would restore those who might seem then to be lost. Then Obadiah clearly promises that there would be a restoration of the Church.

But we are taught in this place, that the punishment, by which the Lord chastises his people for their sins, is ever for a time. Whenever then God inflicts wounds on his Church, prepared at the same time is the remedy; for God designs not, nor does he suffer, that his own people should be wholly lost. This we may learn from the Prophet’s words, when he says, that there would be escape in Zion. And it was no ordinary comfort for the Jews to know, that even in their extreme decay, there remained for them some hope of deliverance, and that the people, who might appear at the time to be extinct, would yet be saved, and preserved alive, as though they arose from the dead.

He says that mount Zion would be holiness or holy, by which he means that God would be mindful of his covenant. As then he had chosen mount Zion where he would be worshipped, the Prophet intimates that God’s name was not there involved presumptuously or in vain. Inasmuch as God had chosen this mount for himself, it was holy; for God is said to have profaned the land and the temple, when he forsook them and delivered them up into the hands of enemies. So also now when the Prophet says, that mount Zion would be holy, it is the same as though he had said, that God would have a care for this mountain, because he had once consecrated it to himself, and designed it to be his own habitation. The cause then is put here for its effect. He had said, that the Jews would survive, how much soever like the lost and the dead they might for a time be, — How could such a thing be? The reason is this, — mount Zion shall be holy: it was a dreadful profanation of mount Zion when the temple was destroyed, when the holy vessels were taken away by the Babylonians, when, in short, the enemies showed there every kind of insolence. But when the Lord restored his people, when the altar was built again, and sacrifices were offered, then mount Zion recovered its holiness, that is, God manifested that the grace of his election had not been abolished, for he had again sanctified mount Zion, and thus designed it to be preserved safe. Holy then shall be mount Zion Were any one disposed to refine more on the Prophet’s words, he might say, that it is evidently the manner of our salvation that is intended, when God is said to sanctify or govern us by his Spirit: but the Prophet, I have no doubt, has regard here simply to the election of God.

===And the house of Jacob shall again possess his own === possessions, that is whatever God has given as an heritage to the children of Abraham, he will restore to them when they return from exile. If any one prefers to take possessions to be those of Edom, I do not object. But yet I think that the real meaning of the Prophet is, that when the children of Israel should return from exile, God would restore to them their ancient country, that they might possess whatever had been promised to their father Abraham. He means then, by their possessions, the whole land, which came by lot into the possession of the chosen people, as it had been promised to Abraham. It follows —

Calvin: Oba 1:18 - NO PHRASE

Here again the Prophet meets a doubt, which might come into the mind of each of them; for the Idumeans were flourishing, and their condition was independent, when the Israelites as well as the Jews were led into exile, and Jerusalem with its temple was destroyed. They might under such circumstances despair; but the Prophet shows, that though for a time the house of Jacob seemed to be dead, yet a fire would be kindled, which would consume the Idumeans, though they were then proud of their power and their wealth, and also of the prosperous issue of the victory over the Jews, for they had been enriched, and well as the Assyrians, by the overthrow of their brethren. A similar mode of speaking Isaiah also adopts; though he directs his discourse, not to the Idumeans, but to others, yet his manner of speaking is the same when he says, that God, the light of Israel, would be a fire and a flame to consume the wicked, (Isa 29:6.)

But this was fulfilled, when the Lord avenged the cruelty of Edom, though the Jews were then in exile and could not move a finger, when they were without arms, yea, when they were miserable slaves: the Idumeans were even then consumed, by what fire? how was this burning kindled? Even then the house of Jacob and the house of Joseph were like a fire and a flame The cause of this ruin, it is true, did not immediately appear to the Idumeans: but we must here look to the purpose of God. Why did God with so much severity punish the Idemeans? Because he intended by this example to show how much he loved his Church. Since then their cruelty was the cause of ruin to the Idumeans, rightly does the prophet say, that the house of Jacob and the house of Joseph would be like a fire and a flame to consume the Idumeans. And it was not a small solace to the miserable exiles, when they understood, that they were still regarded by God in their depressed condition. Inasmuch then as they were exposed to the reproach and ridicule of all, it pleased God to testify that they were the objects of his care, and that he would, for their sake, destroy whole nations even those who then gloried in their power. We now then see why the Prophet adopted this figurative language. By the house of Joseph, he means as we have said elsewhere the kingdom of Israel; he mentions a part for the whole. It follows —

Calvin: Oba 1:19 - Possess then shall they the south of the mount of Esau

The Prophet proceeds with the same subject, — that God would not only gather the remnants of his people from the Babylonian exile, but would restore the exiles, that they might rule far and wide, and that their condition might be better than it was before: for the Prophet, as I think, directs the attention to the first blessing of God, which had been deposited in the hand of Abraham. God had promised to the posterity of Abraham the whole land from Euphrates to the sea. Now this land had never been possessed by the children of Abraham. This happened, as it is well known, through their sloth and ingratitude. David in his time enlarged the borders; but yet he only made those tributaries whom God had commanded to be destroyed. So this blessing had never been fulfilled, because the people put a hindrance in the way. The Prophet now, speaking of the restoration of the Church, tells the people, who would return from exile, that they were to occupy the country which had been promised to their fathers as though he said, “There will come to you a full and complete inheritance.”

Now it is certain that this prophecy has never been completed: we know that but a small portion of the land was possessed by the Jews. What then are we to understand by this prophecy? It does unquestionably appear that the Prophet speaks here of the kingdom of Christ; and we know that the Church was then really restored, and that the Jews not only recovered their former state from which they had fallen, but that their kingdom was increased: for how great became the splendor of the kingdom and of the temple under Christ? This then is what the Prophet now means, when he promises to the Jews the heritage which they had lost; yea, God then enlarged the borders of Judea. Hence he shows that they should not only be restored to their former condition, but that the kingdom would be increased in splendor and wealth, when Christ should come. Let us now run over the words.

Possess then shall they the south of the mount of Esau. The space was no doubt great: even when David reigned, the Jews did not possess that part or south portion of mount Seir. Then the Prophet, as I have said, shows that the borders of the kingdom would be more extensive than they had been. And the plain, he says, of the Philistines On that side also the Lord would cause that the Jews would extend farther than their kingdom. And possess they shall the fields of Ephraim Here I will not spend much labor in describing the land: but it is enough for us to understand that the design of the Prophet was to show, that the state of the people after their exile would be far more splendid than it had been before, even under the reign of David. What he means by Gilead is not very clear: but it is not probable that mount Gilead is referred to here, which was not far distant from the tribe of Benjamin, but rather that a town or some place distant from that part, and not included in their portion, is pointed out.

Calvin: Oba 1:20 - NO PHRASE

He afterwards adds, And the migrations of this host of the children of Israel, etc. There is here an obscurity in the words. The Hebrews by Canaan mean the Illyrians as well as Germans, and also the Gauls: for they say, that the migration, which shall be dispersed in Gaul, and in Germany, and in these far regions, shall possess the southern cities. Now by Zarephath they understand Spain. But we know, as we have elsewhere said, that the Jews are very bold in their glosses: for they are not ashamed to trifle and to blend frivolous things; and they assert this as though it were evident from history, and easily found out. Thus they prattle about things unknown to them, and this they do without any reason or discrimination. The Prophet, I doubt not, means here that all those territories, which had been formerly promised to the children of Abraham, would come into their possession when the Lord would send his Christ, not only to restore what had fallen, but also to render the state of the people in every way blessed. The import of the whole then is, that the Jews shall not only recover what they had lost, but what had not hitherto been given them to possess: all this the Lord would bestow on them when Christ came. It follows —

Calvin: Oba 1:21 - Ascend

Here the Prophet says, that there are in God’s hand ministers, the labor of whom he employs to preserve his own people. He alludes here, I have no doubt, to the history of the judges. We indeed know that the people of Israel were often so distressed, that their deliverance was almost incredible; and that yet they were also delivered in such a way as to have made it evident that the hand of God had appeared from heaven. Since this then was well known to the Jews, the Prophet here reminds them that God had still in his hand redeemers, whenever it might please him to gather his people. God then shall send preservers, even as he did send them formerly to your fathers. They had indeed found true by experience what the Prophet says here, not only once, but more than ten times. This then ought to have served much to confirm this prophecy.

Ascend then shall they who will judge the mount of Esau, — who, being endued with the power of God and his authority, will execute judgment on mount Seir and on the whole nation, and will avenge the cruelty which Edom had exercised towards the children of Abraham.

But this passage shows, that Christ came not to be the minister of our deliverance and salvation in an ordinary way, but that he became our savior in a special manner; so that he stands alone in that capacity: and this is a very strong argument against the Jews. They confess that the Messiah would be the Redeemer of his people, but they ascribe this office to him in a general way, as they do to David and other kings. But it certainly appears from this passage, that the Messiah would not be of the common class, for saviors would be under him as his ministers. This the Jews dare not to deny, though they grumble: for it would be absurd that he should be one of their number. Since then he was sent to be a Redeemer and Savior in a way different from others, it follows that he is not man only, but that he is the Author of salvation. It would indeed be easy to reply, “Why do you speak to us of many redeemers? Do you not hope for one Savior? If God will commit this office to many in an equal degree, why are there so many glorious promises respecting the Messiah? Why are we ever reminded of him alone? Why is he alone set forth to us as the ground of our salvation?” It hence certainly appears that Christ is to be distinguished from all others, and that others are saviors under his authority; and such were the apostles, and such are all at this day, the labor and ministry of whom God employs to defend and support his Church.

Now he adds, Jehovah’s shall be the kingdom. But as it is certain, that it was God’s purpose to rule among his people after having restored them, in no other way than by the power of Christ, the Prophet, by saying that the kingdom of Christ would be Jehovah’s, means, that it would be really divine, and more illustrious than if he had employed the labor of men. But two things must be here observed by us, — that God himself really rules in the person of Christ, — and that it is the legitimate mode of ruling the Church, that God alone should preside, and hold alone the chief power. Hence it follows, that when God does not appear as the only King, all things are in confusion, without any order. Now God is not called a King by way of an empty distinction: but then only is he regarded a King in reality, when all submit themselves to him, when they are ruled by his word; in short, when all creatures become silent in his presence. To God then belongs the kingdom. We hence see that the Church has no existence, where the word of God does not so prevail in its authority, as to keep down whatever height there is in men, and to bring them under the yoke, so that all may depend on God alone, that all may look up to him, and that he may have all in subjection to himself.

Defender: Oba 1:1 - Obadiah

Obadiah (the servant of Jehovah) is considered by many to be the first prophet chronologically (although his prophecy is the smallest chapter in the Old Testament), but there are at least a dozen Obadiahs mentioned in the Bible. None of the other men can be identified as the prophet Obadiah, so his identity and date of writing are unknown.

Defender: Oba 1:1 - concerning Edom

Obadiah's entire one-chapter prophecy deals with God's coming judgment on Edom, the nation founded by Jacob's twin brother, Esau. The fulfillment took place precursively later at the time of the Babylonian invasion, when Nebuchadnezzar decimated the Edomites and their land. The nation was eventually overrun by others and finally became desolate. However, the ultimate fulfillment will be when the confederacy invading Israel in the last days (Psalm 83; Ezekiel 38), which includes the Muslim Arabs now occupying Edom's ancient land, is defeated and its influence destroyed."

Defender: Oba 1:3 - clefts of the rock

Edom's main city was the famous "rock city," Sela, or Petra, considered almost impregnable because of the very narrow gorges which were its only access routes. Edom also controlled the chief trade routes between Asia and Egypt, becoming very prosperous."

Defender: Oba 1:10 - against thy brother Jacob

Many have written about Jacob and Esau as though Esau were the innocent victim of Jacob's cupidity. However, a careful reading will indicate that Esau and his father Isaac were at fault in attempting to deprive Jacob of his God-ordained leadership of the chosen nation of Israel (see notes on Genesis 25-27). Esau's resultant determination to slay Jacob, plus the influence of his pagan wives (Gen 26:34, Gen 26:35; Gen 27:41, Gen 27:46; Gen 28:6-9), carried over into the attitude of all his descendants toward the children of Israel (Eze 35:1-15, especially Eze 35:5). Finally, because of Edom's continual harassment of Israel, God judged them with a decree of national extinction."

Defender: Oba 1:15 - day of the Lord

If, as many scholars believe, Obadiah was the first of the writing prophets, this would be the first use of the important phrase, "the day of the Lord," which is applied so frequently in Scripture to the judgments of the last days. Although Obadiah's theme here is specifically the coming judgment on Edom, his vision goes far beyond that, applying it to "all the heathen" - that is, all the Gentile nations."

Defender: Oba 1:17 - possess their possessions

The children of Esau, as well as those of Ishmael, Lot, and others, have thus far kept "the house of Jacob" from obtaining their divine inheritance, as promised by God to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, as well as David. Eventually, however, God's Word will be vindicated, and Israel will "possess their possessions" in the coming age of Christ's kingdom."

Defender: Oba 1:21 - saviours

In the last days, "out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem" (Isa 2:3). There is, of course, only one Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, and He shall reign from Jerusalem in that day. However, Christ has also promised that "he that overcometh ... to him will I give power over the nations: And he shall rule them with a rod of iron" (Rev 2:26, Rev 2:27). "Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection ... they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years" (Rev 20:6). In this sense, therefore, all the redeemed of this age can be considered as "saviors," reigning with the one true Savior, in the age to come. In any case, "the kingdom shall be the Lord'S!"

Defender: Oba 1:21 - mount of Esau

The "mount of Esau" was Mount Seir, whereas "Mount Zion" could be called the mount of Jacob. Thus the age-long enmity between Jacob and Esau could be personified as a rivalry between Mount Seir and Mount Zion. "Yet I loved Jacob, And I hated Esau" (Mal 1:2, Mal 1:3). Such was God's evaluation of this rivalry, leading finally to Esau's (Edom's) destruction."

TSK: Oba 1:1 - concerning // We // and an // Arise

concerning : Psa 137:7; Isa 21:11, 34:1-17, Isa 63:1-6; Jer 9:25, Jer 9:26, Jer 25:17, Jer 25:21; Jer 49:17-22; Lam 4:21, Lam 4:22; Eze 25:12-14, Eze 35:3-15; Joe 3:19; Amo 1:11, Amo 1:12; Mal 1:3, Mal 1:4

We : Jer 49:14, Jer 49:15, Jer 51:46; Mat 24:6; Mar 13:7

and an : Isa 18:2, Isa 18:3, Isa 30:4

Arise : Jer 6:4, Jer 6:5, Jer 50:9-15, Jer 51:27, Jer 51:28; Mic 2:13

TSK: Oba 1:2

Num 24:18; 1Sa 2:7, 1Sa 2:8; Job 34:25-29; Psa 107:39, Psa 107:40; Isa 23:9; Eze 29:15; Mic 7:10; Luk 1:51, Luk 1:52

TSK: Oba 1:3 - pride // thou // saith

pride : Pro 16:18, Pro 18:12, Pro 29:23; Isa 10:14-16, Isa 16:6; Jer 48:29, Jer 48:30, Jer 49:16; Mal 1:4

thou : 2Ki 14:7; 2Ch 25:12

saith : Isa 14:13-15, Isa 47:7, Isa 47:8; Jer 49:4; Rev 18:7, Rev 18:8

TSK: Oba 1:4 - exalt // among

exalt : Job 20:6, Job 20:7, Job 39:27, Job 39:28; Jer 49:16; Hab 2:9

among : Isa 14:12-15; Jer 51:53; Amo 9:2

TSK: Oba 1:5 - if robbers // how // if the // some grapes

if robbers : Jer 49:9

how : 2Sa 1:19; Isa 14:12; Jer 50:23; Lam 1:1; Zep 2:15; Rev 18:10

if the : Deu 24:21; Isa 17:6, Isa 24:13; Mic 7:1

some grapes : or, gleanings

TSK: Oba 1:6 - are the // how are his

are the : Psa 139:1; Isa 10:13, Isa 10:14, Isa 45:3; Jer 49:10, Jer 50:37; Mat 6:19, Mat 6:20

how are his : Dan 2:22

TSK: Oba 1:7 - the men of // men that were at peace with thee // they that eat thy bread // there is // in him

the men of : The Chaldeans, whose agents they became in persecuting the Jews. Psa 55:12, Psa 55:13; Jer 4:30, Jer 30:14; Lam 1:19; Eze 23:22-25; Rev 17:12-17

men that were at peace with thee : Heb. men of thy peace, Jer 20:10, Jer 38:22 *marg.

they that eat thy bread : Heb. the men of thy bread, Psa 41:9; Joh 13:18

there is : Isa 19:11-14, Isa 27:11; Jer 49:7; Hos 13:13

in him : or, of it

TSK: Oba 1:8 - even

even : Job 5:12-14; Psa 33:10; Isa 19:3, Isa 19:13, Isa 19:14, Isa 29:14; 1Co 3:19, 1Co 3:20

TSK: Oba 1:9 - thy // O // every // mount

thy : Psa 76:5, Psa 76:6; Isa 19:16, Isa 19:17; Jer 49:22, Jer 50:36, Jer 50:37; Amo 2:16; Nah 3:13

O : Gen 36:11; Job 2:11; Jer 49:7, Jer 49:20; Eze 25:13; Amo 1:12

every : Isa 34:5-8, Isa 63:1-3

mount : Oba 1:21; Deu 2:5

TSK: Oba 1:10 - violence // shame // and

violence : Gen 27:11, Gen 27:41; Num 20:14-21; Psa 83:5-9, Psa 137:7; Lam 4:21; Eze 25:12; Eze 35:5, Eze 35:6, Eze 35:12-15; Amo 1:11

shame : Psa 69:7, Psa 89:45, Psa 109:29, Psa 132:18; Jer 3:25, Jer 51:51; Eze 7:18; Mic 7:10

and : Jer 49:13, Jer 49:17-20; Eze 25:13, Eze 25:14, Eze 35:6, Eze 35:7, Eze 35:15; Mal 1:3, Mal 1:4

TSK: Oba 1:11 - in the day that the // captive his forces // cast // even

in the day that the : 2Ki 24:10-16, 2Ki 25:11; Jer 52:28-30

captive his forces : or, his substance

cast : Joe 3:3; Nah 3:10

even : Psa 50:18, Psa 137:7

TSK: Oba 1:12 - thou // looked // rejoiced // thou have // spoken proudly

thou : etc. or, do not behold, etc

looked : Psa 22:17, Psa 37:13, Psa 54:7, Psa 59:10, Psa 92:11; Mic 4:11, Mic 7:8-10; Mat 27:40-43

rejoiced : Job 31:29; Pro 17:5, Pro 24:17, Pro 24:18; Lam 4:21; Eze 25:6, Eze 25:7, Eze 35:15; Mic 7:8; Luk 19:41

thou have : 1Sa 2:3; Psa 31:18

spoken proudly : Heb. magnified thy mouth, Isa 37:24; Jam 3:5; 2Pe 2:18; Jud 1:16; Rev 13:5

TSK: Oba 1:13 - looked // substance

looked : 2Sa 16:12; Psa 22:17; Zec 1:15

substance : or, forces

TSK: Oba 1:14 - neither shouldest // delivered up // in the day

neither shouldest : Amo 1:6, Amo 1:9

delivered up : or, shut up, Psa 31:8

in the day : Oba 1:12; Gen 35:3; Isa 37:3; Jer 30:7

TSK: Oba 1:15 - the day // as

the day : Psa 110:5, Psa 110:6; Jer 9:25, Jer 9:26, Jer 25:15-29, Jer 49:12; Lam 4:21, Lam 4:22; Eze 30:3; Joe 3:11-14; Mic 5:15; Zec 14:14-18

as : Jdg 1:7; Psa 137:8; Eze 35:15; Joe 3:7, Joe 3:8; Hab 2:8; Mat 7:2; Jam 2:13

TSK: Oba 1:16 - as ye // swallow down // and they shall be

as ye : Psa 75:8, Psa 75:9; Isa 49:25, Isa 49:26, Isa 51:22, Isa 51:23; Jer 25:15, Jer 25:16, Jer 25:27-29, Jer 49:12; Joe 3:17; 1Pe 4:17

swallow down : or, sup up, Isa 42:14 *marg. Hab 1:9

and they shall be : Isa 8:9, Isa 8:10, Isa 29:7, Isa 29:8

TSK: Oba 1:17 - upon // shall be // deliverance // there shall be holiness // possess

upon : Isa 46:13; Joe 2:32

shall be : Jer 46:28; Amo 9:8

deliverance : or, they that escape, Jer 44:14, Jer 44:28; Eze 7:16

there shall be holiness : or, it shall be holy, Isa 1:27, Isa 4:3, Isa 4:4, Isa 60:21; Joe 3:17; Zec 8:3, Zec 14:20,Zec 14:21; Rev 21:27

possess : Isa 14:1, Isa 14:2; Joe 3:19-21; Amo 9:11-15

TSK: Oba 1:18 - shall be // the house of Joseph // for stubble // and there

shall be : Isa 10:17, Isa 31:9; Mic 5:8; Zec 12:6

the house of Joseph : 2Sa 19:20; Eze 37:16, Eze 37:19; Amo 5:15, Amo 6:6

for stubble : Psa 83:6-15; Isa 5:24, Isa 47:14; Joe 2:5; Nah 1:10; 1Co 3:12

and there : Oba 1:9, Oba 1:10,Oba 1:16

TSK: Oba 1:19 - the south // the plain // the fields of Ephraim // Benjamin

the south : Num 24:18, Num 24:19; Jos 15:21; Jer 32:44; Amo 9:12; Mal 1:4, Mal 1:5

the plain : Jos 13:2, Jos 13:3, Jos 15:33, Jos 15:45, Jos 15:46; Jdg 1:18, Jdg 1:19; Isa 11:13, Isa 11:14; Eze 25:16; Amo 1:8; Zep 2:4-7; Zec 9:5-7

the fields of Ephraim : 2Ki 17:24; Ezr 4:2, Ezr 4:7-10,Ezr 4:17; Psa 69:35; Jer 31:4-6; Eze 36:6-12, Eze 36:28; Eze 37:21-25, Eze 47:13-21, Eze 48:1-9

Benjamin : Jos 13:25, Jos 13:31, Jos 18:21-28; 1Ch 5:26; Jer 49:1; Amo 1:13; Mic 7:14

TSK: Oba 1:20 - the captivity of this // Zarephath // which is in Sepharad, shall possess

the captivity of this : Jer 3:18, Jer 33:26; Eze 34:12, Eze 34:13; Hos 1:10,Hos 1:11; Amo 9:14, Amo 9:15; Zec 10:6-10

Zarephath : 1Ki 17:9, 1Ki 17:10; Luk 4:26, Sarepta

which is in Sepharad, shall possess : or, shall possess that which is in Sepharad, they shall possess, Jer 13:19, Jer 32:44, Jer 33:13

TSK: Oba 1:21 - saviours // to judge // and the

saviours : Jdg 2:16, Jdg 3:9; 2Ki 13:5; Isa 19:20; Dan 12:3; Joe 2:32; Mic 5:4-9; Zec 9:11-17, Zec 10:5-12; 1Ti 4:16; Jam 5:20

to judge : Psa 149:5-9; Dan 7:27; Luk 22:30; 1Co 6:2, 1Co 6:3; Rev 19:11-13, Rev 20:4

and the : Psa 2:6-9, Psa 22:28, Psa 102:15; Isa 9:6, Isa 9:7; Dan 2:35, Dan 2:44, Dan 7:14, Dan 7:27; Zec 14:9; Mat 6:10,Mat 6:13; Luk 1:32, Luk 1:33; Rev 11:15, Rev 19:6

Tafsiran/Catatan -- Catatan Kata/Frasa (per Ayat)

Poole: Oba 1:1 - THE ARGUMENT // The vision // Of Obadiah // Thus saith the Lord God // We have heard // A rumour // An ambassador // Among the heathen // Arise ye // Let us rise up against her in battle

THE ARGUMENT

This short prophecy will not need any long prefatory argument. He concealeth his nation, family, and place of his birth and abode, which he would not have done had it much concerned us to know, or would it have added any thing material to the authority and efficacy of his word. Yet perhaps we should be thought too slight, if we did not tell you, that some thought him to be a proselyted Edomite, filled with the prophetic Spirit, that he might be sent to declare God’ s judgments against Edom; but this suggestion will no more prove him an Idumean, than it will prove Jonah or Nahum to be proselyted Assyrians; or Isaiah, Amos, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel to be of so many different countries, because they prophesied against so many different nations. Some others will have him the same that was great with Ahab, but greater with God, hiding and feeding his prophets by fifty in a cave. But this is too early for this prophet, as is noted in the annotations. And that he was captain of the band of fifty whom, on his request, Elijah spared; or that he was one of those sent by Jehoshaphat, 2Ch 17:7 , to instruct the Jews, as is said by some; hath more against than can be said for it. But it is certain he was a prophet sent of God, and that his diligence and faithfulness answered his name, Obadiah , i.e. the servant of the Lord , whose message he delivered, though we are not certain when, in what king’ s reign, or what prophets he was contemporary with: some guess he was contemporary with Jeremiah, and they think the 37th and 39th chapters, besides Lam 4:21 , afford arguments to prove it; but if they did not live in the same time, they preached the same things against Edom, which were in due time fulfilled, though we cannot precisely define the time. It is indisputable, that Edom’ s cruelty, perfidiousness, pride, and rapine against Jacob were the principal causes of this Divine anger against Edom, and yet it admits some dispute when it was Edom did so barbarously lay wait for, cut off, or deliver up the fleeing Jews, whether when Shishak spoiled Jerusalem, or when Nebuchadnezzar sacked it and led the citizens captives. I rather think it had been a constant course observed by Edom to run in with all that invaded Judea, whether Philistines, Syrians, Assyrians, or Chaldeans, who were cruel enough, but yet Edom was more cruel; for this cause our prophet both threatens punishments upon them, and warns them of their approaching ruin. Some think the prophet warns Edom that they should not do what is here specified; I think he threatens because they had done it. In brief, the accommodating the particulars of this prophecy to their particular times and persons concerned, as it requires some good diligence and skill, so it will ever leave room for modesty towards those that it is likely will differ from us in accommodating them. Edom, type of all the church’ s enemies, shall be destroyed, and Christ’ s kingdom shall be set up; as Obadiah foretells, the church believeth, and so shouldst thou, reader.

The destruction of Edom, Oba 1:1,2 , for their pride, Oba 1:3-9 , and for their unnatural behaviour in Jacob’ s distress, Oba 1:10-16 . The salvation and victories of Jacob, Oba 1:17-21 .

The vision which the prophet received immediately from the Lord; so prophets are called seers , 1Sa 9:9 Amo 7:12 ; and their prophecy is vision, Isa 1:1 Joe 2:28 .

Of Obadiah: who this was appears not on any certainty, or when he prophesied. That it was not Obadiah who hid and fed the prophets of the Lord in Ahab’ s time is evident, for that the prophet doth threaten Edom for their cruelty against Jerusalem in the day it was taken and sacked, which was three hundred and thirty or forty years after Ahab’ s time; he began to reign about A.M. 3025, and Jerusalem was sacked about 3363. His name speaks a servant or a worshipper of the Lord.

Thus saith the Lord God: this includes his authority, the certainty of the things he speaks of concerning Edom, or against Edom; both people and country are so called from their progenitor or founder, Esau, called Edom, Gen 25:30 . This country is called Idumea, Isa 34:5,6 Eze 35:15 , which see; it was a part of Arabia Petrea.

We have heard other prophets, as I, have heard this news to tell to Edom, or to send to them, Isa 11:14 Jer 27:3 Joe 3:19 Amo 1:12 .

A rumour not an uncertain and vain report, but it comes from God by his prophets.

An ambassador a herald, or muster-master, who should gather forces together for this expedition, is sent, by the Lord first, and next by Nebuchadnezzar, who executed on Edom what is here foretold. God stirred up the spirit of Nebuchadnezzar to make war on Edom, which was (as well as other nations) given up to Nebuchadnezzar, Jer 27:3,6 .

Among the heathen or nations, both those that were confederate with or subject to Nebuchadnezzar, whom all nations served, Jer 27:6,7 .

Arise ye: this is a summons to them from Nebuchadnezzar, that they send in their proportions of soldiers.

Let us rise up against her in battle: this seems the voice of soldiers willing to and desirous of the war.

Poole: Oba 1:2 - Behold // I have made thee small // Among the heathen // Thou art greatly despised

Behold ye Edomites , lay it to heart, and consider it well; be not secure amidst such dangers.

I have made thee small thou art a small people for number, thy land mountainous, rocky, and barren, and it is little that which is of it, situate very incommodiously for any trade, which makes people great and famous; a country titled for moss-troopers, or banditti; and as such outlaws and robbers, thou art proud, and promisest great things to thyself.

Among the heathen in comparison with other nations.

Thou art greatly despised by those that do hear of thee, who know thy situation, government, manner of life, and what thy forces are, and how usually employed. Whatever these Edomites had been, now they are despised, and ere long should be more despicable, when, as Jer 49:20 , the least of Nebuchadnezzar’ s army should pull them out of their caves, houses, and strong holds.

Poole: Oba 1:3 - The pride of thy heart // Hath deceived thee // Thou // that dwellest in the clefts of the rock // That saith in his heart // Who shalt bring me down to the ground?

The pride of thy heart: the Edomites were, as most mountaineers are, a rough, hardy, and daring people; necessitated sometimes to extraordinary adventures, and many times succeeded in attempts which others would not venture upon; hence they did swell in pride and confidence, and their hearts were bigger than their achievements, and they proud above measure.

Hath deceived thee magnifying thy strength above what really it is.

Thou people of Edom,

that dwellest in the clefts of the rock houses, fortresses, towns, and cities, built upon inaccessible rocks, which neither could be undermined nor scaled. Or: dwellest in dark deep, and unsearchable caves amidst the rocks.

That saith in his heart who think with themselves, and are upon report of an invasion ready to say,

Who shalt bring me down to the ground? it is not possible for armies to approach to us, nor bring their engines to shake or batter our walls. Who shall ? i.e. none can.

Poole: Oba 1:4 - Though thou exalt thyself as the eagle // Though thou set thy nest among the stars // Thence will I bring thee down, saith the Lord

Though thou exalt thyself as the eagle: Edom boasted of his strength from the height of the rocks he dwelt on, Oba 1:3 , but here he is answered, if he could build his nest as the eagles, which build and fly much higher than any other bird, neither the height of the nest should save the young ones, nor the height of his flight save the old one.

Though thou set thy nest among the stars nay yet, in a more lofty strain, suppose you could lodge your brood among the stars for safety, and there fly above the reach of man, yet should you not be out of the reach of danger.

Thence will I bring thee down, saith the Lord God who is in the heavens would throw thee down; when men could not marshal armies against thee, stars should fight in their courses against thee. Nothing can stand which God will cast down. See Jer 49:16,17 .

Poole: Oba 1:5 - If thieves // How art thou cut off? // Would they not have stolen till they had enough? // If the grape-gatherers came to thee, would they not leave some grapes?

In this verse the prophet doth in an abrupt manner of speech, mixed of wonder and doubt, express the strange havoc and desolation made in Edom, as if lie had said, Who have been here? or in what posture wast thou found, O Edom! that such strange desolution is found in thee?

If thieves by day had spoiled thee, they would not have thus stripped thee. If robbers , which practise their violences in the night, had been with thee, they would have left somewhat behind them.

How art thou cut off? here is either a trajection, this placed here which must be read first in the verse, or an exclamation of one as in haste to know whence such unexpected events; or an insulting derision of that pride which boasted so much and performed so little in self defence.

Would they not have stolen till they had enough? thieves and robbers take till they have what is sufficient for them at present and leave the rest, but here is nothing left.

If the grape-gatherers came to thee, would they not leave some grapes? if Edom be a vine, and gathered, some gleanings would be left by grape-gatherers; but, alas, here have been those that have cut up the vine! and is all thy confidence and boasting come to this?

Poole: Oba 1:6 - Esau

Esau the father of this people, and here put for his posterity. All that the Edomites had laid up in the most secret places, in unsearchable caves, and deep abysses of hollow rocks, how are all his treasures found out, seized, and brought forth a prey to greedy soldiers! How durst they adventure here?

Poole: Oba 1:7 - All the men of thy confederacy // Have brought thee even to the border // The men that were at peace with thee // Have deceived thee // Prevailed against thee // They that eat thy bread // Have laid a wound under thee // There is none understanding in him

All the men of thy confederacy they who by league had bound themselves to assist with men and arms, who had made an offensive and defensive league.

Have brought thee even to the border either have conducted in honourable manner through their country the ambassadors thou didst send, concluded first a confederacy, and next conveyed home the ambassadors who made it; or else have counselled thee to meet the war before it entereth thy country, and have marched as confederates with thee until thou weft come to the borders of thy country, as if they would there tight for thee against the enemy.

The men that were at peace with thee: this is ingemination, or repeating of the same thing before mentioned, unless men of thy peace be men that did make peace, and accept the terms thou didst propose for thy advantage.

Have deceived thee proved treacherous, nay, designed to betray thee.

Prevailed against thee either thus their plot took, or else they turned to the enemy, and under his colours destroyed thee.

They that eat thy bread thy friends, those thou hast maintained, the soldiers thou keptest in pay.

Have laid a wound under thee have laid a snare, armed with some sharp and piercing instrument, that wounds as soon as thou fallest on the snare.

There is none understanding in him either no prudence to foresee and prevent this, or to manage and lessen it.

Poole: Oba 1:8 - Shall I not? // In that day // Destroy // The wise men // And understanding out of the mount of Esau

Shall I not? this interrogation is a strong assertion, I certainly will.

In that day of war and desolation of Edom, when Nebuchadnezzar with his armies shall invade Idumea.

Destroy either by war or sicknesses take the wise men out of Edom, they shall die; or deprive them of places of trust where they might help to save Edom; or else turn their wisdom into foolishness, as Ahithophel’ s was.

The wise men men of sound counsel and good conduct in the affairs of peace and war.

And understanding out of the mount of Esau an elegant ingemination for illustrating and confirming the prediction. All Edom shall miserably perish, not a wise man left to foresee and prevent it.

Poole: Oba 1:9 - Mighty men // Teman // Dismayed // To the end that every one may be cut off by slaughter

Mighty men valiant commanders and soldiers, who were never blemished with cowardice, who formerly durst adventure on greatest dangers and encounter most formidable enemies, and were never daunted with a slow-approaching enemy, how much soever over number to them, nor with any sudden surprising accidents; men of invincible courage, and most ready minds.

Teman a principal city and munition of Idumea. See Eze 25:13 Hab 3:3 Amo 1:12 .

Dismayed astonished and surprised with such fear as disableth from action and counsel, shall neither dare to resist, nor hope to escape, but tamely give up all to the enemy.

To the end that every one may be cut off by slaughter thus all shall be exposed to slaughter when they dare not fight, who should have saved themselves and defended others. Deplorable is their condition, who, surrounded every way with enemies, have neither strength nor counsel to resist their power or defeat their malice!

Poole: Oba 1:10 - For thy violence // Shame shall cover thee // Thou shalt be cut off for ever

For thy violence: though Idumeans were guilty of many other and great sins, they are here charged with this as the great crying sin, inhuman cruelty and perfidiousness; they did mercilessly spoil and basely betray the Jews, which will be particularly mentioned in the following verses. Against thy brother: Edomites, the posterity of Esau, and the Jews, the posterity of Jacob, are here called brothers, for that the fathers of both people were brothers, twins; and this nearness of blood should have been remembered, and kindness should have still run through the blood and kindred. It is a great sin to be cruel and false to any, but greatest sin to be so to a brother. Jacob ; put for his children.

Shame shall cover thee contempt and reproaches shall by all men be cast upon thee, and cover thee as a garment, or swallow thee up. God and man shall pour shame upon thee, thy memory shall be retained with condemnation to shame, and thy end shall be in shame too.

Thou shalt be cut off for ever never more be a nation or kingdom; which was in a very great degree fulfilled in the cutting them off by the sword of Nebuchadnezzar. See Isa 34:5,10 Eze 35:9 , threatens the like desolation.

Poole: Oba 1:11 - In the day // That thou stoodest on the other side // Carried away captive // His forces // Foreigners entered into his gates // Cast lots // Upon Jerusalem // Even thou // wast as one of them

In the day during the war which the Babylonians made upon Judea, or in the day of battle when Jews fought with Chaldeans.

That thou stoodest on the other side tookest up thy stand over-right them, observing with delight how they were worsted, slaughtered. and routed; or didst set thyself in battle-array against thy brother Jacob. The strangers; the Babylonians. and the mixed nations which joined with them.

Carried away captive first mastered the Jews, and then made them captives. and sent them away out of their own land, a sight which should have moved compassions in thee.

His forces his strength, his troops, or multitudes that survived and were taken, and their wealth and riches too.

Foreigners entered into his gates that invaded, slew the inhabitants, and forced the besieged places to open their gates; or took the fortresses by assault.

Cast lots so robbers divided their prey, and conquerors, Pro 1:14 Joe 3:3 , which see.

Upon Jerusalem upon the citizens and their goods, which were found in Jerusalem when it was taken by the Chaldeans.

Even thou a neighbour, who wast not molested by Israel when they marched through other nations from Egypt to Canaan, who wast a brother by descent, Oba 1:10 ,

wast as one of them as merciless and insolent as any of those barbarous foreigners.

Poole: Oba 1:12 - Thou shouldest not have looked // On the day // Became a stranger // Neither shouldest thou have rejoiced // Children of Judah // The day of their destruction // Neither shouldest thou have spoken proudly // in the day of distress

Thou shouldest not have looked with secret joy and satisfaction to thy eyes and mind; if thou wouldst have looked, it should have been with tears and grief, not with joy and gladness at the sight: so the word, Ps 37 Ps 44:7 Pro 29:16 .

On the day on the affliction and sad misery which fell upon thy brother Jacob; so day in Scripture, thus absolutely put, doth often signify, Psa 37:13 Mic 7:4 .

Became a stranger having by the misery of war been made a captive, and lost his former right and liberty in his own country, was now looked upon as a stranger, i.e. one who had no more right to any thing in the land.

Neither shouldest thou have rejoiced: this explains the former.

Children of Judah: this expounds brother.

The day of their destruction: this tells us what day meant.

Neither shouldest thou have spoken proudly vaunting over the Jews, insolently upbraiding and reproaching them with virulent words and exulcerated malice,

in the day of distress when Jerusalem was taken.

Poole: Oba 1:13 - Thou shouldest not have entered // My people // In the day of their calamity // Thou shouldest not have looked on their affliction // Nor have laid hands on their substance

Thou shouldest not have entered as an enemy, a conqueror, into the gate; by synecdoche, city is meant by gate. The Edomites warring among the Babylonians, did with them enter the gates of conquered Jerusalem, appeared a proud, insulting enemy of Judah.

My people thou shouldst have remembered that the Jews thy brethren were my people, my peculiar people.

In the day of their calamity when their city was broken up, their king imprisoned, and captive with his nobles and other subjects.

Thou shouldest not have looked on their affliction as before, Oba 1:12 .

Nor have laid hands on their substance or strength, the word notes both: Edom seized the persons of the Jews, and made them prisoners, and they plundered the city, seized the goods of the citizens; this they did with delight, but God will punish for it.

Poole: Oba 1:14 - In the cross-way // To cut off // Those of his that did escape // Neither shouldest thou have delivered up // those of his // in the day of distress

In the cross-way or in the breaches, viz. of the walls, by which, when the city was taken, some might have made their escape from the enemy; thou didst, though thou shouldst not, spitefully and cruelly watch at such breaches, and preventedst their flight; or else thou didst post thyself at the head of the ways, where thou mightest seize fleeing Jews.

To cut off either kill if they would not yield, or cut off their hopes of escape by making them prisoners.

Those of his that did escape out of the city, and were fleeing farther for safety.

Neither shouldest thou have delivered up reserved them prisoners, and brought them back into the hands of the Chaldeans,

those of his of thy brother Jacob’ s posterity, which did remain, survived the taking of the city, and were fairly like to escape; but thou foundest them and betrayedst them,

in the day of distress when they could no longer defend their city, nor had any hope but in a flight through all the secret ways they knew; but thou didst watch these ways, and didst cut off many who sought to flee through them.

Poole: Oba 1:15 - For the day of the Lord // As thou hast done // to thee // Thy reward // Upon thine own head

For the day of the Lord of just revenge from the Lord upon this cruelty of Edom, the time which the Lord hath appointed for the punishing of this and other nations, is near upon all the heathen; which God had given to Nebuchadnezzar, and which by this man’ s arms God would punish, as Jer 27:2-7 ; and that day may justly be accounted near, which shall come within the compass of one man’ s life, and that well advanced in years, as Nebuchadnezzar now was.

As thou hast done perfidiously, cruelly, and ravenously against Jacob, with a hostile, revengeful mind, it shall be done by thine enemies

to thee as Oba 1:7 ; and this came to pass on Edom within five years after Jerusalem was sacked and ruined; within which space of time Obadiah prophesied, reproving Edom, and threatening him for what he had done against Jerusalem and its inhabitants.

Thy reward the punishment or retribution of evil for the evil thou hast done to Jacob,

shall return by God’ s just hand, and by thy enemy’ s cruel hand, shall be poured out upon thee.

Upon thine own head: thy chief men, chief in the cruelty, shall be chief in suffering, for the measure thou hast measured shall be measured to thee, as Psa 137:8 Eze 35:15 Joe 3:7,8 .

Poole: Oba 1:16 - As ye // Have drunk // Upon my holy mountain // All the heathen // And they

This, with some, is a confirmation of what is threatened against Edom, yet others make this verse the beginning of the consolatory sermon to Judah, and either suits well with the context.

As ye O Edomites, or ye, O Jews.

Have drunk: if you interpret this drinking as feasting, revelling, and carousing, it is to be applied to the Edomites and others, who triumphed first by their arms, next in their cups, over conquered Judah.

Upon my holy mountain either the whole land, or Jerusalem, or the temple, for all these are called by this name; and here these proud and insolent conquerors did drink confusion to the Jews.

All the heathen the nations, enemies to Edom, shall on Mount Esau conquer first, and then triumph in their revelling feasts, and drink continually, till they have swallowed up Edom.

And they Edomites,

shall be as though they had not been shall by this means perish utterly, and their memory cease with them; so it suits with Eze 35:14,15 , which see. Others refer the words to the Jews, thus: Ye have drunk the cup of astonishment in your land, and in Jerusalem, my holy mountain; so now ere long the nations which afflicted you shall drink of the cup of astonishment long, yea, drink the dregs of it, so that they shall perish, and be no more, when your day of dark affliction shall end in a day of light and salvation; and when other nations do this, Edom shall much more, because most deeply guilty above others’ see Jer 49:17,18,21,22 .

Poole: Oba 1:17 - But // And // Upon Mount Zion // Deliverance // There shall be holiness // The house of Jacob // Shall possess their possessions

But or

And Heb.

Upon Mount Zion historically, and in the letter, this refers to the people of the Jews, to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and those who worshipped God in the temple. In the mystical sense or typical, it refers. to the gospel church, and the setting up the kingdom of Christ, and the salvation and redemption of God’ s Israel.

Deliverance a remnant that shall escape the enemies’ sword, and which, after seventy years’ captivity, shall be delivered and restored by Cyrus: a hieroglyphic of Israel’ s redemption by Christ.

There shall be holiness or, it shall be holy, the temple, the city rebuilt, the people returned from captivity, shall be holy to the Lord; they shall obey his law, attend his temple service, and offer a pure offering to the Lord, &c. All this typical, and accomplished in the Christian church, though not fully and perfectly till the church is glorified in the heavenly Zion.

The house of Jacob literally the survivors of the two tribes in the Babylonish kingdom, and some others of the ten tribes, but including the elect of God, the house of Jacob in the extent of it, as taken in Isa 59:20 Rom 11:26 .

Shall possess their possessions either the possessions of the heathen, their enemies, or rather their own ancient possessions, out of which the violence of their enemies did east them when they were led captive, and dispossessed of all.

Poole: Oba 1:18 - The house of Jacob // The house of Joseph // The house of Esau // They shall kindle in them // Devour them // There shall not be any // For the Lord hath spoken it

Besides what Nebuchadnezzar shall do upon his particular quarrel against Edom, bringing them to a very desolate condition, there shall, (though it be not owned,) intermixed, be the quarrel of God for Israel’ s sake, which the Chaldeans shall avenge; or else, after the return out of captivity, and some settled state in their own land, Israel himself shall destroy the remnant of Edom, Joe 3:16 , with Joe 3:19 Eze 25:14 .

The house of Jacob either the kingdom of the two tribes, or else the whole twelve tribes, the residue of the ten tribes joined with the two in their return from Babylon.

The house of Joseph the ten tribes, particularly here mentioned to comfort them. and assure them that they should not be cast off, though they were more notoriously guilty of idolatry, and a long apostacy.

The house of Esau for stubble; as unable to resist or secure themselves as stubble is to resist the flame.

They shall kindle in them: this was fulfilled in part by Hyrcanus and the Maccabees, /APC 1Mac 5:3; but more fully to be accomplished in the mystical sense, when the Lord shall make his church as a fire to all its enemies, and Jerusalem a burdensome stone to all nations.

Devour them as flame eats up the stubble.

There shall not be any no considerable number or body of them, or none shall continue Edomites, but turn Jews, and be circumcised, be added to the church.

For the Lord hath spoken it however or whenever this is done, it shall be done, because the Lord hath spoken it; this assures us of the thing.

Poole: Oba 1:19 - They of the south // the Mount of Esau. They of the plain the Philistines // And they shall possess the fields of Ephraim // And the fields of Samaria // Benjamin

They of the south the Jews who lived in the south parts of Canaan, which was next to Idumea, shall, after their return and victories over Edom, possess his country, called here

the Mount of Esau. They of the plain the Philistines the Jews who dwelt in the plain country, which was next to Palestina, Jos 15:33 , shall enlarge their borders, and possess the Philistines’ country, together with their ancient inheritance. Now of the possession of Mount Esau by the Jews, saith Grotius, it was most fully accomplished by Hyrcanus. Josephus, lib. 13. chap; 17, reports the matter thus, that the Idumeans were commanded either to depart their country, or be circumcised. If this were the time of fulfilling the one, it was also the time of fulfilling the other also.

And they shall possess the fields of Ephraim and all the land which the ten tribes once did possess shall again be possessed by the Jews.

And the fields of Samaria the fields also about Samaria, how greatly soever wasted, shall be replanted, and that by the Jews too.

Benjamin either apart, or jointly with Judah, shall possess Gilead; a country beyond Jordan, assigned to the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and half Manasseh, wasted by Hazael and Tiglathpileser some time before Samaria was taken, but should be inhabited by the Benjamites; and probably Gad, Manasseh, and Reuben did enlarge upon the Moabites and Ammonites. Here is promised a larger possession than ever they had before the captivity, and it doth no doubt point out the enlargement of the church of Christ in the times of the gospel, and particularly when antichrist, typified in this prophecy by Edom, shall be destroyed: but we are to give the literal meaning, and think we do not miss of it.

Poole: Oba 1:20 - The captivity of this host of the children of Israel // Zarephath // The captivity of Jerusalem // In Sepharad // Shall possess the cities of the south

The captivity of this host of the children of Israel those of the ten tribes that were carried away captive by Shalmaneser, one hundred and thirty years before Jerusalem was taken by Nebuchadnezzar,

shall possess that of the Canaanites all the country they anciently possessed, with this addition also, that what the Canaanites held by force, and the Israelites could not take from them, shall now be possessed by these returned captives.

Zarephath called Sarepta, Luk 4:26 , near Sidon.

The captivity of Jerusalem the two tribes, carried captive when Jerusalem was taken by Nebuchadnezzar.

In Sepharad the modern Jews call Spain Sepharad, but without any good ground, nor was it so called anciently, nor doth the Chaldee paraphrase so interpret it; nor do I meet with any thing better than a tacit confession, that most believe it is a city of Chaldea or Assyria, and toward the northern and farthest bounds of it, but where it was exactly they know not.

Shall possess the cities of the south all the cities, which were once their own, in Judea, which lay southward from this Sepharad, where the captives dwelt, and whence they return.

Poole: Oba 1:21 - And // Saviours // Shall come // Upon Mount Zion // To judge // The Mount of Esau // The kingdom shall be the Lord’ s

And or For , so the Gallic version, printed at Rochelle, 1616.

Saviours deliverers; literally, the governors or leaders of those captive troops, who shall come up from Babylon to their own country, such as Zerubbabel, Ezra, Nehemiah, of whom it was said he came to seek the good of the Jews, Neh 2:10 , and successively after these many others, to the times of Hyrcanus and the Maccabees; mystically, Christ and his apostles, and other preachers of the gospel.

Shall come literally, with leave and commission from the kings of Persia, such as Cyrus and Darius Hystaspes, to manage the affairs of the returned captives.

Upon Mount Zion in Judea, at Jerusalem and the temple, and whatever might concern them, with their neighbours round about.

To judge to avenge Israel upon Edom, to fight, subdue, and give laws to them, as Hyrcanus did when the Edomites were glad to be circumcised to keep their country.

The Mount of Esau the whole country, so called from thee father of that nation, who chose those mountainous countries for his habitation, as most suitable to his wild and rambling humour, which delighted in hunting.

The kingdom shall be the Lord’ s the government, called here the kingdom , shall manifestly appear to be set up, maintained, and prospered by a power, wisdom, and goodness greater than human. The God of Israel, who is Jehovah, shall be honoured, obeyed, and worshipped by them, and they shall not, as formerly, rely on idols, or foreign aids. All which most fully is accomplished by Christ the Saviour, and now known in the Christian church, who do believe he will, and pray that he would, save his Zion, and destroy Edom, i.e. antichrist and his kingdom.

Haydock: Oba 1:1 - Army

Army. Hebrew also, "goods." Septuagint, "thou wilt not join their army in the day of ruin." (Haydock) ---

Thou wilt have other things to think about.

Haydock: Oba 1:1 - Edom // Ambassador

Edom. The Jews understand this of the Romans; others apply it to themselves; but it seems to speak of the Idumeans. ---

Ambassador, prophet, or angel; or God has suffered the passions of men to act. All is here animated. God appears leading on the various nations. (Calmet) ---

He directed their thoughts to unite against Edom. (Worthington) ---

Yet he did not approve of their ambition. (Haydock)

Haydock: Oba 1:2 - Contemptible

Contemptible. The nations of Chaldea, &c., were far more potent. Yet Edom must be brought still lower.

Haydock: Oba 1:3 - Rocks

Rocks. Hebrew, "Selah," or Petra, the capital. (Calmet) ---

People dwell in caverns from Eleutheropolis to Ailath. (St. Jerome)

Haydock: Oba 1:4 - Down

Down. (Job xx. 6.) How vain is all human power!

Haydock: Oba 1:5 - Cluster

Cluster. (Jeremias xlix. 9.) The Chaldeans take all, and remove the people, ver. 7.

Haydock: Oba 1:7 - Peace

Peace. The enemy had used their services against the Jews; but now they invade their confederates. (Calmet) ---

Of this the Idumeans were not aware. (Haydock)

Haydock: Oba 1:8 - Esau

Esau. Job and Eliphaz were both from this country.

Haydock: Oba 1:9 - South

South. Hebrew, "Theman," (Calmet) where the Romans kept a garrison, fifteen miles south of Petra. (St. Jerome)

Haydock: Oba 1:10 - Slaughter

Slaughter. They invaded the dominions of Achaz, and incited the enemy to destroy all, 2 Paralipomenon xxviii. 17., and Psalm cxxxvi. 7.

Haydock: Oba 1:11 - Captive // Lots

Captive. He alludes to the taking of Sedecias. ---

Lots, for the booty, or whether they should burn the city or not. All was regulated by lots. (Calmet)

Haydock: Oba 1:12 - Though shalt not look // Magnify

Though shalt not look, &c., or thou shouldst not, &c. It is a reprehension for what they had done, and at the same time a declaration that these things should not pass unpunished. (Challoner) ---

God admonishes, and at the same time insinuates that the Idumeans would act quite the reverse. (Worthington) ---

Magnify. Literally, thou shalt not speak arrogantly against the children of Juda, as insulting them in their distress, (Challoner) like people mocking. When they shall be themselves afflicted, they shall cease to upbraid the Jews. (Calmet)

Haydock: Oba 1:14 - Flee

Flee. The Idumeans might easily have concealed the fugitives. But they were so inhuman as to fall upon them, (Calmet) or drive them back.

Haydock: Oba 1:15 - Nations

Nations around. (Haydock) ---

Josephus ([Antiquities?] x. 11.) does not specify Edom. But the prophets had announced their destruction, effected by Nabuchodonosor, while the main part of his army besieged Tyre. (Calmet)

Haydock: Oba 1:16 - Drink // Not

Drink. They shall rejoice at your fall, as you did at that of Juda; (St. Jerome) or, as my people has not been spared, can you expect to escape? (Jeremias xlix. 12.) ---

Not. These nations and the Chaldeans themselves were brought low, while the Jews regained the regal power. The cup denotes vengeance, Psalm lxxiv. 9. Plautus uses the same expression : ut senex hoc eodem poculo, quo ego bibi, biberet. (Casina.) (Calmet)

Haydock: Oba 1:17 - Sion // Holy // Them

Sion. This prosperity, in the historical sense, was promised to the Jews, after their return; and they enjoyed as much of it as their sins did not hinder; the rest was fulfilled in Christ. (St. Jerome, ad Dard.) (Worthington) ---

Holy. Providence watched over the Jews in a particular manner, while the neighbouring nations fell a prey to the Persians, to Alexander, &c. The persecution of Epiphanes was sharp, but of short duration; and it gave occasion to the Jews to regain their liberty, and to have kings (Calmet) little (Haydock) inferior to those of old. ---

Them. Hebrew, "its goods." The Jews obtained all Palestine. (Calmet) ---

Christ extends his dominion over the world. (Theodoret)

Haydock: Oba 1:18 - Stubble // Remains

Stubble. The Jews often attacked Edom, and at last forced them to submit to the law of circumcision. ---

Remains. Septuagint copies vary; "corn fire or carrier." (Haydock) ---

Those who escaped alone from battle had the former title. (Hesychius, Greek: purphoros. ) (Calmet) ---

Priests went with fire before the armies engaged. If they were slain, it was a sign, that no quarter was given, as these were accounted sacred. (Grabe, Prol.) (Haydock)

Haydock: Oba 1:19 - Plains // Samaria // Galaad

Plains. Sephala, Josue x. 40. ---

Samaria, which the Cutheans had occupied, till Alexander subjected them to the Jews, and Hircan asserted his authority. (Josephus, Antiquities xiii. 18.) ---

Galaad, east of the Jordan. Benjamin alone did not occupy this country.

Haydock: Oba 1:20 - Sarepta // Bosphorus

Sarepta. This was accomplished after the persecution of Epiphanes. ---

Bosphorus. So St. Jerome's master interpreted Bispharad. But it seems rather to mean a part of Mesopotamia. Sippara stands above, where the Euphrates divides its streams.

Haydock: Oba 1:21 - Saviours

Saviours, the Machabees, as figures of Christ. The temporal power of the Jews ended thirty-seven years after his resurrection. (Calmet) -- The rest of this prophecy (ver. 19.) regards Christ's kingdom over all nations, which believe in him, and receive the remission of their sins, Acts x. 43. (St. Augustine, City of God xviii. 31.) (Worthington)

Gill: Oba 1:1 - The vision of Obadiah // thus saith the Lord God concerning Edom // we have heard a rumour from the Lord // and an ambassador is sent among the Heathen // arise ye, and let us rise up in battle against her

The vision of Obadiah,.... Or the prophecy, as the Targum; which was delivered unto him by the Lord in a vision; it was not what he fancied or dreamed of, but what he saw, what he had a clear discovery and revelation of made unto his mind; hence prophets are sometimes called "seers". This was a single prophecy; though sometimes a book, consisting of various prophecies, is called a vision; as the prophecies of Isaiah are called the vision of Isaiah, Isa 1:1;

thus saith the Lord God concerning Edom; by the mouth of this prophet, who was divinely inspired by him; for Obadiah said not what follows of himself but in the name of the Lord; and is a proof of the divine authority of this book; the subject matter of which is Edom or Idumea, as in the Septuagint version; a neighbouring country to the Jews, and very troublesome to them, being their implacable enemies, though their brethren; and were a type of the enemies of the Christian church, those false brethren, the antichristian states; and particularly the head of them, the Romish antichrist, whose picture is here drawn and whose destruction is prophesied of, under the name of Edom; for what has been literally fulfilled in Idumea will; be mystically accomplished in antichrist. The Jews generally understand, by Edom, Rome, and the Christians in general; which, if applied only to the antichristians, is not amiss;

we have heard a rumour from the Lord; or "a report" ⁿ; a message from him, brought by the Spirit of God, as a spirit of prophecy; that is, I Obadiah, and Jeremiah, and other prophets, as Isaiah and Amos, who have had orders to prophesy against Edom; see Jer 49:14; so the angels, or Gospel ministers, will have a rumour or message concerning the fall of antichrist Rev 14:6;

and an ambassador is sent among the Heathen: either by the Lord, as Jeremiah the prophet, according to some; or an angel, as others; or an impulse upon the minds of the Chaldeans stirring them up to war against the Edomites: or else by Nebuchadnezzar to the nations in alliance with him, to join him in his expedition against them; or a herald sent by him to his own people, to summon them together to this war, and to encourage them in it:

arise ye, and let us rise up in battle against her; come up from all parts, join together, and invade the land of Idumea, and give battle to the inhabitants of it, and destroy them; so the kings of the earth will stir up one another to hate the whore of Rome, and make her desolate, Rev 17:16.

Gill: Oba 1:2 - Behold, I have made thee small among the Heathen // thou art greatly despised

Behold, I have made thee small among the Heathen,.... Or "a little one", or "thing" ^o; their number few, and their country not large, as Aben Ezra, especially in comparison of other nations; and therefore had no reason to be so proud, insolent, and secure, as they are afterwards said to be; or rather, "I will make thee"; the past for the future, after the prophetic manner, as Kimchi; that is weak and feeble, as the Targum; reduce their numbers, destroy their towns and cities, and bring them into a low and miserable condition: or the sense is, that he would make them look little, mean, and abject, in the sight of their enemies who would conclude, upon a view of them, that they should have no trouble in subduing them, and therefore should attack them without fear, and as sure of success:

thou art greatly despised; in the eyes of the nations round about; by their enemies, who looked upon them with contempt, because of the smallness of their number, their defenceless state and want of strength to support and defend themselves; see Jer 49:15; had so the pope of Rome is little and despicable in the eyes of the monarchs of the earth; and the antichristian Edom will be more so at the time of its general ruin.

Gill: Oba 1:3 - The pride of thine heart hath deceived thee // thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rock // whose habitation is high // that saith in his heart, who shall bring me down to the ground

The pride of thine heart hath deceived thee,.... The Edomites were proud of their wealth and riches, which they had by robberies amassed together; and of their military skill and courage, and of their friends and allies; and especially of their fortresses and fastnesses, both natural and artificial; and therefore thought themselves secure, and that no enemy could come at them to hurt them, and this deceived them:

thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rock; their country was called Arabia Petraea, the rocky; and their metropolis Petra, the rock: Jerom says that they that inhabited the southern part of the country dwelt in caves cut out of the rock, to screen them from the heat of the sun: or, "thou that dwellest in the circumferences of the rock" ^p; round about it, on the top of it, in a tower built there, as Kimchi and Ben Melech. Aben Ezra thinks that "caph", the note of similitude, is wanting; and that the sense is, thou thoughtest that Mount Seir could secure thee, as they that dwell in the clefts of a rock:

whose habitation is high; upon high rocks and mountains, such as Mount Seir was, where Esau dwelt, and his posterity after, him. The Targum is,

"thou art like to an eagle that dwells in the clefts of the rock, whose habitation is in a high place;''

this they were proud of, thinking themselves safe, which deceived them; hence it follows:

that saith in his heart, who shall bring me down to the ground? what enemy, ever so warlike and powerful, will venture to invade my land, or besiege me in my strong hold? or, if he should, he can never take it, or take me from hence, conquer and subdue me. Of the pride, confidence, and security of mystical Edom or antichrist, see Rev 18:7.

Gill: Oba 1:4 - Though thou exaltest thyself as the eagle // and though thou set thy nest among the stars // thence will I bring thee down, saith the Lord

Though thou exaltest thyself as the eagle,.... That soars aloft, flies on high, even out of sight, higher than any other bird does: or, "exaltest thy habitation"; and makest it as high as the eagle's nest; see Jer 49:16;

and though thou set thy nest among the stars; even higher than the eagle's; an hyperbolical expression, supposing that which never was or can be done; yet, if it was possible, would not secure from danger: or should their castles and fortresses be built upon the top of the highest mountains, which seem to reach the heavens, and be among the stars:

thence will I bring thee down, saith the Lord; this is said in answer to the question put, or bold challenge made, in Oba 1:3; if men cannot do it, God will; and, if he employs instruments to effect it, it shall be done by them; all seeming difficulties are easily surmounted by an omnipotent Being; what are the heights of mountains, or the strength of fortresses, to him? thus the whore of Rome sits upon seven mountains, and mystical Babylon reigns over the kings of the earth; yet shall be thrown down and found no more, for the Lord is strong that judgeth her, Rev 17:9.

Gill: Oba 1:5 - If thieves came to thee, if robbers by night // how art thou cut off // would they not have stolen till they had enough // if the grape gatherers come to thee, would they not leave some grapes

If thieves came to thee, if robbers by night,.... Whether the one came by day, and the other by night, or both by night, the same being meant by different words, whose intent is to plunder and steal, and carry off what they can; thy condition would not be worse, nor so bad as now it is: for

how art thou cut off! from being a nation, wholly destroyed; thy people killed, or carried captive; thy fortresses demolished, towns and cities levelled with the ground, and all thy wealth and substance carried off, and nothing left: these are either the words of God, or of the prophet, setting forth their utter ruin, as if it was already; or of the nations round about, wondering at their sudden destruction. Some render it, "how silent art thou!" ^q that is, under all these calamities: or, "how art thou asleep!" or "stupefied!" as the Targum and Jarchi; not to be upon thy guard against the incursions of the enemy, but careless, secure, and stupid, and now stripped of everything: had common thieves and robbers broke in upon thee,

would they not have stolen till they had enough? as much as they came for, or could carry off; they seldom strip a house into which they enter of everything in it; they come for some particular things, and, meeting with them, they go off, and leave the rest:

if the grape gatherers come to thee, would they not leave some grapes? that is, if men should come into thy vineyards, and gather the grapes, and carry them off by force or stealth, would they take them all a way? doubtless they would leave some behind; some would be hid under the boughs, and be left unobserved by them: or the allusion is to gatherers of grapes, who gather them for the owners, and at their direction, who were wont to leave some clusters for the poor to glean after them; but in the case of Edom it is suggested that nothing should be left, all should be clean carried off; the destruction would he complete and entire. The Targum is,

"if spoilers as grape gatherers should come unto thee, &c.''

see Jer 49:9.

Gill: Oba 1:6 - How are the things of Esau searched out // how are his hid things sought up

How are the things of Esau searched out!.... Or how are the Esauites, the posterity of Esau, sought out! though they dwelt in the clefts of the rocks, and hid themselves in caves and dens, yet their enemies searched them, and found there, and plucked them out from thence, so that none escaped:

how are his hid things sought up! his riches, wealth and treasure, hid in fortresses, in rocks and caves, where they were thought to be safe, and judged inaccessible; or that an enemy would not have ventured in search of them there; and yet these should be sought after and found by the greedy, and diligent, and venturous soldier, and carried off; which was the case of the Edomites by the Chaldeans, and will be of the antichristian states by the kings of the earth, Rev 17:16; see Jer 49:10.

Gill: Oba 1:7 - All the men of thy confederacy have brought thee even to the border // the men that were at peace with thee have deceived thee, and prevailed against thee // they that eat thy bread // have laid a wound under thee // there is none understanding in him

All the men of thy confederacy have brought thee even to the border,.... Or of "thy covenant" ^r; that are in league with thee; thine allies, even all of them, prove treacherous to thee, in whom thou trustedst; when they sent their ambassadors to them, they received them kindly, promised great things to them, dismissed them honourably, accompanied them to the borders of their country, but never stood to their engagements: or those allies came and joined their forces with the Edomites, and went out with them to meet the enemy, as if they would fight with them, and them; but when they came to the border of the land they left them, and departed into their own country; or went over to the enemy; or these confederates were the instruments of expelling them out of their own land, and sending them to the border of it, and carrying them captive; or they followed them to the border of the land, when they were carried captive, as if they lamented their case, when they were assisting to the enemy, as Kimchi; so deceitful were they. The Targum is to the same purpose,

"from the border all thy confederates carried thee captive ^s:''

the men that were at peace with thee have deceived thee, and prevailed against thee; outwitted them in their treaties of peace, and got the advantage of them; or they proved treacherous to them, and joined the enemy against them; or they persuaded them to declare themselves enemies to the Chaldeans, which proved their ruin; and so they prevailed against them:

they that eat thy bread: so the Targum and Kimchi supply it; or it may be supplied from the preceding clause, "the men of thy bread"; who received subsidies from them, were maintained by them, and quartered among them:

have laid a wound under thee; instead of supporting them, secretly did that which was wounding to them. The word signifies both a wound and a plaster; they pretended to lay a plaster to heal, but made a wound; or made the wound worse. The Targum is,

"they laid a stumbling block under thee;''

at which they stumbled and fell: or snares, as the Vulgate Latin version, whereby they brought them to ruin:

there is none understanding in him; in Esau, or the Edomites; they were so stupid, that they could not see into the designs of their pretended friends, and prevent the execution of them, and their ill effects.

Gill: Oba 1:8 - Shall I not in that day, saith the Lord, even destroy the wise men out of Edom // and understanding out of the mount of Esau

Shall I not in that day, saith the Lord, even destroy the wise men out of Edom,.... When they shall be invaded by the enemy, and treacherously dealt with by their allies; so that there shall be no wise counsellors at court to give advice what proper methods should be taken at such a season; they should either be taken off by death, or their wisdom should be turned into folly, and they be rendered incapable of giving right counsel:

and understanding out of the mount of Esau? that is, men of understanding, as the Targum, should be destroyed out of Edom or Idumea, which was a mountainous country; such as were well versed in politics, or understood military affairs, and how to conduct at such a critical time; to form schemes, and concert measures, and wisely put them in execution; and to be deprived of all such must be a great loss at such a time, and add to their distress and calamity; see Jer 49:7.

Gill: Oba 1:9 - And thy mighty men, O Teman, shall be dismayed // to the end that even one of the mount of Esau may be cut by slaughter

And thy mighty men, O Teman, shall be dismayed,.... Teman was one part of the country of Edom, so called from Teman, a son of Eliphaz, and grandson of Esau, Gen 36:11; and which it seems had been famous for men of might and courage: it abounded with brave officers, and courageous soldiers, who should now be quite dispirited, and have no heart to go out against the enemy; and, instead of defending their country, should throw away their arms, and run away in a fright. The Targum and Vulgate Latin version render it,

"thy mighty men that inhabit the south;''

or are on the south, the southern part of Edom, and so lay farthest off from the Chaldeans, who came from the north; yet these should be at once intimidated upon the rumour of their approach and invasion:

to the end that even one of the mount of Esau may be cut by slaughter; that so there might be none to resist and stop the enemy, or defend their country; but that all might fall by the sword of the enemy, and none be left, even every mighty man, as Jarchi interprets it, through the greatness of the slaughter that should be made.

Gill: Oba 1:10 - For thy violence against thy brother Jacob // shame shall cover thee // and thou shalt be cut off for ever

For thy violence against thy brother Jacob,.... Which is aggravated: by being against Jacob, an honest plain hearted man, and whom the Lord loved; his brother, his own brother, a twin brother, yea, his only brother; yet this is to be understood, not so much of the violence of Esau against Jacob personally, though there is an allusion to that; as of the violence of the posterity of the one against the posterity of the other; and not singly of the violence shown at the destruction of Jerusalem, but in general of the anger they bore, the wrath they showed, and the injuries they did to their brethren the Jews, on all occasions, whenever they had an opportunity, of which the following is a notorious instance; and for which more especially, as well as for the above things, they are threatened with ruin:

shame shall cover thee; as a garment; they shall be filled with blushing, and covered with confusion, when convicted of their sin, and punished for it:

and thou shalt be cut off for ever; from being a nation; either by Nebuchadnezzar; or in the times of the Maccabees by Hyrcanus, when they were subdued by the Jews, and were incorporated among them, and never since was a separate people or kingdom.

Gill: Oba 1:11 - In the day thou stoodest on the other side // in the day that the strangers carried away captive his forces // and foreigners entered into his gates // and cast lots upon Jerusalem // even thou wast as one of them

In the day thou stoodest on the other side,.... Aloof off, as a spectator of the ruin of Jerusalem, and that with delight and pleasure; when they should, as brethren and neighbours, have assisted against the common enemy; but instead of this they stood at a distance; or they went over to the other side, and joined the enemy, and stood in opposition to their brethren the Jews:

in the day that the strangers carried away captive his forces; that is, at the time that the Chaldeans took Jerusalem, and carried captive as many of the forces of the Jews as fell into their hands; or when

"the people spoiled his substance,''

as the Targum; plundered the city of all its wealth and riches:

and foreigners entered into his gates; the gates of their cities, particularly Jerusalem; even such who came from a far country, the Babylonians, who were aliens and strangers from the commonwealth of Israel; whereas the Edomites were their near neighbours, and allied to them by blood, though not of the same religion; and by whom they helped against a foreign enemy, instead of being used by them as they were:

and cast lots upon Jerusalem; either to know when they should make their attack upon it; or else, having taken it, the generals of the Chaldean army cast lots upon the captives, to divide them among them, so Kimchi; see Joe 3:3; or rather, the soldiers cast lots for the division of the plunder of the city, as was usual at such times:

even thou wast as one of them; the Edomites joined the Chaldeans, entered into the city with them, showed as much wrath, spite, and malice, as they did, and were as busy in dividing the spoil. So Aben Ezra interprets these and the following verses of the destruction of the city and temple of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar; but Kimchi expounds them of the destruction of them by the Romans, at which he supposes many Edomites to be present, and rejoiced at it: could this be supported, the connection would be more clear and close between these words and those that follow, which respect the Gospel dispensation, beginning at Oba 1:17; but the Edomites were not in being then; and that there were many of them in the Roman army, and that Titus himself was one, is all fabulous.

Gill: Oba 1:12 - But thou shouldest not have looked on the day of thy brother // in the day that he became a stranger // neither shouldest thou have rejoiced over the children of Judah in the day of their destruction // neither shouldest thou have spoken proudly in the day of distress

But thou shouldest not have looked on the day of thy brother,.... The day of his calamity, distress, and destruction, as afterwards explained; that is, with delight and satisfaction, as pleased with it, and rejoicing at it; but rather should have grieved and mourned, and as fearing their turn would be next: or, "do not look" ^t; so some read it in the imperative, and in like manner all the following clauses:

in the day that he became a stranger; were carried into a strange country, and became strangers to their own: or, "in the day of his alienation" ^u; from their country, city, houses, and the house and worship of God; and when strange, surprising, and unheard of things were done unto them, and, among them:

neither shouldest thou have rejoiced over the children of Judah in the day of their destruction; the destruction of the Jews, of the two tribes of Judah and Benjamin, by the Chaldeans: this explains what is meant by the Edomites looking upon the day of the calamity of the Jews, that it was with pleasure and complacency, having had a good will to have destroyed them themselves, but it was not in the power of their hands; and now being done by a foreign enemy, they could not forbear expressing their joy on that occasion, which was very cruel and brutal; and this also shows that Obadiah prophesied after the destruction of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar:

neither shouldest thou have spoken proudly in the day of distress; or "magnified thy mouth" ^w; opened it wide in virulent scoffing, and insulting language; saying with the greatest fervour and vehemence, and as loud as it could be said, "rase it, rase it to the foundation thereof", Psa 137:7.

Gill: Oba 1:13 - Thou shouldest not have entered into the gate of my people in the day of their calamity // yea, thou shouldest not have looked on their affliction in the day of their calamity // nor laid hands on their substance in the day of their calamity

Thou shouldest not have entered into the gate of my people in the day of their calamity,.... Or gates, as the Targum; the gates of any of their cities, and particularly those of Jerusalem; into which the Edomites entered along with the Chaldeans, exulting over the Jews, and insulting them, and joining with the enemy in distressing and plundering them:

yea, thou shouldest not have looked on their affliction in the day of their calamity: which is repeated, as being exceeding cruel and inhuman, and what was highly resented by the Lord; that, instead of looking upon the affliction of his people and their brethren with an eye of pity and compassion, they looked upon it with the utmost pleasure and delight:

nor laid hands on their substance in the day of their calamity; or "on their forces" ^x; they laid violent hands on their armed men, and either killed or took them captive: and they laid hands on their goods, their wealth and riches, and made a spoil of them. The phrase, "in the day of their calamity", is three times used in this verse, to show the greatness of it; and as an aggravation of the sin of the Edomites, in behaving and doing as they did at such a time.

Gill: Oba 1:14 - Neither shouldest thou have stood in the crossing // to cut off those of his that did escape // neither shouldest thou have delivered up those of his that did remain in the day of their distress

Neither shouldest thou have stood in the crossing,.... In a place where two or more roads met, to stop the Jews that fled, let them take which road they would: or, "in the breach" ^y; that is, of the walls of the city;

to cut off those of his that did escape; such of the Jews that escaped the sword of the Chaldeans in the city, and attempted, to get away through the breaches of the walls of it, or that took different roads to make their escape; these were intercepted and stopped by the Edomites, who posted themselves at these breaches, or at places where two or more ways met, and cut them off; so that those that escaped the sword of the enemy fell by theirs; which was exceeding barbarous and cruel:

neither shouldest thou have delivered up those of his that did remain in the day of their distress; or "shut up" ^z; they shut them up in their houses, or stopped up all the avenues and ways by which they might escape, even such as remained of those that were killed or carried captive; these falling into the hands of the Edomites, some they cut off, and others they delivered up into the hands of the Chaldeans. Of the joy and rejoicing of the mystical Edomites, the Papists, those false brethren and antichristians, at the destruction of the faithful witnesses and true Christians, and of their cruelty and inhumanity to them, see Rev 11:7.

Gill: Oba 1:15 - For the day of the Lord is near upon all the Heathen // as thou hast done, it shall be done unto thee; thy reward shall return upon thine own head

For the day of the Lord is near upon all the Heathen,.... That is, the time was at hand, fixed and determined by the Lord, and he had spoken of by his prophets, when he would punish all the Heathens round about for their sins; as the Egyptians, Philistines, Tyrians, Ammonites, Moabites, and others; and so the Edomites among the rest; for this is mentioned for their sakes, and to show that their punishment was inevitable, and that they could not expect to escape in the general ruin; see Jer 25:17. This destruction of Edom here prophesied of, and of all the Heathen, was accomplished about five years after the destruction of Jerusalem, so that it might be truly said to be near; and some time within this space Obadiah seems to have prophesied; and the day of the Lord is not far off upon the Pagans, Mahometans, and all the "antichristian" states, When mystical Edom or Rome will be destroyed; see Rev 16:19;

as thou hast done, it shall be done unto thee; thy reward shall return upon thine own head; this is particularly directed to Edom, upon whom the day of the Lord's vengeance shall come; when he punished the Heathens, then the Edomites should be retaliated in their own way; and as they had rejoiced at the destruction of the Jews, and had insulted them in their calamities, and barbarously used them, they should be treated in like manner; see Eze 35:15; and thus will mystical Babylon, or the mystical Edomites, be dealt with, even after the same manner as they have dealt with the truly godly, the faithful professors of Christ, Rev 18:6.

Gill: Oba 1:16 - For as ye have drunk upon my holy mountain, so shall all the Heathen drink continually // yea, they shall drink, and they shall swallow down // and they shall be as though they had not been

For as ye have drunk upon my holy mountain, so shall all the Heathen drink continually,.... Which is either spoken to the Edomites; and the sense be, according to the Targum,

"as ye have rejoiced at the blow (given unto or at the subversion and destruction) of the mountain of my holiness, all people shall drink the cup of their vengeance;''

or punishment; and to the same sense Jarchi and Japhet interpret it; and so Kimchi,

"as ye have made a feast, rejoicing at the destruction of my holy mountain, so thou and all nations shall drink of the cup of trembling;''

but Aben Ezra thinks the words are spoken to the Israelites,

"as ye have drank the cup, so shall all nations;''

the cup of vengeance began with them, and so went round the nations, according to the prophecy in Jer 25:17, &c. for, if judgment begins at the house and people of God, it may be expected it will reach to others; wherefore Edom had no reason to rejoice at the destruction of the Jews, since they might be assured by that the same would be their case before long; and with this difference, that whereas the Jews only drank this cup for a while, during the seventy years' captivity, these nations, and the Edomites among the rest, should be "continually" drinking it:

yea, they shall drink, and they shall swallow down; not only drink of the cup, but drink it up; not only take it into their mouths, but swallow it down their throats; not only sip at it, but "sup it up" ^a, as it may be rendered. The phrase denotes the fulness of their punishment, and their utter and entire ruin and destruction, which the next clause confirms:

and they shall be as though they had not been; as now are the Philistines, Moabites, Ammonites, and so the Edomites; their names are not heard of in the world, only as they are read in the Bible; and thus it shall be with mystical Babylon or Edom, it shall be thrown down, and found no more, Rev 18:21.

Gill: Oba 1:17 - But upon Mount Zion shall be deliverance // and there shall be holiness // and the house of Jacob shall possess their possessions

But upon Mount Zion shall be deliverance,.... Not only by Cyrus, at the end of the seventy years' captivity; and by the Maccabees from the Idumeans, and other enemies; but by the Messiah; for not merely temporal deliverance is here intended, unless as a shadow, type, and figure; but spiritual deliverance from the law, sin, Satan, the world, death, hell, and wrath to come, by Christ; who is the Deliverer that should both come to Zion and out of Zion, and who has wrought the above deliverance for Zion, his church and people; and where it is preached and proclaimed, and where those who are delivered come and dwell: or, "upon Mount Zion shall be an escape"; or, "they that escape" ^b; the pollutions of the world, the vengeance of divine justice, the curses of the law, and the damnation of hell, by fleeing to Christ for refuge:

and there shall be holiness: that is, on Mount Zion, on the church, which is the holy hill of God, and where only holy persons should dwell; and for whomsoever deliverance is wrought out, sooner or later there will be in them holiness, both of heart and life; and indeed, without this, complete deliverance and salvation, which will be in heaven, will not be enjoyed; hence those that are chosen to this salvation are chosen through sanctification of the Spirit; and such as are redeemed and delivered by Christ are purified to be a peculiar people, zealous of good works; and are, in consequence of such deliverance and redemption, called with a holy calling, and have principles of holiness implanted in them, and live holy lives and conversations; and such kind of holiness, as it appeared in Zion, in the churches of Christ in the first times of the Gospel, so it will be more conspicuous among them in the latter day; see Isa 4:3 Zec 14:20; or, "there shall be an Holy One", or "thing" ^c; the holy Jesus, who is holy in both his natures, in all his offices, works, and words; the Lamb that should, and has been, seen on Mount Zion; and the Holy Spirit of God, who dwells and abides in his church, and among his people, to anoint and assist the ministers of the word; to accompany the word with power, and make it successful; and to sanctify and comfort the Lord's people in Zion; and there are the holy word of God, the doctrines of grace according to godliness preached, and the sacred ordinances of baptism and the Lord's supper administered. The Targum is,

"and they shall be holy;''

the Lord's people: and so Kimchi interprets it of Israel being holy to the Lord;

and the house of Jacob shall possess their possessions: that is, either the Israelites shall possess the possessions of the Heathens, particularly of the Edomites; so the Targum,

"and they of the house of Jacob shall possess the substance of the people that possessed them;''

see Amo 9:11; which was fulfilled spiritually in the first times of the Gospel, when the apostles, who were of the house of Jacob, and were Israelites indeed, preached the Gospel to the Gentiles, and were the means of converting many of them, and of bringing them into the Gospel church; which may be called the house of Jacob, when they and theirs become their possession, and Christ, the master of this house, had the Heathen given him for his inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for his possession, Psa 2:8; or else the sense is, that the people of God, true Christians, shall in Gospel times possess their own possessions; God himself, who is their portion and inheritance, and shall enjoy communion with him; Christ, and all that are his, all spiritual blessings in him; the Spirit and his graces, as the earnest of a future and eternal inheritance; exceeding great and precious promises they are heirs of, and a kingdom and glory hereafter; of which the possessions in the land of Canaan, restored to the right owners of them in the year of jubilee, were a type. R. Moses says this prophecy has respect to the times of Hezekiah; in which he is followed by Grotius, very wrongly; R. Jeshuah, better, to the times of the second temple; but Japhet, best of all, to time to come, to the times of the Messiah, to which it no doubt belongs: here begin the prophecies concerning Christ, his church, and kingdom.

Gill: Oba 1:18 - 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 or Esau // for the Lord hath spoken it

And the house of Jacob shall be a fire, and the house of Joseph a flame,.... The former may denote the two tribes of Judah and Benjamin, the latter the ten tribes, which after the separation in Rehoboam's time were called Ephraim, and sometimes Joseph; though they may here signify one and the same, since all the tribes will be united, and become one people, at the time the prophecy refers to: the meaning is, that the people of Judah and Israel shall have strength and power to conquer and destroy their enemies, with as much ease, as flames of fire consume chaff or stubble, or any such combustible matter they light upon, as it follows:

and the house of Esau for stubble, and they shall kindle in them, and devour them; that is, the Israelites shall fall upon the Edomites, who will be no more able to withstand them than stubble can stand before devouring flames of fire, and shall utterly waste and destroy them:

and there shall not be any remaining of the house or Esau; they shall all be cut off by, or swallowed up among, the Jews; not so much as a torch bearer left, one that carries the lights before an army, as the Septuagint and Arabic versions; which versions, and the custom alluded to, serve very much to illustrate the passage. It was a custom with the Greeks, as we are told ^d, when armies were about to engage, that before the first ensigns stood a prophet or priest, bearing branches of laurels and garlands, who was called "pyrophorus", or the "torch bearer", because he held a lamp or torch; and it was accounted a most criminal thing to do him any hurt, seeing he performed the office of an ambassador; for those sort of men were priests of Mars, and sacred to him, so that those that were conquerors always spared them: hence, when a total destruction of an army, place, or people, was hyperbolically expressed, it used to be said, not so much as a torch bearer or fire carrier escaped ^e; hence this phrase was proverbially used of the most entire defeat of an army, or ruin of a people. So Philo ^f the Jew, speaking of the destruction of Pharaoh and his host at the Red sea, says, there was not so much as a torch bearer left, to declare the calamity to the Egyptians; and thus here, so general should be the destruction of the Edomites, that not one should be left, no, nor a person in such a post and office as described. The Targum of the whole is,

"and they of the house of Jacob shall be strong as fire, and they of the house of Joseph strong like a; flame, but they of the house of Esau shall be weak as stubble; and they shall have power over them, and kill them, and there shall be none left of the: house of Esau.''

This was fulfilled literally, either by Judas Maccabeus, when he went against the children of Esau in Idumea, and smote them, and took their spoil, in the Apocrypha:

"34 Then the host of Timotheus, knowing that it was Maccabeus, fled from him: wherefore he smote them with a great slaughter; so that there were killed of them that day about eight thousand men. 35 This done, Judas turned aside to Maspha; and after he had assaulted it he took and slew all the males therein, and received the spoils thereof and burnt it with fire.'' (1 Maccabees 5)

or rather by Hyrcanus, who took the cities of Idumea, subdued all the Edomites, but permitted them to live in their own country, provided they would be circumcised, and conform to the Jewish laws; which they did, as Josephus says ^g, and coalesced and became the people with them, and were reckoned as Jews, and no more as Edomites. But this prophecy had its accomplishment spiritually, either in the first times of the Gospel, when the apostles, who were Jews and Israelites, went forth into the Gentile world, and among the enemies of Christ, preaching the word, which is like fire; and, when attended with the spirit of judgment and of burning, enlightens the consciences of men, melts their hearts, consumes their lusts, and is as a refiner's fire to them, for, their purification; or, if not, it irritates, provokes, torments, and distresses, as fire does; and is either the savour of life unto life, or the savour of death unto death; see Isa 4:4 Jer 23:29; or rather it will have its full and final accomplishment in the destruction of antichrist, here signified by Esau and Edom, which will be by burning mystical Babylon, the whore of Rome; the beast and false prophet will be burnt with fire; the day of the, Lord will burn like an oven, and all the wicked will be as stubble, which will be burnt by it, root and branch, so that none will remain; see Rev 17:16; compare with Zec 12:6. Kimchi, on Amo 9:12, says this shall be in the days of the Messiah, the Edomites shall be all consumed, and the Israelites shall inherit their land:

for the Lord hath spoken it; and therefore it shall most certainly be accomplished; what God has said shall be done, he will not alter the thing that is gone out of his lips; heaven and earth shall sooner pass away than one word of his.

Gill: Oba 1:19 - And they of the south shall possess the land 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

And they of the south shall possess the land of Esau,.... That is, those Jews that shall dwell in the southern part of the land of Judea shall seize upon the country of Idumea, lying contiguous to them; they shall enlarge their border, and take that into their possession:

and they of the plain the Philistines; or of Sephela, they that shall inhabit the plain, or champaign country of Judea, as the parts of Lydda, Emmaus, and Sharon, were; these shall possess the country of the Philistines, lying near unto them, as Azotus, Gaza, Ashkelon, Gath, and Ekron:

and they shall possess the fields of Ephraim, and the fields of Samaria; all the countries that the ten tribes inhabited, in the times of their idolatry, before their captivity, which the Jews shall now be restored unto:

and Benjamin shall possess Gilead; that tribe shall be so enlarged as to take in the country of Gilead, which lay beyond Jordan, formerly possessed by the, half tribe of Manasseh. Some think this was fulfilled in the times of the Maccabees, when several of these places were taken by Judas, in the Apocrypha:

"17. Then said Judas unto Simon his brother, Choose thee out men, and go and deliver thy brethren that are in Galilee, for I and Jonathan my brother will go into the country of Galaad. 36. From thence went he, and took Casphon, Maged, Bosor, and the other cities of the country of Galaad. 38. So Judas sent men to espy the host, who brought him word, saying, All the heathen that be round about us are assembled unto them, even a very great host.'' (1 Maccabees 5)

but since the land of Judea, and the countries adjacent to it, were never as yet inhabited by the Jews in the form and manner here mentioned, it rather respects their settlement in their own land, in the latter day, when their borders will be greatly enlarged; see Eze 48:1; or it may regard the enlargement of the church of Christ, either in the first times of the Gospel, when that was spread in those parts, and met with success; see Act 8:6; or rather in the latter day, when Christ's kingdom will be from sea to sea, and his dominion from the river to the ends of the earth, Psa 72:8; and to which also the following words belong.

Gill: Oba 1:20 - And the captivity of this host of the children of Israel shall possess that of the Canaanites, even unto Zarephath // and the captivity of Jerusalem, which is in Sepharad, shall possess the cities of the south

And the captivity of this host of the children of Israel shall possess that of the Canaanites, even unto Zarephath,.... That is, the host or army, the great number of the children of Israel, that have been carried captive, upon their return shall possess that part of the land of Israel which was inhabited formerly by the Canaanites, even as far as to Zarephath, said to belong to Zidon, 1Ki 17:10; and called Sarepta of Sidon; see Luk 4:26. It is mentioned by Pliny ^h along with Sidon, where glass was made; and perhaps this place might have its name from the melting of glass in it, from צרף, which signifies to melt metals, glass, &c. it is called by Josephus ⁱ Sarephtha; who says it was not far from Sidon and Tyre, and lay between them: according to an Arabic geographer ^k, it was twenty miles from Tyre, and ten from Sidon. Here the Prophet Elijah dwelt for a time; and in the times of Jerom ^l was shown a little tower, said to be his habitation, which travellers visited. Mr. Maundrell ^m speaks of this place as three hours' journey from Sidon, and is now called

"Sarphan, supposed (he says) to be the ancient Sarephath, or Sarepta, so famous for the residence and miracles of the Prophet Elijah; the place shown us for this city consisted of only a few houses on the tops of the mountains, within about half a mile of the sea; but it is more probable the principal part of, the city stood below, in the space between the hills and the sea, there being ruins still to be seen in that place, of a considerable extent?''

It was once a place very famous for wine; the wine of Sarepta is often made mention of by writers ⁿ; perhaps vines might grow upon the hills and mountains about it; and this being a city of Phoenicia, on the northern border of the land of Israel, is very fitly observed as the limit of the possession of the Israelites this way;

and the captivity of Jerusalem, which is in Sepharad, shall possess the cities of the south; the Jews, who were carried captive into Babylon, to Sepharad; some place, though unknown, perhaps in the land of Babylon. Calmet ^o conjectures it may be Sippara or Sipparat, in Mesopotamia, a little above the division of the Euphrates: and the Septuagint version renders it Ephratha; which perhaps is a corruption, of the Euphrates in the present copies: the Vulgate Latin version translates it Bosphorus; and so Jerom, who says that the Hebrew that taught him assured him that Bosphorus was called Sepharad; whither Adrian is said to carry the Jews captive. Kimchi and Aben Ezra interpret it of the present captivity of theirs by Titus, who upon their return to their land shall possess the, southern part of it, which originally belonged to the tribe of Judah, Jos 15:20. If Sepharad, in the Assyrian language, signifies a border, as Jerom says it does, it denotes, as some think, that part of Arabia which borders on the south of Judea, that shall be inhabited by the Jews. Some render the words, "the captivity of Jerusalem shall possess that which is in Sepharad, and the cities of the south": but this is contrary to the accents, unless the words "shall possess" be repeated, and so two clauses made, "the captivity of Jerusalem shall possess that which is in Sepharad; they shall possess the cities of the south". The Targum and Syriac version, instead of Sepharad, have Spain; and so the Jewish writers generally interpret it. By the Canaanites they think are meant the Germans, and the country of Germany; by Zarephath, France; and by Sepharad, Spain; so Aben Ezra, Jarchi, Kimchi, and Ben Melech, fancying that they who are now captives in these countries shall one day possess them: but the prophecy only respects their settlement in their own land, and some parts adjacent to it; or rather the enlargement of the church of Christ in the world. A late learned writer ^p, is of opinion that some respect may be had to this passage in the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, in which the former makes mention of "five brethren" that he had, Luk 16:28; and are by the said writer thus reckoned:

1. the house of Jacob; 2. the house of Joseph, which are said to possess the south, with the mountains of Esau, and the plain; 3. Benjamin, which shall possess Gilead; 4. the captives from the Assyrian captivity; 5. the captives from the Jerusalem captivity, namely, by Titus Vespasian, who shall possess the cities of the south.

Gill: Oba 1:21 - And saviours shall come upon Mount Zion // to judge the mount of Esau // and the kingdom shall be the Lord's

And saviours shall come upon Mount Zion,.... Which according to some, is to be understood literally, either of Zerubbabel and Joshua, after the return of the Jews from the Babylonish captivity, who were the restorers of, their civil and church state; or rather of Judas Maccabeus and his brethren, who saved the people of the Jews from Antiochus and his generals, called "saviours", as the judges of old were, Neh 9:27; but it is best to interpret these saviours of the apostles of Christ, and ministers of the word; and especially of the preachers of the Gospel in the latter days; called "saviours", because they publish salvation, preach the Gospel of it, show unto men the way of salvation; and so they, and the word preached by them, are the means and instruments of the salvation of men; otherwise Christ is the only Saviour of God's appointing and sending; and who came to effect salvation, and is become the author of it, nor is it in any others; see 1Ti 4:16; these in great numbers, in the latter day, wilt appear on Mount Zion, or in the church of Christ, and, shall openly and publicly, as on a mountain, declare the everlasting Gospel; these will be with Christ the Lamb, among the 144,000 upon Mount Zion, Rev 14:1. Kimchi and Ben Melech say, these are the King Messiah and his companions, the seven shepherds and eight principal men, Mic 5:5. Aben Ezra says the words refer to time to come; according to Baalhatturim on Gen 32:4; they will be fulfilled about the end of the sixth Millennium, when they expect the Messiah; and they are applied to times of the Messiah both by ancient and more modern Jews. In their ancient book of Zohar ^q it is said,

"when the Messiah shall arise, Jacob shall take his portion above and below; and Esau shall be utterly destroyed, and shall have no portion and inheritance in the world, according to Oba 1:18; but Jacob shall inherit two worlds, this world and the world to come; and of that time is it written, "and saviours shall come upon Mount Zion", &c.''

So, in the Jerusalem Talmud ^r,

"says R. Hona, we do not find that Jacob our father went to Seir (see Gen 33:14;) R. Joden, the son of Rabbi, says, in future times (the world to come, the days of the Messiah), is it not said, "and saviours shall come upon Mount Zion, to judge the mount of Esau?"''

And to much the same purpose it is said in one of their ancient Midrasses ^s or expositions,

"we have turned over all the Scripture, and we do not find that Jacob stood with Esau on Seir; he (God) said, until now it is with me to make judges and saviours stand, to take vengeance on that man, as it is said, "and saviours shall come up", &c.''

And the Cabalistic writers ^t thus paraphrase the words,

""and saviours shall come up"; who are the Lord of hosts, and the God of hosts: "on Mount Zion"; which is, the mystery of the living God: "to judge the mount of Esau"; which is Mount Seir.''

So Maimonides ^u, quoting the passage in Num 24:18, "Seir also shall be a possession for his enemies", adds, by way of explanation, this is the King Messiah, of whom it is said, "and saviours shall come upon Mount Zion". The work and business of these saviours will be,

to judge the mount of Esau; to take vengeance on the Edomites, for their ill usage of the children of Judah, as the Jewish commentators generally interpret it: or rather, as Gospel ministers are these saviours, it expresses their business; which as it is to declare that whoever believes in Christ shall be saved, so that whoever does not shall be damned; and to convince impenitent and believing sinners of their sin and danger, and their need of Christ, judging and condemning, those that remain so: and moreover, as Esau and Edom signify antichrist, the sense is, that they shall publish proclaim the judgment of God upon antichrist, declare it to be near, yea, to be done; and shall express their approbation of the justice: of God in it, and shall call upon the saints to rejoice at it, Rev 14:6; yea, these saviours may include the Christian princes, that shall pour out the vials of God's wrath upon the antichristian states;

and the kingdom shall be the Lord's: the Lord Christ's, who is the one Jehovah with the Father and Spirit; meaning not the government of the world, to which he has a natural right as Creator, and which is generally ascribed to Jehovah the Father; nor the government of the church in this present state, which is Christ's already, and ever was: but the government of it in the latter day, when he will take to himself his great power, and reign; when his kingdom will be more visible, spiritual, glorious; and extensive; when the kingdoms of this world will become his, the Pagan, Papal, and Mahometan kingdoms, even all the kingdoms and nations of the earth; he will be King over all the earth; there will be but one Lord and King, and whose kingdom is an everlasting one; it shall never come into other hands; this will continue till the personal reign takes place, and that will issue in the ultimate glory; see Rev 11:15.