Chapter 1
1 The vision of Obadiah . This is what the Lord GOD ", usually pronounced Yahweh). says about Edom. We have heard news from the LORD , and an ambassador is sent amongst the nations , saying, " Arise , and let ’s rise up against her in battle .
2 Behold , ", means look at, take notice, observe, see, or gaze at. It is often used as an interjection. I have made you small amongst the nations . You are greatly despised.
3 The pride of your heart has deceived you , you who dwell in the clefts of the rock , whose habitation is high , who says in his heart , ‘ Who will bring me down to the ground?’
4 Though you mount on high as the eagle , and though your nest is set amongst the stars , I will bring you down from there ," says the LORD .
5 "If thieves came to you , if robbers by night —oh, what disaster awaits you —wouldn’t they only steal until they had enough ? If grape pickers came to you , wouldn’t they leave some gleaning grapes ?
6 How Esau will be ransacked ! How his hidden treasures are sought out !
7 All the men of your alliance have brought you on your way , even to the border . The men who were at peace with you have deceived you , and prevailed against you . Friends who eat your bread lay a snare under you . There is no understanding in him ."
8 "Won’t I in that day ", says the LORD , "destroy the wise men out of Edom, and understanding out of the mountain of Esau ?
9 Your mighty men , Teman , will be dismayed , to the end that everyone may be cut off from the mountain of Esau by slaughter .
10 For the violence done to your brother Jacob , shame will cover you , and you will be cut off forever .
11 In the day that you stood on the other side , in the day that strangers carried away his substance and foreigners entered into his gates and cast lots for Jerusalem , even you were like one of them .
12 But don’t look down on your brother in the day of his disaster , and don’t rejoice over the children of Judah in the day of their destruction. Don’t speak proudly in the day of distress .
13 Don’t enter into the gate of my people in the day of their calamity . Don’t look down on their affliction in the day of their calamity , neither seize their wealth on the day of their calamity .
14 Don’t stand in the crossroads to cut off those of his who escape . Don’t deliver up those of his who remain in the day of distress .
15 For the day of the LORD is near all the nations ! As you have done , it will be done to you . Your deeds will return upon your own head .
16 For as you have drunk on my holy mountain , so all the nations will drink continually . Yes , they will drink , swallow down , and will be as though they had not been .
17 But in Mount Zion , there will be those who escape , and it will be holy . The house of Jacob will possess their possessions .
18 The house of Jacob will be a fire , the house of Joseph a flame , and the house of Esau for stubble . They will burn amongst them and devour them . There will not be any remaining to the house of Esau ." Indeed , the LORD has spoken .
19 Those of the South will possess the mountain of Esau , and those of the lowland , the Philistines . They will possess the field of Ephraim, and the field of Samaria . Benjamin will possess Gilead .
20 The captives of this army of the children of Israel , who are amongst the Canaanites , will possess even to Zarephath ; and the captives of Jerusalem , who are in Sepharad , will possess the cities of the Negev .
21 Saviours will go up on Mount Zion to judge the mountains of Esau , and the kingdom will be the LORD ’s.