Obadiah

The Minor Prophets: 
Obadiah

This is the shortest book in the Old Testament. The name means "servant of Yahweh." Obadiah stands fourth among the minor prophets according to the Hebrew arrangement of the canon, the fifth according to the Greek. Some consider him to be the same as the Obadiah who superintended the restoration of the temple under Josiah, 627 B.C. ( 2 Chronicles 34:12 time overthrown by the Chaldeans, and that he refers to the cruelty of Edom towards the Jews on that occasion, which is referred to also in Lamentations 4:21 Lamentations 4:22 ; Ezekiel 25:12-14 ; 35:1-15 ; Psalms 137:7 with Jeremiah 49:9 ; Obadiah 2:8 with Jeremiah 49:7 of Obadiah's, as he had done in the case of other prophets also (compare Isaiah 15:1-16:14 present position of Obadiah before other of the minor prophets anterior in date is: Amos at the close of his prophecies foretells the subjugation of Edom hereafter by the Jews; the arranger of the minor prophets in one volume, therefore, placed Obadiah next, as being a fuller statement, and, as it were, a commentary on the foregoing briefer prophecy of Amos as to Edom [MAURER]. (Compare Amos 1:11 date of Obadiah's prophecies was probably immediately after the taking of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar, 588 B.C. Five years afterwards (583 B.C). Edom was conquered by Nebuchadnezzar. Jeremiah must have incorporated part of Obadiah's prophecies with his own immediately after they were uttered, thus stamping his canonicity.

JEROME makes him contemporary with Hosea, Joel, and Amos. It is an argument in favor of this view that Jeremiah would be more likely to insert in his prophecies a portion from a preceding prophet than from a contemporary. If so, the allusion in Obadiah 2:11-14 the former captures of Jerusalem: by the Egyptians under Rehoboam ( 1 Kings 14:25 1 Kings 14:26 ; 2 Chronicles 12:2 Arabians in the reign of Joram ( 2 Chronicles 21:16 2 Chronicles 21:17 of Israel, in the reign of Amaziah ( 2 Chronicles 25:22 2 Chronicles 25:23 reign of Jehoiakim ( 2 Kings 24:1 Jehoiachin ( 2 Kings 24:8-16 to the Jews; and the terms in which that enmity is characterized are not stronger in Obadiah than in Joel 3:19 Amos 1:11 Amos 1:12 is that by Joash and the Israelites in the reign of Amaziah. For as, a little before, in the reign of the same Amaziah, the Jews had treated harshly the Edomites after conquering them in battle ( 2 Chronicles 25:11-23 it is probable that the Edomites, in revenge, joined the Israelites in the attack on Jerusalem [JAEGER].
This book may be divided into two parts: (1) Obadiah 1:1-6 Edom's violence toward his brother Israel in the day of the latter's distress, and his coming destruction with the rest of the foes of Judah; (2) Obadiah 1:17-21 their own possessions, to which shall be added those of the neighboring peoples, and especially those of Edom. (Jamieson)

1 This is the vision of Obadiah. This is what the LORD(Jesus-Yahweh) God(Elohim/Theos) says about Edom: We have heard a message from the LORD(Jesus). A messenger was sent among the nations to say, "Get ready! Let's go to war against Edom."

2 Edom, I will make you the smallest of nations. Others will despise you.

3 You are proud because you live in a rock fortress and make your home high in the mountains. 'Who can ever reach us way up here?' you ask boastfully. Don't fool yourselves!

4 Though you soar as high as eagles and build your nest among the stars, I will bring you crashing down. I, the LORD(Jesus) have spoken.

5 If thieves came at night and robbed you, they would not take everything. Those who harvest grapes always leave a few for the poor. But your enemies will wipe you out completely!

6 But you, Esau, will lose everything. Even your hidden treasures will be looted.

7 All your allies will force you to leave your land. The people who are at peace with you will deceive you. Those who eat your bread shall lay a trap for you. No one is aware of it.

8 On that day I will destroy the wise people in Edom and take wisdom away from Esau's mountain, says the LORD(Jesus).

9 The mightiest warriors of Teman will be terrified, and everyone on the mountains of Edom will be cut down in the slaughter.

10 And why? Because of the violence you did to your close relatives in Israel. Now you will be destroyed completely and filled with shame forever.

11 For you deserted your relatives in Israel during their time of greatest need. You stood aloof, refusing to lift a finger to help when foreign invaders carried off their wealth and cast lots to divide up Jerusalem. You acted as though you were one of Israel's enemies.

12 You shouldn't have done this! You shouldn't have gloated when they exiled your relatives to distant lands. You shouldn't have rejoiced because they were suffering such misfortune. You shouldn't have crowed over them as they suffered these disasters.

13 You shouldn't have plundered the land of Israel when they were suffering such calamity. You shouldn't have gloated over the destruction of your relatives, looting their homes and making yourselves rich at their expense.

14 You shouldn't have stood at the crossroads, killing those who tried to escape. You shouldn't have captured the survivors, handing them over to their enemies in that terrible time of trouble.

15 The day of the LORD(Yahweh) is near for all nations. Edom, you will be treated as you have treated others. You will get back what you have given.

16 Just as you swallowed up my people on my holy mountain, so you and the surrounding nations will swallow the punishment I pour out on you. Yes, you nations will drink and stagger and disappear from history, as though you had never even existed.

17 But Jerusalem will become a refuge for those who escape; it will be a holy place. And the people of Israel will come back to reclaim their inheritance.

18 The houseof Jacob will be like a fire. The descendants of Joseph will be like a flame. But the descendants of Esau will be like straw. They will be burned and destroyed. There will be no one left among the descendants of Esau. The LORD(Yahweh) has spoken.

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 ( Isaiah 11:12 Isaiah 11:13 , 37:22-28 , Jeremiah 3:18 , Hosea 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 ( Ezekiel 37:16 , &c.).

(Jamieson)

19 Then My people living in the Negev will occupy the mountains of Edom. Those living in the foothills of Judah will possess the Philistine plains and take over the fields of Ephraim and Samaria. And the people of Benjamin will occupy the land of Gilead.

20 The exiles of Israel will return to their land and occupy the Phoenician coast as far north as Zarephath. The captives from Jerusalem exiled in the north will return to their homeland and resettle the villages of the Negev.

21 Those who are victorious will come from Mount Zion to rule Esau's mountain. The kingdom will belong to the LORD(Jesus-Yahweh).

under Messiah ( Daniel 2:44 , Daniel 7:14 Daniel 7:27 , Zechariah 14:9 , Luke 1:33 , Revelation 11:15 , 19:6 ).