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סֵ֧פֶר עֹבּדְיָה
Cepher ‘Ovadyah
The Scroll of Obadiah
Introduction
Obadiah is the shortest book in the Old Testament. It tells of Yahweh’s judgment on Judah’s neighbor, Edom. Injustice does not go unrecognized by Yahweh. In the case of Edom, their injustice—tormenting the people of Judah while Judah was invaded by other nations—meant their coming downfall. Obadiah also envisions that Judah itself will be restored. This theme of the coming Day of Yahweh, when God will execute judgment and fulfill His promises, is common among other Prophetic Books—especially Joel and Amos.
Background
The first line of Obadiah identifies the book as the vision of Obadiah, whose name means “servant of Yahweh.” Several people named Obadiah are mentioned in the Old Testament, but it is unclear whether any of them may be identified as the prophet of this text. It also is unclear when the book was written.
The Israelites had a long and checkered history with their neighbors the Edomites, the descendants of Jacob’s brother Esau (see Gen 25:23; 27:41; Num 20:14–21). The events mentioned in Obadiah could have occurred in several different time periods. The invasion of Jerusalem in Obadiah 11, for example, could point to the total destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians in 586 BC. This date is supported by the record of the Edomites joining in the looting and committing violence against the inhabitants of Jerusalem (Psa 137:7; Lam 4:21). In addition, the literary style of Obadiah 1–9 is similar to that of Jeremiah 49:7–16, which was written around the fall of Jerusalem. However, it remains possible that Obadiah was written earlier and Jeremiah may have borrowed from Obadiah. The possibility of a ninth-century BC date is based on 2 Kings 8:20–22 and 2 Chronicles 21:8–10, which record Edom’s revolt against Judah during the reign of King Jehoram. Whenever the events of Obadiah took place, the main issue is that the Edomites viewed the suffering of the people of Judah as an opportunity for gain instead of a time for grieving.
Structure
The book of Obadiah begins with a report of judgment against Edom (Obad 1–9). Yahweh will bring about destruction for Edom. The Edomites’ tactical advantage of living in the hard-to-reach mountains will not protect them from Yahweh’s judgment—their place of pride will lead to their downfall. The prophet then turns to the reason for this judgment: Edom gloated over the destruction of Judah and even participated in its downfall (Obad 10–14).
The prophet steps back, in Obadiah 15–21, to speak of the coming Day of Yahweh, on which multiple nations—not just Edom—will be judged. However, the Day of Yahweh is not only about judgment: God will also deliver His people and fulfill His promises to them (Obad 19–21).
Source: John D. Barry, Douglas Mangum, Derek R. Brown, Michael S. Heiser, Miles Custis, Elliot Ritzema, Matthew M. Whitehead, Michael R. Grigoni, and David Bomar, Faithlife Study Bible, (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2012, 2016).
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Edom Will Be Humbled
1 The vision of `Ovadyah. This is what Adonai Yehovah says about Edom.
We have heard news from Yehovah, and an ambassador is sent among the nations, saying, “Arise, and let’s rise up against her in battle. 2 Hinneh,[GN] I have made you small among the nations. You are greatly despised. 3 The arrogance of your heart has deceived you, you who live in the clefts of the rock, whose dwelling place is lofty, 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 among the stars, I will bring you down from there,” declares Yehovah.
5 “If thieves came to you, if robbers by night — oh, what disaster awaits you — wouldn’t they steal only until they had enough? If grape pickers came to you, wouldn’t they leave some gleanings? 6 How Esav will be ransacked! How his hidden treasures will be sought out! 7 All your allies have have gone with you only to the border. The men who were at peace with you have deceived you and defeted you. Friends who eat your bread set a trap for you, and you couldn’t discern it.
8 “When that day comes,” says Yehovah, “won’t I destroy all the wise men of Edom and understanding from the mountain of Esav? 9 Your warriors, Teman, will be so dismayed that everyone from the mountain of Esav will be slaughtered. 10 For the violence done to your kinsman Ya`akov, shame will cover you, and you will be cut off forever. 11 On that day you just stood by while strangers carried off his wealth and foreigners entered into his gates to cast lots for Yerushalayim — you were just like them. 12 But don't gloat over your brother in the day of his disaster, and don’t rejoice over the people of Y'hudah in the day of their destruction. Don’t boast at their distress. 13 Don’t enter into the gate of My people in the day of their disaster. Don't gloat over their calamity in the day of their disaster, and don’t loot their wealth on the day of their disaster. 14 You shouldn’t have stood in the crossroads to slaughter those who escaped, or handed over the survivors in their day of distress.
The Day of Yehovah and the Future
15 “For the day of Yehovah is near all the nations! As you have done, it will be done to you. Your deeds will return upon your own head. 16 Because just as you drank on My holy mountain, so will all the nations drink continually. Yes, they will drink and swallow, and it will be as though they had never existed. 17 But on Mount Tziyon there will be those who escape, and it will be holy. The household of Ya`akov will possess their possessions. 18 The household of Ya`akov will be a fire, the household of Yosef a flame, and the household of Esav stubble. They will set them on fire and consume them, so there will be no survivors from the household of Esav.” Indeed, Yehovah has spoken.
19 Then the people of the Negev will possess the mountain of Esav, and those from the Shephelah will possess the land of the Pelishtim. They will possess the land of Efrayim, and the land of Shomron. Binyamin will occupy Gil`ad. 20 The captives of the army of the people of Yisra'el exiled among the Kana`anim will occupy the land all the way to Tzarfat; and the exiles from Yerushalayim who are in Sepharad will possess the cities of the Negev. 21 The victorious will ascend Mount Tziyon to rule pver the mountains of Esav, and the kingship will be Yehovah’s.
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ANXIOUSLY WATCHING FOR MASHIACH’S RETURN,
SPEEDILY AND IN OUR DAY. MARANA, TA!
