As noted towards the end of my previous post Understanding the Book of Obadiah: A Concise Overview the prophecy of Obadiah to Judah about Edom falls into two main sections. The first section is historical, the second eschatological.
1-14 Declaration of Judgment on Edom
15-21 Deliverance for Israel in the day of YHWH
DECLARATION OF JUDGMENT ON EDOM (1-14)
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 against her in battle.
1. This verse introduces the prophecy of Obadiah with a superscription indicating that the author is a man called Obadiah. No chronological or biographical information is supplied. Obadiah means ‘servant of the Lord’ so this may either be the name of the writer or just a self-description (For a list of the other men in the Old Testament named Obadiah see Understanding the Book of Obadiah: A Concise Overview).
Obadiah claims to have received a ‘vision.’ This is a general word for divine communication but may also refer to oracles by false prophets (Jer 14:14; 23:16). Using the prophetic formula ‘thus saith the Lord God’ (Isa 7:7; Jer 7:20; Ezek 2:4) Obadiah clarifies that the source of his vision is the Lord God (Adonai YHWH, Gen 15:2; Isa 3:1; Jer 1:6; Ezek 2:4), and thus it has divine authority. Strangely he does not follow this saying with direct speech from YHWH but instead with words spoken by YHWH’s audience; ‘we’. Who the ‘we’ are is not specified, probably Obadiah means himself plus others in the nation of Israel/Judah. In the parallel passage Jeremiah says ‘I,’ meaning just himself (Jer 49: 14-16).
‘We have heard a report (cp. Isa 53:1) straight from YHWH, and [what’s more] an envoy has been sent among the nations.’ Since Obadiah and his associates heard the tidings directly from YHWH we must presume that it is YHWH who has sent out an envoy to summon the nations to war against Edom. Whether this ambassador is human or angelic is not stated. The perfect tense ‘has been sent’ means that this will surely happen. ‘Among the nations’ is used in the context of war in Jer 49:14; 50:2; 51:27; Joel 3:9. ‘Arise ye’ is a summons to battle, as in Jer 6:4, 5; 49:14, 28, 31. YHWH will cause the nations to go to war against Edom.
EDOM
In the Old Testament the ancient nation of Edom was a prominent enemy of YHWH and his covenant people Israel. Edom, meaning ‘red,’ was descended from Esau and Israel was descended from Esau’s twin brother Jacob (Gen 25:22-26). The story of this family is found in Genesis chapters 25-33. Genesis 36:1-43 gives Esau’s family record and also lists the early kings of Edom.
Saul, Israel’s first king, waged war against Edom (1 Sam 14:47-48) as did his successor David (1 Kgs 11:15-16). David successfully subdued Edom (2 Sam 8:13-14), making it a vassal state of Israel, which it remained under Solomon. When the Israelite monarchy divided after Solomon’s death Edom remained under the control of Judah. The books of Kings and Chronicles record several Edomite revolts against Judah. These were during the reigns of the Judahite kings Jehoshaphat (2 Chron 20:10-23), Jehoram (2 Kgs 8:20-22; 2 Chron 21:8) and Amaziah (2 Kgs 14:7; 2 Chron 25:1-11). According to Psa 137:7 the Edomites were also complicit in the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians in 586/7 BCE.
In the Bible Edom is often associated with Mt Seir (Num 24:18; Deut 2:4; Judg 5:4; 2 Chron 20:10; 25:11; Isa 21:11). Its exact location is unknown but must have been in or close to Edom, probably in the Negev (a desert area to the south of Judah). The traditional territory occupied by Edom lay to the southeast of Israel in what is now southern Jordan and included two important commercial and military ports on the coast of the Red Sea, Elah (modern Eilat) and Ezion-geber (1 Kgs 9:26). The capital of Edom was Bozrah (Isa 63:1) but by the time of Amaziah (2 Kgs 14:7; 2 Chron 25:11-12) the nation’s main fortification was at Sela (modern Petra) which means ‘rock.’
2 Behold, I have made thee small among the heathen: thou art greatly despised.
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?
4 Though thou exalt thyself as the eagle, and though thou set thy nest among the stars, thence will I bring thee down, saith the LORD. Obadiah 2-4
Verses 2-4 give the reason for Edom’s judgement – pride.
2. ‘Behold’ directs the reader’s attention to what is going to happen. YHWH declares judgment on Edom saying that that the nation will be made small. This may be an ironic play on Gen 27:1 where Esau is described as Isaac’s ‘big son.’ YHWH will make the Edomites insignificant and despised among the nations. Their forefather Esau had despised the birthright (Gen 25:34), now his progeny will be despised.
3. Edom’s pride of heart is noted. The main idea is that of presumption, overstepping acceptable bounds (cp, 1 Sam 17:28). Pride comes first in the list of seven sins that YHWH hates (Prov 6:16-19). According to Prov 16:5 ‘everyone that is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord…he shall not be unpunished.’ Isaiah maintains that the proud and lofty will be brought low (Isa 2:13-17). Down through the years people have made arrogant and foolish statements (that God himself could not sink the Titanic springs to mind) but surely Edom is a biblical example of the truth of Prov 16:18: ‘Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall’. Ironically Edom has become delusional, its proud heart has deceived it and in v.7 its allies will deceive it too.
‘Thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rock, whose habitation is high’. Since they live in mountainous regions and have a virtually impregnable stronghold at ‘the rock’ i.e. Sela (Petra) the Edomites trust in their natural fortifications. Sela‘ means rock. They believe that they are invincible and therefore they ask themselves the rhetorical question ‘Who shall bring me down to the earth? As Edom sees it the answer is ‘No-one!’
4. The correct answer to the question is given in v.4. No matter how high Edom exalts itself YHWH declares that he will bring them down from that perch. Using striking imagery Obadiah compares Edom’s fortress to an eagle’s eyrie (Job 39:27-30) situated at a great height ‘among the stars’ (Job 22:12). Edom’s pride and arrogance will result in humiliation. See Mt 11:23; 23:12.
As well as at Edom (Obad 3; Jer 49:16) the Old Testament prophets levelled the charge of pride at other nations also.
Assyria – Isa 10:12; Ezek 31:3,10; Zeph 2:13,15.
Babylon – Isa 47:8
Moab – Isa 16:6; Jer 48:29
Tyre – Ezek 28:2
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 came to thee, would they not leave some grapes?
6 How are the things of Esau searched out! how are his hidden things sought up!
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.
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?
9 And thy mighty men, O Teman, shall be dismayed, to the end that every one of the mount of Esau may be cut off by slaughter.
10 For thy violence against thy brother Jacob shame shall cover thee, and thou shalt be cut off forever
Verses 5-10 declare the extent of Edom’s judgement.
5. Obadiah’s use of powerful imagery continues as in three conditional clauses beginning with ‘if’ he compares Edom’s destruction to a night-time robbery and to the work of grape gatherers. Note the double use of ‘came’ and ‘would they not’ in the two parallel statements in v.5.
‘If thieves came to thee, if robbers by night…would they not have stolen till they had enough?’
‘If the grapegatherers came to thee, would they not leave some grapes?’
These rhetorical questions make the point that robbers and reapers only take what they can carry; they do not take everything, they always leave something. Edom’s destruction, however, will be total, its plunderers will leave nothing. Between the two metaphors lies a dramatic aside ‘how art thou cut off,’ this is a mock lament.
6. The mocking continues in v.6 and emphasises the thoroughness with which Esau (standing for Edom) will be plundered as its enemies search for and dig out its hidden treasures.
7. The regional powers with which Edom has allied and agreed peace treaties will betray her. Who these confederates are is not stated but YHWH will have them turn against Edom. These allies will commit three acts of treachery against Edom. They will (1) expel Edom’s ambassadors from their borders , i.e. send them back to their own country, (2) deceive and overpower Edom, reneging on bilateral agreements that have been ratified with a covenant meal (e.g. Josh 9:12-15), and (3) wound Edom’s lower parts, i.e. ambush Edom and strike a blow from which it will not recover. YHWH will execute destruction on Edom by influencing its allies to attack her.
That there was ongoing diplomatic activity among the nations in that region is clear from Jeremiah chapter 27. Envoys from Edom, Moab, Ammon, Tyre and Sidon arrived at Jerusalem, no doubt to discuss forming an alliance against Nebuchadnezzar and his advancing forces. Jeremiah got involved and sent each of the representatives on their way back to their kings with a yoke as an object lesson, along with advice to submit to Babylonian rule.
8-10. Again taking up the topic of divine retribution foretold in vv.2-4 YHWH asks a rhetorical question, to which the expected answer is ‘Yes!’ ‘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?’ YHWH say that he will remove wise men from Edom so that her leaders will no longer have the discernment to make good decisions. Because of this Edom’s warriors will become demoralised and the army ineffective. They will be slaughtered by opposing military forces.
‘The mount of Esau’ (also v.21) refers to Mt Seir and stands for all of Edom (Ezek 35:15). Teman (as well as Sela. see v.3) was a town in Edom and was named after one of Esau’s grandsons (Gen 36:11; 1 Chron 1:36).
‘In that day’ refers to the time when the events of v.7 take place.
Edom was famous for its wisdom (Obad 8; Jer 49:7; see also 1 Kgs 4:30). Eliphaz, one of Job’s comforters (Job 16:2) was a Temanite (Job 2:11).
Verse 10 makes it clear that Edom deserved severe punishment because it did not respect the historical kinship bond with Israel. This is emphasized by the use of ‘thy brother Jacob’ meaning Israel. Israel was descended from Jacob and Edom from Jacob’s twin brother Esau. Israel was bitter at the violence perpetrated against it by Edom; this resentment is expressed very powerfully in the book of Obadiah. Because of hostility displayed towards Israel Edom will be disgraced and will cease to exist as a nation (‘cut off forever’).
11 In the day that 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.
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.
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 have laid hands on their substance in the day of their calamity;
14 Neither shouldest thou have stood in the crossway, 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 distress.
11. Verse 11 refers to a specific time of crisis for Judah when Edom was complicit with foreign invaders, taking sides with them as they attacked Jerusalem.
12-14. Verses 12-14 lists eight crimes which Edom perpetrated against Judah on that occasion. ‘In/on that day’ occurs nine times in vv.10-14.
- You should not have gloated over your brother in the day of his alienation (v.12).
- You should not have rejoiced over the people of Judah in the day of their ruin (v.12).
- You should not have boasted in the day of distress (v.12)
- You should not have entered the gate of my people in the day of calamity (v.13).
- You should not have gloated over their disaster in the day of their calamity (v.13).
- You should not have looted their wealth in the day of their calamity (v.13).
- You should not have stood at the crossroads to cut off fugitives (v.14).
- You should not have handed over survivors in the day of distress (v.14).
These crimes against Judah may have occurred during the Edomite rebellion c. 850 BCE in the reign of Jehoram of Judah but the dominant view among scholars, based on Psa 137:7, is that Obadiah was written soon after the fall of Jerusalem to the Babylonians in 587/6 BCE and that these verses refer to Edom’s behaviour at that time.
That view takes no account of the fact that the Edomites are not mentioned in the list of nations that helped the Babylonians at that time (2 Kgs 24:1-2). It also fails to explain Jer 40:11, which indicates that people from Judah fled from the Babylonians to other territories; a number of them finding refuge in Edom.
In his days Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up, and Jehoiakim became his servant three years: then he turned and rebelled against him. And the LORD sent against him bands of the Chaldees, and bands of the Syrians, and bands of the Moabites, and bands of the children of Ammon, and sent them against Judah to destroy it, according to the word of the LORD, which he spoke by his servants the prophets. 2 Kings 24:1-2
Verse 14 brings to an end the oracle against Edom. The prophet now turns from the day of Judah’s calamity when Edom acted against it to another day; the Day of YHWH. On that day the situation will be reversed. Edom and the other nations will be judged and Israel will be delivered (v.17).
Written Exposition 