Obadiah 1

1 The vision of 'Obadiah: Thus hath said the Lord Eternal concerning Edom, A rumor have we heard from the Lord, and an ambassador is sent among the nations, Arise ye, and let us rise up against her to war.

The vision of Obadiah. This is what the Lord GOD 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, I make thee small among the nations: thou shalt be greatly despised.

Behold, I have made you small amongst the nations. You are greatly despised.

3 The presumption of thy heart hath beguiled 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 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 thou wert to rise as high as the eagle, and though thou set thy nest among the stars, thence will I bring thee down, saith the Lord.

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 How? are thieves come to thee? or night-prowling robbers? how destroyed art thou! would they not have stolen till they had enough? if grape-gatherers had come to thee, would they not have left some gleanings?

“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 are [the treasures] of Esau searched out! how are his hidden things laid open!

How Esau will be ransacked! How his hidden treasures are sought out!

7 Up to the border have accompanied thee all the men of thy confederacy; beguiled, overcome thee have the men that were at peace with thee: [they that eat] thy bread have struck thee secretly a wound. There is no understanding in him.

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 Shall I not on that same day, saith the Lord, even destroy the wise men out of Edom, and understanding out of the mount of Esau?

“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 And thy mighty men, O Theman, shall be dismayed, in order that every one from the mount of Esau may be cut off by slaughter.

Your mighty men, Teman, will be dismayed, to the end that everyone may be cut off from the mountain of Esau by slaughter.

10 Because of thy violence against thy brother Jacob shall shame cover thee, and thou shalt be cut off for ever.

For the violence done to your brother Jacob, shame will cover you, and you will be cut off forever.

11 On the day that thou stoodest on the other side, on the day that strangers carried away captive his army, and foreigners entered into his gates, and cast lots over Jerusalem, also thou wast as any one of them.

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 thou shouldst not have looked on [pleased] at the day of thy brother, on the day that he was delivered up to strangers; neither shouldst thou have rejoiced over the children of Judah on the day of their destruction; nor should thou have spoken proudly on the day of distress.

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 Thou shouldst not have entered into the gate of my people on the day of their calamity; yea, thou too shouldst not have looked [pleased] on their affliction on the day of their calamity; nor have laid hands on their army on the day of their calamity;

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 Neither shouldst thou have stood in the crossway, to cut off those of his that did escape; neither shouldst thou have delivered up those of his that did remain on the day of distress.

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 near is the day of the Lord over all the nations: as thou hast done, shall it be done unto thee; thy deeds shall return upon thy own head.

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 ye have drunk upon my holy mount, so shall all the nations drink continually; yea, they shall drink, and they shall reel about, and they shall be as though they had not been.

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 upon mount Zion shall be deliverance, and it shall be holy: and the house of Jacob shall again possess their inheritances.

But in Mount Zion, there will be those who escape, and it will be holy. The house of Jacob will possess their possessions.

18 And the house of Jacob shall be a fire, and the house of Joseph a flame, and the house of Esau become stubble, and they shall set them on fire, and devour them; and there shall not be any one remaining of the house of Esau; for the Lord hath spoken it.

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 And they of the south shall possess the mount of Esau; and they of the lowlands, the Philistines; and they shall possess the fields of Ephraim, and the fields of Samaria: and Benjamin [shall possess] Gil'ad.

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 And the exiles of this host of the children of Israel that are [with] the Canaanites, as far as Zarephath, and the exiles of Jerusalem, who are in Sepharad, shall possess the cities of the south.

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 And deliverers shall go up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau: and the kingdom shall be the Lord's

Saviours will go up on Mount Zion to judge the mountains of Esau, and the kingdom will be the LORD’s.