Obadiah 1

1 The vision of Obadiah. This is what the LORD says about Edom. We have heard news from the LORD, and an ambassador is sent among the nations, saying, "Arise, and let's rise up against her in battle.

The vision of Obadiah. This is what the Lord has said about Edom: We have had word from the Lord, and a representative has been sent among the nations, saying, Up! and let us make war against her.

2 Look, I have made you small among the nations. You are greatly despised.

See, I have made you small among the nations: you are much looked down on.

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?'

You have been tricked by the pride of your heart, O you whose living-place is in the cracks of the rock, whose house is high up; who has said in his heart, Who will make me come down to earth?

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," says the LORD.

Though you go up on high like an eagle, though your house is placed among the stars, I will make you come 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?

If thieves came, attacking you by night, (how are you cut off!) would they not go on taking till they had enough? if men came cutting your grapes would they take them all?

6 How Esau will be ransacked. How his hidden treasures are sought out.

How are the things of Esau searched out! how are his secret stores looked for!

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. Those who eat bread with you lay a snare under you. There is no understanding in him."

All the men who were united with you have been false to you, driving you out to the edge of the land: the men who were at peace with you have overcome you; they have taken their heritage in your place.

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?

Will I not, in that day, says the Lord, take away the wise men out of Edom, and wisdom 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.

And your men of war, O Teman, will be overcome with fear, so that every one of them may be cut off from the mountain of Esau.

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

Because you were the cause of violent death and because of your cruel behaviour to your brother Jacob, you will be covered with shame and will be cut off for ever.

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.

Because you were there watching when men from other lands took away his goods, and strange men came into his doors, and put the fate of Jerusalem to the decision of chance; you were like one of them.

12 But do not look down on your brother in the day of his disaster, and do not rejoice over the people of Judah in the day of their destruction. Do not speak proudly in the day of distress.

Do not see with pleasure your brother's evil day, the day of his fate, and do not be glad over the children of Judah on the day of their destruction, or make wide your mouth on the day of trouble.

13 Do not enter into the gate of my people in the day of their calamity. Do not look down on their affliction in the day of their calamity, neither seize their wealth on the day of their calamity.

Do not go into the doors of my people on the day of their downfall; do not be looking on their trouble with pleasure on the day of their downfall, or put your hands on their goods on the day of their downfall.

14 Do not stand in the crossroads to cut off those of his who escape. Do not deliver up those of his who remain in the day of distress.

And do not take your place at the cross-roads, cutting off those of his people who get away; and do not give up to their haters those who are still there in the day of trouble.

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.

For the day of the Lord is coming quickly on all nations: as you have done it will be done to you; the reward of your acts will come on your head.

16 For as you have drunk on my holy mountain, so will all the nations drink continually. Yes, they will drink, swallow down, and will be as though they had not been.

For as you have been drinking on my holy mountain, so will all the nations go on drinking without end; they will go on drinking and the wine will go down their throats, and they will be as if they had never been.

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

But in Mount Zion some will be kept safe, and it will be holy; and the children of Jacob will take their heritage.

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 among them, and devour them. There will not be any remaining to the house of Esau." Indeed, the LORD has spoken.

And the children of Jacob will be a fire and those of Joseph a flame, and the children of Esau dry stems of grass, burned up by them till all is gone: and there will be no people living in Esau; for the Lord has said it.

19 Those of the Negev 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.

And they will take the South, and the lowland, and the country of Ephraim, and Gilead, as their heritage.

20 The captives of this army of the children of Israel, who are among the Canaanites, will possess even to Zarephath; and the captives of Jerusalem, who are in Sepharad, will possess the cities of the Negev.

And those of the children of Israel who were the first to be taken away as prisoners, will have their heritage among the Canaanites as far as Zarephath; and those who were taken away from Jerusalem, who are in Sepharad, will have the towns of the South.

21 Those who have been saved will go up on Mount Zion to judge the mountains of Esau, and the kingdom will be the LORD's.

And those who have been kept safe will come up from Mount Zion to be judges of the mountain of Esau; and the kingdom will be the Lord's.