Obadiah 1

1 The vision of Obadiah. Thus saith the Lord GOD concerning Edom: We have heard tidings from the LORD, and an ambassador is sent among the nations, [saying], Arise ye, and let us rise up against her in battle.

The vision of Obadiah. Thus says the Lord God to Edom: We have heard a report from the Lord, and he has sent an envoy to the nations: “Arise, and let us together rise up in battle against him.”

2 Behold, I have made thee small among the nations: thou art greatly despised.

Behold, I have made you little among the nations. You are greatly contemptible.

3 The pride of thine heart hath deceived thee, O 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 arrogance of your heart has lifted you up, living in the clefts of the rocks, exalting your throne. You say in your heart, “Who will pull me down to the ground?”

4 Though thou mount on high as the eagle, and though thy nest be set among the stars, I will bring thee down from thence, saith the LORD.

Though you have been lifted high like an eagle, and though you have placed your nest among the stars, from there I will pull you down, says the Lord.

5 If thieves came to thee, if robbers by night, (how art thou cut off!) would they not steal till they had enough? if grapegatherers came to thee, would they not leave some gleaning grapes?

If thieves had approached you, if robbers by night, how would you have remained unnoticed? Would they not have stolen all that they wanted? If the grape-pickers had approached you, would they not have left you at least a cluster?

6 How are [the things of] Esau searched out! how are his hidden treasures sought up!

In what way have they been examining Esau? They investigated his secrets.

7 All the men of thy confederacy have brought thee on thy way, even to the border: the men that were at peace with thee have deceived thee, and prevailed against thee; [they that eat] thy bread lay a snare under thee: there is none understanding in him.

They have sent you out all the way to the limit. All the men of your alliance have deceived you. Your men of peace have prevailed against you. Those who eat with you will place snares under you. There is no foresight in him.

8 Shall I not in that day, saith the LORD, destroy the wise men out of Edom, and understanding out of the mount of Esau?

Shall I not, in that day, says the Lord, wipe away understanding from Idumea and foresight from the mount of Esau?

9 And thy mighty men, O Teman, shall be dismayed, to the end that every one may be cut off from the mount of Esau by slaughter.

And your strong from the Meridian will be afraid, so that man may perish from the mount of Esau.

10 For the violence done to thy brother Jacob shame shall cover thee, and thou shalt be cut off for ever.

Because of the execution, and because of the iniquity against your brother Jacob, confusion will cover you, and you will pass away into eternity.

11 In the day that thou stoodest on the other side, in the day that strangers carried away his substance, and foreigners entered into his gates, and cast lots upon Jerusalem, even thou wast as one of them.

In the day when you stood against him, when strangers seized his army, and foreigners entered into his gates, and they cast lots over Jerusalem: you also were just like one of them.

12 But look not thou on the day of thy brother in the day of his disaster, and rejoice not over the children of Judah in the day of their destruction; neither speak proudly in the day of distress.

But you shall not show disdain for the day of your brother in the day of his sojourn. And you shall not rejoice over the sons of Judah in the day of their perdition. And you shall not magnify your mouth in the day of anguish.

13 Enter not into the gate of my people in the day of their calamity; yea, look not thou on their affliction in the day of their calamity, neither lay ye [hands] on their substance in the day of their calamity.

And neither shall you enter into the gate of my people in the day of their ruin. And neither shall you also show disdain for his troubles in the day of his desolation. And you shall not send out against his army in the day of his desolation.

14 And stand thou not in the crossway, to cut off those of his that escape; and deliver not up those of his that remain in the day of distress.

Neither shall you stand at the exits to execute those who will flee. And you shall not enclose their remnant in the day of tribulation.

15 For the day of the LORD is near upon all the nations: as thou hast done, it shall be done unto thee; thy dealing shall return upon thine own head.

For the day of the Lord is near, over all nations. Just as you have done, so will it be done to you. He will turn back your retribution on your own head.

16 For as ye have drunk upon my holy mountain, so shall all the nations drink continually, yea, they shall drink, and swallow down, and shall be as though they had not been.

For in the manner that you drank on my holy mountain, so shall all nations drink continually. And they will drink, and they will absorb, and they will be as if they were not.

17 But in mount Zion there shall be those that escape, and it shall be holy; and the house of Jacob shall possess their possessions.

And on mount Zion there will be salvation, and it will be holy. And the house of Jacob will possess those who had possessed them.

18 And the house of Jacob shall be a fire, and the house of Joseph a flame, and the house of Esau for stubble, and they shall burn among them, and devour them: and there shall not be any remaining to the house of Esau; for the LORD hath spoken it.

And the house of Jacob will be a fire, and the house of Joseph a flame, and the house of Esau stubble. And they will be set on fire among them, and they will devour them. And there will be no remnant of the house of Esau, for the Lord has spoken.

19 And they of the South shall possess the mount of Esau; and they of the lowland the Philistines and they shall possess the field of Ephraim, and the field of Samaria: and Benjamin [shall possess] Gilead.

And those who are towards the South, and who are in the camps of the Philistines, will inherit the mount of Esau. And they will possess the region of Ephraim, and the region of Samaria. And Benjamin will possess Gilead.

20 And the captivity of this host of the children of Israel, which are [among] the Canaanites, [shall possess] even unto Zarephath; and the captivity of Jerusalem, which is in Sepharad, shall possess the cities of the South.

And the exiles of this army of the sons of Israel, all the places of the Canaanites all the way to Sarepta, and the exiles of Jerusalem who are in Bosphoro, will possess the cities of the South.

21 And saviours shall come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau; and the kingdom shall be the LORD’S.

And the saviors will ascend to mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau. And the kingdom will be for the Lord.