BIG IDEA:
GOD OVERTURNS ARROGANCE AND FALSE SECURITY BY COMPLETE DESTRUCTION
INTRODUCTION:
Leslie Allen: This first section of the composition in vv. 2–9 has analyzed from various angles the theme of the destruction of Edom. Beginning and end have stressed that neither natural impregnability nor native wisdom nor national manpower can provide adequate defense against the set purpose of Yahweh to overthrow the Edomites. Edom will come tumbling down from its proud position, deprived of wit and warrior. Its rich warehouses are to be looted and left bereft of spices and gold. Its allies will turn traitor against it. Such is to be the punishment for Edom. Dire indeed must be the sins that earn such wages, and it is to an accusation of Edom’s crimes that the prophet turns in the second part of his composition.
Daniel Epp-Tiessen: Commentators often note that Obadiah 1b-4 closely parallels Jeremiah 49:14-16. It is not clear whether Obadiah borrows from Jeremiah or whether both draw on an earlier oracle against Edom. For our purposes, two points are worth noting. One is that when the two books are read in their current order in the Bible, readers will hear Obadiah affirming that Jeremiah’s words of judgment against Edom are still in effect. Second, even though Obadiah and Jeremiah share material, they shape it to serve their own rhetorical purposes. For example, Jeremiah describes Edom as striking terror in the hearts of other nations (49:16). Obadiah omits this detail because the emphasis is on God’s impending intervention to eliminate Edom as a threat. Obadiah heightens the portrayal of Edom’s smugness by placing into its mouth arrogant words claiming invincibility and by adding the image of Edom building its nest among the stars (vv. 3-4).
(:1) INTRODUCTION – PROPHETIC WORD OF JUDGMENT AGAINST EDOM
A. The Prophet = Obadiah
“The vision of Obadiah.”
Trent Butler: Obadiah means “the servant of Yah” (or Yahweh), and the prophet’s name represents his task. He was God’s servant, God’s messenger to deliver an oracle against a foreign nation for Judah to overhear.
Leslie Allen: The overall brevity of the book, the shortest in the collection of the twelve Minor Prophets and indeed in the whole OT, is matched in the brevity of its title. In the other prophetic books the editors have supplied some information concerning the period or place of origin of the author of the oracles, but in this case not even the name of the prophet’s father, frequently used as the equivalent of a surname, has been preserved.
David Baker: Though the verb can be used of physical sight (e.g., Ps. 58:8), the noun only refers to prophetic perception, indicating the content of what is seen rather than the act of perceiving (cf. Ps. 89:19).
John Goldingay: The term “vision” is used in a loose sense, like “revelation” in English (see Amos 1:1; 7:1–3 and the comments). It appears also in the prefaces to Isaiah and Nahum (cf. also 1 Sam. 3:1).
B. The Target = Edom
“Thus says the Lord God concerning Edom”
Leslie Allen: Obadiah uses the typical messenger formula of the prophets, which serves at once to affirm the divine authority and to specify the target of his prophetic pronouncements.
David Baker: The divine title indicates the subservient position of the speaker in relation to the addressee, acknowledging the authority of the latter.
C. The Judgment = Coalition of nations conspiring to attack Edom
“We have heard a report from the LORD,
And an envoy has been sent among the nations saying,
‘Arise and let us go against her for battle’”
Richard Coggins: Those nations will wage war against Edom, supposing that they are doing so at their own whim and for their own advantage. In fact, their decision is not their own but the LORD’S. Just as in Isa. 10:5–15 Assyria was no more than the rod in Yahweh’s hand, though supposing that its own power had brought it victory, so here the nations are pictured as being under the control of Israel’s God.
Biblehub.com: an envoy has been sent among the nations to say,
The imagery of an envoy or messenger suggests a call to action among the nations. In ancient times, envoys were sent to deliver important messages or to rally support for military campaigns. This reflects the seriousness of the impending judgment and the divine orchestration behind the events. It also highlights the theme of God using nations to accomplish His purposes, as seen in other prophetic books like Habakkuk.
I. (2-3) FOLLY OF ARROGANCE AND FALSE SECURITY
A. (:2) Destiny Described
- Reduced to Smallness
“Behold I will make you small among the nations.“
Leslie Allen: The first word hinnēh, traditionally rendered “behold,” is designed to arrest the hearers and focus their attention on God’s coming involvement in the affairs of men. The verb is a prophetic perfect: God’s deed is as good as done, and the fate of Edom is sealed. Their destiny is to be one of utter insignificance. It will be all the more shocking to the Edomites because they have been the victims of self-deception. They shrug off any suggestion of invasion and defeat with a confident denial, thinking themselves safe in their rocky bastion.
David Baker: To be small in significance was to be “despised,” as the second half of verse 2 indicates. In an area vying for national prominence, diminution of esteem was degrading as well as dangerous, because it was viewed as a sign of weakness and an opportunity to attack.
Trent Butler: Edom was big only in that it had tall, rough mountains. Otherwise, it was a nation that controlled a small territory and exercised minimal influence in international affairs. Its only hope for fame lay in its location on the trade route between Mesopotamia and the Red Sea or between Egypt to the west and Assyria and Babylon to the east. The exotic goods from Arabia and Africa traveled through Edom to get to customers in the north, east, and west. With no hopes for economic importance, Edom would be small. Not only that, Edom would be utterly despised.
Biblehub.com: Behold, I will make you small among the nations;
This phrase indicates a divine decree of judgment. The word “Behold” serves as a call to attention, emphasizing the certainty and importance of the message. The context is God’s pronouncement against Edom, a nation descended from Esau, Jacob’s brother. Historically, Edom was a significant power due to its strategic location and control of trade routes. However, this prophecy foretells a reduction in their status and influence. The phrase “small among the nations” suggests a loss of power and prestige, aligning with other biblical prophecies where God humbles the proud (Isaiah 2:12, Jeremiah 49:15). This humbling of Edom serves as a reminder of God’s sovereignty over nations and His ability to exalt or abase according to His will.
- Relegated to Shame
“You are greatly despised.“
Biblehub.com: you will be deeply despised.
The phrase “deeply despised” indicates not only a loss of power but also a loss of respect and honor among other nations. Historically, Edom was often in conflict with Israel and other neighboring nations, leading to animosity and disdain. This prophecy reflects the consequences of Edom’s pride and hostility, particularly against Israel (Psalm 137:7, Ezekiel 25:12-14). The deep disdain could also be seen as a result of their betrayal and violence against their kin, the Israelites, during times of distress. This serves as a broader biblical theme where pride and enmity lead to downfall and disgrace (Proverbs 16:18). Theologically, it underscores the principle that those who oppose God’s people and purposes will ultimately face divine retribution.
B. (:3a) Arrogance Denounced
“The arrogance of your heart has deceived you,
You who live in the clefts of the rock,
In the loftiness of your dwelling place,”
Leslie Allen: Perched on the top of this natural fortress, the Edomites assimilated from their habitat a superior attitude of impregnability, which represented a defiant challenge: “Who can bring me down to earth?” This description of arrogant supermen serves as a stark prelude to the shock of their imminent downfall. In their presumptuous pride they have reckoned without God. Over these puny creatures, sadly mistaken in their illusions of superhuman invincibility, looms the majestic figure of Yahweh. Like the eagle they are denizens of rocky heights, but were they likewise to soar into the sky above, they could not get beyond the reach of the long arm of divine justice. The reference to flying high in the sky and to roosting among the stars paints a vividly imaginative picture, which serves to stress the power of God and the powerlessness of the Edomites. Earthbound mortals as they are, they present an easy prey for Yahweh despite their boasts.
Thomas Constable: The outstanding mark of Edom’s national character was pride. The Hebrew word for pride (zadon) comes from a verb meaning to boil up (zid). It pictures pride as water that boils up under pressure in a cooking pot. Similarly the proud person is like a bubble that thrusts itself up but is hollow. Interestingly, the same Hebrew word occurs three times in the account of Esau, the father of the Edomites, squandering his birthright (Gen. 25:27-34).
David Guzik: The Edomites boasted in their natural defenses. The ancient city of Petra – once the capital city of Edom, known as Sela – had amazing defenses. It is a city carved into the rock, accessible by a narrow canyon almost a mile long. At the end of the canyon there is a spectacular city carved in stone, and seemingly incapable of being conquered by any army.
The Edomites boasted in their wisdom. The men of Edom – especially of the city Teman – were noted for their wisdom. The phrase men of the East in the Old Testament often refers to men from Edom, and passages like 1 Kings 4:30 declare the great wisdom of the men of the East. As well, Jeremiah 49:7 says of Edom: “Is wisdom no more in Teman? Has counsel perished from the prudent? Has their wisdom vanished?” This was another source of pride for the Edomites.
The Edomites boasted in their alliances and trusted in their allies – their confederacy, the men at peace with you (Obadiah 1:7). They thought that their alliances made them strong, and they were proud because of that strength.
David Baker: Edom’s military advantage puffs up her national pride to a point of arrogance. She is convinced of her inviolability enough to brag of it. This is not a justified self-esteem deriving from some actual preeminence, but rather a deceptive self-vaunting. As the first woman was deceived by the serpent in the Garden into rising above her level of adequacy (Gen. 3:13), so Edom leads herself astray. Her pride raises her even above her earthbound heights. She likens herself to an eagle who can soar and nest above the high terrain (Obad. 4; cf. Job 39:27; Prov. 23:5), or even above the earth itself, to the very stars, the outer reaches of their existence (Job 22:12).
Unfortunately for Edom, her survey to every horizon of the military might to which she considers herself superior does not include a glance heavenward, where the greatest threat to arrogance lies. It is not a human army who brings Edom down, but the warrior God (Amos 9:2). He leaves the nation a diminished and “despised” people. She does not consider Israel’s God, who created those same stars (Gen. 1:16) and who is also referred to as an eagle (Deut. 32:11; Jer. 49:22). It is this God, Yahweh, who speaks these words of judgment, as indicated by the phrase “declares the LORD,” which occurs numerous times in the prophets.
Anthony Gelston: Edom has a natural confidence (v. 3) deriving from its physically strong position. Its capital, Sela (Cliff), sits on a massif. Like Jerusalem, on three sides it is flanked by steep slopes; it can be easily approached only from the southeast. It’s easy to defend and hard to attack. Such a position encourages the assumption that one is unassailable. It’s like a bird sitting in a crevice. But such confidence is self-deceptive because it leaves God out of account. Arrogance is a vice. Obadiah has in mind not the kind of pride that denotes self-respect, a proper self-confidence, and a pleasure in one’s achievements but the kind of pride that does not recognize God as God and has the self-confidence that makes a person ruthlessly ambitious and willing to tread on other people.
C. (:3b) False Security and Pride Exposed
“Who say in your heart, ‘Who will bring me down to earth?’”
Carl E. Armerding: Edom’s natural defenses were imposing. Its main centers of civilization were situated in a narrow ridge of mountainous land southeast of the Dead Sea . . . This ridge exceeded a height of 4,000 feet throughout its northern sector, and it rose in places to 5,700 feet in the south. Its height was rendered more inaccessible by the gorges radiating from it toward the Arabah on the west and the desert eastwards. In addition to these natural fortifications, Edom was strongly defended by a series of Iron Age fortresses, particularly on the eastern frontier where the land descended more gradually to the desert.
John Barton: These verses [:3-4] develop a theme dear to the hearts of many of the prophets, that of human hubris—the pride in one’s own status that presents a challenge to the sole supremacy of God. It is a regular feature in oracles against the nations in the Old Testament: classic examples are Isaiah’s attack on the Assyrians (Isa. 10:5–19) and Ezekiel’s diatribe against the prince of Tyre (Ezek. 28:1–10, 17–19). Whether the Edomites were notably more full of arrogance than other nations or even more prone to congratulate themselves on their exalted status than the Judaeans whom Obadiah was addressing we are in no position to say; the prophets assume that foreigners are all arrogant and proud.
Daniel Epp-Tiessen: Obadiah places words into Edom’s mouth to characterize it as smug and naive. “Who will bring me down to the ground?” (v. 3c). Readers familiar with prophetic literature know that God does not listen passively to such arrogance. God’s judgment of human pride and smugness, sometimes associated with heights, is a common prophetic theme (Isa 2:11-17; 10:5-16; 14:3-20; 23:8-12; Jer 50:31-32; Ezek 28:1-10, 17-19). Because God alone is exalted, human self-exaltation encroaches on divine turf and merits judgment (Barton: 138). Human haughtiness is also problematic because of its practical consequences. An exalted sense of national pride and self-sufficiency can inspire nations to commit atrocities against others. They care only about their own interests and never imagine that they are accountable to a higher power who stands behind the moral order of the universe.
God mocks Edom’s arrogant sense of invincibility by evoking the exaggerated image of an eagle soaring so high that it can build its nest among the stars (v. 4). God declares that no location is so distant or secure as to prevent him from dragging Edom to the ground, exactly what Edom has just boasted no one can do. Edom’s punishment will fit its crime.
II. (4-9) FINALITY OF CERTAIN AND COMPLETE DESTRUCTION
A. (:4) Promise of Certain Destruction Despite False Security
“Though you build high like the eagle, Though you set your nest among the stars, From there I will bring you down,’ declares the LORD.”
This verse is normally taken with vv. 1-3; but the theme blends nicely with vv. 5-9.
John Barton: Divine opposition to all that is “haughty” or “lofty” is a recurring theme in the book of Isaiah (cf. also Isa. 2:12–18, where high trees and mountains are at risk from God’s judgment, as symbols of overweening human pride). In Obadiah it is easy to dismiss this theme as merely a convenient stick with which to beat the hated Edomites: they are so proud, they even prefer “high” places to live in! But the theme has wider resonance than this, as its treatment in Isaiah shows. It belongs to the Old Testament’s perception of the relative status of God and humanity, and its absolute conviction that no one must for a moment challenge the supremacy of YHWH. That the Edomites have set their dwelling “among the stars” should ring warning bells, if one has read (as perhaps the author of this oracle had) Isa. 14:12–14.
Thomas Constable: Here the figure of an eagle that was also in view in the previous verse becomes explicit. Even if the Edomites would build their nest as high as the stars (hyperbole), God would bring them down. They might have been humanly unassailable, but they were not divinely unassailable. They had proudly boasted, “Who will bring me down to the earth?” (v. 3), but Yahweh replied, “I will bring you down” (v. 4). He would burst their bubble. He Himself declared that He would.
Malachi, who wrote some 400 years later, mentioned that the Edomites were still in existence then (Mal. 1:3-4). By 312 B.C. the capital of Edom was in Nabatean hands, and Edom had ceased to exist as a nation, though Edomites continued to live. They became known as Idumeans.
B. (:5-6) Promise of Complete Destruction
- (:5) Two Contrasts Illustrating Only Limited Destruction
a. Thieves at Night – Would not steal everything
“If thieves came to you, If robbers by night– O how you will be ruined!—
Would they not steal only until they had enough?”
Leslie Allen: If the first stanza stressed the inevitability of destruction, this next one emphasizes its thoroughness.
b. Grape Gatherers – Would leave some gleanings
“If grape gatherers came to you, Would they not leave some gleanings?”
Thomas Constable: Thieves robbed houses and grape pickers stripped vineyards, yet both left a little behind that they did not carry off. However, Yahweh’s destruction of Edom would be so complete that nothing at all would remain of her (cf. Jer. 49:9-10). There would be no remnant of Edom left (in contrast to the remnant that Yahweh promised elsewhere to leave in Israel).
[vs. 8] God would destroy Edom’s famous wise men (cf. 1 Kings 4:30; Job 1:1; 2:11; 4:1; Jer. 49:7; Lam. 4:21; Baruch 3:23) and their understanding by allowing them to fail to detect the unfaithfulness of their allies (v. 7). They would also overestimate their own security (v. 3).
Frank Shalieu: Thieves usually take only the most valuable items, but there would be utter destruction with Edom. A thief steals the items he can carry and then leaves, wanting to get out safely. In a vineyard, the grape pickers gather the easy-to-get clusters and leave a portion behind. Under the Law, Israel was required to leave some grapes for the poor to glean (compare Jer. 49:9). But even if the grape pickers were not considering the poor, they could not wait for every grape to ripen, so they picked only the clusters that were convenient. The analogy was that Edom would be stripped bare of its treasures. When judgment was visited, nothing would be left behind; the spoilage would be complete.
2. (:6) Imagery of Complete Destruction
“O how Esau will be ransacked, And his hidden treasures searched out!”
David Baker: By contrast, Edom in its punishment is completely denuded (v. 6). Even the stores hidden away in her rocky nooks and crannies (v. 3) will be ferreted out, purposefully sought for (cf. Gen. 31:34–35), and, by implication, plundered.
Anthony Gelston: The whole of vv. 6–9 stresses the finality and inescapability of the judgment awaiting Edom. . . This ransack of Edom won’t work by half measures (v. 6). Its invaders will look in every corner of the land and take everything worth taking.
C. (:7) Treachery of Edom’s Allies
“All the men allied with you Will send you forth to the border,
And the men at peace with you Will deceive you and overpower you.
They who eat your bread Will set an ambush for you.
(There is no understanding in him.)”
Biblehub.com: All the men allied with you will drive you to the border;
This phrase highlights the betrayal of Edom by its allies. Historically, Edom was situated south of the Kingdom of Judah and had alliances with neighboring nations. The prophecy indicates that these allies, once trusted, would turn against Edom, forcing them to the borders of their own land. This reflects the broader biblical theme of the unreliability of human alliances compared to the faithfulness of God (Psalm 118:8-9). The driving to the border symbolizes a complete rejection and expulsion, reminiscent of how Israel’s enemies often sought to push them out of their land.without your awareness of it.
The final phrase emphasizes the complete surprise and unawareness of Edom regarding the impending betrayal. This lack of awareness can be seen as a result of pride and overconfidence, a recurring theme in Obadiah’s prophecy against Edom. It serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of complacency and the importance of vigilance, echoing the New Testament’s call to be watchful (1 Peter 5:8). The unexpected nature of the betrayal highlights the futility of relying on human wisdom and alliances over divine guidance.
Hampton Keathley: [vs. 7] Edom’s enemies will be her allies — The Nabateans were caravan drivers whom the Edomites trusted and traded with. They were their business partners. They were allowed into the city, but they turned against the Edomites and conquered them.
Leslie Allen: Edom’s security, based both on impregnable position and on international alliance, will prove equally ill-founded. The emphasis upon deception appears to be a taunting allusion to the famed wisdom of the Edomites, to which v. 8 explicitly refers. The ironic truth is that those who know so much are to come to their downfall by their lack of knowledge.
David Baker: Rather than receiving the support expected from friends, Edom finds them to be enemies. The Edomites are forcefully expelled (cf. Gen. 3:23; Jer. 15:1) from their dwellings and driven to the periphery of their land. Like their own deceitful heart (Obad. 3), former friends deceitfully overpower Edom—an example of a hendiadys in which two nouns, “deceive” and “overpower,” make up one concept (e.g., “kith and kin”) rather than two separate actions. Often used in terms of conflict (e.g., Judg. 16:5; 1 Sam 17:9), the erstwhile friends overpower Edom, driving her out of her holdings.
Trent Butler: Those who eat your bread are those in friendly treaty relations who have been invited to political banquets and celebrations and who have eaten ceremonial meals sealing the covenant or treaty. They would set a trap for Edom. But you will not detect it reads literally “no understanding in it.” Edom had a marvelous reputation for wisdom and understanding. But the reputation would not serve her in this situation. No one could explain what was happening to Edom. This was a vision that came from God—a prophetic oracle revealing what lies beyond human explanation.
Daniel Epp-Tiessen: The imagery of verse 7 focuses on treachery and abandonment by Edom’s former allies, who will overpower Edom and force its people to the boundary. It is not clear whether being driven to the boundary means that Edomites fleeing invaders will be refused asylum by former allies and pushed back across their own border, or whether it means that atrocities by invaders will cause Edomites to seek refuge in remote border regions. Also unclear is the identity of the former allies now turned enemies. Are they the nations summoned to battle in verse 1, or the Babylonians with whom Edom must have been allied if Edom participated in the sacking of Jerusalem, or are they some other entities?
D. (:8-9) Destruction of the Wise and the Mighty
Leslie Allen: Two parallel statements are made concerning Edom’s twin assets of wisdom and military strength. Their parallelism is indicated by the repetition of out of Mount Esau at the end of the second line and toward the end of the third. The oracle is closely integrated with the preceding stanza by the way it picks up the thought of lack of knowledge and develops it.
- (:8) Destruction of the Wise
“Will I not on that day,’ declares the LORD, ‘Destroy wise men from Edom
And understanding from the mountain of Esau?’”
David Baker: Yahweh promises that he will not only deprive Edom of tactical geographical advantage (vv. 2–4) and strength derived from either wealth or allies (vv. 5–7), but he will also deny them two other means of national support, the wise and the strong. The “wise men” are important figures in the court and society (Jer. 18:18; cf. Deut. 1:13–15; Prov. 24:3–7; Isa. 29:14), providing sage intellectual insight or good sense (e.g., 2 Sam. 13:3; 1 Kings 5:7) as well as practical skill (e.g., Isa. 3:3; 40:20).
2. (:9) Destruction of the Mighty
“Then your mighty men will be dismayed, O Teman,
In order that everyone may be cut off from the mountain of Esau by slaughter.”
Trent Butler: Teman, meaning “south,” is another name for Edom derived from an early ancestor (Gen. 36:11). Teman may originally have been a tribal name given to the territory around the capital of Bozrah and gradually expanded to refer to all of Edom. Edom’s soldiers forced to leave their mountain refuges would be terrified. The country’s inhabitants would be led to slaughter.