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1 <1> This is the vision[1] of Obadiah. This is what the Lord my Master says about Edom:[2]
We heard a report from the Lord.
A messenger was sent to the nations.
He said, “Let’s go fight against Edom.”
<2> “Edom,[3] I will make you the smallest nation.
Everyone will hate you very much.
<3> Your pride has fooled you.
You live in those caves high on the cliff.
Your home is high in the hills.
So you say to yourself,
‘No one can bring me to the ground.’”
<4> This is what the Lord God says:
“Even though you fly high like the eagle and put your nest among the stars,
I will bring you down from there.
<5> You really will be ruined!
Thieves will come to you.
Robbers will come in the night,
and they will take all they want.
When workers gather grapes in your vineyards,
they will leave a few grapes behind.
<6> But the enemy will search hard for Esau’s hidden treasures,
and they will find them all.
<7> All those who are your friends
will force you out of the land.
Your allies (good friends) will trick you
and convince you to do the wrong thing.
The soldiers who fought by your side
are planning a trap for you.
They say, ‘He doesn’t expect a thing!’”
<8> The Lord says, “On that day,
I will destroy the wise people from Edom.[4]
I will destroy the intelligent people from the mountain of Esau.[5]
<9> Teman,[6] your brave soldiers will be scared.
Everyone will be destroyed from the mountain of Esau.
Many people will be killed.
<10> You will be covered with shame
because you were very cruel to your brother Jacob.[7]
So you will be destroyed completely.
<11> You joined the enemies of Israel.
Strangers carried Israel’s treasures away.
Foreigners entered Israel’s city gate.
They threw lots[8] to decide
what part of Jerusalem they would get.
And you were right there with them
waiting to get your share.
<12> You should not have laughed[9]
at your brother’s trouble.
You should not have been happy
when they destroyed Judah.
You should not have bragged[10]
at the time of their trouble.
<13> You should not have entered the city gate of my people
and laughed at their problems.
You should not have taken their treasures
in the time of their trouble.
<14> You should have not stood where the roads cross,
and destroyed those who were trying to escape.
You should not have captured those who escaped alive.
<15> The Day of the Lord is coming soon
to all the nations.
And the evil you did to others
will happen to you.
The same bad things
will fall down on your own head.
<16> You spilled[11] blood
on my holy mountain,[12]
so other nations will spill your blood.[13]
You will be finished.
It will be as if you never existed.
<17> But there will be survivors on Mount Zion.
They will be my special people.
The nation of Jacob[14] will take back
what belongs to it.
<18> The family of Jacob will be like a fire.
The nation of Joseph will be like a flame.
But the nation of Esau[15] will be like ashes.
The people of Judah will burn Edom,
and they will destroy it.
Then there will be no survivors
in the nation of Esau.”
This will happen because
the Lord said it would.
<19> Then people from the Negev[16]
will live on the mountain of Esau.
And people from the foothills
will take the Philistine lands.
They will live in the land of Ephraim and Samaria.
Gilead will belong to Benjamin.
<20> People from Israel were forced to leave their homes,
but they will take back the land of Canaan all the way to Zarephath.
People from Judah were forced to leave Jerusalem
and go live in Sepharad.[17]
But they will take back the cities of the Negev.
<21> The Winners[18] will go up onto Mount Zion
to rule the people who live on Esau’s mountain.
And the kingdom will belong to the Lord.
[1] 1 vision Something like a dream used by God to speak to people.
[2] 1 Edom A country southeast of Judah. It is also known as Seir after the mountain range by that name in Edom. The Edomites are descendants of Esau, Jacob’s twin brother. At times, they were enemies of the Israelites.
[3] 2 Edom A country southeast of Judah. It is also known as Seir after the mountain range by that name in Edom. The Edomites are descendants of Esau, Jacob’s twin brother. At times, they were enemies of the Israelites.
[4] 8 Edom A country southeast of Judah. It is also known as Seir after the mountain range by that name in Edom. The Edomites are descendants of Esau, Jacob’s twin brother. At times, they were enemies of the Israelites.
[5] 8 mountain of Esau That is, Mount Seir.
[6] 9 Teman One of Edom’s important cities in the south, maybe its capital city.
[7] 10 Jacob Another name for Israel (see Gen. 32:24-28), ancestor of the people of Israel (also called Israelites and, later, Jews). He was the father of twelve sons from whom the twelve tribes of Israel descended.
[8] 11 lots Stones, sticks, or bones used like dice for making decisions. See Prov. 16:33.
[9] 12 laughed Literally, “looked” Also in verse 13.
[10] 12 bragged Literally, “made your mouth big.”
[11] 16 spilled Literally, “drank.”
[12] 16 holy mountain One of the mountains Jerusalem was built on. Sometimes Zion is used to mean Jerusalem itself. Also in verses 17, 21.
[13] 16 spill your blood Literally, “drink and swallow.”
[14] 17 nation of Jacob Literally, “the house of Jacob.” This could mean the people of Israel or only its leaders.
[15] 18 nation of Esau Literally, “the house of Esau.”
[16] 19 Negev The desert area in the southern part of Judah.
[17] 20 Sepharad This is probably Spain.
[18] 21 Winners Or, “Saviors.” Those who led their people to victory in war.
