1The vision of Obadiah.

Edom Will Be Humbled

Thus says the Lord GOD concerning Edom:

We have heard a report from the LORD,

and a messenger has been sent among the nations:

“Rise up! Let us rise against her for battle!”

2Behold, I will make you small among the nations;

you shall be utterly despised.1:2 Or Behold, I have made you small among the nations; you are utterly despised

3The pride of your heart has deceived you,

you who live in the clefts of the rock,1:3 Or of Sela

in your lofty dwelling,

who say in your heart,

“Who will bring me down to the ground?”

4Though you soar aloft like the eagle,

though your nest is set among the stars,

from there I will bring you down,

declares the LORD.

5If thieves came to you,

if plunderers came by night—

how you have been destroyed!—

would they not steal only enough for themselves?

If grape gatherers came to you,

would they not leave gleanings?

6How Esau has been pillaged,

his treasures sought out!

7All your allies have driven you to your border;

those at peace with you have deceived you;

they have prevailed against you;

those who eat your bread1:7 Hebrew lacks those who eat have set a trap beneath you—

you have1:7 Hebrew he has no understanding.

8Will I not on that day, declares the LORD,

destroy the wise men out of Edom,

and understanding out of Mount Esau?

9And your mighty men shall be dismayed, O Teman,

so that every man from Mount Esau will be cut off by slaughter.

Edom's Violence Against Jacob

10Because of the violence done to your brother Jacob,

shame shall cover you,

and you shall be cut off for ever.

11On the day that you stood aloof,

on the day that strangers carried off his wealth

and foreigners entered his gates

and cast lots for Jerusalem,

you were like one of them.

12But do not gloat over the day of your brother

in the day of his misfortune;

do not rejoice over the people of Judah

in the day of their ruin;

do not boast1:12 Hebrew do not enlarge your mouth

in the day of distress.

13Do not enter the gate of my people

in the day of their calamity;

do not gloat over his disaster

in the day of his calamity;

do not loot his wealth

in the day of his calamity.

14Do not stand at the crossroads

to cut off his fugitives;

do not hand over his survivors

in the day of distress.

The Day of the LORD Is Near

15For the day of the LORD is near upon all the nations.

As you have done, it shall be done to you;

your deeds shall return on your own head.

16For as you have drunk on my holy mountain,

so all the nations shall drink continually;

they shall drink and swallow,

and shall be as though they had never been.

17But in Mount Zion there shall be those who escape,

and it shall be holy,

and the house of Jacob shall possess their own possessions.

18The house of Jacob shall be a fire,

and the house of Joseph a flame,

and the house of Esau stubble;

they shall burn them and consume them,

and there shall be no survivor for the house of Esau,

for the LORD has spoken.

The Kingdom of the LORD

19Those of the Negeb shall possess Mount Esau,

and those of the Shephelah shall possess the land of the Philistines;

they shall possess the land of Ephraim and the land of Samaria,

and Benjamin shall possess Gilead.

20The exiles of this host of the people of Israel

shall possess the land of the Canaanites as far as Zarephath,

and the exiles of Jerusalem who are in Sepharad

shall possess the cities of the Negeb.

21Saviours shall go up to Mount Zion

to rule Mount Esau,

and the kingdom shall be the LORD's.