Proud Edom Will Be Brought Low

1The vision of Obadiah.

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 it for battle!’

2I will surely make you least among the nations;

you shall be utterly despised.

3Your proud heart has deceived you,

you that live in the clefts of the rock,1.3 Or clefts of Sela

whose dwelling is in the heights.

You 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,

says the LORD.

Pillage and Slaughter Will Repay Edom's Cruelty

5If thieves came to you,

if plunderers by night—

how you have been destroyed!—

would they not steal only what they wanted?

If grape-gatherers came to you,

would they not leave gleanings?

6How Esau has been pillaged,

his treasures searched out!

7All your allies have deceived you,

they have driven you to the border;

your confederates have prevailed against you;

those who ate1.7 Cn: Heb lacks those who ate your bread have set a trap for you—

there is no understanding of it.

8On that day, says the LORD,

I will destroy the wise out of Edom,

and understanding out of Mount Esau.

9Your warriors shall be shattered, O Teman,

so that everyone from Mount Esau will be cut off.

Edom Wronged His Brother

10For the slaughter and violence done to your brother Jacob,

shame shall cover you,

and you shall be cut off for ever.

11On the day that you stood aside,

on the day that strangers carried off his wealth,

and foreigners entered his gates

and cast lots for Jerusalem,

you too were like one of them.

12But you should not have gloated1.12 Heb But do not gloat (and similarly up to and including verse 14) over1.12 Heb on the day of your brother

on the day of his misfortune;

you should not have rejoiced over the people of Judah

on the day of their ruin;

you should not have boasted

on the day of distress.

13You should not have entered the gate of my people

on the day of their calamity;

you should not have joined in the gloating over Judah's1.13 Heb his disaster

on the day of his calamity;

you should not have looted his goods

on the day of his calamity.

14You should not have stood at the crossings

to cut off his fugitives;

you should not have handed over his survivors

on the day of distress.

15For the day of the LORD is near against 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,

all the nations around you shall drink;

they shall drink and gulp down,1.16 Meaning of Heb uncertain

and shall be as though they had never been.

Israel's Final Triumph

17But on Mount Zion there shall be those that escape,

and it shall be holy;

and the house of Jacob shall take possession of those who dispossessed them.

18The house of Jacob shall be a fire,

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 of the house of Esau;

for the LORD has spoken.

19Those of the Negeb shall possess Mount Esau,

and those of the Shephelah 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 the Israelites who are in Halah1.20 Cn: Heb in this army

shall possess1.20 Cn: Meaning of Heb uncertain Phoenicia as far as Zarephath;

and the exiles of Jerusalem who are in Sepharad

shall possess the towns of the Negeb.

21Those who have been saved1.21 Or Saviours shall go up to Mount Zion

to rule Mount Esau;

and the kingdom shall be the LORD's.