Chapter 1

The vision of Obadiah. Thus saith¹ the Lord GOD concerning Edom; We have heard¹ a rumour from the LORD, and an ambassador is sent²⁷ among the heathen, Arise³ ye, and let us rise up⁴ against her in battle.

Behold, I have made¹ thee small among the heathen: thou art greatly despised.⁷

The pride of thine heart hath deceived⁵² thee, thou that dwellest⁶ in the clefts of the rock, whose habitation² [is] high; that saith⁶ in his heart, Who shall bring me down⁵⁵ to the ground?

Though thou exalt⁵⁵ [thyself] as the eagle, and though thou set² thy nest among the stars, thence will I bring thee down,⁵⁵ saith⁷ the LORD.

If thieves came¹ to thee, if robbers⁶ by night, (how art thou cut off!)⁸ would they not have stolen⁴ till they had enough? if the grapegatherers⁶ came¹ to thee, would they not leave⁵⁵ [some] grapes?

How are [the things] of Esau searched out!⁸ [how] are his hidden things sought up!⁸

All the men of thy confederacy have brought¹⁴ thee [even] to the border: the men that were at peace with thee have deceived⁵² thee, [and] prevailed¹ against thee; [they that eat] thy bread have laid⁴ a wound under thee: [there is] none understanding in him.

Shall I not in that day, saith⁷ the LORD, even destroy⁵² the wise [men] out of Edom, and understanding out of the mount of Esau?

And thy mighty [men], O Teman, shall be dismayed,¹ to the end that every one of the mount of Esau may be cut off¹¹ by slaughter.

For [thy] violence against thy brother Jacob shame shall cover¹⁷ thee, and thou shalt be cut off⁸ for ever.

In the day that thou stoodest² on the other side, in the day that the strangers⁵ carried away captive² his forces, and foreigners entered¹ into his gates, and cast¹ lots upon Jerusalem, even thou [wast] as one of them.

But thou shouldest not have looked⁴ on the day of thy brother in the day that he became a stranger; neither shouldest thou have rejoiced⁴ over the children of Judah in the day of their destruction;² neither shouldest thou have spoken proudly⁵⁵ in the day of distress.

Thou shouldest not have entered⁴ into the gate of my people in the day of their calamity; yea, thou shouldest not have looked⁴ on their affliction in the day of their calamity, nor have laid⁴ [hands] on their substance in the day of their calamity;

Neither shouldest thou have stood⁴ in the crossway, to cut off⁵³ those of his that did escape; neither shouldest thou have delivered up⁵⁵ those of his that did remain in the day of distress.

For the day of the LORD [is] near upon all the heathen: as thou hast done,¹ it shall be done¹¹ unto thee: thy reward shall return⁴ upon thine own head.

For as ye have drunk¹ upon my holy mountain, [so] shall all the heathen drink⁴ continually, yea, they shall drink,¹ and they shall swallow down,¹ and they shall be as though they had not been.

But upon mount Zion shall be deliverance, and there shall be holiness; and the house of Jacob shall possess¹ their possessions.

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 kindle¹ in them, and devour¹ them; and there shall not be [any] remaining of the house of Esau; for the LORD hath spoken¹⁴ [it].

And [they of] the south shall possess¹ the mount of Esau; and [they of] the plain the Philistines: and they shall possess¹ the fields of Ephraim, and the fields of Samaria: and Benjamin [shall possess] Gilead.

And the captivity of this host of the children of Israel [shall possess] that of the Canaanites, [even] unto Zarephath; and the captivity of Jerusalem, which [is] in Sepharad, shall possess⁴ the cities of the south.

And saviours⁵⁶ shall come up¹ on mount Zion to judge² the mount of Esau; and the kingdom shall be the LORD'S.