18 And the house H1004 of Jacob H3290 shall be a fire, H784 and the house H1004 of Joseph H3130 a flame, H3852 and the house H1004 of Esau H6215 for stubble, H7179 and they shall kindle H1814 in them, and devour H398 them; and there shall not be any remaining H8300 of the house H1004 of Esau; H6215 for the LORD H3068 hath spoken H1696 it.
In that day H3117 will I make H7760 the governors H441 of Judah H3063 like an hearth H3595 of fire H784 among the wood, H6086 and like a torch H3940 of fire H784 in a sheaf; H5995 and they shall devour H398 all the people H5971 round about, H5439 on the right hand H3225 and on the left: H8040 and Jerusalem H3389 shall be inhabited H3427 again in her own place, even in Jerusalem. H3389
Therefore as the fire H784 devoureth H398 the stubble, H7179 and the flame H3956 H3852 consumeth H7503 the chaff, H2842 so their root H8328 shall be as rottenness, H4716 and their blossom H6525 shall go up H5927 as dust: H80 because they have cast away H3988 the law H8451 of the LORD H3068 of hosts, H6635 and despised H5006 the word H565 of the Holy One H6918 of Israel. H3478
And thy mighty H1368 men, O Teman, H8487 shall be dismayed, H2865 to the end that every one H376 of the mount H2022 of Esau H6215 may be cut off H3772 by slaughter. H6993 For thy violence H2555 against thy brother H251 Jacob H3290 shame H955 shall cover H3680 thee, and thou shalt be cut off H3772 for ever. H5769
For while they be folden together H5440 as thorns, H5518 and while they are drunken H5433 as drunkards, H5435 they shall be devoured H398 as stubble H7179 fully H4392 dry. H3002
And the remnant H7611 of Jacob H3290 shall be among the Gentiles H1471 in the midst H7130 of many H7227 people H5971 as a lion H738 among the beasts H929 of the forest, H3293 as a young lion H3715 among the flocks H5739 of sheep: H6629 who, if he go through, H5674 both treadeth down, H7429 and teareth in pieces, H2963 and none can deliver. H5337
For thy servant H5650 doth know H3045 that I have sinned: H2398 therefore, behold, I am come H935 the first H7223 this day H3117 of all the house H1004 of Joseph H3130 to go down H3381 to meet H7125 my lord H113 the king. H4428
Say H1696 unto them, Thus saith H559 the Lord H136 GOD; H3069 Behold, I will take H3947 the stick H6086 of Joseph, H3130 which is in the hand H3027 of Ephraim, H669 and the tribes H7626 of Israel H3478 his fellows, H2270 and will put H5414 them with him, even with the stick H6086 of Judah, H3063 and make H6213 them one H259 stick, H6086 and they shall be one H259 in mine hand. H3027
Moreover, thou son H1121 of man, H120 take H3947 thee one H259 stick, H6086 and write H3789 upon it, For Judah, H3063 and for the children H1121 of Israel H3478 his companions: H2270 then take H3947 another H259 stick, H6086 and write H3789 upon it, For Joseph, H3130 the stick H6086 of Ephraim, H669 and for all the house H1004 of Israel H3478 his companions: H2270
And he shall pass over H5674 to his strong hold H5553 for fear, H4032 and his princes H8269 shall be afraid H2865 of the ensign, H5251 saith H5002 the LORD, H3068 whose fire H217 is in Zion, H6726 and his furnace H8574 in Jerusalem. H3389
The tabernacles H168 of Edom, H123 and the Ishmaelites; H3459 of Moab, H4124 and the Hagarenes; H1905 Gebal, H1381 and Ammon, H5983 and Amalek; H6002 the Philistines H6429 with the inhabitants H3427 of Tyre; H6865 Assur H804 also is joined H3867 with them: they have holpen H2220 the children H1121 of Lot. H3876 Selah. H5542 Do H6213 unto them as unto the Midianites; H4080 as to Sisera, H5516 as to Jabin, H2985 at the brook H5158 of Kison: H7028 Which perished H8045 at Endor: H5874 they became as dung H1828 for the earth. H127 Make H7896 their nobles H5081 like Oreb, H6159 and like Zeeb: H2062 yea, all their princes H5257 as Zebah, H2078 and as Zalmunna: H6759 Who said, H559 Let us take to ourselves the houses H4999 of God H430 in possession. H3423 O my God, H430 make H7896 them like a wheel; H1534 as the stubble H7179 before H6440 the wind. H7307 As the fire H784 burneth H1197 a wood, H3293 and as the flame H3852 setteth H3857 the mountains H2022 on fire; H3857 So persecute H7291 them with thy tempest, H5591 and make them afraid H926 with thy storm. H5492
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Obadiah 1
Commentary on Obadiah 1 Matthew Henry Commentary
An Exposition, With Practical Observations, of
The Prophecy of Obadiah
Chapter 1
This book is wholly concerning Edom, a nation nearly allied and near adjoining to Israel, and yet an enemy to the seed of Jacob, inheriting the enmity of their father Esau to Jacob. Now here we have, after the preface (v. 1).
Oba 1:1-9
Edom is the nation against which this prophecy is levelled, and which, some think, is put for all the enemies of Israel, that shall be brought down first or last. The rabbin by Edom understand Rome. Rome Christians they understand it of, and have an implacable enmity to it a such; but, if we understand it of Rome antichristian, we shall find the passages of it applicable enough. And though Edom was mortified in the times of the Maccabees, as it had been before by Jehoshaphat, yet its destruction seems to have been typical, as their father Esau's rejection, and to have had further reference to the destruction of the enemies of the gospel-church; for so shall all God's enemies perish; and we find (Isa. 34:5) the sword of the Lord coming down upon Idumea, to signify the general day of God's recompences for the controversy of Zion, v. 8. Some have well observed that it could not but be a great temptation to the people of Israel, when they saw themselves, who were the children of beloved Jacob, in trouble, and the Edomites, not only prospering, but triumphing over them in their troubles; and therefore God gives them a prospect of the destruction of Edom, which should be total and final, and of a happy issue of their own correction. Now we may observe here,
Oba 1:10-16
When we have read Edom's doom, no less than utter ruin, it is natural to ask, Why, what evil has he done? What is the ground of God's controversy with him? Many things, no doubt, were amiss in Edom; they were a sinful people, and a people laden with iniquity. But that one single crime which is laid to their charge, as filling their measure and bringing this ruin upon them, that for which they here stand indicted, of which they are convicted, and for which they are condemned, is the injury they had done to the people of God (v. 10): "It is for thy violence against thy brother Jacob, that ancient and hereditary grudge which thou hast borne to the people of Israel, that all this shame shall cover thee and thou shalt be cut off for ever.' Note, Injuries to men are affronts to God, the righteous God, that loveth righteousness and hateth wickedness; and, as the Judge of all the earth, he will give redress to those that suffer wrong and take vengeance on those that do wrong. All violence, all unrighteousness, is sin; but it is a great aggravation of the violence if it be done either,
In the following verses we are told more particularly,
Oba 1:17-21
After the destruction of the church's enemies is threatened, which will be completely accomplished in the great day of recompence, and that judgment for which Christ came once, and will come again, into this world, here follow precious promises of the salvation of the church, with which this prophecy concludes, and those of Joel and Amos did, which, however they might be in part fulfilled in the return of the Jews out of Babylon notwithstanding the triumphs of Edom in their captivity, as if it were perpetual, are yet, doubtless, to have their full accomplishment in that great salvation wrought out by Jesus Christ, to which all the prophets bore witness. It is promised here,