Worthy.Bible » STRONG » Obadiah » Chapter 1 » Verse 3

Obadiah 1:3 King James Version with Strong's Concordance (STRONG)

3 The pride H2087 of thine heart H3820 hath deceived H5377 thee, thou that dwellest H7931 in the clefts H2288 of the rock, H5553 whose habitation H3427 is high; H4791 that saith H559 in his heart, H3820 Who shall bring me down H3381 to the ground? H776

Cross Reference

Isaiah 14:13-15 STRONG

For thou hast said H559 in thine heart, H3824 I will ascend H5927 into heaven, H8064 I will exalt H7311 my throne H3678 above H4605 the stars H3556 of God: H410 I will sit H3427 also upon the mount H2022 of the congregation, H4150 in the sides H3411 of the north: H6828 I will ascend H5927 above the heights H1116 of the clouds; H5645 I will be like H1819 the most High. H5945 Yet thou shalt be brought down H3381 to hell, H7585 to the sides H3411 of the pit. H953

Isaiah 16:6 STRONG

We have heard H8085 of the pride H1347 of Moab; H4124 he is very H3966 proud: H1341 even of his haughtiness, H1346 and his pride, H1347 and his wrath: H5678 but his lies H907 shall not be so.

2 Kings 14:7 STRONG

He slew H5221 of Edom H123 in the valley H1516 of salt H4417 ten H6235 thousand, H505 and took H8610 Selah H5554 by war, H4421 and called H7121 the name H8034 of it Joktheel H3371 unto this day. H3117

Proverbs 29:23 STRONG

A man's H120 pride H1346 shall bring him low: H8213 but honour H3519 shall uphold H8551 the humble H8217 in spirit. H7307

Jeremiah 49:16 STRONG

Thy terribleness H8606 hath deceived H5377 thee, and the pride H2087 of thine heart, H3820 O thou that dwellest H7931 in the clefts H2288 of the rock, H5553 that holdest H8610 the height H4791 of the hill: H1389 though thou shouldest make thy nest H7064 as high H1361 as the eagle, H5404 I will bring thee down H3381 from thence, saith H5002 the LORD. H3068

2 Chronicles 25:12 STRONG

And other ten H6235 thousand H505 left alive H2416 did the children H1121 of Judah H3063 carry away captive, H7617 and brought H935 them unto the top H7218 of the rock, H5553 and cast them down H7993 from the top H7218 of the rock, H5553 that they all were broken in pieces. H1234

Proverbs 16:18 STRONG

Pride H1347 goeth before H6440 destruction, H7667 and an haughty H1363 spirit H7307 before H6440 a fall. H3783

Proverbs 18:12 STRONG

Before H6440 destruction H7667 the heart H3820 of man H376 is haughty, H1361 and before H6440 honour H3519 is humility. H6038

Isaiah 10:14-16 STRONG

And my hand H3027 hath found H4672 as a nest H7064 the riches H2428 of the people: H5971 and as one gathereth H622 eggs H1000 that are left, H5800 have I gathered H622 all the earth; H776 and there was none that moved H5074 the wing, H3671 or opened H6475 the mouth, H6310 or peeped. H6850 Shall the axe H1631 boast H6286 itself against him that heweth H2672 therewith? or shall the saw H4883 magnify H1431 itself against him that shaketh H5130 it? as if the rod H7626 should shake H5130 itself against them that lift it up, H7311 or as if the staff H4294 should lift up H7311 itself, as if it were no wood. H6086 Therefore shall the Lord, H113 the Lord H136 H3068 of hosts, H6635 send H7971 among his fat ones H4924 leanness; H7332 and under his glory H3519 he shall kindle H3344 a burning H3350 like the burning of a fire. H784

Isaiah 47:7-8 STRONG

And thou saidst, H559 I shall be a lady H1404 for ever: H5769 so that thou didst not lay H7760 these things to thy heart, H3820 neither didst remember H2142 the latter end H319 of it. Therefore hear H8085 now this, thou that art given to pleasures, H5719 that dwellest H3427 carelessly, H983 that sayest H559 in thine heart, H3824 I am, and none else H657 beside me; I shall not sit H3427 as a widow, H490 neither shall I know H3045 the loss of children: H7908

Jeremiah 48:29-30 STRONG

We have heard H8085 the pride H1347 of Moab, H4124 (he is exceeding H3966 proud) H1343 his loftiness, H1363 and his arrogancy, H1346 and his pride, H1347 and the haughtiness H7312 of his heart. H3820 I know H3045 his wrath, H5678 saith H5002 the LORD; H3068 but it shall not be so; his lies H907 shall not so effect H6213 it.

Jeremiah 49:4 STRONG

Wherefore gloriest H1984 thou in the valleys, H6010 thy flowing H2100 valley, H6010 O backsliding H7728 daughter? H1323 that trusted H982 in her treasures, H214 saying, Who shall come H935 unto me?

Malachi 1:4 STRONG

Whereas Edom H123 saith, H559 We are impoverished, H7567 but we will return H7725 and build H1129 the desolate places; H2723 thus saith H559 the LORD H3068 of hosts, H6635 They shall build, H1129 but I will throw down; H2040 and they shall call H7121 them, The border H1366 of wickedness, H7564 and, The people H5971 against whom the LORD H3068 hath indignation H2194 for H5704 ever. H5769

Revelation 18:7-8 STRONG

How much G3745 she hath glorified G1392 herself, G1438 and G2532 lived deliciously, G4763 so much G5118 torment G929 and G2532 sorrow G3997 give G1325 her: G846 for G3754 she saith G3004 in G1722 her G846 heart, G2588 I sit G2521 a queen, G938 and G2532 am G1510 no G3756 widow, G5503 and G2532 shall see G1492 no G3364 sorrow. G3997 Therefore G5124 G1223 shall G2240 her G846 plagues G4127 come G2240 in G1722 one G3391 day, G2250 death, G2288 and G2532 mourning, G3997 and G2532 famine; G3042 and G2532 she shall be utterly burned G2618 with G1722 fire: G4442 for G3754 strong G2478 is the Lord G2962 God G2316 who G3588 judgeth G2919 her. G846

Commentary on Obadiah 1 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible


CHAPTER 1

Ob 1-21. Doom of Edom for Cruelty to Judah, Edom's Brother; Restoration of the Jews.

1. Obadiah—that is, servant of Jehovah; same as Abdeel and Arabic Abd-allah.

We—I and my people.

heard—(Isa 21:10).

and an ambassador is sent—Yea, an ambassador is already sent, namely, an angel, to stir up the Assyrians (and afterwards the Chaldeans) against Edom. The result of the ambassador's message on the heathen is, they simultaneously exclaim, "Arise ye, and let us (with united strength) rise," &c. Jer 49:14 quotes this.

2. I have made thee small—Thy reduction to insignificance is as sure as if it were already accomplished; therefore the past tense is used [Maurer]. Edom then extended from Dedan of Arabia to Bozrah in the north (Jer 49:8, 13). Calvin explains it, "Whereas thou wast made by Me an insignificant people, why art thou so proud" (Ob 3)? But if so, why should the heathen peoples be needed to subdue one so insignificant? Jer 49:15, confirms Maurer's view.

3. clefts of … rock—(So 2:14; Jer 48:28). The cities of Edom, and among them Petra (Hebrew, sela, meaning "rock," 2Ki 14:7, Margin), the capital, in the Wady Musa, consisted of houses mostly cut in the rocks.

4. exalt thyself—or supply from the second clause, "thy nest" [Maurer] (Compare Job 20:6; Jer 49:16; Am 9:2).

set … nest among … stars—namely, on the loftiest hills which seem to reach the very stars. Edom is a type of Antichrist (Isa 14:13; Da 8:10; 11:37).

thence will I bring thee down—in spite of thy boast (Ob 3), "Who shall bring me down?"

5. The spoliation which thou shalt suffer shall not be such as that which thieves cause, bad as that is, for these when they have seized enough, or all they can get in a hurry, leave the rest—nor such as grape-gatherers cause in a vineyard, for they, when they have gathered most of the grapes, leave gleanings behind—but it shall be utter, so as to leave thee nothing. The exclamation, "How art thou cut off!" bursting in amidst the words of the image, marks strongly excited feeling. The contrast between Edom where no gleanings shall be left, and Israel where at the worst a gleaning is left (Isa 17:6; 24:13), is striking.

6. How are the things of Esau searched out!—by hostile soldiers seeking booty. Compare with Ob 5, 6 here, Jer 49:9, 10.

hidden things—or "places." Edom abounded in such hiding-places, as caves, clefts in the rock, &c. None of these would be left unexplored by the foe.

7. Men of thy confederacy—that is, thy confederates.

brought thee … to the border—that is, when Idumean ambassadors shall go to confederate states seeking aid, these latter shall conduct them with due ceremony to their border, giving them empty compliments, but not the aid required [Drusius]. This view agrees with the context, which speaks of false friends deceiving Edom: that is, failing to give help in need (compare Job 6:14, 15). Calvin translates, "have driven," that is, shall drive thee; shall help to drive thee to thy border on thy way into captivity in foreign lands.

the men that were at peace with thee—literally, "the men of thy peace." Compare Ps 41:9; Jer 38:22, Margin, where also the same formula occurs, "prevailed against thee."

they that eat thy bread—the poorer tribes of the desert who subsisted on the bounty of Edom. Compare again Ps 41:9, which seems to have been before Obadiah's mind, as his words were before Jeremiah's.

have laid a wound under thee—"laid" implies that their intimacy was used as a SNARE laid with a view to wound; also, these guest friends of Edom, instead of the cushions ordinarily laid under guests at table, laid snares to wound, that is, had a secret understanding with Edom's foe for that purpose. Maurer translates, "a snare." But English Version agrees with the Hebrew, which means, literally, "a bandage for a wound."

none understanding—none of the wisdom for which Edom was famed (see Ob 8) to extricate him from his perilous position.

in him—instead of "in thee." The change implies the alienation of God from Edom: Edom has so estranged himself from God, that He speaks now of him, not to him.

8. (Isa 49:7; compare Job 5:12, 13; Isa 19:3; Jer 19:7).

in that day … even destroy—Heretofore Edom, through its intercourse with Babylon and Egypt, and from its means of information through the many caravans passing to and fro between Europe and India, has been famed for knowledge; but in that day at last ("even") I will destroy its wise men.

mount of Esau—that is, Idumea, which was a mountainous region.

9. cut off by slaughter—Maurer translates, "on account of the slaughter," namely, that inflicted on Judea by Edom (compare Ob 14). The Septuagint, Syriac, and Vulgate connect these words with Ob 10, "for the slaughter, for the violence (of which thou art guilty) against thy brother Jacob." English Version, "cut off by slaughter" (that is, an utter cutting off), answers well to "cut off for ever" (Ob 10). However, the arrangement of the Septuagint gives a better parallelism in Ob 10. "For the slaughter" (1) being balanced in just retribution by "thou shalt be cut off for ever" (4); as "For thy violence (not so bad as slaughter) against thy brother Jacob" (2) is balanced by "shame (not so bad as being cut off) shall cover thee" (3). Shame and extinction shall repay violence and slaughter (Mt 26:52; Re 13:10). Compare as to Edom's violence, Ps 137:7; Eze 25:12; Am 1:11.

10. against thy brother—This aggravates the sin of Esau, that it was against him who was his brother by birth and by circumcision. The posterity of Esau followed in the steps of their father's hatred to Jacob by violence against Jacob's seed (Ge 27:41).

Jacob—not merely his own brother, but his twin brother; hence the name Jacob, not Israel, is here put emphatically. Compare De 23:7 for the opposite feeling which Jacob's seed was commanded to entertain towards Edom's.

shame … cover thee—(Ps 35:26; 69:7).

for ever—(Isa 34:10; Eze 35:9; Mal 1:4). Idumea, as a nation, should be "cut off for ever," though the land should be again inhabited.

11. thou stoodest on the other side—in an attitude of hostility, rather than the sympathy which became a brother, feasting thine eyes (see Ob 12) with the misery of Jacob, and eagerly watching for his destruction. So Messiah, the antitype to Jerusalem, abandoned by His kinsmen (Ps 38:11).

strangers—the Philistines, Arabians in the reign of Jehoram, &c. (2Ch 21:16); the Syrians in the reign of Joash of Judah (2Ch 24:24); the Chaldeans (2Ch 36:1-23).

carried … captive his forces—his "host" (Ob 20): the multitude of Jerusalem's inhabitants.

cast lots upon Jerusalem—(Joe 3:3). So Messiah, Jerusalem's antitype, had lots cast for His only earthly possessions (Ps 22:18).

12. looked on—with malignant pleasure, and a brutal stare. So the antitypes, Messiah's foes (Ps 22:17). Maurer translates, as the Margin, "thou shouldest not look" any more. English Version agrees with the context better.

the day of thy brother—his day of calamity.

became a stranger—that is, was banished as an alien from his own land. God sends heavy calamities on those who rejoice in the calamities of their enemies (Pr 17:5; 24:17, 18). Contrast the opposite conduct of David and of the divine Son of David in a like case (Ps 35:13-15).

spoken proudly—literally, "made great the mouth"; proudly insulting the fallen (Eze 35:13, Margin; compare 1Sa 2:8; Re 13:6).

13. substance—translated "forces" in Ob 11.

14. stood in the crossway, to cut off those of his—Judah's.

that did escape—The Jews naturally fled by the crossways. (Maurer translates, "narrow mountain passes") well known to them, to escape to the desert, and through Edom to Egypt; but the Edomites stood ready to intercept the fugitives and either kill or "deliver them up" to the foe.

15. For—resumptive in connection with Ob 10, wherein Edom was threatened with cutting off for ever.

the day of the Lord—the day in which He will manifest Himself as the Righteous Punisher of the ungodly peoples (Joe 3:14). The "all" shows that the fulfilment is not exhausted in the punishment inflicted on the surrounding nations by the instrumentality of Nebuchadnezzar; but, as in Joe 3:14, and Zec 12:3, that the last judgment to come on the nations confederate against Jerusalem is referred to.

as thou hast done, it shall be done unto thee—the righteous principle of retribution in kind (Le 24:17; Mt 7:2; compare Jud 1:6, 7; 8:19; Es 7:10).

thy reward—the reward of thy deed (compare Isa 3:9-11).

16. ye … upon my holy mountain—a periphrasis for, "ye Jews" [Maurer], whom Obadiah now by a sudden apostrophe addresses. The clause, "upon My holy mountain," expresses the reason of the vengeance to be taken on Judah's foes; namely, that Jerusalem is God's holy mountain, the seat of His temple, and Judah His covenant-people. Jer 49:12, which is copied from Obadiah, establishes this view (compare 1Pe 4:17).

as ye have drunk, &c.—namely, the cup of wrath, being dispossessed of your goods and places as a nation, by Edom and all the heathen; so shall all the heathen (Edom included) drink the same cup (Ps 60:3; Isa 51:17, 22; Jer 13:12, 13; 25:15-33; 49:12; 51:7; La 4:21, 22 Na 3:11; Hab 2:16).

continually—whereas Judah's calamity shall be temporary (Ob 17). The foes of Judah shall never regain their former position (Ob 18, 19).

swallow down—so as not to leave anything in the cup of calamity; not merely "drink" (Ps 75:8).

be as though they had not been—not a trace left of their national existence (Job 10:19; Ps 37:36; Eze 26:21).

17. upon … Zion … deliverance—both in the literal sense and spiritual sense (Joe 2:32; Isa 46:13; 59:20; Ro 11:26). Maurer as the Margin explains it, "there shall be a remnant that shall escape." Compare Isa 37:32; to the deliverance from Sennacherib there described Grotius thinks Obadiah here refers. "Jerusalem shall not be taken, and many of the neighboring peoples also shall find deliverance there." Unlike Judah's heathen foes of whom no remnant shall escape (Ob 9, 16), a remnant of Jews shall escape when the rest of the nation has perished, and shall regain their ancient "possessions."

there shall be holiness—that is, Zion shall be sacrosanct or inviolable: no more violated by foreign invaders (Isa 42:1; Joe 3:17).

18. fire—See the same figure, Nu 21:28; Isa 5:24; 10:17.

house of Jacob … Joseph—that is, the two kingdoms, Judah and Ephraim or Israel [Jerome]. The two shall form one kingdom, their former feuds being laid aside (Isa 11:12, 13; 37:22-28; Jer 3:18; Ho 1:11). The Jews returned with some of the Israelites from Babylon; and, under John Hyrcanus, so subdued and, compelling them to be circumcised, incorporated the Idumeans with themselves that they formed part of the nation [Josephus, Antiquities, 13.17; 12.11]. This was but an earnest of the future union of Israel and Judah in the possession of the enlarged land as one kingdom (Eze 37:16, &c.).

stubble—(Mal 4:1).

19. they of the south—The Jews who in the coming time are to occupy the south of Judea shall possess, in addition to their own territory, the adjoining mountainous region of Edom.

they of the plain—The Jews who shall occupy the low country along the Mediterranean, south and southwest of Palestine, shall possess, in addition to their own territory, the land of "the Philistines," which runs as a long strip between the hills and the sea.

and they shall possess the fields of Ephraim—that is, the rightful owners shall be restored, the Ephraimites to the fields of Ephraim.

Benjamin shall possess Gilead—that is, the region east of Jordan, occupied formerly by Reuben, Gad, and half Manasseh. Benjamin shall possess besides its own territory the adjoining territory eastward, while the two and a half tribes shall in the redistribution occupy the adjoining territory of Moab and Ammon.

20. the captivity of this host—that is, the captives of this multitude of Israelites.

shall possess that of the Canaanites—Maurer translates, "the captives … whom the Canaanites (carried away captive into Phœnicia) even unto Zarephath, shall possess the south," namely, Idumea as well as the south (Ob 19). Henderson, similarly, "the captives that are among the Canaanites," &c. But the corresponding clauses of the parallelism are better balanced in English Version, "the ten tribes of Israel shall possess the territory of the Canaanites," namely, Western Palestine and Phœnicia (Jud 3:3). "And the captives of Jerusalem (and Judah) shall possess the southern cities," namely, Edom, &c. Each has the region respectively adjoining assigned to it; Israel has the western Canaanite region; Judah, the southern.

even unto Zarephath—near Zidon; called Sarepta in Lu 4:26. The name implies it was a place for smelting metals. From this quarter came the "woman of Canaan" (Mt 15:21, 22). Captives of the Jews had been carried into the coasts of Palestine or Canaan, about Tyre and Zidon (Joe 3:3, 4; Am 1:9). The Jews when restored shall possess the territory of their ancient oppressors.

in Sepharad—that is, the Bosphorus [Jerome, from his Hebrew Instructor]. Sephar, according to others (Ge 10:30). Palæography confirms Jerome. In the cuneiform inscription containing a list of the tribes of Persia [Niebuhr, Tab. 31.1], before Ionia and Greece, and after Cappadocia, comes the name CPaRaD. It was therefore a district of Western Asia Minor, about Lydia, and near the Bosphorus. It is made an appellative by Maurer. "The Jerusalem captives of the dispersion" (compare Jas 1:1), wherever they be dispersed, shall return and possess the southern cities. Sepharad, though literally the district near the Bosphorus, represents the Jews' far and wide dispersion. Jerome says the name in Assyrian means a boundary, that is, "the Jews scattered in all boundaries and regions."

21. saviours—There will be in the kingdom yet to come no king, but a prince; the sabbatic period of the judges will return (compare the phrase so frequent in Judges, only once found in the times of the kings, 2Ch 14:1, "the land had rest"), when there was no visible king, but God reigned in the theocracy. Israelites, not strangers, shall dispense justice to a God-fearing people (Isa 1:26; Eze 45:1-25). The judges were not such a burden to the people as the kings proved afterwards (1Sa 8:11-20). In their time the people more readily repented than under the kings (compare 2Ch 15:17), [Roos]. Judges were from time to time raised up as saviours or deliverers of Israel from the enemy. These, and the similar deliverers in the long subsequent age of Antiochus, the Maccabees, who conquered the Idumeans (as here foretold, compare 2 Maccabees 10:15,23), were types of the peaceful period yet to come to Israel.

to judge … Esau—to punish (so "judge," 1Sa 3:13) … Edom (compare Ob 1-9, 15-19). Edom is the type of Israel's and God's last foes (Isa 63:1-4).

kingdom shall be the Lord's—under Messiah (Da 2:44; 7:14, 27; Zec 14:9; Lu 1:33; Re 11:15; 19:6).