Obadiah 1:9

9 The fighting men of Teman will be terrified, and every soldier in Edom will be killed.

Obadiah 1:9 Meaning and Commentary

Obadiah 1:9

And thy mighty [men], O Teman, shall be dismayed
Teman was one part of the country of Edom, so called from Teman, a son of Eliphaz, and grandson of Esau, ( Genesis 36:11 ) ; and which it seems had been famous for men of might and courage: it abounded with brave officers, and courageous soldiers, who should now be quite dispirited, and have no heart to go out against the enemy; and, instead of defending their country, should throw away their arms, and run away in a fright. The Targum and Vulgate Latin version render it,

``thy mighty men that inhabit the south;''

or are on the south, the southern part of Edom, and so lay farthest off from the Chaldeans, who came from the north; yet these should be at once intimidated upon the rumour of their approach and invasion: to the end that even one of the mount of Esau may be cut by slaughter;
that so there might be none to resist and stop the enemy, or defend their country; but that all might fall by the sword of the enemy, and none be left, even every mighty man, as Jarchi interprets it, through the greatness of the slaughter that should be made.

Obadiah 1:9 In-Context

7 Your allies have deceived you; they have driven you from your country. People who were at peace with you have now conquered you. Those friends who ate with you have laid a trap for you; they say of you, "Where is all that cleverness he had?'

8 "On the day I punish Edom, I will destroy their clever men and wipe out all their wisdom.

9 The fighting men of Teman will be terrified, and every soldier in Edom will be killed.

10 "Because you robbed and killed your relatives, the descendants of Jacob, you will be destroyed and dishonored forever.

11 You stood aside on that day when enemies broke down their gates. You were as bad as those strangers who carried off Jerusalem's wealth and divided it among themselves.