Obadiah 1:14

14 And you shouldn't have stood waiting at the outskirts and cut off refugees, And traitorously turned in helpless survivors who had lost everything.

Obadiah 1:14 Meaning and Commentary

Obadiah 1:14

Neither shouldest thou have stood in the crossing
In a place where two or more roads met, to stop the Jews that fled, let them take which road they would: or, "in the breach" ^F25; that is, of the walls of the city; to cut off those of his that did escape;
such of the Jews that escaped the sword of the Chaldeans in the city, and attempted, to get away through the breaches of the walls of it, or that took different roads to make their escape; these were intercepted and stopped by the Edomites, who posted themselves at these breaches, or at places where two or more ways met, and cut them off; so that those that escaped the sword of the enemy fell by theirs; which was exceeding barbarous and cruel: neither shouldest thou have delivered up those of his that did remain
in the day of their distress;
or "shut up" ^F26; they shut them up in their houses, or stopped up all the avenues and ways by which they might escape, even such as remained of those that were killed or carried captive; these falling into the hands of the Edomites, some they cut off, and others they delivered up into the hands of the Chaldeans. Of the joy and rejoicing of the mystical Edomites, the Papists, those false brethren and antichristians, at the destruction of the faithful witnesses and true Christians, and of their cruelty and inhumanity to them, see ( Revelation 11:7-10 ) .

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FOOTNOTES:

F25 (qrph le) "in diruptione", Junius & Tremellius, Tarnovius.
F26 (rgot law) "neque concludas", Montanus, Mercerus, Tigurine version, Tarnovius.

Obadiah 1:14 In-Context

12 You shouldn't have gloated over your brother when he was down-and-out. You shouldn't have laughed and joked at Judah's sons when they were facedown in the mud. You shouldn't have talked so big when everything was so bad.

13 You shouldn't have taken advantage of my people when their lives had fallen apart. You of all people should not have been amused by their troubles, their wrecked nation. You shouldn't have taken the shirt off their back when they were knocked flat, defenseless.

14 And you shouldn't have stood waiting at the outskirts and cut off refugees, And traitorously turned in helpless survivors who had lost everything.

15 "God's Judgment Day is near for all the godless nations. As you have done, it will be done to you. What you did will boomerang back and hit your own head.

16 Just as you partied on my holy mountain, all the godless nations will drink God's wrath. They'll drink and drink and drink - they'll drink themselves to death.