Obadias 1

1 Visão de Abdias. Assim diz o Senhor Deus a respeito de Edom: Temos ouvido novas da parte do Senhor, e por entre as nações foi enviado um mensageiro a dizer: Levantai-vos, e levantemo-nos contra ela para a guerra.

2 Eis que te farei pequeno entre as nações; serás muito desprezado.

3 A soberba do teu coração te enganou, ó tu que habitas nas fendas do penhasco, na tua alta morada, que dizes no teu coração: Quem me derrubará em terra?

4 Embora subas ao alto como águia, e embora se ponha o teu ninho entre as estrelas, dali te derrubarei, diz o Senhor.

5 Se a ti viessem ladrões, ou roubadores de noite (como estás destruído!), não furtariam somente o que lhes bastasse? se a ti viessem os vindimadores, não deixariam umas uvas de rabisco?

6 Como foram rebuscados os bens de Esaú! como foram esquadrinhados os seus tesouros ocultos!

7 Todos os teus confederados te levaram para fora dos teus limites; os que estavam de paz contigo te enganaram, e prevaleceram contra ti; os que comem o teu pão põem debaixo de ti uma armadilha; não há em Edom entendimento.

8 Acaso não acontecerá naquele dia, diz o Senhor, que farei perecer os sábios de Edom, e o entendimento do monte de Esaú?

9 E os teus valentes, ó Temã, estarão atemorizados, para que do monte de Esaú seja cada um exterminado pela matança.

10 Por causa da violência feita a teu irmão Jacó, cobrir-te-á a confusão, e serás exterminado para sempre.

11 No dia em que estiveste do lado oposto, no dia em que estranhos lhe levaram os bens, e os estrangeiros lhe entraram pelas portas e lançaram sortes sobre Jerusalém, tu mesmo eras como um deles.

12 Mas tu não devias olhar com prazer para o dia de teu irmão no dia do seu desterro, nem alegrar-te sobre os filhos de Judá no dia da sua ruína, nem falar arrogantemente no dia da tribulação;

13 nem entrar pela porta do meu povo no dia da sua calamidade; sim, tu não devias olhar, satisfeito, para o seu mal, no dia da sua calamidade; nem lançar mão dos seus bens no dia da sua calamidade;

14 nem te postar nas encruzilhadas, para exterminares os que escapassem; nem entregar os que lhe restassem, no dia da tribulação.

15 Porquanto o dia do Senhor está perto, sobre todas as nações, como tu fizeste, assim se fará contigo; o teu feito tornará sobre a tua cabeça.

16 Pois como vós bebestes no meu santo monte, assim beberão de contínuo todas as nações; sim, beberão e sorverão, e serão como se nunca tivessem sido.

17 Mas no monte de Sião haverá livramento, e ele será santo; e os da casa de Jacó possuirão as suas herdades.

18 E a casa de Jacó será um fogo, e a casa de José uma chama, e a casa de Esaú restolho; aqueles se acenderão contra estes, e os consumirão; e ninguém mais restará da casa de Esaú; porque o Senhor o disse.

19 Ora, os do Negebe possuirão o monte de Esaú, e os da planície, os filisteus; possuirão também os campos de Efraim, e os campos de Samária; e Benjamim possuirá a Gileade.

20 Os cativos deste exército dos filhos de Israel possuirão os cananeus até Zarefate; e os cativos de Jerusalém, que estão em Sefarade, possuirão as cidades do Negebe.

21 Subirão salvadores ao monte de Sião para julgarem o monte de Esaú; e o reino será do Senhor.

Obadias 1 Commentary

Chapter 1

The first part denounces the destruction of Edom, dwelling upon the injuries they inflicted upon the Jews. The second foretells the restoration of the Jews, and the latter glories of the church.

Destruction to come upon Edom. Their offences against Jacob. (1-16) The restoration of the Jews, and their flourishing state in the latter times. (17-21)

Verses 1-16 This prophecy is against Edom. Its destruction seems to have been typical, as their father Esau's rejection; and to refer to the destruction of the enemies of the gospel church. See the prediction of the success of that war; Edom shall be spoiled, and brought down. All the enemies of God's church shall be disappointed in the things they stay themselves on. God can easily lay those low who magnify and exalt themselves; and will do it. Carnal security ripens men for ruin, and makes the ruin worse when it comes. Treasures on earth cannot be so safely laid up but that thieves may break through and steal; it is therefore our wisdom to lay up for ourselves treasures in heaven. Those that make flesh their trust, arm it against themselves. The God of our covenant will never deceive us: but if we trust men with whom we join ourselves, it may prove to us a wound and dishonour. God will justly deny those understanding to keep out of danger, who will not use their understandings to keep out of sin. All violence, all unrighteousness, is sin; but it makes the violence far worse, if it be done against any of God's people. Their barbarous conduct towards Judah and Jerusalem, is charged upon them. In reflecting on ourselves, it is good to consider what we should have done; to compare our practice with the Scripture rule. Sin, thus looked upon in the glass of the commandment, will appear exceedingly sinful. Those have a great deal to answer for, who are idle spectators of the troubles of their neighbours, when able to be active helpers. Those make themselves poor, who think to make themselves rich by the ruin of the people of God; and those deceive themselves, who call all that their own on which they can lay their hands in a day of calamity. Though judgment begins at the house of God, it shall not end there. Let sorrowful believers and insolent oppressors know, that the troubles of the righteous will soon end, but those of the wicked will be eternal.

Verses 17-21 There should be deliverance and holiness at Jerusalem, and the house of Jacob would again occupy their possessions. Much of this prophecy was fulfilled when the Jews returned to their own land. But the salvation and holiness of the gospel, its spread, and the conversion of the Gentiles, seem also to be intended, especially the restoration of Israel, the destruction of antichrist, and the prosperous state of the church, to which all the prophets bear witness. When Christ is come, and not till then, shall the kingdom be the Lord's in the full sense of the term. As none that exalt themselves against the Lord shall prosper, and all shall be brought down; so none that wait upon the Lord, and put their trust in him, shall ever be dismayed. Blessed be the Divine Saviour and Judge on Mount Zion! His word shall be a savour of life unto life unto numbers, while it judges and condemns obstinate unbelievers.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO OBADIAH

The title of this Book, in the Hebrew copies, is usually "Sepher Obadiah", the Book of Obadiah: the Vulgate Latin version calls it the Prophecy of Obadiah; and so the Arabic version: and in the Syriac version it is, the Prophecy of the Prophet Obadiah. His name signifies a "servant" or "worshipper of the Lord". Who he was, what his parentage, and in what age he lived, are things uncertain. The Seder Olam Zuta {a} places him in the reign of Jehoshaphat: and he is thought by some to be that Obadiah that was one of the princes he sent to teach the people, 2Ch 17:7. The ancient Jewish Rabbins take him to be the same with him that lived in the times of Ahab, and in his court, who hid the prophets by fifty in a cave, and fed them, 1Ki 18:3,4; to which Aben Ezra objects, because he is not called a prophet, only one that feared the Lord; whereas to be a prophet is something greater. They also say he was an Edomite by birth, but was proselyted to the Jewish religion, and so a fit person to be employed in prophesying against Edom; and it is a tradition with them that his widow is the woman whose cruse of oil Elisha multiplied, 2Ki 4:1. Some have been of opinion that he was the captain of the third fifty, whose life Elijah spared in the times of Ahaziah; and who upon that left the king's service, and followed the prophet, and became a disciple of his; so Pseudo-Epiphanius {b}, and Isidorus Hispalensis {c}, who say that he was of Sychem, a city of Samaria, and of the field of Bethachamar, or Bethaccaron. Others would have him to be one of the overseers of the workmen in the house of the Lord, in the times of Josiah, 2Ch 34:12; to which Mr. Lively {d} inclines; though others, going according to the order of the books in the canon of Scripture, which is not to be depended on, place him earlier, and make him contemporary with Hosea, Joel, and Amos, as Grotius {e}, Huetius {f}, and Lightfoot {g}: but he seems rather to be contemporary with Jeremiah and Ezekiel, with whose prophecies this agrees, as may be observed by comparing it with Jer 49:1-39, Eze 25:1-17; and to have lived and prophesied after the destruction of Jerusalem by the Chaldeans; in which the Edomites, against whom he prophesies, had a concern; see Ob 1:11-14, Ps 137:7; though Dr. Lightfoot thinks these prophecies refer either to the sacking of Jerusalem by Shishak king of Egypt, 1Ki 14:25; or by the Philistines and Arabians, 2Ch 21:16,17; or by Joash king of Israel, 2Ch 25:21; so that, upon the whole, it is not certain; and, as Aben Ezra and Kimchi own, it is not known in what age this prophet lived: Bishop Usher {h} places his prophecy in the twelfth year of Jeconiah's captivity. However, there is no doubt to be made of the authenticity of the prophecy; as may be concluded, not only from the title of it, and the solemn manner in which it begins; but from the matter of it, and the accomplishment of what is contained in it; as well as from the testimony borne to it in the New Testament, in which not only the book of the minor prophets, in which this stands, is quoted, Ac 7:42; but a passage in it, Ob 1:8; is referred to in 1Co 1:19; as is thought by some learned men. I have only to observe, that, according to Pseudo-Epiphanius {i}, he died in Bethachamar, where he is said to be born, and was buried in the sepulchre of his ancestors; but, according to Jerom {k} and Isidore {l}, his sepulchre is in Sebaste or Samaria; which remained to the times of Jerom, near those of the Prophet Elisha and John the Baptist. Monsieur Thevenot {m} says that John Baptist here lies buried between the Prophets Elisha and Abdias.

{a} P. 103. {b} De Prophet. Vid. c. 15. {c} De Vita & Mort. Sanct. c, 44. {d} In loc. {e} In loc. {f} Demonstrat. Evangel. Prop. 4. p. 290. {g} Works, vol. 1. p. 96. {h} Annales Vet. Test. A. M. 3417 or 587 B.C. {i} Ut supra. (De Prophet. Vid. c. 15.) {k} Comment. in loc. & in Epitaph. Paulae, fol. 59. M. {l} Ut supra. (De Vita & Mort. Sanct. c, 44.) {m} Travels, par. 1. B. 1. ch. 56. p. 216.

\\INTRODUCTION TO OBADIAH 1\\

This prophecy of Obadiah is the least of the minor prophets, consisting but of one chapter; the subject of it is Edom, whose destruction is foretold, and is to be considered as a type of the enemies of Christ and his kingdom, and especially of the Roman antichrist. After the preface, the rumour of war, and preparation for it, which would issue in the ruin of Edom, are observed, Ob 1:1,2; because of their pride, confidence, and security, Ob 1:3,4; which should be complete and entire, Ob 1:5,6; notwithstanding their allies, who would deceive them; and the wisdom of their wise men, which should be destroyed; and the strength of their mighty men, who would be dismayed, Ob 1:7-9; and this should come upon them, chiefly because of their ill usage of the Jews at the time of Jerusalem's destruction, which is enlarged upon, Ob 1:10-14; and this would be when all the nations round about them would be destroyed, Ob 1:15,16; and then deliverance is promised to the Jews, who should not only enjoy their own possessions, but the land of the Edomites, wasted by them, Ob 1:17-20; and the book is concluded with a glorious prophecy of the kingdom of the Messiah, Ob 1:21.